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Timing of Potential Personal Statement Idea

devinstelterdevinstelter Alum Member
in Law School Admissions 149 karma

Hello all!

So I am trying to brainstorm various topics or events that I could write my personal statement about. There is one particular experience I had a while back that I am thinking could work well for me. During my first semester of college, I was experiencing some symptoms related to drug induced lupus where I would have severe joint pain to the point of not being able to get out of bed on one occasion. While this was going on, my father (who has never been a very emotional man) had a breakdown due to other family issues that landed him in the psychiatric ward twice over a two month period. It was a difficult situation, trying to stay upbeat while it was usually painful to walk long distances and while my family was having a hard time dealing with my father's situation. I also vividly remember trying to calm my father down when he was having overwhelming anxiety attacks at home between stays at the psych ward. I was able to remain positive and support my family emotionally while also working a part-time job and landing on the Dean's List that semester (although academically it was my worst semester).

While I think it could work well for a personal statement, I have seen some suggestions not to use stories or events that took place some time ago. While my specific life event did not occur in high school or earlier, it did occur in my first semester of college after graduating high school. My question is whether the fact that this event took place nearly four years ago will matter to adcoms? Are they looking for more recent personal development?

Thanks in advance for the help!

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Comments

  • helentang02helentang02 Alum Member
    246 karma

    Interested to get the feedback too!

  • 1000001910000019 Alum Member
    3279 karma

    The timing shouldn't be an issue if this was an event that shaped you. I worked with a 7sage editor on my PS. My PS started in prepubescence, covered my teenage years, and finished in adulthood.

    Just make sure that your PS isn't only an interesting read.

  • LivingThatLSATdreamLivingThatLSATdream Alum Member
    500 karma

    If your grades were fine during this period and you don't plan on writing a gpa addendum, you could easily omit the specific time this occurred. Just write "during undergrad" or "during fall semester".

  • Paul CaintPaul Caint Alum Member ⭐
    3521 karma

    I agree with @10000019; so long as the events shaped who you are today, it doesn't matter when they happened! I wrote part of my PS about high school lol.

    The only thing I would advise is to make sure your story is about OVERCOMING adversity and not just adversity itself. Telling the story of your hardship should take up some of your personal statement, but the overwhelming majority of your PS should be about what you learned and how that adversity shaped you :smile:

  • AudaciousRedAudaciousRed Alum Member
    2689 karma

    The topic I picked is about a benign question asked of me one day that made me realize how my life had gone off the rails and how I was not only not living up to my potential, but setting a bad example. It then went into what I decided to do about it and then doing it, even though it was difficult. It ends with me having a clearer direction of what I want in life, and the example I set changing for the better.
    No idea if it'll work out, but seems like it fits the lessons in the admission course.
    Anyway.. as to timing. That one silly question occured around 4 years ago. But it was a pivotal moment that changed my life and has had a me working my butt off ever since :) I think it's the power a moment has in shaping your life. Even something as stupid as a question can change everything. If something happened to you as a teen that changed your life and taught you something, how is that any different or any less powerful than what happens at 20, or 25, or 35?

  • devinstelterdevinstelter Alum Member
    149 karma

    Thanks for the feedback! Writing it in only 3 pages is going to be a pretty rough process, lol.

  • samantha.ashley92samantha.ashley92 Alum Member
    1777 karma

    I also don't think that the timing really matters! I'm sure you could write about something that happened in elementary school if it shaped who you are today.

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