sample admission essay

Your personal statement essay is a very important part of your application to law school.  It’s not supposed to be a written form of your transcript of records or resume, but rather a document that provides admissions officers with insights regarding your life and personal opinions.  Personal statements are supposed to be personal, non-generic, and unique.  Writing your sample personal statement gives you the opportunity to provide readers with a look into your life as a student and how you are as a person.  Because admissions officers will be reading hundreds, if not thousands, of personal statement essays, you have to make sure that yours stands out.  One of the ways by which you can do this is to focus on an aspect of your life that makes you different from others.(1)
Read the rest of this entry »

Making the decision to become a lawyer can be one of the biggest steps that you take in your life, especially if you are from a family of lawyers.  Coming from a family of lawyers can have many advantages for those who are planning to become lawyers themselves.  Regardless of whether or not you are directly related to lawyers, though, you will probably have to enroll in law school to get prepared for the bar exams.  Getting into law school can be difficult, but you have good chances of getting admitted if you do a great job on your application package.  Perhaps the most important application requirement is the personal essay.(1)  Read on for some tips on indicating in your personal statement that you are from a family of lawyers, and other basic tips on writing your law school personal statement.

Doing your research: taking a look at well-written sample law school personal statements for valid reasons to go to law school

Before you begin writing your law school personal statement, you may want to start out by doing some research and gathering samples.  Sample law school personal statements can help you brainstorm for ideas and understand the basic format of the essay.  Try to get a good grasp of the tone of the essay and how the ideas are developed in the essay.  Aside from looking at examples of well-written essays, you may also want to look at poorly written ones, so you know what mistakes to avoid.(2)

Writing your essay :  using the characteristics of well-written, family-focused law school personal statement examples in your draft

Now that you have a good idea of what it takes to write a good family-focused law school personal statement, you can get started on your first draft.  Take some time to reflect on the research that you composed and think of how to make your essay even better than all of the samples that you read.  Concentrate on making your essay excellent in content, form, and style.(3)  Here is a list of some basic tips on writing your personal statement for law school:(4)
-  Make sure that your sentences are clear and concise.
-  Avoid all types of technical errors, such as spelling and grammar mistakes.
-  Try to let your character and personality show through your writing.
-  Always make your personal statement specific to the school that you are writing it for.
-  If you need more help, you may want to join a writing workshop for personal statements.

Winning your case : writing your own excellent law school personal statement by discussing family experiences and influences

One of the benefits of being from a family of lawyers is that you are probably already pre-disposed to the profession.  You can use this benefit to your advantage by writing a law school personal statement that is family-focused.  Not only is your background and family something personal, but it also offers many opportunities to discuss why you want to go to law school.  Before you get to writing your essay, be sure to take time to plan out what you are going to write and how you are going to write it.(5)  Try not to make it sound as though you are only going to law school because of the fact that you come from a family of lawyers.  Instead, try to focus on how your background has helped to form the values and virtues that it takes to be successful in law school and as a lawyer in the future.(6)

Some tips on mentioning examples in your family-focused essay: (7)
-  Focus on positive traits and try to eliminate any negative aspects.
-  Try to discuss how the examples have helped to sculpt your personality and character.
-  Find out what makes you unique in your family and as a person, in general, and expound on that.
-  Remember to concentrate on your goal with the personal statement. Introduce yourself and explain how your family background and upbringing has influenced you and your decision to apply for law school.

Making an appeal by learning a few more tips based on a creatively written law school personal statement sample

Writing a creative and interesting law school personal statement does not mean that you have to do something completely new and “out of the box.”  In fact, it would probably help to keep your essay simple, clear and concise, without too much humor or cliches.(8)  The best way to write creatively is to be yourself.  Many of the things that make you unique are precisely what interests other people.  Try not to focus too much on other people or family members.  Instead, keep the essay centered on you and let your personality and character shine through for who you really are.  Your essay is a venue for you to let the admissions committee know why you deserve a slot at the school.

(1) http://career.berkeley.edu/LAW/LawStatement.stm
(2) http://collegeapps.about.com/od/essays /College_Admissions_Essays_Samples_Critiques_and_Writing_Tips.htm
(3) http://bunny.ucdavis.edu/advising/law/handouts /tips_writing_your_law_school_personal_statement.html
(4) http://lawschool.about.com/od/applicationprocess/tp/personalstatement.htm
(5) http://www.bc.edu/offices/careers/gradschool/law/lawstatement.html
(6) http://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/642/01/
(7)  http://www.sampleadmissionessay.com/category/law-school-admissions/
(8) http://www.yale.edu/career/students/gradprof/lawschool/lawapply.html#stat

If you’re an aspiring lawyer or doctor, then you need to prepare yourself for going into medical school or law school. There are many schools offering pre-med and pre-law programs, but there are those that do not. If you find yourself wondering about what major to take up so that you’ll be prepared for graduate studies in either medicine or law, below are some suggestions on which majors you should take up.

What to major in when planning to go to medical school

Going to medical school will have you taking up many science classes. Some of the best majors that can help you have a smooth transition to medical school are those that include subjects such as biology, chemistry, physics, and psychology. This is because the training, experience, and education you will gain in these majors will be useful in medical school. You can also choose to major in the social sciences or humanities if you plan to go to medical school.

