Personal Statement- 19 years old

Princess

I am completely lost on my personal statement. It feels as if I cannot find the perfect story to share. I want it to be unique and have been advised to stay away from the "immigrant child story and transition into US". I feel like it is very difficult for me because I am only 19 years old. I've been quite fortunate to not face challenges in my life and things have gone per plan. I don't want to write the basic "I am a perfectionist" story either. I have been very confused and would appreciate any help you are able to offer.

Kermit750

I think if you plan to write about being an immigrant and transitioning to the United States, I don't see why you can't. At the end of the day, though your theme might be the same as someone else, the important thing is how you tell your story. You want the adcomms to get to know you as a person. If you're considering writing on something different and are stumped for ideas, try answering some personal statement brainstorming questions on the admissions course. Hope this helps.

LSAT_Wrecker

I think a good personal statement is an essay filled with sincerity and a genuine sense of "you". Don't worry about being unique, special, or extraordinary. Admissions committees read thousands of these things a year, I suspect the "unique snowflake" essays are extraordinarily rare. Just show them something about you that's real. If you are passionate about your journey as an immigrant and it shows personal growth, then put that passion into your writing and tell that story. They just want a sense of who you are.

Good luck!

AudaciousRed

Wait.. how are you 19 and going to law school..?

Princess

@AudaciousRed I graduated HS at the age of 17 and finished my Bachelors in Psychology and Criminal Justice in 2 years.

LSAT_Wrecker

FWIW, you could be the next Doogie Howsier and crush schools or you could take a year or two off from education and experience the real world. That may give you a better perspective and more experiences to draw from.

Either way, sounds like you have had an amazing ride so far. Get after it!

Princess

Thank you so much! I really appreciate your help and will start working on my personal statement now. > @LSAT_Wrecker said:

FWIW, you could be the next Doogie Howsier and crush schools or you could take a year or two off from education and experience the real world. That may give you a better perspective and more experiences to draw from.

Either way, sounds like you have had an amazing ride so far. Get after it!

Bamboosprout

Start keeping a Personal Statement Notebook. I've kept one with me for the last 6 months, and been writing down every significant thought or conversation I had in regards to law school, my life, and why the two relate. It's now 10,000 words long, so I have plenty of material to choose from. Maybe this can help you too.

Raychul123

I found the personal statement bootcamp webinar on here to be incredibly helpful. By weeding out the mundane details of my life and tying together my meaningful experiences I was able to describe my story- which by the nature of this method resulted in a narrative that is individual and unique. Start by brainstorming things in your life that have left an impression on you or changed your perspective!

LCMama2017

@gurikaur said:
@AudaciousRed I graduated HS at the age of 17 and finished my Bachelors in Psychology and Criminal Justice in 2 years.

Wow - I think you just found your personal statement topic.

AudaciousRed

@LCMama2017 said:

@gurikaur said:
@AudaciousRed I graduated HS at the age of 17 and finished my Bachelors in Psychology and Criminal Justice in 2 years.

Wow - I think you just found your personal statement topic.

That's exactly what I was thinking. That, or maybe a diversity statement. Wow.