personal statement yale law school

[2024] 4 Law School Personal Statement Examples from Top Programs

by Talha Omer, M.Eng., Cornell Grad

In personal statement samples by field.

In this article, I will discuss 4 law school personal statement samples. These statements have been written by successful applicants who gained admission to prestigious US Law schools like Yale, Harvard, and Stanford. The purpose of these examples is to demonstrate how prospective applicants like yourself can artfully integrate their passion, skills, and pertinent experiences into a captivating narrative.

* To further guide you on your law school application journey, I will not only present these personal statement samples but will also provide my expert review after each one. This includes an analytical feedback, a graded evaluation, and a detailed discussion of any identified weaknesses and strengths within the personal statement. Through this comprehensive analysis, I aim to provide a clearer understanding of what makes a compelling law school personal statement.

In the process of composing these personal statements, the applicants have drawn upon valuable insights from several of my previous writings on the subject. Furthermore, you are encouraged to utilize my prior works as a resource to aid you in crafting your own personal statement.

In those posts I’ve discussed the  art of constructing a captivating personal statement , and I’ve highlighted the  pitfalls to avoid  to ensure your law school essay leaves a positive impression.

I’ve also shared valuable tips on  structuring your personal statement for clarity and readability, not to mention  how to create a powerful opening  that grabs attention from the start. And let’s not forget about maintaining brevity while effectively telling your story, as well as offering a vast range of  personal statement examples  from different fields for reference.

And yes, do not forget to explore my  8-point framework  that anyone can use to self-evaluate their law school personal statement. Complementing this, I’ve also created a  7-point guide  to help you steer clear of potential traps and missteps in your personal statement.

I encourage you to explore these topics in depth, as they will be useful while we explore the sample personal statement for law schools.

In this Article

1) Research the Law School

2) outline your law school personal statement, 3) write a compelling introduction, 4) showcase your achievements and interests in law, 5) articulate your motivations for pursuing law, 6) highlight unique qualities for the legal field, 7) addressing potential weaknesses or gaps, 8) craft a persuasive conclusion, my in-depth feedback on sample 1, my in-depth feedback on sample 2, my in-depth feedback on sample 3, my in-depth feedback on sample 4, why do law schools require a personal statement, does every law school require a personal statement, what should you avoid in a law school personal statement, can i use the same personal statement for all law schools, should i put my name on my law school personal statement, should you brainstorm your law school personal statement, how to write a personal statement for law school.

Writing a personal statement for law school requires thorough research, a well-structured outline, and a captivating introduction. The following steps will guide you in crafting a coherent and compelling narrative that effectively showcases your journey and aspirations in the field of law. For a more detailed post, follow this ultimate guide on how to write a personal statement .

Begin by immersing yourself in extensive research about the law school you are applying to. Explore the institution’s website, paying close attention to its mission, curriculum, faculty expertise, and any unique offerings such as clinical programs or specialized courses. Familiarize yourself with the admission requirements and tailor your personal statement to highlight relevant qualifications.

Immerse yourself in the law school’s culture and gain insights from faculty members, current students, or alumni. Attend informational sessions or open houses to gather additional details. Reflect on how the law school aligns with your career goals in the legal field and incorporate this understanding into your personal statement, showcasing your dedication and suitability.

Before delving into writing your personal statement, create a comprehensive outline of its content. Begin with a captivating introduction , which could include a compelling anecdote, an impactful quote, or a statement that highlights your passion for the law.

For example: “Ever since I witnessed the transformative power of the law in securing justice for the vulnerable, I have been driven to pursue a legal career that upholds the principles of equity and fairness.”

Next, outline your academic achievements and relevant experiences, such as internships, research projects, or extracurricular activities that demonstrate your commitment to the field of law. Emphasize the skills you have developed and the honors you have received.

Articulate your motivations for pursuing a legal education, sharing your aspirations and long-term goals. Highlight unique strengths, such as critical thinking, analytical abilities, or effective communication skills. If necessary, address any potential concerns or gaps in your application, explaining the situation and showcasing your ability to overcome challenges.

Conclude by reiterating your passion and qualifications for the legal profession and express your enthusiasm for joining the law school. This structured approach will ensure a coherent and persuasive personal statement.

Begin your personal statement with a captivating introduction that immediately grabs the reader’s attention. Consider starting with an engaging anecdote, a thought-provoking quote, or a personal experience that sparked your interest in the law.

For instance: “In a world where justice often hangs in the balance, I recall the moment I witnessed a courtroom’s transformative power. The eloquence of the attorneys, the weight of their arguments, and the profound impact on the lives of those involved compelled me to pursue a legal career.”

Briefly introduce the central theme of your personal statement, whether it’s your passion for advocating for others, your commitment to upholding justice, or your desire to make a positive impact through the law. A compelling introduction sets the tone for the rest of your personal statement.

In your personal statement, focus on highlighting your academic and professional accomplishments that showcase your preparedness for law school. Discuss relevant internships, research projects, or academic achievements that demonstrate your commitment to the field.

For example: “During my internship at XYZ Law Firm, I had the privilege of working alongside experienced attorneys, analyzing complex legal cases and conducting in-depth legal research. This experience solidified my passion for legal advocacy and honed my ability to navigate intricate legal frameworks.”

Illustrate key achievements, such as publications, successful legal cases, or leadership roles within legal organizations. Explain how these experiences have shaped your interest in law and contributed to your growth and expertise in the field.

Clearly articulate your motivations for pursuing a legal education. Share personal experiences, challenges, or encounters that have fueled your desire to make a difference through the law.

For example: “Growing up in a community where access to justice was limited, I witnessed firsthand the disparities in legal representation. These experiences instilled in me a deep sense of responsibility to advocate for those who have been marginalized by the legal system.”

Outline your career goals and aspirations, illustrating how obtaining a legal education aligns with your vision. Discuss how the law school’s program, faculty, and resources will contribute to your growth and help you achieve your professional objectives.

Highlight personal qualities and attributes that make you well-suited for a legal career. Emphasize traits such as critical thinking, problem-solving abilities, research skills, or effective communication.

For instance: “My ability to analyze complex legal issues, combined with my unwavering commitment to pursuing justice, has enabled me to approach legal challenges with both empathy and determination.

Provide concrete examples that demonstrate how these qualities have positively impacted your academic or professional experiences. Showcase how these qualities align with the values and expectations of the law school, presenting a strong case for your fit within the legal community.

Address any weaknesses or gaps in your application candidly. If you encountered obstacles or faced academic challenges, briefly mention them, focusing on what you have learned and how you have grown as a result.

Demonstrate resilience and determination by highlighting subsequent achievements or steps you have taken to overcome difficulties. Showcase how these experiences have strengthened your commitment and prepared you for the rigors of law school.

Your conclusion should effectively summarize the key points of your personal statement. Recap your passion for the law, the skills you have acquired, and your future ambitions within the legal field.

For example: “Driven by an unwavering commitment to justice and armed with a solid foundation in legal research and advocacy, I am ready to embark on this transformative journey in law school.”

Express your enthusiasm for contributing to the legal profession, emphasizing how your unique perspective and experiences will enrich the law school community. Conclude with a confident and concise statement that demonstrates your readiness to excel in their program and make a meaningful impact in the field of law.

Sample 1: NYU, UCLA, and Duke

Variations of this personal statement got accepted at nyu, ucla, and duke..

One day, I decided to quit home, leave my parents behind and move to a small rural town called Leiah after being inconsiderately and incessantly forced to marry a cousin. It was a bold step, but I did not want to be like other women in my country who do not fight for their rights. While living in solicitude in Leiah, I stumbled upon a poor old man sitting beside a piece of furniture that would define his existence. Lying limply on a street corner, the old man had only one helping hand – the crippled furniture.

Coming from a privileged background, I saw for the first time the disparity between the haves and have-nots. Nothing, however, seemed more unlikely when I first arrived. Constrained by their poverty, these rural people took what jobs they could find, working for long hours in the field and finally retrieving their broken houses and furniture for respite. They were outrageously overworked and underpaid but never brought any bitterness home. At that time, I realized how blessed I was, and they were not.

Inspired by these experiences, I decided to use my education and connections to bring change to the lives of these people of Leiah. By collaborating with an NGO for money and resources, I started giving out basic amenities and finances to set up cheap livable houses for these people. I didn’t stop there – I joined a maternity home in Leiah as a public liaison officer and helped the clinic with legal and administrative issues. By understanding the numerous Federal and State laws regarding Health Care, I better equipped myself at work. After tireless efforts, I handled several cases of women and children who suffered abuse, violence, and neglect.

I wanted to discuss these experiences because I believe that, as an ever-present factor during many of these four formative years, these incidents played a significant role in shaping the adult I have become. Ten years ago, I would never have foreseen that I could become a powerful vehicle for others’ growth by living in a village. The experience has helped me develop a heightened sensitivity for those who have struggled to fit into our society. As a result, I decided to move back to the city after several years and pursue further education in law and political science. During these academic years, I was actively involved with various community service projects and as an investigator in law firms, allowing me to interact with troubled and disadvantaged youth and the mentally disabled.

I have long been interested in law as an academic discipline, and working in rural areas has confirmed that my academic interests would extend to the real-world application of legal principles. To this end, I purposefully chose jobs that provided very distinct perspectives on law practice. As a legal assistant, I became acquainted with both the advantages and disadvantages of private practice. As a member of the human rights commission, I investigated how non-profits worked at a larger scale to improve the lives of the underprivileged. Moreover, helping in DIL (development in literacy) has offered me a glimpse of how the law may be used constructively in the public sector. I am currently working as a member of the Michigan chapter on fundraising that will take place next year in LA. All these positions have equally impressed upon me the unique potential of the law to make a direct, positive impact on people’s lives.

Working as a legal consultant, I was initially turned off by the formal language, which permeated all writing and discourse (“Aforementioned • legalese had heretofore proven incomprehensible”). As one unfamiliar with the jargon, I found the law to be pretentious and distant. Gradually, however, I began to sort out the shades of difference between a “motion in limine” and a “56(f) motion.” Finally, I understood the law as a vast set of rules which could, with intelligence and creativity, genuinely be used on behalf of values such as fairness and justice.

In addition to my primary assignment on an antitrust case, some exposure to pro bono work further convinced me that law has a vital role in our society. I am also avidly involved in extra-curricular activities. For example, I went to India to attend my father’s book launch (a writer) organized by Ghalib Council, Delhi. By collaborating and bonding with the people of India, I could impart brotherhood and literacy since I found Indian people more educated than us. My society needs education and health, and I want to work in these areas when I return.

As with my experience at a law firm, I soon realized the practical application of the laws written here. Unlike most of the public, who see only the final version of a bill, being part of the health legislative process has forced me to examine all sides of any given issue. Although politics can make this process agonizingly slow and inefficient, my work here has given me a greater appreciation for how laws affect our constituents back home.

Given my skills, I am convinced that health law presents the single greatest chance for me to make a difference, both in the lives of individuals and in terms of influencing the broader fabric of society. Moreover, I am confident that my insistence on looking beyond those first impressions has provided me with an exciting opportunity to apply and study at UCLA Law.

The woman in my society is an artisan and a tradesperson. She’s an economist and a doctor. She is also a fisherwoman and a craftsperson. She’s a mentor, nurturer, parliamentarian, and cultivator. She’s brimming with life and capability, but she waits for what justly belongs to her: the right to a superior life.

Here is a brief review and rating of this personal statement based on different aspects:

• Hook and Introduction (4.5/5): Your introduction is powerful and immediately hooks the reader. It shows strength, courage, and determination.
• Background and Motivation (4.5/5): You’ve done a great job of illustrating your background and motivation, which stem from your experiences in Leiah. You could add more about how these experiences triggered your interest in law.
• Relevance and Competency (4/5): You have demonstrated a clear path from your experiences to your interest in law, but a more explicit discussion about the legal skills you have developed and how you applied them would make this section stronger.
• Passion and Personal Drive (5/5): Your passion for law, social justice, and helping others is palpable and will make a strong impression on the admission committee.
• Program Fit and Future Goals (3/5): Your statement is currently lacking in specific references to the law school you’re applying to, making it difficult to assess fit. Discussing how the program aligns with your career goals and what aspects of the program particularly attract you would strengthen your application.
• Conclusion (4/5): Your conclusion is effective in tying together your experiences and your desire to study law. However, a clearer expression of your readiness for law school and how you plan to contribute to the law school community would enhance this section.

Now, let’s delve deeper into each part of your statement:

• Introduction: Your introduction is powerful and impactful. The raw honesty about your decision to leave home and confront societal norms hooks the reader immediately. It tells us you are strong, independent, and willing to make hard choices. One suggestion would be to more directly link this bold decision to your interest in law—did it spark a desire for justice, or a passion for advocating for others who are oppressed?
• Background and Challenges: You effectively depict the stark contrast between your privileged upbringing and the poverty-stricken lives of the people in Leiah. Your empathy is palpable, and it showcases your character and capacity for understanding others’ situations. To provide more context, you could elaborate on the societal and cultural norms that were challenged by your experiences in Leiah and how these experiences shaped your view of law and justice.
• Transferable Skills: You talk about your role as a public liaison officer and how it familiarized you with Federal and State healthcare laws. This shows you’ve already been using legal skills in a practical environment, a strong point in your favor. Perhaps expand on the specific skills or competencies you gained during this period, such as negotiation, critical thinking, or public speaking, and how they will be beneficial in a law school environment.
• Passion and Goals: Your experiences, such as working with NGOs and maternity homes, indicate a strong passion for social justice. The goal of using law to improve the lives of the underprivileged is noble and will resonate with law schools. It might be beneficial to discuss specific areas of law you are interested in (e.g., human rights, public interest law) and how you see yourself contributing in these areas in the future.
• Relevant Experiences: Your varied experiences, from community service to law firm investigation work, provide you with a wealth of practical experiences, all very relevant to your law school journey. Perhaps you could add more detail about how these experiences solidified your desire to study law and how they shaped your perspective on legal practice.
• Specific Interest in the School: The personal statement does not mention a specific law school or its program. Including a paragraph detailing why you are interested in the specific school you are applying to, and how its program aligns with your career goals, could strengthen your application. Discuss the school’s specific courses, faculty, or values that attract you.
• Conclusion: While your conclusion effectively ties together your experiences and future law goals, it could be more direct in expressing your readiness to face the challenges of law school and contribute to the school community.

Your personal statement is already compelling, but adding more context to your experiences and making clear links between your past, present, and future in the context of law could further enhance it. Remember, specificity is key—whether it’s about the skills you’ve gained, the experiences that shaped your interest in law, or the specific school you’re applying to.

Sample 2: Northwestern, Vanderbilt, and UC Berkeley

Variations of this personal statement got accepted at northwestern, vanderbilt, and uc berkeley..

Unlike many, my passion for acquiring a law degree is neither a childhood fantasy of fighting a case in a courtroom nor a preconceived notion of myself as a lawyer. Instead, I recognize that a law degree would enable me to advance my career as a taxation lawyer.

I had to skip schooling during 4th and 5th grade and instead studied at home. This was due to the financial difficulties stemming from my mother’s cancer treatment, which put a significant financial burden on us. Additionally, as a female from an agricultural and rural family, I faced family pressure to attend a public school instead of a private one. But I did not succumb to these pressures. Instead, I persevered in studying and investing in getting myself private education through partial financial support from my older brother and by working part-time as a writer and content curator. Six months before my high-school graduation, my mother succumbed to her illness and passed away. She spent the last eight years of her life bedridden. The loss was immeasurable, but life had to move on.

I first set my sights on becoming a lawyer when I interned at a law firm during the summer break following my high school graduation. Throughout this internship, I annoyed my supervisors by writing long-winded legal documents even when they asked for a few sentences – this was because of the writing habits I had developed as a content writer. With time, I started to write better legal reports, but my attention was increasingly turned toward tax law. With the guidance and counseling of my supervisors, I applied to an undergrad law program. I spent the next several years understanding the Federal Reserve’s proposed Income Tax Ordinance, including exemptions from income tax and withholding tax.

Throughout this time, I continued to work part-time with various firms, hospitals, and non-profits as a volunteer, legal advisor, and editor. Upon graduation, I applied for the position of legal advisor at the Monthly Atlantic. My current job entails researching and reporting for the newspaper on appropriations bills and export legislation. I also write daily summaries of major contracts awarded by the Federal Government. I am also primarily responsible for supporting discrete legal issues by advising the organization, drafting undertakings, and structuring remedies for the relevant issues.

I am excited but also apprehensive as I try to explain legal jargon to an informed general audience, some of whom may know more about these policies than I do. For example, recently, I had a significant challenge in understanding and decoding the budget proposals of the Federal Reserve, by section 42 of the MOPA Act, 1956 (the Act), in which the entire income of the Federal Reserve and its subsidiaries is remitted to the federal government. After thoroughly going through the provisions, I learned there are still some provisions in the Income Tax Ordinance 2001, Sales Tax Act 1990, and Federal Excise Act 2005, attracting the application of taxes and duties.

