Personal Statement about How to Change the World (I know I know...)

goodbhaviour

Hey 7Sagers!

Bringing up a touchy subject here, but I have been told to stay away from PS that talk about how to change the injustice/horrible world through law (in your PS). Does the same apply if you have personally gone through tough circumstances, poverty, or grew up in a country with such?

Further, I have been looking at many example essays (both admitted and rejected students) and it seems to me like many of the ADMITTED students talk about "securing rights and liberties for disadvantaged individuals" or "changing the world through law" aka making the world a better place. Now I realize there are a lot of different factors that can cause these individuals to be accepted, but nonetheless I couldn't help but notice a trend of these essays being admitted, when people are told to stay away from them...

Thoughts?

Cant Get Right

Just stay away from vague generalizations and abstractions. You don't want to give them a political/philosophical treatise. If you have a personal story of injustice that you've drawn broader lessons from, I think that would be great. You need to tell a story, and you must be the protagonist.

Alex

Your dilemma is often talked and written about by admissions professionals. The real reason they generally advise students to stay away from these topics is that they are rarely written well. @"Cant Get Right" nailed it when he mentioned staying away from political treatises and vague abstractions/generalizations. This is so often what the PS of someone writing about these things ends up reading like.

If you have a personal story to tell that can be written without becoming any of these things, then I think you'll be fine. Just note how the admitted student's essays tell their story and through it persuade the schools they will be successful students and attorneys.

Freddy_D

I agree with the above. If you have a compelling and personal reason, then go for it. Vague platitudes about changing the world will most likely hurt more than help.

goodbhaviour

Thank you all! This was actually a huge help Ugh... love this community.