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Related Discussions
Should I take that chance and write about this in my personal statement?
pbjsje
Member
This is hard for me to write about or even think about, but I thought turning to other 7sagers is the safest I'll feel. I'm trying real hard to think of what "sets me apart". People say to write your personal statement on something you've experienced that made you who you are or that has given you reason to go to law school. I have had several experiences in my life that do so, but only one that would certainly make heads turn. BUT the thing is, it could give the admissions counsel grounds to throw my application in the trash immediately....
About 2 years ago I was arrested for petty theft. I was in a bad place at the time and it was by far the HARDEST thing that I've had to deal with. I've torn myself down, almost given up on getting anywhere in life, built myself back up, and tried my hardest to prove that what is on my rap sheet truly is NOT who I am at all. I've even gotten an internship at my county's District Attorney's office a year after the incident. So the question is.... should I write about that whole experience and explain why it's taken me on the path I'm on now, or pick something else? Risk it for the biscuit or naw? Thanks guys 
Comments
Just one opinion, but I would go for it! You're going to have to mention it in an addendum anyway, so it's not like schools wouldn't know about it if you elected to write about something else. If it was truly a life-changing experience for you and you've been able to harness something negative to achieve success I think that's very inspiring! Also, I don't know what kind of law you're thinking about going into, but being able to empathize with people in criminal situations should be an important criteria for all lawyers-- so you could even think of it as a sort of advantage.
I would say it depends on what you stole, and also why you did what you did. Did this run-in with the law somehow make you want to become a lawyer? It would be okay to write about how this event has somehow set you on your path to law school, but did it?
People make mistakes and law schools know that, so it won't necessarily disqualify you, but you want your personal statement to show admissions why you want to go to law school and why you think you'll do well there. Your arrest may be a topic better left to an addendum.
Totally agree with the others! It definitely won't immediately destroy your app, they're going to see it in character and fitness either way. If you can explain how the person that committed the crime is different from the person who is applying now, that's great! If in doing so you explain your qualifications or motivations to study law, then it could be a great PS. Otherwise it might be best suited to a passionate lengthy addendum.
Thanks guys! I'm glad I came to the forum to ask. I was nervous that maybe it would be grounds for dismissal, but then again, as all of you stated, I do have to disclose it anyways. And I think it was life changing enough to create a good piece out of. Thank you!
I've actually read in a law school admissions book that it can be a positive to use your PS to talk about a major weakness in your app if you can tie it into a larger narrative about yourself and transformation. It's definitely a risky topic and I wouldn't write about it, but I don't think it's prima facie a bad idea.
I would also say it depends on your numbers too. If your numbers aren't the best, I may not want to risk it with a topic such as this. Then again, maybe it can help set you apart. Either way, just make sure it's well written!
I don't think this would constitute grounds for an immediate rejection. People apply to law school and are accepted with much worse things in their application. But, personally I would write about this in an addendum and use your personal statement to sell them on something positive about you. Not that I don't think this couldn't be done, but I think it would make your work a bit more challenging.
The way it was explained to me was to use the personal statement to tell them why they want you, not why they shouldn't reject you.
If you can write a compelling story, I think you should go for it. But it is a risky topic, and I suggest that you enroll in Admissions Unlimited x 1 (https://7sage.com/admissions/enroll/) if it fits your budget.
I would take everyone's suggestions here and perhaps try and write a first draft that ties in your experiences to a larger narrative. I know plenty of people who have written about something that was really negative in their life and could have seriously impacted their app (for example, someone I know was going through an alcohol problem and basically failed school and was unemployed for 6 years whilst in rehabilitation before applying to law, so they literally had nothing on their application). While the topic of alcoholism is a little risky, they built it into a really stellar PS that showed their transformation and how they ended up where they were and why they wanted to pursue law. (They ended up getting admitted).
If you write it out, and it just sounds plain bad no matter which way you spin it, then write another draft in which you do not include it in your PS. See which one works for you and which one feels right.
IMO, the PS is all about being honest & genuine. Don't include something risky just for the sake of being different or standing out. Do it because you genuinely believe that this experience has shaped you into who you are, or transformed you into the person you are today, and how that applies to your interest in attending law school.
Have you called any state bars?
Sounds risky, but write a first draft and try to make it incredibly positive and highlight how you've grown from that experience and how you learned from it.
If it is what motivates you to go to law school then make your personal statement about it.
If there is something else which is the main driver of your decision to go to law school than include this story as concisely as you can in an addendum.