Too often, I need more legal knowledge to fully grasp bills that control how companies do business overseas, the limits to which government agencies can go to collect covert intelligence, or the amount of funding an agency can receive in a given time. On the one hand, these limitations have yet to do much to impair me in my current position. I am called to turn out several short stories daily on various topics without going into significant detail. However, I would like to advance to more complex and challenging assignments one day. I fear I will be able to do so if I acquire more expertise than I can within the confines of my deadline-driven job. It is a belief shared by several of my colleagues and many of the senior legal consultants at the newspaper that those who hold advanced degrees in law, business, and related disciplines are at an edge. A law degree would put me in a better position to join their ranks, mainly if I could attend school while continuing to work as a legal advisor in taxation-related instances.

Given my circumstances and interests, a graduate degree in taxation law from UC Berkeley is my ideal choice. In addition, I have an acquaintance that is currently enrolled at Berkeley Law school. His generous feedback has convinced me that this program would also fit my needs considering its flexible schedule and emphasis on tax law.

• Hook and Introduction (5/5): The hook and introduction effectively capture the reader’s attention and provide a clear understanding of your unique motivation for pursuing a law degree. The personal anecdote about your internship and your writing habits adds interest to the narrative and sets the stage for the rest of the personal statement.
• Background and Motivation (4.5/5): The background section effectively outlines the challenges you faced during your education and personal life, showcasing your resilience and determination. It helps the reader understand the context in which your passion for law developed. The motivation behind your interest in taxation law is well-explained, highlighting how your experiences and skills have guided you towards this specific field.
• Relevance and Competency (4/5): You effectively demonstrate your competence by discussing your experiences as a legal advisor, writer, and content curator. The mention of your work with firms, hospitals, and non-profits further strengthens your case. However, it would be beneficial to provide more specific examples or achievements that highlight your skills and expertise in taxation law.
• Passion and Personal Drive (4.5/5): Your passion for taxation law shines through in your personal statement. The enthusiasm you express for writing legal reports and your desire to tackle more complex assignments demonstrate your genuine interest in the field. The mention of your colleagues and senior legal consultants’ belief in the value of advanced degrees in law further emphasizes your commitment to continuous learning and professional growth.
• Program Fit and Future Goals (3/5): While you express your interest in pursuing a graduate degree in taxation law from UC Berkeley, the personal statement lacks specific details about why this program is a perfect fit for your goals. Providing more information about the program’s strengths and how they align with your aspirations would strengthen this section.
• Conclusion (4/5): The conclusion effectively wraps up your personal statement and reinforces your commitment to pursuing a law degree. It restates your interest in UC Berkeley and highlights the feedback you received from an acquaintance at the institution. However, it could be enhanced by briefly summarizing your key strengths and accomplishments and how they will contribute to your success in the program.
• Introduction: The introduction of the personal statement effectively hooks the reader by highlighting your unique motivation for pursuing a law degree with a focus on taxation law. The mention of it not being a childhood fantasy and instead recognizing the degree as a means to advance your career sets the tone for the rest of the statement.
• Background and Challenges: The section detailing your background and the challenges you faced is compelling. The explanation of having to skip schooling due to financial difficulties resulting from your mother’s cancer treatment adds depth to your personal story. It showcases your resilience in overcoming obstacles and your determination to pursue education despite the circumstances. The mention of facing family pressure to attend a public school instead of a private one further emphasizes your determination and ability to make your own choices.
• Transferable Skills: While you mention working part-time as a writer and content curator, the transferable skills gained from this experience could be further elaborated upon. Explaining how your writing skills, attention to detail, and ability to analyze information have prepared you for the demands of the legal field would strengthen this section.
• Passion and Goals: Your passion for law and taxation law is effectively conveyed throughout the personal statement. The explanation of your interest developing during your internship at a law firm, where you consistently wrote legal documents, showcases your dedication and enthusiasm. The mention of your desire to tackle more complex assignments and the belief shared by colleagues and senior legal consultants that advanced degrees are advantageous demonstrate your long-term goals and commitment to professional growth.
• Relevant Experiences: The inclusion of your various volunteer and advisory roles, as well as your current position as a legal advisor at the Monthly Atlantic, highlights your practical experience in the field. However, providing more specific examples or accomplishments from these experiences would enhance this section and further illustrate your competence and expertise.
• Specific Interest in the School: While you express an interest in pursuing a graduate degree in taxation law from UC Berkeley, the personal statement lacks specific details about why this program is a perfect fit for your goals. Adding more information about the program’s strengths, faculty, or specific courses that align with your interests would strengthen this section.
• Conclusion: The conclusion effectively wraps up the personal statement by restating your commitment to pursuing a law degree and emphasizing your interest in UC Berkeley. However, it could be strengthened by summarizing your key strengths, experiences, and goals and how they align with the school’s offerings.

Overall, your personal statement effectively conveys your passion for taxation law, your determination to overcome challenges, and your commitment to professional growth. Strengthening the sections on transferable skills, providing more specific examples of relevant experiences, and including more specific details about the school’s fit would enhance the overall impact of the statement.

Sample 3: Georgetown

Variations of this personal statement got accepted at georgetown..

My desire to apply to law school is not rooted in a childhood fantasy of arguing a case before a packed courtroom. I have never seen myself as a trial attorney, ala Perry Mason or Nora Lewin on Law & Order. However, a legal education would enable me to advance my career as a writer and analyst specializing in national security and global trade issues.

I first set my sights on becoming a writer when I learned my letters. But, of course, mastering the ABCs may have been a long way from winning the Pulitzer. Nevertheless, this minor detail did not prevent me from completing three “novels” and my version of Genesis before the age of seven. Throughout elementary and junior high school, I annoyed my teachers by writing 10-page themes whenever they asked for a few sentences. Later, as a high school and college student, I continued writing, though my attention was increasingly turned toward other subjects. Ultimately, one of my professors directed me on a path that would combine my background in writing with government and policymaking. With her help, I secured an internship with a government contractor. As a result, I spent the spring and summer writing copy for websites that the company managed for the government while taking additional classes at university.

In February, I accepted a full-time job as a researcher at Washington Post, where I am now an assistant editor. My current job entails researching and reporting on defense appropriations bills and export legislation, as well as writing daily summaries of major contracts awarded by the Department of Defense and other defense ministries worldwide. With enthusiasm but some trepidation, I attempt to decode pages of legal jargon for an educated lay readership, many of whom I suspect know more than I about such policies. But, too often, I lack the legal knowledge to fully grasp bills that control how companies do business overseas, the limits to which government agencies can go to collect covert intelligence, or the amount of funding an agency can receive in a given length of time.

On the one hand, these limitations have yet to do much to impair me in my current position. I am called to turn out several short stories daily on various topics without going into significant detail. However, I would like to advance to more difficult reporting assignments one day. I fear I will be able to do so if I acquire more expertise than I can within the confines of my deadline-driven job. I also would like to It is a belief shared by several of my colleagues, as well as many of the senior writers and editors at my company who hold advanced degrees in law, business, and related disciplines. A law degree would put me in a better position to join their ranks, mainly if I could attend school while continuing to work as a journalist.

Given my circumstances and interests, Georgetown University Law Center, with its top-ranked intellectual property and international law programs, is my ideal choice. In addition, I have a colleague that is currently enrolled in the Georgetown evening law program. His generous feedback has convinced me that this program would also fit my needs considering its flexible schedule and emphasis on legal writing.

Your personal statement presents a compelling narrative that effectively communicates your passion for writing, your current profession, and your interest in furthering your education in law to augment your skills and understanding. Here are a few suggestions to improve it further:

• Specifics: While you mention you would like to join the ranks of your colleagues who hold advanced degrees in law and related disciplines, it would be beneficial to include specific examples of how having a law degree could have or will benefit you in your current role.
• Motivation: You’ve done a great job discussing your professional path and how you hope a legal education will benefit your career. Still, it would help if you were to discuss any personal reasons or experiences that have led you to want to study law. Personal narratives often make an applicant more relatable and can help the reader understand your motivation better.
• Intention: You may want to further discuss how you plan to apply your law degree to your current career or future aspirations.
• Completion: Towards the end, it seems there is a sentence that is not completed: “I also would like to It is a belief shared by several of my colleagues…”. You might want to revise this sentence to make your statement clearer.
• Why Georgetown: While you have discussed that Georgetown University Law Center is your top choice, consider elaborating on why Georgetown, in particular, is the perfect fit for your career goals, apart from its flexible schedule and the fact that your colleague is enrolled there. You could mention specific courses, professors, or the university’s ethos, for example.

Your personal statement is already quite strong, and these suggestions are only meant to fine-tune your narrative further.

Sample 4: Harvard Law

Variations of this llm personal statement got accepted at university of pennsylvania, oxford university, and harvard law school..

I grew up in a middle-class family in Malaysia, where discipline and responsible behavior were the only doctrines taught. At school, I maintained 100% attendance without exception – a feat that my parents and I take pride in. My parents’ utmost involvement throughout my growing years always made me outshine my peers. Though my school grades were average, I represented my school in many activities ranging from debates and dramatics to being a soccer team captain for the entire house.

I have always had complete freedom from my parents until I had to choose a career. A STEM career was my parents’ priority, but for the first time, I differed from my family and chose Social Sciences. I was told that career prospects were bleak and that I was making the wrong decision, but I persisted. While majoring in social sciences, I met a mentor, Dr. Anonymous, a top economist. He challenged me intellectually, which helped me become a better thinker.

Subsequently, I secured the second position in college. My life turned around as people started to value my opinions, and at that time, I discovered my passion, “to speak.” I was chosen as the Coordinator for a Student Leadership Program, where I was mainly responsible for teaching empathy to hundreds of students from elite schools.

At the same time, at age 17, I met the chief editor of the New York Times, who invited me to host the “Youth Forum,” a program to highlight young people’s perspectives on existing social issues. With 55 episodes spanning over 2.5 years, I questioned youth’s role in our turbulent political, social, and economic system. The show gained popularity and performed exceptionally on TRP scores, with viewership growing to over 500,000.

At college, I met another mentor, Justice Anonymous of the Federal Court of Malaysia, who allowed me to attend court sessions as an observer of cross-questioning sessions. In addition, I socialized with lawyers at many forums, including the Court’s Cafeteria, where all appreciated my love for the field. In my 5th semester, I took a course on U.K. Constitutional Law, where I learned about the history of the U.K. Constitution. In the session on “Parliamentary Sovereignty” and “Britain’s relationship with the European Union,” the professor gave me new energy to research further about the steps in forming its Constitution. The more I read, the more I appreciated the perseverance of the founding fathers and the strong foundation England and Wales is built on.

A few years back, I attended the Oxford University Experience-Summer Course for Teens, Summerfuel. The program helped me with experiential learning about what college life is like. During my stay, I had plenty of opportunities to experience English life outside the classroom. Here, in a session, I narrated the first paragraph of the declaration of independence and asked, “whether all men are equal?”. To this, the professor appreciated my enthusiasm for constitutional law.

On my return to Malaysia, I had new energy to question the existing constitutional norms of Malaysia and kept comparing the constitutions of both countries and analyzing the factors that led to present-day turbulence in Malaysia. It is evident through the literature and historical precedence that the Constitution of Malaysia has been used maliciously to favor the powermongers. This indicates the lack of sincerity and dedication of the leaders who have formed this country.

Sadly, very few competent constitutional lawyers exist in the country that also happened to have played in the hands of powerful politicians who manipulated the Constitution to favor their vested interests. Therefore, I decided to take a career in this area as I aspire to be one of the few upright constitutional lawyers. I want to be amongst those who have shaped law and politics in Malaysia. Not amongst those who played in the hands of the powerful.

I want to choose Oxford Law for several reasons. Its tradition for excellence, the unique constitutional law curriculum, the summer program, and the excellent opportunity to meet and network with individuals from different parts of the world. I believe that Oxford law school’s vibrant and diverse community actively affirms my personality of maintaining lifelong relations. These different connections serve as a general resource for the campus community and a source of empowerment for students like me. The diverse setting at Oxford will enable me to investigate and engage in current issues and more profound societal questions. As a result, I will be able to discover how I can positively impact the world around me.

I am looking for an environment that promotes lively debates to complement my active speaking and reasoning traits. I can access well-known professors and discuss legal issues with exceptional young lawyers from more than 35 countries. Oxford offers a culture of collegiality and collaboration, where international students feel comfortable. At Oxford, professors like Dr. Anonymous, who specialize in constitutional law, and courses such as Democracy, Judicial Law-Making, & Constitutional Law can help nurture my skills and move forward in my career.

Professor Dr. Anonymous, a former Lord Justice in Wales, will teach me the value of strategy in litigation. Next, professor Dr. Anonymous and Dr. Anonymous will introduce me to the fabulous world of copyright. Finally, professor Dr. Anonymous will show me the foundations of the England and Wales litigation system. My long-term goal is to teach and practice constitutional law and eventually join politics on the path to becoming a leading politician. I have been inspired by high-achieving lawyers in Malaysia, such as Justice Anonymous, who have shaped Malaysia’s media, politics, and legal practice. I aspire to be the next in line.

Oxford offers a vast clinical & pro bono program via externships ranging from civil practice clinic to Wales Human Relations Commission. These externships indicate that Oxford wants to help all, a notion uncommon in Malaysia. Oxford is a lab for innovation and opportunities, as seen from the example of hundreds of Alumni that Oxford Law has catered to. I firmly believe that Oxford will genuinely appreciate my leadership at every scale and will polish my raw qualities and channel them so that I can apply them in Malaysia. Actual change on the grass root comes through education, and Oxford Law School is the ideal medium to achieve the highest standards.

Overall, your personal statement is impressive and well-articulated, illustrating a journey of personal and academic growth that highlights your passion, determination, and ambition. You make a compelling case for why you are interested in studying law, and specifically constitutional law, at Oxford. The narrative is well structured, and your argument about the need for constitutional reform in Malaysia is compelling and novel. Your professional experiences and extracurricular activities are quite impressive, providing evidence of your initiative and leadership abilities.

However, there are a few areas where your personal statement could be improved.

• Language & Tone: There are some areas where the tone may come off as overly self-congratulatory, which could potentially turn off some admissions officers. For instance, you could soften the phrase “My parents’ utmost involvement throughout my growing years always made me outshine my peers.”
• Coherence: The transitions between paragraphs are sometimes abrupt. For example, the transition from your second to third paragraph, where you switch from discussing your choice of Social Sciences to your achievement of securing second position in college, lacks a clear connecting link.
• Specificity: You could provide more specifics to demonstrate the impact of your work. For example, instead of mentioning that you taught empathy to hundreds of students, it would be helpful to illustrate what this entailed and what results it achieved.
• Mention of Oxford: The reasons for choosing Oxford Law seem generic and could apply to any top law school. To make your statement more compelling, research more about what is specific to Oxford Law – perhaps a unique program or course, or a faculty member’s work you admire, and express why that appeals to you.
• Criticizing Home Country: The criticism of Malaysia and its leaders seems a bit harsh, which may not resonate well with some readers. While it’s important to be honest about the issues you see, try to express these thoughts in a more constructive manner, focusing more on potential solutions rather than just pointing out problems.
• Ending: The statement ends abruptly. It would be great if you could end on a strong note, summarising your aspirations, and how Oxford fits into that journey.

Here is how I would grade your personal statement:

Content: B+ (The content is strong, but it could benefit from more specific examples and better transitions)

Structure: B (The narrative is coherent but could benefit from smoother transitions and a stronger conclusion)

Language & Tone: B (The tone sometimes comes off as self-congratulatory, and the language could be more nuanced in places)

Alignment with Purpose: B+ (Your statement makes a compelling case for why you want to study law at Oxford, but reasons specific to Oxford could be made more clear)

Overall Grade: B+ 

Your personal statement has a lot of strengths, and with a few tweaks, it could be even stronger. I hope this feedback helps you in refining it further!

Law schools typically require a personal statement for several reasons:

• Understanding You Better: The personal statement provides insights into who you are beyond your academic credentials and achievements. It helps the admissions committee understand your values, personal growth, and unique experiences that might not be evident from your GPA or LSAT scores.
• Assessing Your Communication Skills: Law is a field that requires excellent written communication skills. A well-written personal statement allows the admissions committee to gauge your ability to articulate complex thoughts, express ideas clearly, and construct logical arguments.
• Determining Your Commitment: A thoughtful personal statement can demonstrate your dedication to pursuing a legal career. It’s a way for you to express why you want to study law and how you perceive your future in the field.
• Identifying Diverse Perspectives: Law schools aim to create a diverse and dynamic learning environment. Your personal statement allows you to highlight unique experiences or perspectives that you can bring to the school, thereby contributing to this diversity.
• Evaluating Your Potential Fit: The personal statement gives the law school an opportunity to determine whether you’ll be a good fit for their institution. This isn’t just about you meeting their requirements, but also about whether the school can meet your academic and career aspirations.
• Demonstrating Resilience: Personal statements often include narratives that reveal challenges and obstacles you’ve overcome. These stories can demonstrate your resilience and problem-solving skills, traits that are highly valued in the legal profession.

