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Personal Statement/Optional Essay overlap?

sewellsarahsewellsarah Free Trial Member
in Law School Admissions 46 karma

Hi!

I'm finishing up my PS and optional essay, and I'm realizing the two are pretty connected. My PS (on the topic of why I want to go to law school) is centered around a problem affecting students that I experienced as an educator and how I want to become a lawyer to combat that problem.

My optional essay (why I'm applying to X school) is mostly about how I want to attend this particular school because they have such a strong program for students who want to practice education law. I'm listing certain courses, faculty, a practicum program, and journal as specific reasons.

I guess my concern here is whether or not I should reference my PS in my optional essay? And to what extent? My PS talks about how I worked in education for the past several years, do I mention it again in my optional essay?

Hope this makes sense and isn't a reiteration of a question that's been asked a million times before! Any advice on overlapping personal statements/optional essays would be welcome!

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Comments

  • stgl1230stgl1230 Member
    821 karma

    Hey @sewellsarah I like your plans!

    I think it doesn't hurt to reference your PS in your optional essay. Since your PS states your career goals, your optional essay about X school's specific education law curriculum will help you achieve that goal. I would just avoid making the content of your PS and optional essay overwhelmingly similar (basically, don't write something optional if you don't have a specific and distinct reason to write it).

    Best of luck!

  • David BusisDavid Busis Member Moderator
    7355 karma

    There's nothing wrong with referencing your PS, but it might be less clunky simply to gloss your experience in a short phrase—e.g., "Having worked in education for eight years..." Keep in mind that your reader will probably look at your optional statement right after she reads your PS, so she'll have a sense of your biography.

  • TakamineTakamine Alum Member
    154 karma

    Had a similar issue @sewellsarah I had overlap between my PS, diversity statement, why law/X law school. I wrestled with having three detailed but separate statements versus having one combined concise essay. Might be worth calling the Admissions Office of the schools you're interested in and see what they think.

    I decided to go with a combined statement thinking/hoping most law schools prefer one document over three. Would love your input @"david.busis"

  • David BusisDavid Busis Member Moderator
    edited February 2017 7355 karma

    @Takamine,

    It depends on the content of each essay, but I think it's always good if you can cut down on what you're asking the admissions office to read. If you cover your diversity factors in your PS, you don't need to write a separate DS.

  • TakamineTakamine Alum Member
    154 karma

    Thanks for responding @"david.busis"!

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