You are required to submit a personal statement. Your statement should be between 2-3 pages, double-spaced, and 12-point font. Of the qualitative or "soft" factors of the application, the personal statement is of critical importance to the admissions committee. This is your primary opportunity to discuss who you are beyond the quantifiable components of your application. While there is no prompt, and we encourage you to approach the personal statement with an open mind, we are particularly interested in how your background (academic and otherwise) has led to your decision to study law. Please note, the personal statement is not the place to repeat items on your resume.

The USC Gould student body is an exceptional group of individuals working collaboratively, empathetically, and with cultural competency, to best serve the various communities they will represent as lawyers. USC Gould aims to generate lawyers that demonstrate an ongoing commitment to leadership, public service, and serving those in need. Please describe how your contributions to the USC Gould student body may be unique by highlighting anything related to your life experiences or personal background that will help us get to know you better. Some examples of this include, but are not limited to the following:

• How your upbringing, culture, or other aspects of your life experience have influenced your goals and/or leadership development;
• How your experience with discrimination, economic disadvantage, family or personal adversity, or other hardships demonstrates your ability to lead, or serve the public or those in need;
• How living in a foreign country, rural or isolated community, or speaking a language other than English at home has better equipped you to attend and flourish in law school;
• Any unusual career goals, employment history, or educational background (including graduate study);
• Demonstrate unusual courage, determination, or inspiration that stems from overcoming hardship, including violence, illness, or natural disaster;
• Any unusual extracurricular achievement (including school or community service).

This optional statement must be uploaded in the Attachments section of the application and should be limited to 1-2 pages, double-spaced, and 12-point font.

If you feel you need more space to explain other special circumstances regarding your application, please attach your explanation here.

You are required to submit a resume. Please indicate hours per week for each activity where applicable. Please limit your resume to no more than two pages.

1. Have you ever been dropped, suspended, warned, placed on academic or disciplinary probation, disciplined, expelled, or requested or advised to resign from any post-secondary school, college, university, professional school, or law school?
2. Have you ever been convicted of the violation of a misdemeanor or felony, or pleaded guilty or nolo contendere to a violation of a misdemeanor or felony, whether or not the charges were dismissed, the court entered a judgement of conviction, or the court imposed a sentence?
3. Are there any charges pending against you?
4. Have you ever been or are you currently registered at another law school either foreign or domestic? (This includes LLM Programs or non-JD Certificate and Master's Degree Programs taken at another law school.)