In summary, a personal statement is a tool that allows law schools to evaluate you holistically. It goes beyond objective measurements of academic potential and provides a more comprehensive view of you as an individual.

Almost all law schools in the United States require a personal statement as part of the application process. The personal statement serves as a critical component of your law school application, allowing admissions committees to understand your motivations, experiences, and skills beyond what is reflected in your academic records and LSAT scores.

However, the specific requirements for law school applications can vary from one institution to another. Some schools may have specific prompts or topics they want you to address in your personal statement, while others may offer more freedom in choosing what to discuss. Certain schools might even ask for additional essays or statements to supplement your application.

If you are applying to law schools outside of the U.S., it’s always a good idea to check the specific admissions guidelines for each law school you’re interested in. Remember that meeting all of the application requirements can demonstrate your commitment and attention to detail, which are valuable traits in the legal field.

What is a Good Length for a Law School Personal Statement?

The length of a personal statement for law school can vary depending on the specific instructions provided by each law school.

A common guideline is typically around two to three double-spaced pages, or approximately 500-750 words.

This length is usually sufficient to provide a detailed narrative without overwhelming the reader with too much information. Remember, admissions committees review many applications, so they appreciate concise and compelling personal statements.

It’s very important to adhere to the instructions provided by each law school you apply to. If a specific word or page count is given, make sure you comply with that limit. Failure to do so could give the impression that you either cannot follow instructions or that you lack the ability to express yourself concisely, neither of which will help your application.

Above all, make sure that every word you write is meaningful and contributes to your overall narrative or argument. A well-crafted, succinct personal statement can often be more powerful than a longer one that lacks focus.

Writing a personal statement for law school can be a challenging task. It’s equally important to know what to avoid as it is to know what to include . Here are some common pitfalls to avoid:

• Vague and Cliché Statements: Avoid clichés and general statements that could apply to anyone. Be specific, personal, and honest in your writing. For example, instead of saying “I want to be a lawyer to fight for justice,” show through your experiences and reflections why and how you’re committed to justice.
• Repeating Your Resume: Your personal statement should not be a recitation of your resume or transcript. It’s an opportunity to share your personal journey, perspectives, and insights that aren’t reflected in other parts of your application.
• Being Overly Emotional or Dramatic: While it’s important to show passion, avoid being excessively emotional or dramatic. Aim to strike a balance between personal storytelling and professional tone.
• Off-topic Content: Stay focused on what the prompt is asking, and tie everything back to your interest in law school and your future career. Avoid irrelevant details or anecdotes.
• Poor Structure and Flow: A disjointed or confusing statement can be difficult to read and may give a negative impression. Plan your statement carefully to ensure it has a clear structure and logical flow.
• Typos and Grammar Errors: These can give the impression of carelessness. Proofread your statement carefully, and consider having others review it as well.
• Negativity or Excuses: If discussing challenges or setbacks, focus on what you learned and how you grew from the experience rather than blaming others or making excuses.
• Making Unsupported Claims: If you claim a particular trait, back it up with concrete examples. For example, instead of just stating that you’re empathetic, share an experience that demonstrates this quality.
• Controversial Topics: Be cautious when discussing potentially divisive subjects, as you don’t want to alienate the reader. If you do choose to address a controversial issue, be sure to do so respectfully and thoughtfully.

Remember, your personal statement is a chance to present an authentic and engaging narrative about your journey towards law school. It should showcase your unique qualities, motivations, and experiences, demonstrating why you would be an excellent addition to the law school’s incoming class.

While it’s possible to use the same base personal statement for all law schools, it is not generally recommended. This is because each law school may have different prompts or expectations for what they want to see in a personal statement. If you don’t tailor your statement to each school, you might miss an opportunity to show how well you align with that specific program or fail to answer the prompt properly.

Additionally, tailoring your personal statement to each school can demonstrate your genuine interest in that particular institution. For example, you might discuss how a specific program, course, or faculty member at that school aligns with your career goals or academic interests. Showing that you’ve done your research and understand what makes each law school unique can make your application more compelling.

That said, it’s also important to maintain consistency and honesty across your applications. You might have a central narrative or theme in your personal statement that remains the same across all versions, while adjusting specific details or sections to better fit each school.

Remember to carefully review the application guidelines for each law school you apply to, paying special attention to any specific prompts or instructions for the personal statement. It’s crucial to ensure that each statement you submit not only meets all requirements, but also clearly conveys why you are a strong fit for each particular law school. 

In general, it’s good practice to include your name and sometimes your LSAC (Law School Admission Council) number on every page of your personal statement, usually in the header or footer. This ensures that if the pages get separated for any reason, the admissions committee can easily match them back up.

However, each law school might have specific guidelines regarding formatting and what information to include. Always follow the specific directions provided by the school to which you’re applying. If the application instructions don’t specify whether or not to include your name, it’s generally safe to include it to ensure your personal statement is easily identifiable.

Also, it’s always a good idea to include a title for your personal statement, even if it’s just “Personal Statement,” so it’s immediately clear what the document is. If you are sending more than one essay or document (like a diversity statement or addendum), this will ensure that each one is clearly identified.

Prior to initiating the writing process, it is vital to set aside some time to formulate your thoughts. Given that the prompts for law school personal statements are usually quite generic—such as, “Why are you interested in studying law?”—candidates often face uncertainty about the best way to approach their response.

You may find yourself overwhelmed with numerous ideas, or conversely, completely devoid of inspiration. To start off, let’s consider a practical approach you can adopt if you’re grappling with where to begin.

Take a writing pad and respond to the subsequent questions:

• Why do I want to go to law school? This question helps to clarify your motivation and passion for pursuing law as a career. It can be grounded in an event, an experience, or a specific interest you’ve cultivated over time .
• What experiences have prepared me for a career in law? These could be academic, work, or extracurricular experiences, where you’ve developed skills that are relevant to a legal career, such as critical thinking, negotiation, or public speaking.
• How have my past experiences influenced my world view? This can provide context about how you approach problems, deal with adversity, or interact with diverse groups, which are all relevant to a legal career.
• How does a law degree fit into my long-term career goals? Here, you’re demonstrating an understanding of how a law degree can contribute to your aspirations, showing a commitment to the field.
• Can I discuss a specific area of law I’m interested in? It’s a bonus if you’re able to tie your experiences and interests to a particular field of law. This shows a depth of understanding and dedication to the subject.
• Is there a unique perspective or diverse background that I can bring to the law school? Schools value diversity in their student body, as it contributes to the richness of classroom discussions and the overall community.
• Have I overcome any significant obstacles or challenges in my life that have shaped who I am? This might provide insight into your resilience, determination, and adaptability, which are valuable traits in a lawyer.
• How have I demonstrated leadership or initiative in the past? Law schools are looking for leaders and self-starters, so any evidence of this will be useful in your personal statement.
• Can I articulate the values and qualities that will make me a good lawyer? You might think about empathy, integrity, diligence, advocacy, or the desire to serve others and uphold justice.
• Why am I a good fit for the specific law school I’m applying to? Consider the school’s mission statement, values, programs, faculty, etc. This can show that you’ve done your research and are committed to attending that particular school.

Formulating a compelling law school personal statement requires thoughtful introspection and strategic planning. By answering these guiding questions, you can navigate the broad prompts and articulate your experiences, motivations, and unique attributes effectively.

Remember, the goal is not to present a list of accomplishments but to paint a vivid picture of your journey towards the legal profession. So, use these questions as your starting point, and craft a narrative that stands out in the sea of applicants and resonates with the admissions committee. The journey towards a career in law starts with this crucial step, and you have the power to shape it.

WANT MORE AMAZING ARTICLES ON GRAD SCHOOL PERSONAL STATEMENTS?

• 100+ Outstanding Examples of Personal Statements
• The Ultimate Guide to Writing a Winning Personal Statement
• Common Pitfalls to Avoid in Your Personal Statement
• Writing a Killer Opening Paragraph for Your Personal Statement
• Ideal Length for a Graduate School Personal Statement
• 100 Inspiring Quotes to Jumpstart Your Personal Statement

Sample Personal Statement for Masters in International Business

Sample Personal Statement for Masters in International Business My journey began amidst the kaleidoscope of Qatar's landscapes, setting the stage for a life attuned to cultural nuances. Transitioning to Riyadh in my teens, I absorbed a mosaic of traditions, sparking a...

Sample Personal Statement for Family Medicine Residency

Personal Statement Prompt: A personal letter is required. We are looking for mature, enthusiastic physicians who bring with them a broad range of life experiences, are committed to providing excellent patient care, and can embrace the depth and breadth of experiences...

Sample Personal Statement Cybersecurity

In this article, I will be providing a sample grad school personal statement in the field of cybersecurity. This sample was written by an applicant who got admitted into George Mason, Northeastern and Arizona State University. This example aims to show how prospective...

100+ Grad School Personal Statement Examples

Introduction Importance of a Strong Personal Statement A personal statement is essential in the graduate school application process, as it plays a significant role in shaping the admissions committee's perception of you. In fact, a survey conducted by the Council of...

Mental Health Counseling Personal Statement Example

The following essay was written by an applicant who was admitted to top US master's programs in mental health counseling. Variations of this personal statement got accepted at Boston University, Harvard, and Yale. This personal statement is intended to provide an...

WANT AMAZING ARTICLES ON GRAD SCHOOL PERSONAL STATEMENTS?

• 100+ Personal Statement Templates

Login to your account

Remember Me

Register for a Free Account

Access sample lessons, a free LSAT PrepTest, and 100 question explanations today!

Password (twice) * password strength indicator

Analytics Identifier

Excellent Law School Personal Statement Examples By David Busis Published May 5, 2019 Updated Feb 10, 2021

We’ve rounded up five spectacular personal statements that helped students with borderline numbers get into T-14 schools. You’ll find these examples to be as various as a typical JD class. Some essays are about a challenge, some about the evolution of the author’s intellectual or professional journey, and some about the author’s identity. The only common thread is sincerity. The authors did not write toward an imagined idea of what an admissions officer might be looking for: they reckoned honestly with formative experiences.

Personal Statement about a Career Journey

The writer of this personal statement matriculated at Georgetown. Her GPA was below the school’s 25th percentile and her LSAT score was above the 75th percentile. She was not a URM.

* Note that we’ve used female pronouns throughout, though some of the authors are male.

I don’t remember anything being out of the ordinary before I fainted—just the familiar, heady feeling and then nothing. When I came to, they were wheeling me away to the ER. That was the last time I went to the hospital for my neurology observership. Not long after, I crossed “doctor” off my list of post-graduate career options. It would be best, I figured, if I did something for which the day-to-day responsibilities didn’t make me pass out.

Back at the drawing board, I reflected on my choices. The first time around, my primary concern was how I could stay in school for the longest amount of time possible. Key factors were left out of my decision: I had no interest in medicine, no aptitude for the natural sciences, and, as it quickly became apparent, no stomach for sick patients. The second time around, I was honest with myself: I had no idea what I wanted to do.

My college graduation speaker told us that the word “job” comes from the French word “gober,” meaning “to devour.” When I fell into digital advertising, I was expecting a slow and toothless nibbling, a consumption whose impact I could ignore while I figured out what I actually wanted to do. I’d barely started before I realized that my interviewers had been serious when they told me the position was sink or swim. At six months, I was one toothbrush short of living at our office. It was an unapologetic aquatic boot camp—and I liked it. I wanted to swim. The job was bringing out the best in me and pushing me to do things I didn’t think I could do.

I remember my first client emergency. I had a day to re-do a presentation that I’d been researching and putting together for weeks. I was panicked and sure that I’d be next on the chopping block. My only cogent thought was, “Oh my god. What am I going to do?” The answer was a three-part solution I know well now: a long night, lots of coffee, and laser-like focus on exactly and only what was needed.

Five years and numerous emergencies later, I’ve learned how to work: work under pressure, work when I’m tired, and work when I no longer want to. I have enough confidence to set my aims high and know I can execute on them. I’ve learned something about myself that I didn’t know when I graduated: I am capable.

The word “career” comes from the French word “carrière,” denoting a circular racecourse. Perhaps it shouldn’t surprise me then, that I’ve come full circle with regards to law school. For two college summers, I interned as a legal associate and wondered, “Is this for me?” I didn’t know if I was truly interested, and I was worried that even if I was, I wouldn’t be able to see it through. Today, I don’t have those fears.

In the course of my advertising career, I have worked with many lawyers to navigate the murky waters of digital media and user privacy. Whereas most of my co-workers went to great lengths to avoid our legal team, I sought them out. The legal conversations about our daily work intrigued me. How far could we go in negotiating our contracts to reflect changing definitions of an impression? What would happen if the US followed the EU and implemented wide-reaching data-protection laws?

Working on the ad tech side of the industry, I had the data to target even the most niche audiences: politically-active Mormon Democrats for a political client; young, low-income pregnant women for a state government; millennials with mental health concerns in a campaign for suicide prevention. The extent to which digital technology has evolved is astonishing. So is the fact that it has gone largely unregulated. That’s finally changing, and I believe the shift is going to open up a more prominent role for those who understand both digital technology and its laws. I hope to begin my next career at the intersection of those two worlds.

Personal Statement about Legal Internships

The writer of this essay was admitted to every T14 law school from Columbia on down and matriculated at a top JD program with a large merit scholarship. Her LSAT score was below the median and her GPA was above the median of each school that accepted her. She was not a URM.

About six weeks into my first legal internship, my office-mate gestured at the window—we were seventy stories high in the Chrysler Building—and said, with a sad smile, doesn’t this office just make you want to jump? The firm appeared to be falling apart. The managing partners were suing each other, morale was low, and my boss, in an effort to maintain his client base, had instructed me neither to give any information to nor take any orders from other attorneys. On my first day of work, coworkers warned me that the firm could be “competitive,” which seemed to me like a good thing. I considered myself a competitive person and enjoyed the feeling of victory. This, though, was the kind of competition in which everyone lost.

Although I felt discouraged about the legal field after this experience, I chose not to give up on the profession, and after reading a book that featured the U.S. attorney’s office for the Southern District of New York, I sent in an internship application. Shortly after, I received an offer to work at the office. For my first assignment, I attended a hearing in the federal courthouse. As I entered the magnificent twenty-third-floor courtroom, I felt the gravitas of the issue at hand: the sentencing of a terrorist.

That sense of gravitas never left me, and visiting the courtroom became my favorite part of the job. Sitting in hearings amidst the polished brass fixtures and mahogany walls, watching attorneys in refined suits prosecute terror, cybercrime, and corruption, I felt part of a grand endeavor. The spectacle enthralled me: a trial was like a combination of a theatrical performance and an athletic event. If I’d seen the dark side of competition at my first job, now I was seeing the bright side. I sat on the edge of my seat and watched to see if good—my side—triumphed over evil—the defense. Every conviction seemed like an unambiguous achievement. I told my friends that one day I wanted to help “lock up the bad guys.”

It wasn’t until I interned at the public defender’s office that I realized how much I’d oversimplified the world. In my very first week, I took the statement of a former high school classmate who had been charged with heroin possession. I did not know him well in high school, but we both recognized one another and made small talk before starting the formal interview. He had fallen into drug abuse and had been convicted of petty theft several months earlier. After finishing the interview, I wished him well.

The following week, in a courtroom that felt more like a macabre DMV than the hallowed halls I’d seen with the USAO, I watched my classmate submit his guilty plea, which would allow him to do community service in lieu of jail time. The judge accepted his plea and my classmate mumbled a quiet “thank you.” I felt none of the achievement I’d come to associate with guilty pleas. In that court, where hundreds of people trudged through endless paperwork and long lines before they could even see a judge, there were no good guys and bad guys—just people trying to put their lives back together.

A year after my internship at the public defender’s office, I read a profile of Preet Bharara, the U.S. attorney for the Southern District of New York, and my former boss. In the profile, he says, “You don’t want a justice system in which prosecutors are cowboys.” The more I saw at the public defender’s office, the more I rethought my experience at the USAO. When I had excitedly called my parents after an insider trading conviction, I had not thought of the defendant’s family. When I had cheered the conviction of a terrorist, I hadn’t thought about the fact that a conviction could not undo his actions. As I now plan on entering the legal profession—either as a prosecutor or public defender—I realize that my enthusiasm momentarily overwrote my empathy. I’d been playing cowboy. A lawyer’s job isn’t to lock up bad guys or help good guys in order to quench a competitive thirst—it’s to subsume his or her ego in the work and, by presenting one side of a case, create a necessary condition for justice.