What to major in when planning to go to law school

There are a wide variety of majors suitable for students who want to go to law school. Common majors taken up by aspiring lawyers include political science, philosophy, criminology, and psychology. What makes these majors good preparation for law school is that these focus on research and analysis, human behavior, and logical thought.

The choice is yours

Many majors include courses that are related to law or medicine, but remember that it’s still your choice. Keep in mind that your college education is not only about academics, it’s also important that you make something of it. Perhaps it would be better for you to take a course that fits your skills, interests, and experience. Doing so will add to your knowledge and hone your talents, as well as give you training in that field. Although the major you pursue may not be ideal for law school or medical school, most graduate schools still accept applicants that come from different academic backgrounds. It would be good for you to talk to your guidance counselor to discuss your career options.

Photo Credit : umjanedoan

May you be in college, medical school, law school, or an aspiring MBA degree holder, still, you will have to deal with stress and pressure from academics and other school activities. Striving to meet deadlines may be part of your everyday life and can make you feel stressed out and frustrated. Nowadays, stress is practically inescapable. You need to know how to manage it so you can become successful. Being stressed can make you less productive; it’s important that you know the factors that cause stress so how you can cope with it. Factors causing stress Individuals get stressed because of different reasons. If you have so many things to do but don’t think you have enough time, you may find yourself getting stressed. Thinking about your expenses and trying to balance your studies with your personal life may also cause frustration that can lead to stress. Inadequate sleep and unhealthy eating habits because of dealing with academics are also some stress-causing factors. Coping with stress When you find yourself feeling stressed, the best thing to do is to give yourself some rest. You may think that you’re going to lose time when you rest, but keep in mind that you won’t work efficiently when you’re stressed. If you feel the need to rest, perhaps your mind and body are just tired and need to be refreshed. Remember that you need to have adequate time for relaxation and rest because these are important for you to function at your best while in school. You can also find a hobby, sport, or activity that interests you. Doing physical activities can rev up your body and keep you in good shape so that you can deal with the physical and mental demands of going to school. Doing other activities can also make you happy and eradicate your feelings of frustration.

When you’re stressed, you might feel inadequate and get angry at yourself for not accomplishing as much as you need to. What you have to do is believe that you can succeed in your endeavors and be able to do your tasks well. After all, your school accepted you into their program because admission officers believed that you have what it takes to succeed. It would do you a world of good to believe this, too. Photo Credit : Jacob Botter

Looking for the perfect campus to study law can be compared to finding a good household appliance: every company tries to outdo the other by showcasing their top features, ultimately confusing buyers all the more. As students work their way to getting into a respected law school, they too become confused into choosing which academic faculty is more suited to their preferences. I’ll try to help minimize the confusion by focusing on Stanford Law School, one of America’s top law schools for 2008 according to USNews.com.

A quick look at Stanford history and alumni

The Stanford Law School is located in California’s Silicon Valley, the area where most high-tech businesses and firms are situated. The school was established in 1893 -the year when former US President Benjamin Harrison became the campus’s first law professor. He was joined by Nathan Abbott who assembled the first faculty to teach the up-and-coming lawyers.

Some of the most famous alumni to come out of the Stanford Law School include Peter Thiel, the founder of Paypal, and Penny Pritzker, one of the world’s billionaires and the CEO of Pritzker Realty. The school also boasts of Michael Jacobson, Senior Vice President and General Counsel of Ebay Inc., and Robert Cochran, creator of the popular TV shows Le Femme Nikita and 24, as its former students.

Stanford Law Degree benefits

As with most law schools in the US, Stanford offers various degree programs. It has the standard Juris Doctor program which is the basic course for becoming a lawyer. Stanford also has Joint Degree programs for students who wish to connect the law process with other disciplines. There are also Advanced Degree programs that offer doctoral degrees for foreign graduate students.

Free sample admission essay outlines customized to YOUR biography
Free admissions essays examples

Stanford prides itself in having a low student-to-faculty ratio, thus allowing a more concentrated approach in teaching. It also has mentorship programs wherein students can hone their skills with the help of professionals. Students also get membership to the school alumni network. This is a very essential tool especially for new graduates as they explore opportunities in the competitive world of legal businesses.

Becoming a Stanford Law student

To get into the Stanford Law School, one must understand that there are more applicants than available seats thus completion of forms is an essential. According to the Law School Admission Council, one must be able to prepare the application form, a Law School Report from either the Law School Admission Test (LSAT) or the Law School Data Assembly Service (LSDAS), recommendation letters and application fee. Stanford has an additional requirement of a Personal Statement letter that indicates aspects of the applicant that are not apparent in the other forms.

Please note that since Stanford is in the San Francisco area, it has a high cost of living so do expect pricey rates. Though this may be the case, students will enjoy comfortable benefits such as cutting-edge classrooms and a magnificent view of the San Francisco Bay, palm trees and all. As others may say, studying law can be a brain-buster in itself but with the many features of Stanford Law School -from the degrees to the benefits-, knowing legal matters may not look as hard as it seems.