Personal Statement about Cultural Identity

The writer of this essay was offered significant merit aid packages from Cornell, Michigan, and Northwestern, and matriculated at NYU Law. Her LSAT score was below the 25th percentile LSAT score and her GPA matched the median GPA of NYU.

By the age of five, I’d attended seven kindergartens and collected more frequent flier miles than most adults. I resided in two worlds – one with fast motorcycles, heavy pollution, and the smell of street food lingering in the air; the other with trimmed grass, faint traces of perfume mingling with coffee in the mall, and my mom pressing her hand against my window as she left for work. She was the only constant between these two worlds – flying me between Taiwan and America as she struggled to obtain a U.S. citizenship.

My family reunited for good around my sixth birthday, when we flew back to Taiwan to join my dad. I forgot about the West, acquired a taste for Tangyuan, and became fast friends with the kids in my neighborhood. In the evenings, I’d sit with my grandmother as she watched soap operas in Taiwanese, the dialect of the older generation, which I picked up in unharmonious bits and pieces. Other nights, she would turn off the TV, and speak to me about tradition and history – recounting my ancestors, life during the Japanese regime, raising my dad under martial law. “You are the last of the Li’s,” she would say, patting my back, and I’d feel a quick rush of pride, as though a lineage as deep as that of the English monarchy rested on my shoulders.

When I turned seven, my parents enrolled me in an American school, explaining that it was time for me, a Tai Wan Ren (Taiwanese), to learn English – “a language that could open doors to better opportunities.” Although I learned slowly, with a handful of the most remedial in ESL (English as a Second Language), books like The Secret Garden and The Wind in the Willows opened up new worlds of captivating images and beautiful stories that I longed to take part in.

Along with the new language, I adopted a different way to dress, new mannerisms, and new tastes, including American pop culture. I stopped seeing the neighborhood kids, and sought a set of friends who shared my affinity for HBO movies and  Claire’s Jewelry . Whenever taxi drivers or waitresses asked where I was from, noting that I spoke Chinese with too much of an accent to be native, I told them I was American.

At home, I asked my mom to stop packing Taiwanese food for my lunch. The cheap food stalls I once enjoyed now embarrassed me. Instead, I wanted instant mashed potatoes and Kraft mac and cheese.

When it came time for college, I enrolled in a liberal arts school on the East Coast to pursue my love of literature, and was surprised to find that my return to America did not feel like the full homecoming I’d expected. America was as familiar as it was foreign, and while I had mastered being “American” in Taiwan, being an American in America baffled me. The open atmosphere of my university, where ideas and feelings were exchanged freely, felt familiar and welcoming, but cultural references often escaped me. Unlike my friends who’d grown up in the States, I had never heard of Wonder Bread, or experienced the joy of Chipotle’s burrito bowls. Unlike them, I missed the sound of motorcycles whizzing by my window on quiet nights.

It was during this time of uncertainty that I found my place through literature, discovering Taiye Selasi, Edward Said, and Primo Levi, whose works about origin and personhood reshaped my conception of my own identity. Their usage of the language of otherness provided me with the vocabulary I had long sought, and revealed that I had too simplistic an understanding of who I was. In trying to discover my role in each cultural context, I’d confined myself within an easy dichotomy, where the East represented exotic foods and experiences, and the West, development and consumerism. By idealizing the latter and rejecting the former, I had reduced the richness of my worlds to caricatures. Where I am from, and who I am, is an amalgamation of my experiences and heritage: I am simultaneously a Mei Guo Ren and Taiwanese.

Just as I once reconciled my Eastern and Western identities, I now seek to reconcile my love of literature with my desire to effect tangible change. I first became interested in law on my study abroad program, when I visited the English courts as a tourist. As I watched the barristers deliver their statements, it occurred to me that law and literature have some similarities: both are a form of criticism that depends on close reading, the synthesis of disparate intellectual frameworks, and careful argumentation. Through my subsequent internships and my current job, I discovered that legal work possessed a tangibility I found lacking in literature. The lawyers I collaborate with work tirelessly to address the same problems and ideas I’ve explored only theoretically in my classes – those related to human rights, social contracts, and moral order. Though I understand that lawyers often work long hours, and that the work can be, at times, tedious, I’m drawn to the kind of research, analysis, and careful reading that the profession requires. I hope to harness my critical abilities to reach beyond the pages of the books I love and make meaningful change in the real world.

Personal Statement about Weightlifting

The writer of this essay was admitted to her top choice—a T14 school—with a handwritten note from the dean that praised her personal statement. Her LSAT score was below the school’s median and her GPA was above the school’s median.

As I knelt to tie balloons around the base of the white, wooden cross, I thought about the morning of my best friend’s accident: the initial numbness that overwhelmed my entire body; the hideous sound of my own small laugh when I called the other member of our trio and repeated the words “Mark died”; the panic attack I’d had driving home, resulting in enough tears that I had to pull off to the side of the road. Above all, I remembered the feeling of reality crashing into my previously sheltered life, the feeling that nothing was as safe or certain as I’d believed.

I had been with Mark the day before he passed, exactly one week before we were both set to move down to Tennessee to start our freshman year of college. It would have been difficult to feel so alone with my grief in any circumstance, but Mark’s crash seemed to ignite a chain reaction of loss. I had to leave Nashville abruptly in order to attend the funeral of my grandmother, who helped raise me, and at the end of the school year, a close friend who had helped me adjust to college was killed by an oncoming car on the day that he’d graduated. Just weeks before visiting Mark’s grave on his birthday, a childhood friend shot and killed himself in an abandoned parking lot on Christmas Eve. I spent Christmas Day trying to act as normally as possible, hiding the news in order not to ruin the holiday for the rest of my family.

This pattern of loss compounding loss affected me more than I ever thought it would. First, I just avoided social media out of fear that I’d see condolences for yet another friend who had passed too early. Eventually, I shut down emotionally and lost interest in the world—stopped attending social gatherings, stopped talking to anyone, and stopped going to many of my classes, as every day was a struggle to get out of bed. I hated the act that I had to put on in public, where I was always getting asked the same question —“I haven’t seen you in forever, where have you been?”—and always responding with the same lie: “I’ve just been really busy.”

I had been interested in bodybuilding since high school, but during this time, the lowest period of my life, it changed from a simple hobby to a necessity and, quite possibly, a lifesaver. The gym was the one place I could escape my own mind, where I could replace feelings of emptiness with the feeling of my heart pounding, lungs exploding, and blood flooding my muscles, where—with sweat pouring off my forehead and calloused palms clenched around cold steel—I could see clearly again.

Not only did my workouts provide me with an outlet for all of my suppressed emotion, but they also became the one aspect of my life where I felt I was still in control. I knew that if it was Monday, no matter what else was going on, I was going to be working out my legs, and I knew exactly what exercises I was going to do, and how many repetitions I was going to perform, and how much weight I was going to use for each repetition. I knew exactly when I would be eating and exactly how many grams of each food source I would ingest. I knew how many calories I would get from each of proteins, carbohydrates, and fats. My routine was one thing I could count on.

As I loaded more plates onto the barbell, I grew stronger mentally as well. The gym became a place, paradoxically, of both exertion and tranquility, a sanctuary where I felt capable of thinking about the people I’d lost. It was the healing I did there that let me tie the balloons to the cross on Mark’s third birthday after the crash, and that let me spend the rest of the afternoon sharing stories about Mark with friends on the side of the rural road. It was the healing I did there that left me ready to move on.

One of the fundamental principles of weightlifting involves progressively overloading the muscles by taking them to complete failure, coming back, and performing past the point where you last failed, consistently making small increases over time. The same principle helped me overcome my grief, and in the past few years, I’ve applied it to everything from learning Spanish to studying for the LSAT. As I prepare for the next stage of my life, I know I’ll encounter more challenges for which I’m unprepared, but I feel strong enough now to acknowledge my weaknesses, and—by making incremental gains—to overcome them.

Personal Statement about Sexual Assault

The writer of this essay was accepted to many top law schools and matriculated at Columbia. Her LSAT score matched Columbia’s median while her GPA was below Columbia’s 25th percentile.

My rapist didn’t hold a knife to my throat. My rapist didn’t jump out of a dark alleyway. My rapist didn’t slip me a roofie. My rapist was my eighth-grade boyfriend, who was already practicing with the high school football team. He assaulted me in his suburban house in New Jersey, while his mom cooked us dinner in the next room, in the back of an empty movie theatre, on the couch in my basement.

It started when I was thirteen and so excited to have my first real boyfriend. He was a football player from a different school who had a pierced ear and played the guitar. I, a shy, slightly chubby girl with a bad haircut and very few friends, felt wanted, needed, and possibly loved. The abuse—the verbal and physical harassment that eventually turned sexual—was just something that happened in grown-up relationships. This is what good girlfriends do, I thought. They say yes.

Never having had a sex-ed class in my life, it took me several months after my eighth-grade graduation and my entry into high school to realize the full extent of what he did to me. My overall experience of first “love” seemed surreal. This was something that happened in a Lifetime movie, not in a small town in New Jersey in his childhood twin bed. I didn’t tell anyone about what happened. I had a different life in a different school by then, and I wasn’t going to let my trauma define my existence.

As I grew older, I was confronted by the fact that rape is not a surreal misfortune or a Lifetime movie. It’s something that too many of my close friends have experienced. It’s when my sorority sister tells me about the upstairs of a frat house when she’s too drunk to say no. It’s when the boy in the room next door tells me about his uncle during freshman orientation. It’s a high school peer whose summer internship boss became too handsy. Rape is real. It’s happening every day, to mothers, brothers, sisters, and fathers—a silent majority that want to manage the burden on their own, afraid of judgement, afraid of repercussions, afraid of a he-said she-said court battle.

I am beyond tired of the silence. It took me three years to talk about what happened to me, to come clean to my peers and become a model of what it means to speak about something that society tells you not to speak about. Motivated by my own experience and my friends’ stories, I joined three groups that help educate my college community about sexual health and assault: New Feminists, Speak for Change, and Sexual Assault Responders. I trained to staff a peer-to-peer emergency hotline for survivors of sexual assault. I protested the university’s cover-up of a gang-rape in the basement of a fraternity house two doors from where I live now. As a member of my sorority’s executive board, I have talked extensively about safety and sexual assault, and have orchestrated a speaker on the subject to come to campus and talk to the exceptional young women I consider family. I’ve proposed a DOE policy change to make sexual violence education mandatory to my city councilman. This past summer, I traveled to a country notorious for sexual violence and helped lay the groundwork for a health center that will allow women to receive maternal care, mental health counseling, and career counseling.

Law school is going to help me take my advocacy to the next level. Survivors of sexual assault, especially young survivors, often don’t know where to turn. They don’t know their Title IX rights, they don’t know about the Clery Act, and they don’t know how to demand help when every other part of the system is shouting at them to be quiet and give up. Being a lawyer, first and foremost, is being an advocate. With a JD, I can work with groups like SurvJustice and the Rape Survivors Law Project to change the lives of people who were silenced for too long.

📌 Further reading:

• Six Law School Personal Statements That Got Into Harvard
• Free admissions course

All Categories

• Admissions 202 Posts
• Success Story 4 Posts
• LSAT 231 Posts
• Logical Reasoning 11 Posts
• Logic Games 10 Posts
• Reading Comprehension 5 Posts
• Podcast 92 Posts
• Uncategorized 35 Posts

Join our newsletter

Other posts.

With the calendar turning to September, law school admissions counselors find themselves in a bit of a lull. They’re still coming down from the adrenaline rush of orientation and classes […]

Listen and subscribe:Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Audible We’re making a list and checking it twice! With applications open, we’re offering some tips and tricks on how to make an app list that works for you […]

With the incoming students arrived (hopefully in one piece!) and orientation complete (hopefully without incident!), law school admissions officers face one of their stranger time periods of the year. It’s […]

Leave a Reply Cancel

You must be logged in to post a comment. You can get a free account here .

Winning Law School Personal Statement Examples From Top Law Schools

Featured Expert: Phoebe Gilmore, JD

Review of law school personal statement examples is a great way to start your preparations for law school applications. Law school acceptance rates in the US and law school acceptance rates in Canada can be really intimidating but a great application and stellar law school interview performance are sure to increase your acceptance chances! Check out amazing law school personal statement examples below to get inspired! 

Want us to help you? Applicants and students, book a free strategy call here . Universities, businesses, or student organizations representative, book a free call here .

Article Contents 10 min read

Law school personal statement example #1 - yale law school.

Rain battered the windows of the courtroom that day, but inside, the storm was even more tempestuous. Witnessing my first trial at the age of sixteen, a landmark case for the small town of Harrisonburg, I was transfixed. The defense attorney, Mr. John Abernathy, weaved narratives with evidence, challenging my conception of justice, and setting my path toward the field of law.

Growing up in Harrisonburg, I was surrounded by stories. My grandfather owned the local bookstore, “Bennett’s Chronicles”, where stories of adventure, romance, and mystery filled the shelves. But the most compelling tales were those rooted in reality – the struggles of real people seeking justice. This understanding was magnified during my undergraduate studies at the University of Virginia. As a major in Political Science, I learned that laws are more than just words on paper; they are the distilled experiences, beliefs, and values of society. My tenure as president of the University Debate Club honed my ability to construct arguments, scrutinize every detail, and persuade audiences. Dr. Eleanor Simmons, my thesis advisor, often said, "In every statute and judgment, there's a hidden narrative." This belief drove my research on "The Evolution of Tort Law and Societal Values," illustrating the fluid relationship between the public's beliefs and our legal system.

While my academic pursuits provided a theoretical understanding of the law, real-world experiences imbued it with color and depth. Interning at the “Bates and Crawford Law Firm” in Richmond was my first foray into the legal world. Here, under the mentorship of Ms. Diana Crawford, I had the chance to work on cases that ranged from property disputes to criminal defense. One case, in particular, left an indelible mark. We represented Ms. Anna Rodriguez, a tenant fighting against an unjust eviction. Despite the evidence being stacked against us, Ms. Crawford's deft navigation through the nuances of property law not only ensured Ms. Rodriguez kept her home but also highlighted the power of a well-argued legal case. This experience taught me that the law isn't just about winning; it's about ensuring justice, fairness, and truth.

Another defining moment was my involvement with “LegalAid Virginia”, a non-profit aimed at offering legal services to those who couldn't afford them. I spearheaded a campaign to educate the underserved communities about their rights. Organizing sessions, disseminating information, and directly engaging with the community made me appreciate the vast chasm between legal rights and the knowledge about them. It reiterated the fact that law, at its core, is a service - one that requires dedication, compassion, and an unwavering commitment to justice.

Yale Law School stands at the nexus of tradition and innovation in legal education. The school's commitment to fostering a diverse community of top-tier students and its interdisciplinary approach resonate with my personal and academic experiences. Yale’s rich history of producing leaders, combined with its focus on nurturing individuality, makes it the perfect crucible for my ambitions. I believe that my unique blend of rigorous academic training, practical experience, and a deep-seated passion for justice would contribute richly to the Yale community.

In that dimly lit courtroom in Harrisonburg, amidst the drumming of rain, I realized that the law is a living, breathing entity, constantly evolving. It's the tapestry of our society, and I am committed to being one of its weavers. At Yale, I hope to further this understanding, intertwining the threads of justice, equity, and community.

"Justice consists not in being neutral between right and wrong, but in finding out the right and upholding it, wherever found, against the wrong." – Theodore Roosevelt. This quote has resonated with me since I first came across it during a high school civics class. The compelling vision it presented—of a justice system that actively discerns and champions the right—served as the catalyst for my interest in law. And the University of Notre Dame, with its commitment to ethics, morality, and the pursuit of justice, embodies the spirit of this quote.

My initial encounter with the practical application of Roosevelt’s words was during my undergraduate years at Boston College. I worked closely with Professor Leonard Mitchell, a passionate advocate for social justice. Under his guidance, I led a research project titled "The Intersection of Law and Morality." The study primarily focused on how legal precedents often evolve in tandem with society's moral compass. This endeavor not only fortified my research skills but also deepened my understanding of the symbiotic relationship between the legal system and societal ethics.

While at Boston College, I also volunteered with the “Legal Eagles” initiative, which aimed to provide legal assistance to underprivileged families facing eviction. It was here that I met Sarah Thompson, a single mother fighting to provide a stable home for her children. Sarah's resilience and faith in the justice system, despite the overwhelming odds stacked against her, were awe-inspiring. Representing Sarah and others like her, I learned to navigate the intricate maze of tenancy laws. More significantly, I grasped the profound impact that a dedicated legal professional can have on an individual's life. Winning the case for Sarah wasn't just about preventing an eviction; it was about upholding justice and ensuring that the legal system served as a beacon of hope for those who believed in it.

After college, I joined the “Justice First” Fellowship program in New York. Over two years, I was exposed to a myriad of cases, from civil rights to corporate law. My mentor, Attorney Rebecca Foster, emphasized the importance of approaching every case, regardless of its scale, with the same dedication to justice. Under her tutelage, I cultivated skills in legal drafting, negotiation, and critical analysis. One memorable case involved negotiating a settlement for workers facing discriminatory practices. Through rigorous investigation and leveraging collective bargaining strategies, we not only secured a favorable settlement but also instituted new workplace policies that promoted equality and fairness.

The University of Notre Dame's Law School stands out as a beacon that aligns with my belief in the active pursuit of justice. The university’s dedication to fostering ethical leaders who strive for moral integrity and the common good mirrors my personal and professional experiences. Notre Dame’s emphasis on a holistic education, where the study of law isn't isolated from values, ethics, and community service, resonates deeply with me. The university’s global perspective, combined with its rootedness in ethical principles, makes it the perfect institution to further hone my skills and deepen my understanding of the law.

Roosevelt’s vision of justice isn't passive; it's proactive, discerning, and uncompromising in its pursuit of the right. Every experience in my journey thus far has been an endeavor to bring this vision to life. At the University of Notre Dame, I see an opportunity to not only refine my legal acumen but to also become a part of a community that cherishes and upholds the same ideals. I am committed to leveraging the robust education and experiences Notre Dame offers to advocate for justice, both in letter and spirit, and I am eager to contribute to and learn from the university’s rich tapestry of scholarship and service.

Are you applying to Harvard Law School? Check this out:

Law School Personal Statement Example #3 - Boston University School of Law

Stepping into Room 205 of Lincoln High School for the first time as a fresh-faced educator, I was equipped with an arsenal of lesson plans, educational philosophies, and an unyielding optimism. I believed in the transformative power of education and the notion that every student has an undeniable right to it. However, three years into my tenure, a disturbing incident radically altered my perspective and spurred my interest in law. A brilliant student of mine, Alex, was entangled in a legal ordeal resulting from his undocumented status. Despite his academic achievements and contributions to our community, Alex faced the prospect of deportation. It was a glaring reminder that sometimes, the classroom's challenges extended far beyond its four walls. In seeking justice for Alex and others like him, I find my purpose aligning with the Boston University School of Law, an institution renowned for its commitment to public service and civil rights.

As a teacher, I've been on the front lines, witnessing firsthand the impact of policies and legal decisions on young lives. Collaborating with our school’s guidance counselor, Mrs. Clark, I initiated the "Know Your Rights" workshops. These sessions were designed to educate our student body, especially those vulnerable to legal pitfalls, about their rights. Organizing guest lectures from local attorneys, including the prominent immigration lawyer, Samuel Higgins, I ensured that our students were equipped with basic legal knowledge. This exposure to the legal field, albeit indirect, sharpened my skills in research, organization, and most importantly, advocacy.

In a bid to further aid my students, I interned during summer breaks at the 'Urban Legal Aid Clinic' in downtown Boston. Here, I worked under the mentorship of Attorney Jennifer Roberts, assisting with cases primarily involving juvenile rights. One particularly challenging case was defending a minor in a truancy case. While the law was clear, the underlying reasons for the child’s absenteeism—a turbulent home environment—highlighted the need for legal professionals to possess not just legal acumen but also a deep understanding of societal contexts. As I delved into case studies, reviewed legal documents, and participated in client consultations, I cultivated a knack for legal analysis. I also honed my abilities in effective communication, a skill I had fostered as an educator.

However, it wasn't just legal institutions that shaped my transition. During a summer teaching exchange program in Madrid, Spain, I encountered diverse educational and legal systems. One striking observation was the proactive role schools took in bridging legal literacy gaps among students and parents. My time there, collaborating with educators like Carlos Fernandez, a passionate law teacher at Instituto Vallecas, enriched my perspective on how law and education can be intertwined to foster empowered communities.

Boston University School of Law stands at the intersection of rigorous academic inquiry and an unwavering commitment to social justice. Its prestigious clinics, especially the Immigrants' Rights Clinic, resonate deeply with my purpose. BU’s emphasis on interdisciplinary studies offers the holistic education I seek—melding legal theory with the practical application, set against a broader socio-cultural backdrop. Furthermore, BU’s vibrant community, characterized by collaborative learning, offers the ideal environment to grow both as a professional and as an individual.

While the classrooms of Lincoln High were my initial battlegrounds for justice, I have come to realize that the broader arena of law offers an even greater opportunity to champion the rights of the underrepresented. The incident with Alex was a stark reminder of the intricacies of justice, and the sometimes-blurred lines between what is legal and what is right. At Boston University School of Law, I seek the tools, knowledge, and community to navigate these complexities, ensuring that every “Alex” out there finds his rightful place in society. My experiences as an educator, advocate, and international collaborator position me uniquely for this journey—a journey I am eager to embark upon with Boston University.

During my sophomore year at Eastern State University, I stumbled upon a book that would reshape my academic trajectory and instill a lifelong fascination with the law: "The Nine" by Jeffrey Toobin. This compelling narrative on the inner workings of the U.S. Supreme Court not only captivated me with its rich storytelling but also illuminated the power of legal decisions in shaping society. In a constitutional law class led by Professor Harold Mitchell, I delved into the landmark case of "Brown v. Board of Education." The monumental impact of this case on desegregation and its broader implications on justice and equality intensified my intrigue for law. Now, as I stand on the cusp of pursuing a legal education, Washington University School of Law, with its esteemed faculty and unwavering commitment to fostering innovative legal thinkers, emerges as my ideal academic sanctuary.

A pivotal event that enhanced my understanding of the law's practical implications was my internship at the "Metropolitan Legal Services" in Hartford, Connecticut. Under the mentorship of Attorney Lillian Turner, I was assigned to a team addressing housing discrimination cases. Crafting affidavits, interacting with clients, and attending court sessions not only honed my research and analytical skills but also underscored the importance of empathy and ethics in legal practice. In a memorable case involving a single mother, Maria Gonzalez, who faced eviction due to dubious lease violations, our team's efforts resulted in a favorable settlement, ensuring Maria and her children retained their home. The elation of that victory was a tangible testament to the real-world impact of legal expertise.

My passion for understanding law's societal implications led me to initiate the "Legal Conversations" series on campus. Collaborating with the university's Law Society, I organized monthly panel discussions, drawing participants from diverse fields, including law enforcement, journalism, and academia. In a particularly impactful session, retired Judge Helena Winters, a renowned civil rights advocate, shed light on the challenges and rewards of her career. These dialogues fostered an interdisciplinary approach to law, emphasizing its interconnection with politics, media, and society at large. Organizing these events, moderating discussions, and collaborating with guest speakers enriched my communication skills and further solidified my determination to pursue law.

Additionally, during a summer abroad program in Berlin, Germany, I had the privilege of studying European legal frameworks at the Alexander Humboldt Institute. Comparing European and American legal paradigms under the guidance of Dr. Friedrich Becker provided a unique lens through which to view my own legal aspirations. One enlightening seminar on data privacy laws, contrasting the European General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) with American standards, highlighted the significance of cultural nuances in legal interpretations. This global perspective on law has left me eager to explore international law further, an endeavor Washington University's globally-oriented curriculum would aptly support.

My journey, inspired initially by Toobin's riveting tales of the Supreme Court and propelled forward by diverse experiences spanning from Connecticut's courtrooms to Berlin's lecture halls, has cemented my conviction in the transformative power of the law. Washington University School of Law, renowned for its innovative curriculum, dedicated faculty, and a community that champions diversity and intellectual curiosity, aligns perfectly with my aspirations. The institution's emphasis on fostering well-rounded legal professionals resonates deeply with my experiences and ambitions. As I aspire to delve deeper into the realms of law, merging global perspectives with grounded legal practices, I am convinced that Washington University provides the fertile ground upon which my legal dreams can thrive.

No, not all law school require law school personal statements, but most do. Be sure to review the requirements of your chosen law schools.

Most law schools ask for a law school personal statement no longer than 2 double-spaced pages. 

Your law school personal statement should be structured like an academic essay: introduction, body paragraphs, and conclusion.

Your law school personal statement should start with a strong opening statement, like a quote, a story, or an anecdote. The opening sentence and paragraph must be so interesting and captivating that it makes the reader continue reading!

Make sure to use solid examples to demonstrate your suitability for law school. For example, instead of just saying that you have a curious and engaged mind, tell the reader a story that demonstrates this.

Some provide specific prompts, but most do not. In your personal statement, try to answer the question “why do you want to study law?” – this should be your prompt if you are not given a specific prompt in your application. 

Make sure that every part of your application is incredibly strong, including your optional essays, your resume, LSAT score, GPA, and so on. Your application should be strong enough to get you invited to a law school interview! Make sure to prepare it using difficult and common law school interview questions . 

Anything we didn't cover? Have a question? Ask below or share your comments!

Get Started Now

Talk to one of our admissions experts

Our site uses cookies. By using our website, you agree with our cookie policy .

FREE Training Webinar:

How to make your law school application stand out, (and avoid the top 5 mistakes that get most rejected).

Time Sensitive. Limited Spots Available:

We guarantee you'll get into law school or we don't get paid.

Swipe up to see a great offer!

Yale Daily News

Law School announces four new optional essay prompts for 2023-24 law school admissions cycle

Announced after the Supreme Court’s decision to axe affirmative action, Yale Law School applicants now have the chance to write an optional essay centered around the themes of community engagement, leadership, determination or open-mindedness.

Staff Reporter

Madelyn Kumar, Senior Photographer

Applicants to Yale Law School must provide an academic transcript, an LSAT or GRE score, letters of recommendation and a personal statement. 

New this cycle, applicants can now also submit an additional optional essay, which the Law School announced just weeks after the Supreme Court’s decision to strike down race-conscious admissions policies.

The new optional component, added in August, allows applicants to write an essay on one of four topics. The topics center around the themes of community engagement, leadership, determination and open-mindedness. According to the Law School’s website, these essays should focus on the “personal, professional and/or academic experiences” of an applicant rather than their specific reasons for wanting to attend Yale Law School. 

For Jake McDonald LAW ’25, the new prompts are “a welcome change” because they expand the definition of diversity to encompass voices from a wider variety of backgrounds, including ideological, socioeconomic and religious perspectives, allowing applicants to talk about those subjects more freely.

Yash Chauhan ’26 told the News he believes the prompts allow applicants a chance to tell the admissions committee who they are beyond their grades and test scores. 

“These optional essay prompts — while markedly different from diversity statements — allow candidates the chance to showcase their drive, passion and aspirations,” Chauhan wrote to the News.

In previous application cycles , applicants had the opportunity to include an optional diversity statement in their application. This essay allowed applicants to address any core aspect of their identity that, in their view, would have contributed to the Law School community and might not have been sufficiently addressed in their personal statement. 

According to McDonald, the diversity statement had a fundamental flaw: an ambiguous framing of diversity, which he felt left many applicants with no idea on whether to write the optional statement.

However, Sage Mason LAW ’24 told the News that the diversity statement allowed his Law School application to present a more complete picture of his identity and experiences.

“My application process to YLS was atypical because I transferred [to Yale] after my first year of law school at Washington University in St. Louis,” Mason said. “I included a diversity statement as part of my application, and it contributed greatly to providing a more complete expression of who I am and what I thought I could offer a place like YLS.”

The diversity statement is no longer listed as an application component on the Law School’s website for the 2023-2024 law school admissions cycle.

McDonald told the News that he believes the removal of the diversity statement and the addition of the new prompts may have to do with the Supreme Court’s June decision that struck down race-conscious admissions.

“[I believe] the explicit diversity statement from years past — including the year I applied — is gone because the school was worried about its legal viability in light of the Supreme Court’s recent ruling in SFFA v. Harvard,” McDonald wrote to the News.

Debra Kroszner, the spokesperson for the Law School, declined to comment on whether recent application changes were motivated by the Court’s ruling against affirmative action. 

In the Court’s majority opinion , Chief Justice John Roberts said that schools can only constitutionally consider the race of an applicant if it is “concretely tied to a quality of character or unique ability that the particular applicant can contribute to the university.” 

In other words, applicants can still discuss their race or ethnicity in admissions essays, but admissions officers can only consider any mentions of race if they are directly relevant to an applicant’s unique accomplishments. It remains unclear , however, what cases would be deemed as directly relevant, leaving specifics of what the Court’s ruling should look like in practice at the University — and at other higher education institutions — unknown.

Though the Law School has not addressed whether the updated essay prompts are related to the Supreme Court’s June decision, its website claims that it continues to uphold its commitment to a holistic review process .

“Applicants may choose to submit an essay in response to one of the four questions … each related to a value that is central to the Law School community,” the website reads. “This is an opportunity to provide readers with relevant information that may not be found elsewhere in your application.”

Kroszner declined to comment on this story overall; she referred applicants to the Law School’s website for information regarding the school’s admissions process.

Yale Law School was founded in 1824.

Correction, 10/11: A previous version of this article misquoted a source. The article has been fixed accordingly.

How to Write a Compelling Personal Statement for Yale Law School

Learn how to craft a standout personal statement for Yale Law School with our comprehensive guide.

Posted May 12, 2023

Law School Applications: Ask Me Anything

Starting tuesday, september 24.

10:00 PM UTC · 30 minutes

Table of Contents

As one of the most prestigious law schools in the United States, Yale Law School is a highly competitive institution that offers excellent opportunities for law students. When applying to Yale Law School, one of the most critical elements of your application is your personal statement. Your personal statement is your chance to demonstrate your unique qualities and experiences that make you an ideal candidate for the school. In this article, we will guide you through the process of crafting a compelling personal statement for Yale Law School.

Understanding the Purpose of a Personal Statement for Yale Law School Admissions

The personal statement is a crucial part of your application to Yale Law School as it offers the admissions committee a glimpse into your personality, achievements, and goals. It is an opportunity for you to showcase your writing skills, highlight your academic accomplishments and other experiences, and demonstrate your critical thinking abilities. Your personal statement is your chance to stand out from other applicants; it's an opportunity for you to express your motivation and passion for studying law.

Additionally, the personal statement allows the admissions committee to assess your fit with the Yale Law School community. They are looking for individuals who will contribute to the school's diverse and collaborative environment. Therefore, it is important to not only highlight your individual achievements but also how you will contribute to the community. This can include discussing your involvement in extracurricular activities, volunteer work, or any other experiences that demonstrate your commitment to making a positive impact on the world.

Crafting an Attention-Grabbing Introduction for Your Personal Statement

Your introduction is the first impression you make on the admissions committee, so it is essential to grab their attention right away. You can start by telling a personal anecdote or a story that illustrates your passion for law. Avoid clichés and overly broad statements in your introduction. Instead, aim to express your individuality and unique experiences that make you stand out.

One effective way to make your introduction stand out is to connect your personal experiences to your future goals in the legal field. For example, if you have a background in social justice advocacy, you can explain how this has motivated you to pursue a career in law and how you plan to use your legal education to make a positive impact on society. By making this connection, you not only showcase your unique experiences but also demonstrate your commitment to the field of law.

Highlighting Your Achievements and Experience in Your Yale Law School Personal Statement

When writing your personal statement, it's crucial to highlight your accomplishments and experiences. This could include any leadership roles you've held, academic or professional awards and honors, and any research publications. Also, mention any experiences that have contributed to your decision to pursue law, such as volunteer work or internships.

Another important aspect to consider when highlighting your achievements and experience in your Yale Law School personal statement is to showcase your unique perspective and background. This could include any challenges you've faced and overcome, cultural or socioeconomic experiences that have shaped your worldview, or any personal experiences that have influenced your decision to pursue law.

Additionally, it's important to demonstrate your passion for the field of law and your commitment to making a positive impact in the legal profession. This could include discussing any pro bono work you've done, your involvement in legal clinics or advocacy groups, or any specific areas of law that you're particularly interested in pursuing.

Showcasing Your Reasons for Choosing Yale Law School in Your Personal Statement

Make sure you have a clear understanding of Yale Law School's mission, values, and academic offerings and explain why you think Yale Law School is an ideal fit for you. Highlight any specific programs, faculty members, or research opportunities that align with your academic and career goals.

Additionally, you may want to discuss any personal experiences or background that have led you to choose Yale Law School. This could include your passion for social justice, your interest in a particular area of law, or your desire to work with a specific community. By sharing these personal insights, you can demonstrate your commitment to Yale Law School's values and mission.

Finally, it's important to show how your past experiences and achievements have prepared you for success at Yale Law School. This could include discussing your academic record, leadership roles, or relevant work experience. By highlighting your strengths and accomplishments, you can demonstrate to the admissions committee that you are a strong candidate for admission to Yale Law School.

Making Your Personal Statement Stand Out with Unique Perspectives and Experiences

{INSERT PARAGRAPH HERE}

When writing your personal statement, it's important to remember that admissions officers read hundreds, if not thousands, of applications. To make your statement stand out, consider including unique perspectives and experiences that showcase your individuality. This could include discussing a personal challenge you've overcome, a volunteer experience that impacted you, or a cultural background that has shaped your worldview. By highlighting what makes you different from other applicants, you can make a lasting impression on the admissions committee.

Writing a Cohesive and Well-Structured Personal Statement for Yale Law School Admissions

When writing your personal statement for Yale Law School admissions, it is important to showcase your unique experiences and perspectives. Admissions officers want to see how you have overcome challenges and how you have grown as a person. Additionally, it is important to demonstrate your passion for the law and your commitment to making a positive impact in the legal field. By highlighting these qualities in your personal statement, you can increase your chances of being accepted into Yale Law School.

Avoiding Common Mistakes When Writing a Personal Statement for Yale Law School

One common mistake that applicants make when writing a personal statement for Yale Law School is focusing too much on their academic achievements and not enough on their personal experiences and motivations for pursuing a legal career. Admissions officers want to see that you have a genuine passion for the law and a clear understanding of how a legal education will help you achieve your goals.

Tips from Successful Yale Law School Applicants: What Worked for Them?

One common theme among successful Yale Law School applicants is the importance of showcasing a unique perspective or experience in their personal statement. Admissions officers are looking for individuals who will bring diverse perspectives and backgrounds to the classroom, so highlighting what makes you stand out can make a big difference. Additionally, many successful applicants recommend reaching out to current students or alumni to gain a better understanding of the school's culture and values, and to tailor your application accordingly.

Editing and Proofreading Your Yale Law School Personal Statement to Perfection

Once you have written your Yale Law School personal statement, it is important to edit and proofread it thoroughly. This will help you to catch any errors or mistakes that may have been overlooked during the writing process. One effective way to edit your personal statement is to read it out loud. This will help you to identify any awkward phrasing or grammatical errors that may have gone unnoticed when reading silently.

Another important aspect of editing your personal statement is to ensure that it is well-organized and flows smoothly. You can achieve this by creating an outline of your personal statement and ensuring that each paragraph has a clear purpose and connects logically to the next. Additionally, you should pay attention to the tone and style of your writing, making sure that it is appropriate for a law school personal statement.

Navigating the Tone and Style Requirements of a Yale Law School Personal Statement

Expanded Text:

When it comes to writing a personal statement for Yale Law School, it's important to keep in mind the tone and style requirements. The admissions committee is looking for a candidate who can demonstrate their ability to think critically, communicate effectively, and write persuasively. Therefore, your personal statement should be well-written, concise, and engaging.

One way to achieve this is by using concrete examples to illustrate your points. Rather than making broad statements about your skills or experiences, provide specific examples that demonstrate your abilities. This will help the admissions committee get a better sense of who you are as a person and what you can bring to the Yale Law School community.

Another important aspect to consider is the tone of your personal statement. While it's important to be professional and articulate, you also want to convey your personality and voice. Avoid using overly formal language or jargon, and instead, write in a way that feels authentic to you. This will help your personal statement stand out and make a lasting impression on the admissions committee.

How to Incorporate Diversity and Inclusion into Your Yale Law School Personal Statement

One way to incorporate diversity and inclusion into your Yale Law School personal statement is to highlight your unique background and experiences. This can include discussing your cultural heritage, upbringing, or any challenges you have faced as a result of your identity. By sharing your personal story, you can demonstrate how your diverse perspective will contribute to the Yale Law School community.

Another approach is to discuss your commitment to promoting diversity and inclusion in your future legal career. This can include any volunteer work or advocacy you have done in the past, as well as your goals for promoting equity and justice in your future work. By demonstrating your dedication to these values, you can show the admissions committee that you are a strong candidate for admission to Yale Law School.

Understanding How the Admissions Committee Evaluates Personal Statements at Yale Law School

When evaluating personal statements at Yale Law School, the admissions committee looks for a few key elements. Firstly, they want to see that the applicant has a clear and compelling reason for wanting to attend law school. This could be a personal experience, a passion for a particular area of law, or a desire to make a difference in the world. Additionally, the committee looks for evidence of strong writing skills, as well as an ability to think critically and analytically. Finally, they want to see that the applicant has a clear understanding of what Yale Law School has to offer, and how they can contribute to the school's community. By addressing these elements in their personal statement, applicants can increase their chances of being accepted to Yale Law School.

Preparing Yourself Emotionally for the Competitive Landscape of Yale Law School Admissions

By following these tips and guidelines, you can write a compelling personal statement for Yale Law School that showcases your unique qualities and experiences.

Browse hundreds of expert coaches

Leland coaches have helped thousands of people achieve their goals. A dedicated mentor can make all the difference.

Browse Related Articles

May 12, 2023

How to Write a Compelling Personal Statement for University of Chicago Law School

Learn how to craft a winning personal statement for University of Chicago Law School with our comprehensive guide.

How to Write a Compelling Personal Statement for University of Pennsylvania Carey Law School

Learn how to craft a powerful personal statement that will impress the admissions committee at University of Pennsylvania Carey Law School.

How to Write a Compelling Personal Statement for Duke University School of Law

Learn how to craft a standout personal statement for Duke University School of Law with our comprehensive guide.

How to Write a Compelling Personal Statement for Northwestern University Pritzker School of Law

Learn how to write a compelling personal statement that will make your application stand out for Northwestern University Pritzker School of Law.

How to Write a Compelling Personal Statement for Georgetown University Law Center

Learn how to craft a personal statement that will impress the admissions committee at Georgetown University Law Center.

How to Write a Compelling Personal Statement for University of Southern California Gould School of Law

Learn how to craft a powerful personal statement that will make your application stand out to the University of Southern California Gould School of Law.

How to Write a Compelling Personal Statement for University of Minnesota Law School

Learn how to craft a powerful personal statement that will grab the attention of the University of Minnesota Law School admissions committee.

How to Write a Compelling Personal Statement for University of California, Irvine School of Law

Learn how to write a compelling personal statement that will impress the admissions committee at the University of California, Irvine School of Law.

How to Write a Compelling Personal Statement for Emory University School of Law

Learn how to craft a powerful personal statement that will impress the admissions committee at Emory University School of Law.

How to Write a Compelling Personal Statement for Ohio State University Moritz College of Law

Learn how to craft a powerful personal statement that will impress the admissions committee at Ohio State University Moritz College of Law.

How to Write a Compelling Personal Statement for William & Mary Law School

Learn how to craft a powerful personal statement that will impress the admissions committee at William & Mary Law School.

How to Write a Compelling Personal Statement for Indiana University Maurer School of Law

Learn how to craft a winning personal statement for Indiana University Maurer School of Law with our expert tips and advice.

• Undergraduates
• Ph.Ds & Postdocs
• Faculty/Staff
• Prospective Students & Guests
• Student Athletes
• First Generation and/or Low Income Students
• International Students
• LGBTQ Students
• Students with Disabilities
• Students of Color
• Student Veterans
• Advertising, Marketing & PR
• Finance, Insurance & Real Estate
• General Management & Leadership Development Programs
• Law & Legal Services
• Startups, Entrepreneurship & Freelance Work
• Environment, Sustainability & Energy
• Media & Communications
• Policy & Think Tanks
• Engineering
• Healthcare, Biotech & Global Public Health
• Life & Physical Sciences
• Programming & Data Science
• Graduate School
• Business School
• Health Professions
• Cover Letters & Correspondence
• Interview Preparation
• Professional Conduct & Etiquette
• Job Offers & Salary Negotiations
• Navigating AI in the Job Search Process
• Yale Career Link
• CareerShift
• Gap Year & Short-Term Opportunities
• Planning an International Internship
• Funding Your Experience
• Career Fairs/Networking Events
• On-Campus Recruiting
• Resource Database
• Job Market Insights
• Informational Interviewing
• Peer Networking Lists
• Building Your LinkedIn Profile
• YC First Destinations
• YC Four-Year Out
• GSAS Program Statistics
• Statistics & Reports
• Meet with OCS
• Student Organizations Workshop Request
• Office of Fellowships
• OCS Podcast Series
• Contact OCS
• OCS Mission & Policies
• Additional Yale Career Offices
• Designing Your Career
• Faculty & Staff

Writing Personal Statements for Graduate School

• Share This: Share Writing Personal Statements for Graduate School on Facebook Share Writing Personal Statements for Graduate School on LinkedIn Share Writing Personal Statements for Graduate School on X

Personal Statements

Preparing a well-written and effective personal statement (sometimes referred to as statements of purpose or personal essays) that clearly articulates your preparation, goals, and motivation for pursuing that specific graduate degree is critically important. You will need to spend a considerable amount of time and effort in crafting these statements. The focus, structure, and length of personal statements vary from program to program. Some will have prompts or questions you need to answer, while others will leave the topic open-ended. The length varies widely as well. Read instructions carefully and make sure to adhere to all parameters laid out in the application guidelines.

Clear writing is the result of clear thinking. The first and most important task is to decide on a message. Consider carefully which two or three points you wish to impress upon the reader, remembering that your audience is composed of academics who are experts in their fields. Your statement should show that you are able to think logically and express your thoughts in a clear and concise manner. Remember that the reader already has a record of your activities and your transcript; avoid simply restating your resume and transcript. Writing your statement will take time; start early and give yourself more than enough time for revisions. If no prompts are given, you can use the questions below to begin brainstorming content to include in your statement.

• What experiences and academic preparation do you have that are relevant to the degree you’re seeking?
• Why are you choosing to pursue a graduate degree at this time?
• Why do you want to pursue this particular degree and how will this degree and the specific program fit into your career plans and your long-term goals?
• What specific topics are you aiming to explore and what does the current literature say about those topics?

After you’ve written a first draft, start the work of editing, refining, simplifying, and polishing. Provide specific examples that will help illustrate your points and convey your interests, intentions, and motivations. Is any section, sentence, or word superfluous, ambiguous, apologetic, or awkward? Are your verbs strong and active? Have you removed most of the qualifiers? Are you sure that each activity or interest you mention supports one of your main ideas? Spelling and grammatical errors are inexcusable. Don’t rely on spell-check to catch all errors; read your statement aloud and have it reviewed by multiple people whose opinion you trust. If possible, have your statement reviewed by a writing tutor. For individual assistance with writing your personal statement, consult with the writing tutor in your residential college  or the Writing Center within the Yale Center for Teaching and Learning .

Office of Career Strategy

Visiting yale.

Sign up to our Newsletter

How to get into yale law school - acceptance rate & stats.

Reviewed by:

David Merson

Former Head of Pre-Law Office, Northeastern University, & Admissions Officer, Brown University

Reviewed: 12/8/23

If Yale is your dream law school, read on to learn about Yale Law School requirements, how to write admissions essays, admissions statistics, and more.

Yale Law School is a highly prestigious and respected law school, and as such, it’s very difficult to get in! This guide will cover everything you need to know about how to get into Yale Law School, including requirements, admissions stats, the application process, and much more. 

Yale Law School Acceptance Rate: 5.5%

The Yale Law School acceptance rate is 5.5%. In the most recent admissions cycle, 246 students were offered admission out of 4,471 applicants. 

To give you some more insight into Yale Law’s acceptance trends, here are the acceptance rates from the past few years: 

Source: ABA Required Disclosures

How Hard Is It To Get Into Yale Law School?

It’s very difficult to get into Yale Law School. Only around 200 students are accepted each year out of thousands of applicants. 

In comparison to the national average acceptance rate of 41% , Yale’s acceptance rate is incredibly low. But don’t lose heart; while it’s hard to get into Yale Law School, it’s not impossible. An excellent application can boost your chances. 

Take our interactive quiz below to find out how likely you are to get into Yale Law School .

Yale Law School Programs Offered & Ranking

Yale Law School offers several law school pathways for students. Take a look below for more program information.  

Source: Yale Law School

Joint Degrees 

Yale Law School also offers students the opportunity to pursue a graduate or doctorate along with a J.D. Some joint degrees include: 

• J.D.–M.A. (Master of Arts) 
• J.D. and MEM (Master of Environmental Management) 
• J.D.-MBA (Masters of Business Administration) 

Yale Law School Ranking

Yale Law School is currently tied with Stanford Law as the #1 best law school in the nation , according to U.S. News. It also ranks #6 in Above the Law’s top 50 law schools.

Yale Law also ranks highly in many other categories, including: 

• #2 in Constitutional Law
• #3 in International Law
• #4 in Clinical Training
• #9 in Business/Corporate Law 

These rankings make Yale a very desirable and prestigious school to attend! 

Yale School of Law Admissions Statistics

When applying to law school, it’s helpful to be familiar with the averages of the incoming class so that you can better prepare your application. Here are some stats from Yale Law’s most recent incoming class. 

Yale Law School Average GPA: 3.96

Yale Law School’s median GPA for the most recent class was 3.96. This is incredibly high, so to be a competitive applicant, you’ll need to study hard during your undergrad! 

Because there are no cutoffs for GPA, there are no actual Yale Law School GPA requirements. However, Yale does offer information about the undergraduate GPA distribution of its accepted students: 

Bear in mind that the average GPA is likely higher than this because the low-end value is an outlier. For your best chance of admission, strive for an undergraduate GPA close to 4.0 or higher. 

If you have a low GPA , focus on making the rest of your application as strong as possible! 

Yale Law School Average LSAT Score: 175

The average LSAT score for Yale Law School admitted students is 175. Again, this is a very impressive score, so make sure that you put a lot of effort into studying for the challenging LSAT!

While Yale also doesn’t have any explicit test score cutoffs, the school released information on students who submitted LSAT scores for consideration: 

Yale Law GRE

Yale Law School began accepting the GRE test in 2019, and admissions officers stated there is no preference for either test. That said, Yale did not publish data about students who submitted GRE scores. 

However, the ETS has an online tool that you can use to predict LSAT scores based on your GRE scores. For example, obtaining a score of 169 in each GRE section would equal an LSAT score of 176, just one point over Yale’s median score. 

Maximize your law acceptance chances by increasing your scores with our comprehensive support.

Yale Law School Requirements

Getting into Yale Law School means you need to complete your LSAC application. Yale Law School admissions requirements are: 

• A bachelor’s degree (you must hold one or are expected to receive one before you apply) 
• Academic transcripts submitted to LSAC from every college/university you attended 
• Personal statement 
• A 250-word essay 
• An optional diversity statement or addenda 
• At least two recommendation letters, ideally from at least two professors 
• An activities section about what you did during your undergraduate education 
• LSAT or GRE scores 
• A dean’s certification (after you’ve been accepted into the program) 
• An application fee of $85 or a fee waiver, if applicable 

Completing these Yale Law admissions requirements is imperative to your application’s success: remember to start the process early to collect all necessary documents! 

Yale Law School Letters of Recommendation

Yale Law strongly recommends that you gather recommendation letters from people who can speak to your academic abilities and performance. Letters from professors are preferred. However, if you’re unable to obtain recommendations from professors, you can substitute letters from other sources, like employers. 

According to Yale Law School’s recommendation tip sheet , your letters should focus on your skills that are relevant to success in law school. So, you should choose recommenders who can speak to your critical thinking, communication, research, and problem-solving skills. 

Yale Law School Personal Statement + Examples 

Yale Law School essays are crucial to your application's success. They serve as an opportunity to show why you're an excellent candidate and delve deeper into your character and motivation to attend law school. You’ll have to write a personal statement for law school, whether you’re an incoming student or a transfer student. 

The law school personal statement should help Yale admissions officers “learn about the personal, professional, and/or academic qualities an applicant would bring to the Law School community.” 

Often, a personal statement you’ve crafted to send to multiple law schools (without school-specific information) will work for Yale. These tips can help your Yale Law personal statement stand out. 

• Answer 3 Main Questions : Jon Perdue , Yale’s Director of Recruiting and Diversity Initiatives, says that students should answer these questions: 1) Why me? 2) Why law school? And 3) Why now? 
• Share Your Story : Consider which anecdotes help uncover your personality and potential to succeed as a future lawyer. 
• Stick to the Standard Format : Keep your statement approximately two pages double-spaced, using a standard font, font size, and margins. 
• Choose Your Approach : Perdue says students tend to focus on either the past, present, or future, but the most successful statements have a sense of movement and touch upon more than one of these. 
• Maintain a Professional Tone : Keep your tone professional even if you decide to write about sensitive material. Do not victimize yourself or provide details or tragedy or other topics that might make your reader uncomfortable. 

These personal statement example excerpts and feedback can help you guide your writing. 

Personal Statement Example #1

“ During the summer of 2012, I worked at Company in my hometown of City. For three months, I calibrated the temperatures of furnaces that heated the steel to make it malleable, I fixed broken motors that rolled the steel into coils, and I balanced chemical compounds that were used to prevent the metals from rusting. At 19 this was my job, and I thought it would be for the rest of my life. 

At the height of the Great Recession, my dad lost his job and we lost our home. During my senior year of high school, I began working graveyard shifts at Dollar Tree to help my family make ends meet. After working for a few months, I realized that if I went to college my family would struggle financially, so I withdrew all my pending college applications and decided to continue working after high school instead…

Although the work was interesting, I felt trapped. The mill is isolated in a dark and dangerous factory fenced off from the general public. Workers spend their entire lives working there never knowing a career outside the mill...During my first week interning at Company, a two-ton coil fell off a crane and crushed a worker to death. All of this made me uneasy. The idea of spending the rest of my life working in this environment seemed unimaginable.

This feeling of uneasiness was exacerbated when I was offered a full-time job at the steel mill as long as I completed my last year of night classes. I grew up in a working-class community where a job like this was like winning the lottery. This job would allow me to help my family get back on their feet and provide us with a comfortable life. However, I was not interested in living a comfortable life. Two months into the second year of night classes and after much deliberation, I dropped the apprenticeship and made the decision to pursue a bachelor’s degree.

…I thought I would never have the chance to go to college or leave my hometown. Working at Company made me realize that I was settling and not living up to my full potential. When my dad found employment during the end of my internship at Company, I saw an opportunity to change my career path and I took it.

I was fortunate to be able to leave my apprenticeship to pursue my bachelor’s degree. Many college bound students I went to high school with also had to work after their parents were laid off during the recession. They were also trapped…I knew when I made the decision to go to college, I had to push boundaries not just for myself, but for all my peers who had to trade in their dreams for financial security. 

Although I faced backlash from my family for making the decision to go back to college, I was determined to get my bachelor’s degree to learn how to address the issues that plagued my community and others like it. As an undergraduate student, I studied, traveled, and worked with different organizations that provided me further insight into the issues that immigrant and working-class communities face. I took what I learned from my undergraduate experiences to the California State Senate to work on solving the most pressing issues facing Californians; from negotiating criminal justice reform and addressing the affordable housing crisis, to improving public transportation in the Bay Area and writing legislation that expands the social safety net.

It has now been over six years since I made the decision that changed the trajectory of my life. As grateful as I am for all the wonderful things that I have been able to do so since leaving the apprenticeship, my desire to continue pushing boundaries and advocating for low-income communities has only grown stronger. I am ready to exert this passion into my work in law school and in my career as a lawyer .”

What Made This Personal Statement Good

This personal statement answers the three main questions: why law, why now, and why them. The "why now" has the most weight in this essay: deciding to go to law school was all about timing in an otherwise tricky financial situation. 

It also has the element of movement Perdue described as the hallmark of an excellent personal statement: the author mainly reflects on the past but weaves in elements of their current work and hopes for the future. 

Personal Statement Example #2

“ In the stories I loved growing up, the world stood in black and white. There were always heroes and villains, Jedi and Sith, knights and dragons, and the ultimate triumph of good over evil. I recognized, of course, that in real life things weren’t always so clear-cut, but I also felt confident that I could still tell the difference. Heroes helped and villains harmed, heroes loved and villains hated, and in the end heroes would inevitably win and villains would inevitably suffer because they, by their nature, deserved to…

During the summer following my freshman year of college, I found myself tucked in the sunny office of a clinic at School, poring over an entirely different sort of story, one unlike any I had read before. To start, nobody had taken the time to write the story out. It was scattered across hospital records and report cards and interviews and old newspaper clippings and family photos…

I read about the boy’s father, who held a job and went to church, but sometimes drank and screamed and swung at his family, and who seemed to care more about his vintage car than his son. I read about the boy’s mother, an immigrant woman who worked long hours every day, who loved her son with every ounce of her soul and pleaded with him to stay in school. And of course, I read about the boy himself, who loved his mother back, and who was quiet in class but struggled to keep up. The boy sometimes ran with the wrong crowd but mostly kept out of trouble – until his beloved mother died when he was just fifteen, and he fell in with a gang that made him feel like he belonged, as long as he could prove he deserved to. And although I knew why I was reading this boy’s story, it was not until I saw the surveillance video of the boy shooting and killing a police officer during a robbery gone awry that I could come to terms with where his story went. The boy, now a young man, sat on death row several states away, and his case was one of the handful adopted by the Clinic at School to try and prevent his execution.

I didn’t find any heroes in the boy’s story…I grew frustrated and then furious with how many systems failed him, how many cracks he slipped through, how many times his life could have diverged from the path to this tragedy but did not.

But as much as I searched, I couldn’t find any villains, either. I was desperate to trace the root of all these evils, to identify the person at whose feet I could lay all this pain, but I came up empty-handed…More importantly, it became clear to me that the boy himself could not be the villain in his story, not after I realized how profoundly vulnerable and neglected and just plain human he was, and still is. The boy’s act, his panicked and instantly regrettable pull of a trigger, was terrible, but only the hardest of hearts could read his story and believe the boy was terrible, too. 

I was left with a story without knights or dragons, without someone to blame or someone to admire…And yet, it was the most compelling story I had ever read, in no small part because its ending could still be shaped, still be turned toward redemption or hope or at the very least mercy, and away from the tragic, violent loss of another life. I had joined the Clinic out of a mostly abstract objection to capital punishment, but what I learned there resolved my motivations into sobering solidity. If I could help tell the boy’s story, and the stories of those like him, others might come to the same realization I had: those whom the news and the authorities branded monsters and villains were just people, in all their complexity and fallibility and endless capacity for growth.

Over the years since that summer, I’ve worked alongside capital defense attorneys and mitigation specialists to uncover the stories of our clients’ lives and to fashion those stories into shields against the violence of state power. In this pursuit, I find that triumphs are few and far between, and heroes even rarer. However, I also find the absence of that clarity increasingly and surprisingly welcome. Each and every narrative blurs and subverts the dichotomies I once relished, pushing me to consider each person on their own terms, to take in the totality of their pasts rather than solely their worst moments, and to exercise active and intentional empathy toward even those deemed irredeemable. It’s a practice I don’t always find natural or easy, but it’s one I hope to continue throughout my life and legal career. Rather than seeking to stand solely with heroes, to me it now matters far more to stand with those whom society may have written off, but whose endings are not yet written. ”

Despite focusing on one central anecdote, this personal statement still has that element of movement Perdue discussed. The story focuses mainly on the past but does illuminate snippets of the present and the applicant's hopes for the future. 

This personal statement has an excellent narrative thread: although we're introduced to the author's love of heroes, villains, and stories, they make a point of referencing this main idea throughout their essay. This personal statement is successful with compelling imagery and a very human and compassionate perspective on justice. 

Yale Law School 250-Word Essay + Examples

This short essay is not the same as your personal statement. You’ll be responding to a pre-given prompt, so you’ll need to be sure that you tailor your response to what Yale Law is looking for.

Yale’s 250-word essay prompt is as follows: 

“The Law School is a vibrant intellectual community where students are expected to engage academically with faculty and fellow students. In no more than 250 words, applicants must write about an idea or issue from their academic, extracurricular, or professional work that is of particular interest to them. The idea or issue you choose does not have to be law-related; this is an opportunity for readers to learn more about how you would engage intellectually in the Law School community.” 

Here are some tips to help you tackle this essay: 

• Understand the Prompt’s Requirements : Break it down into 2 parts; write about your idea or issue, and then connect the idea or issue to your experiences with a clear transition. 
• Understand the Essay’s Purpose : The admissions committee wants to learn more about you and topics that matter to you, as well as your thought processes and intellectual ability. 
• Choose Your Topic Wisely : It’s important to choose something that’s relevant and meaningful to you. Many applicants write about a thesis/major project, work issues, or ethical challenges faced at work/school/extracurriculars. 
• Keep It Concise : The prompt is intentionally broad, but the admissions committee will notice if you exceed the limit, so keep your writing tight! 
• Show Your Fit : Yale Law wants to see how you’d engage with academic life on campus, so be sure to approach your writing with sophistication and professionalism to show why you’re an excellent fit. 

These are two past 250-word essay examples provided by Yale Law School. 

Essay Example #1 

“For the last 18 years, millions of U.S. armed forces servicemembers deployed to various combat zones across the Middle East and Africa to defeat conventional and unconventional enemies. I have personally known scores of these servicemembers (including many currently in harm’s way) and several friends and mentors who made the ultimate sacrifice on behalf of the people of the United States. In my view, one of the most egregious circumstances surrounding these combat deployments is the failure of policymakers to update and reaffirm the Authorization for Use of Military Force (AUMF) passed in 2001. This would officially put the weight of Congress and the American public behind the decision to send servicemembers to fight—and die—for their country in new conflicts.

Since 2001, the AUMF has been invoked several times to justify actions not only in Afghanistan and Iraq, but in Syria, Somalia, Libya, and other nations. While the nuances of an AUMF vis-à-vis a formal declaration of war may make one preferable to policymakers over another, I believe there is a significant gray area in the way the 2001 AUMF has been used, and that the constitutionality of its expanded use should be called into question. I hope to explore this issue as well as others related to congressional and presidential war powers in my future work at Yale Law. My personal connection to these national security issues and others will help bring a human perspective to policy discussions in the Yale Law classroom.”

What Makes This a Good Essay

The author has a personal connection to their main issue, clearly stated as policymakers' failures in updating and reaffirming AUMF. The author connects and expands on this issue by suggesting that it should be called into question, something they hope to explore in the Yale classroom. 

Overall, this essay fulfills the two prompt requirements, shows passion and knowledge in this subject area, and shows the applicant will contribute to meaningful discussion at Yale; the author's personal connection fortifies the message. 

Essay Example #2 

“ Growing up, I was taught that Islam’s beauty is couched in its purity: the religion is perfect because it has never been tainted or influenced. When my Islamic Art professor, Professor, introduced us to the Gbain masking tradition, I was initially unsettled. The West African practice used in ritual dances evolved from the literal and cultural intermarriage between Muslim merchants, Berber armies, and local tribes within the 8th and 14th centuries. To my professor, the syncretism of indigenous tradition and Islam was the most fascinating aspect of Islam in West Africa. She showed us Islam-inspired half-moon inscriptions on a half-cow half-human Gbain mask and extolled the malleability of the religion in adapting to local customs. To me, however, “malleability” felt more like blasphemy. A core tenet of Islam is aniconism; masquerade and figurative dances both violated that principle.

For my term paper, I studied West African masquerade further—and encountered a new perspective. Muslim colonizers allowed tribes to continue their dances as a tool of assuagement when incorporating them into their political structures. As someone who seeks to decolonize my analysis of art and history in good faith, I had fallen victim to my internal predispositions and obviated the indigenous position. Islam was not the forcefully corrupted creed; it was the very vessel of colonial takeover. It was difficult to acknowledge that my convictions had clouded a fair judgment of the indigenous art. Sometimes decolonizing requires deconstructing our own beliefs—for that is what masquerade was to the Gbain. ”

What Makes This a Good Essay 

The author introduces their idea with excellent background information and imagery. They connect this idea through their major term paper, in which they challenge their views and perspectives. This shift in perspective shows the author's ability to change positions based on new information, even concrete, lifelong beliefs. 

This commitment to fairness in light of a challenging subject shows their candor and suitability for a law career.

Optional Essay 

Optional Yale Law School essays include a diversity statement and addenda.

If you choose to write a diversity statement, it should teach the admissions committee more about you and show how you’ll contribute to Yale. 

A diversity statement may not be necessary if you've touched upon your background and identity at length elsewhere in your application. These tips can help you write a compelling diversity statement:

• Decide Whether You Should Write One : You may not need a diversity statement if you’ve already written at length about your identity/background. However, you may consider writing this essay if you feel you can offer more insight into your core identities. 
• Maintain Your Application Narrative : Explain how your identity impacted your passion for law school and show how you can contribute to the school and incoming class. 
• Reflect on Your Experiences : Think about transformative moments you’ve lived through, what you learned, and how they changed your path’s trajectory. Apply these reflections to your decision to become a lawyer. 

Yale Law School Tuition & Scholarships 

Yale Law School tuition costs $71,540 for the 2023-2024 academic year. However, with other fees and personal expenses, students can expect to pay roughly $100,000 per year to attend Yale School of Law. 

See below for a full breakdown of the cost of attending Yale Law: 

Yale Law Scholarships

If you’re intimidated by the cost of Yale Law School, don’t worry! Yale has financial aid policies in place that will help students afford their law degree. You can receive need-based assistance and can also apply for various outside scholarships . 

Yale also offers the Hurst Horizon Scholarship Program , which covers full tuition for students pursuing legal education. It is designed to help students from all financial backgrounds afford law school. 

Yale School of Law Application Deadlines 

You need to submit your Yale Law School application by February 15, 2024. Bear in mind that there will be no admission-related advantage to submitting your application early, so take as much time as you need to put together a stellar application. 

Here are some other important dates to know:

There are two main steps to apply to Yale Law School : you’ll need to subscribe to the Law School Credit Assembly Service (CAS) and create and submit applications through LSAC. 

Yale Law School Bar Passage Rate: 95.77%

Yale Law School’s first-time bar passage rate in 2023 was 95.77%. This is significantly higher than the ABA average pass rate at 78.4%! 

With a bar passage rate this high, it’s no wonder why Yale is a highly-respected law school. 

How to Get Into Yale Law School: Tips to Improve Your Admission Chances

Getting into Yale Law may seem like an intimidating task, but don’t fret. Here are some tips to help you gain admission to Yale Law School! 

• Less is More : It’s okay to have fewer materials in your application if those materials are strong. This goes especially for recommendation letters -- Yale advises students to prioritize having only two strong letters over adding a third weak one to the mix. 
• Be Authentic : According to Yale Law’s personal statement tip sheet , authenticity really matters. Don’t exaggerate or dig for anecdotes that you think might be what Yale wants to hear. Just be true to yourself and your own experiences. 
• Study Hard : You’re going to need a very high GPA and LSAT score to compete with the other Yale Law applicants. Make sure you prioritize your schooling and dedicate lots of time to studying. 

With these tips to get into Yale Law School, you’re sure to be a competitive candidate. 

What Does Yale Law School Look For? 

It’s important to make your application stand out, but how do you know what to focus on? To help you tailor your application to Yale, we’ve done some research. 

Here are some qualities related to what Yale Law School is looking for in students: 

• Initiative : Yale Law seeks to encourage students to “ blaze their own path and effect positive change .” If you can show the admissions committee that you’re ambitious and innovative, you’ll be an impressive candidate!
• Desire to Serve : Being a lawyer is about serving and helping others. Yale’s law programs are “ grounded in meaningful service .” They look for students who demonstrate empathetic hearts and a passion for public service. 
• Academic Excellence : Yale Law School seeks applicants who strive for academic achievements in all areas. 

FAQs: How to Get Into Yale Law School

These FAQs can help you get additional information you may need on how to get into Yale Law School. 

1. Can You Get a Full Ride to Yale Law School?

Yes, depending on your financial situation. The Soledad ’92 and Robert Hurst Horizon Scholarship Program was created to allocate full-tuition scholarships to 45-50 J.D. students who demonstrate the highest need annually. These scholarships are automatically awarded to students who meet eligibility requirements. 

2. What Do You Need to Get into Yale Law School?

To get into Yale Law School, you must have a high GPA, stellar LSAT or GRE scores, expertly-crafted essays, and a differentiated profile demonstrating your fit and passion for law. 

3. What GPA Do You Need for Yale Law School? 

Although there are no GPA cutoffs for applying to Yale Law School, it’s in your best interest to achieve an undergraduate GPA as close to or higher than 4.0 for your best shot at acceptance. 

4. Does Yale Law Prefer Yale Students? 

While an older news article states that Yale College students were some of the best applicants, there is nothing to suggest that Yale Law School gives preference to Yale students. A varied profile and robust application will help you in the admissions process, no matter where you went for undergrad. 

5. Is Yale or Harvard a Better Law School? 

Based solely on rankings, Yale is the better law school. However, the best law school for you depends on program offerings, your goals, and preferences. Both Yale and Harvard are excellent institutions. 

6. What LSAT Score Do You Need to Get Into Yale Law School? 

Like GPA, there is no explicit cutoff for LSAT scores at Yale Law School. However, given that the median score submitted by students is 175, you should strive for at least that score or better for a better chance of admission. 

7. What is the Lowest GPA Accepted to Yale Law School? 

According to the most recent class profile, the lowest GPA accepted to Yale Law School was 3.25. However, it is unlikely that you’ll gain admission to Yale with a low GPA unless the rest of your application is outstanding.

Getting Into Yale Law Is Easy If You Know How 

Yale Law School is highly selective, but knowing what you need to get in can make it easier and increase your chances of acceptance. With a high GPA, stellar LSAT or GRE scores, and the tips outlined above, you can make the most of your application and kickstart your law career! 

Schedule A Free Consultation

You may also like.

How to Create an Effective LSAT Study Schedule

Top Law Schools in Missouri

The Ultimate Guide to Writing an Outstanding Law School Personal Statement

Dazzle admissions with your legally awesome personal story, introduction.

Let's face it: you've spent countless hours studying and acing the LSAT, and now it's time for the pièce de résistance – the law school personal statement. This is your golden opportunity to showcase your personality, and put your best legal foot forward. But don't worry, this guide has got you covered. In no time, you'll be writing a personal statement that could put John Grisham's early drafts to shame.

If you're ready to convince law school admissions committees that you're the next Ruth Bader Ginsburg or Thurgood Marshall, then buckle up and get ready for a wild ride through the world of crafting the ultimate law school personal statement.

1. Know Your Audience: The Admissions Committee

First and foremost, remember that you're writing for the admissions committee. These are the gatekeepers of your future legal career, and they've read more personal statements than there are citations in a Supreme Court decision. To avoid becoming a legal footnote in their memory, keep the following in mind:

• Be professional, but also relatable. You don't want to sound like a robot that's been programmed to spout legalese.
• Avoid clichés like "I want to make a difference" or "I've always wanted to be a lawyer." Unless, of course, you've been dreaming of billable hours since you were in diapers.
• Consider what makes you unique. Remember, this is your chance to stand out among a sea of applicants with equally impressive academic records and LSAT scores.

2. Choosing Your Topic: Make It Personal and Memorable

When it comes to choosing a topic for your personal statement, think of it as an episode of Law & Order: Your Life Edition. It's your moment to shine, so pick a story that showcases your passion, resilience, or commitment to justice. Consider these tips:

• Use an anecdote. Admissions committees love a good story, especially one that shows your problem-solving skills or ability to navigate tricky situations. Just be sure not to end up on the wrong side of the law!
• Reflect on a transformative experience. If you've had a life-changing event that led you to pursue law, share it! Just remember to keep it PG-rated.
• Discuss a personal challenge you've overcome. Nothing says "I'm ready for law school" like demonstrating your resilience in the face of adversity.

3. Structure and Organization: Your Legal Blueprint

Now that you've chosen your topic, it's time to draft your personal statement. Like a well-organized legal brief, your statement should have a clear beginning, middle, and end. Consider the following tips for structuring your masterpiece:

• Begin with a strong opening. Start with a hook that will capture the reader's attention and make them want to keep reading. Think of it as your own personal Miranda warning: "You have the right to remain captivated."
• Develop your story in the body. This is where you'll expand on your anecdote or experience, and explain how it has shaped your desire to pursue a legal career. Remember to be concise and avoid meandering – this isn't a filibuster.
• End with a powerful conclusion. Tie everything together and reiterate why you're the ideal candidate for law school. Just like a closing argument, leave the admissions committee convinced that you're the right choice.

4. Style and Tone: Finding Your Inner Legal Wordsmith

When it comes to your personal statement, you want to strike the perfect balance between professional and engaging. After all, no one wants to read a 500-word legal treatise on why you should be admitted to law school. To achieve this delicate balance, follow these style and tone guidelines:

• Write in the first person. This is your personal statement, so own it! Using "I" allows you to convey your unique perspective and voice.
• Keep it conversational, yet polished. Write as if you were speaking to a respected mentor or professor. Avoid slang, but don't be afraid to inject a bit of your personality into your writing.
• Employ dry humor sparingly. A little wit can make your statement more enjoyable to read, but remember that humor is subjective. It's best to err on the side of caution, lest you inadvertently offend the admissions committee.
• Be precise and concise. Legal writing is known for its clarity and brevity, so practice these skills in your personal statement. Aim to keep it between 500 and 700 words, as brevity is the soul of wit (and law school applications).

5. Revision: The Art of Legal Editing

It's been said that writing is rewriting, and this is particularly true for your personal statement. Once you've drafted your masterpiece, it's time to don your editor's hat and polish it to perfection. Follow these tips for a meticulous revision:

• Take a break before revising. Give yourself some distance from your statement before diving into revisions. This will help you approach it with fresh eyes and a clear mind.
• Read your statement out loud. This technique can help you catch awkward phrasing, run-on sentences, and other errors that might not be apparent when reading silently.
• Seek feedback from others. Share your statement with trusted friends, family members, or mentors who can provide constructive criticism. Just remember, opinions are like law school casebooks – everyone's got one, but you don't have to take them all to heart.
• Edit ruthlessly. Don't be afraid to cut, rewrite, or reorganize your statement. Your goal is to make your writing as strong and effective as possible, even if it means sacrificing a clever turn of phrase or an endearing anecdote.

6. Proofread: The Final Verdict

Before submitting your personal statement, it's crucial to proofread it thoroughly. Even the most compelling story can be marred by typos, grammatical errors, or other mistakes. Follow these proofreading tips to ensure your statement is error-free:

• Use spell check, but don't rely on it entirely. Some errors, like homophones or subject-verb agreement issues, may slip past your computer's watchful eye.
• Print your statement and read it on paper. This can help you spot errors that you might have missed on-screen.
• Enlist a second pair of eyes. Sometimes, a fresh perspective can catch mistakes that you've become blind to after multiple revisions.

Crafting an outstanding law school personal statement may seem daunting, but with the right approach and a healthy dose of perseverance, you can create a compelling and memorable statement that will impress even the most discerning admissions committee. So go forth and conquer, future legal eagles! And remember, as you embark on your law school journey, may the precedent be ever in your favor.

Tech-focused creator of LSD.Law. I built LSD while applying to law school. I saw unequal access to knowledge and built LSD to level the playing field and help applicants make thoughtful, well-informed decisions in the application process.

• Data download

Help us make LSD better!

• Graduate School

Yale Graduate School Personal Statement Examples

Don’t assume that Yale Graduate School personal statement examples are the same as Yale Law School personal statement examples or those for any other program because each one must be tailored to a program’s specific requirements. There were close to 11,550 applications to Yale graduate school in a recent year for over 70 different programs, so crafting a personal statement that truly reflects your goals and motivations to enter graduate school should be a priority.

This article will feature Yale graduate school personal statement examples based on the requirements set forth by individual programs at Yale and end with a few tips on what to include and what not to include. 

>> Want us to help you get accepted? Schedule a free initial consultation here <<

Listen to the blog!

Article Contents 9 min read

Example 1. yale school of architecture phd program personal essay.

Requirements: Must not exceed one page

The cross cast a long shadow on our living room floor in the morning. The day the war started, my mother had taped that cross onto the windows for practical reasons, not divine ones. The thinking was, if any Iraqi shells or rockets reached our neighborhood in Tehran, the tape would keep the glass from shattering into tiny pieces – at least, that was the hope. 

I learned in my first year Building Construction class at the University of Waterloo that taping windows is wholly ineffective. Letting a window shatter into thousands of pieces is better than keeping large panes of glass together, which the tape does not do anyway. But when my mother taped our windows, it did have one positive effect – it made me feel protected.

I have many memories of the war, but that was the first, and it’s one I had not revisited until that class. When my engineering professor talked about how taping windows is ineffective, I felt singled out. He reactivated that memory in my mind, which I had not thought about for some time. It was then that I realized I wanted to contribute something to making people safe in their homes or wherever they are. I wanted to research what I could do to protect them, from war or any other disaster, natural or man-made.

I would argue that an architect’s role in building and rebuilding is central to how a people, nation, or society recover from trauma. The multifaceted role of architecture in times of upheaval and disaster is something I feel the Ecosystems in Architectural Sciences track at the Yale School of Architecture perfectly encapsulates. The multidisciplinary approach of this track is akin to the way I’ve always approached and thought about architecture and is the ideal track for me to bring other disciplines into my research, like psychology and economics.

I entered the master’s program at Waterloo after completing my undergraduate degree and based my thesis on the intersectionality of architecture, politics, disaster recovery, and culture. My paper was titled, “The Shelter of Crosses: On the Need for Trauma-Informed Architecture.” It is based on research I conducted into how the chaos of the First World War influenced European architects and architecture. I argued that the resulting new world order influenced architecture in turn by creating new, never-before-seen spaces like resettlement camps or temporary housing for displaced peoples.

I have only scratched the surface of how architecture, trauma, history, and identity have played a role in the reconstruction of physical spaces. But if admitted to the Yale School of Architecture program, I hope to explore how the collective psyche of a scarred population, and that of the individual, are rebuilt through architecture. Throughout history, disasters have led to societies adapting, from the Great Fire of London to Hiroshima and Nagasaki to earthquakes in Haiti and Nepal, and I feel like the Yale School of Architecture is the ideal place for me to pursue this type of investigation.

Would you like us to help you with your grad school applications? ","buttonText":"Free Strategy Call","buttonColor":"#ffffff","bannerUnderText":null,"belowButtonText1":null,"belowButtonText2":null,"trustpilot":false}" :url=""https:\/\/bemoacademicconsulting.com\/contact-schedule-free-strategy-call"" code="banner1" background-color="#000066" button-color="#ffffff" banner-image> Example 2. Yale Department of Political Science PhD Program

Requirements: none

My father was a principled, uncompromising man, and I’ve had a complicated relationship with his memory ever since he was killed. I was fourteen when he was murdered, and I remember my reaction to his death was pure anger – but anger toward him, not toward his killers. I understood why my father was killed. I knew what he was doing.

I understood how important he was to the copper miners he represented and, by extension, everyone else involved in legitimizing and supporting the socialist government of Salvador Allende. But I didn’t care about any of that. I wanted my father back, and I was angrier that he kept organizing strikes and protests, even after his life was threatened. I developed a deep-seated hatred toward any kind of activism or political action and decided to stay resolutely apolitical for the rest of my life.

After he was killed, my mother, my brothers, and my uncle, Patricio, all left Santiago for Lima, where we lived for two years until my family emigrated to Newark. My uncle continued with us to the US, and I was grateful for his presence, as he helped me process the trauma and anger I felt toward my father for letting his principles take priority over taking care of us, his family.

Patricio became a union steward at the local GM assembly plant where he worked. My uncle took me along to United Auto Workers meetings, whenever their collective bargaining agreement would be renegotiated. But I was still hesitant about taking up my family’s mantle of political action and organizing. Despite my hesitations, I spent summers working on the assembly line, even though I had at that point decided to go to law school.

I chose criminology as my undergraduate major at Rutgers and began taking pre-law courses in philosophy, political science, and sociology, still thinking my future lay in fighting for and protecting worker’s rights, even though I wasn’t sure that’s what I wanted. One of my sociology professors, Richard Helms, had also spent time as a labor organizer in Mexico, helping workers in the maquiladoras that sprung up in Northern Mexico post-NAFTA organize.

The first thing you should know about what to write about in your Yale graduate school personal statement is that not all graduate departments at Yale require them. The Yale Graduate School uses a centralized, online portal that all applicants, regardless of their program, must use to submit their application, similar to the way students applying to medical school use the AMCAS and AACOMAS services and must submit an AMCAS personal statement or read AACOMAS personal statement examples so that they can write and submit one with their main application.

Applicants specify on their application what program they are applying to and submit the necessary documentation, which includes the following:

• A statement of purpose
• Unofficial transcripts from all your previous colleges or universities
• Three letters of recommendation
• GRE test scores (program dependent)
• CV or resume

The statement of purpose is mandatory for all programs, so you should review statement of purpose examples for graduate school to guide you when writing your own, but you should also know that all applicants must write their statement in response to the same prompt, as follows:

“Describe your research interests and preparation for your intended field(s) of study, including prior research and other relevant experiences. Explain how the faculty, research, and resources at Yale would contribute to your future goals.”

The required length of your statement of purpose is between 500–1000 words. You should also note that the statement of purpose does not fulfill any other personal statement requirements for the program you are applying to – if they even ask you for a separate essay. If your program does require a personal statement or graduate school cover letters , you must submit them as well.

Many programs require writing samples that are not necessarily personal statements. For example, the Department of Classics PhD program in Classical Philology asks for a writing sample between 10–15 pages, while applicants to the combined Classics and History PhD program are asked to write a two-page book review on any text that has shaped their academic interests.

Similarly, the PhD program in English asks applicants to submit writing samples of similar length that exemplify a student’s “best writing in a literary critical mode.” This writing sample is required, in addition to a separate personal statement, in which the applicant explains their motivation for pursuing a PhD in English at Yale.

If you must submit a personal statement to a graduate-level program at Yale, you can follow a very basic format and structure for personal statements to help you. But, again, you should always adhere to the formal requirements specified by the program on its website or in any official school handbooks or catalogs.

The structure suggested here is only a blueprint for your own statement, and if the program you are applying to does not have any specific requirements to follow, you can use this guide to help you craft your personal statement. Knowing how to write a myriad of different letters is a skill many people learn when figuring out how to get into grad school , as applying to grad school requires a lot of written documentation.

You should know how to write a personal statement, but to increase your chances of getting accepted, you should also know how to write an effective statement of intent , how to write a master’s thesis proposal , and how to write a CV for grad school , as a CV is one of the mandatory application requirements when applying to a Yale graduate program.

1. Start with a Story

A good opening is essential to any written piece of work, and you should apply the same thinking to your personal statement. The opening paragraph of your personal statement should include things about you that are not seen on your official transcripts, like your motivation to pursue a graduate degree and what events from your past led to your present.

Inviting the reader to keep reading is the goal of your introduction, so start with something evocative and emotional. You can talk about your childhood and upbringing if it has any bearing on your academic career and professional interests. You can talk about any inciting incident that made you realize you wanted to pursue this field and career and then transition to your accomplishments thus far in this particular field of study.

2. Show, Don’t Tell

You should devote a few paragraphs in the middle section of your personal statement to detailing what you’ve accomplished academically, professionally, or non-professionally. After explaining your motivations and writing about your personal history, you should demonstrate specific instances when you excelled, whether it was winning an academic prize or contributing to a research project or to a published paper.

3. Talk about the Future

After you’ve talked about what you’ve accomplished academically and professionally, you can discuss what you still want to accomplish in your field of study. You can present particular research goals or investigative questions that you feel are lacking in scholarship. Your concluding paragraph is also where you should talk about the program specifically and how it, unlike any other, can help you further your academic pursuits, while stating how you can contribute positively to the program.

Yale Graduate school personal statement examples are necessary for entry into any of the Ivy League schools’ many master’s and PhD-level courses. Every program has its own requirements, while some do not even require that you submit a statement. If your program does ask for a personal statement, you can follow a standard personal statement outline unless the program has its own requirements, which you should always follow.

Depending on the program, you could submit a standard personal statement (one or two pages, between 500 and 750 words) or one that responds to a specific prompt or question. But you may not even have to submit one, although the school does require that all applicants write a statement of purpose. 

A personal statement is a letter or essay that showcases your motivations and goals when applying to an undergraduate, graduate, law, or medical program. A statement of purpose, which is a mandatory application requirement for all applicants to Yale Graduate School is where you’ll outline your research interests and what you hope to achieve academically if you are admitted, so you should review research interest statement samples to know how to write one. 

You can include autobiographical information (hometown, family members) that relates to your academic pursuits, as well as anything relevant to your intellectual progression. You can write about obstacles you’ve had to overcome to complete your education as well as personal experiences, but only if they relate to your motivation for pursuing a graduate degree, which is somewhat similar to what to include in medical school personal statements . 

You should not overindulge in describing incidents that have no bearing on your academic career. You should also avoid general, cliched statements that are often overused in personal statements, like “I’ve always wanted to be...” or “I enjoy writing and researching.” Humor is also a tricky subject, as a graduate school application requires more seriousness and formality. 

It depends on the program. All applicants to the graduate school must write a statement of purpose outlining their research history and goals, but a personal statement can be an optional requirement based on the program. You may be asked to write one or not. 

If you are required to submit an additional writing sample, like a personal statement, you should keep it as short as possible (one page, maximum 750 words). 

Yale University, and all of its attendant schools and colleges, is one of the best Ivy League schools in the US, but it is also not one of the easiest Ivy League schools to get into . If you are wondering how to help your child get into an Ivy League school, Yale is a very competitive school, as it admits only 4.6% of applicants every year. 

The school requires all applicants to submit: 1) a statement of purpose; 2) unofficial transcripts; 3) three letters of recommendation; and 4) a resume or CV. You may also need to submit GRE or other standardized test scores, but it depends on the program. 

Want more free tips? Subscribe to our channels for more free and useful content!

Apple Podcasts

Like our blog? Write for us ! >>

Have a question ask our admissions experts below and we'll answer your questions, get started now.

Talk to one of our admissions experts

Our site uses cookies. By using our website, you agree with our cookie policy .

FREE Training Webinar:

How to make your grad school application stand out, (and avoid the top 5 mistakes that get most rejected).