Diversity Statement - Quotes (Military)

LSATcantwinLSATcantwin Alum Member Sage
edited January 2018 in Law School Admissions 13286 karma

I know the general advice for a personal statement, and essays in general, is to avoid quotes. When writng my diversity statement should I continue to do so?

I was a Marine, and us Marines really like to toot our own horns. Every Marine knows the famous quotes about our branch of the military. It's a part of our 242 year history. There is one quote in particular I'd like to use in the essay, but I am hesitant to do so. Is it appropriate?

Comments

  • goingfor99thgoingfor99th Free Trial Member
    3072 karma

    @LSATcantwin said:
    I know the general advice for a personal statement, and essays in general, is to avoid quotes. When writng my diversity statement should I continue to do so?

    I was a Marine, and us Marines really like to toot our own horns. Every Marine knows the famous quotes about our branch of the military. It's a part of our 242 year history. There is one quote in particular I'd like to use in the essay, but I am hesitant to do so. Is it appropriate?

    Depends on the quote but I'm sure you can get away with it if you do it well.

  • 1000001910000019 Alum Member
    3279 karma

    I don't think it's a big no to include quotes. I think that advice is more for starting your essay off with a quote.

  • LSATcantwinLSATcantwin Alum Member Sage
    13286 karma

    @goingfor99th said:

    @LSATcantwin said:
    I know the general advice for a personal statement, and essays in general, is to avoid quotes. When writng my diversity statement should I continue to do so?

    I was a Marine, and us Marines really like to toot our own horns. Every Marine knows the famous quotes about our branch of the military. It's a part of our 242 year history. There is one quote in particular I'd like to use in the essay, but I am hesitant to do so. Is it appropriate?

    Depends on the quote but I'm sure you can get away with it if you do it well.

    The quote is;

    • "There are only two kinds of people that understand Marines: Marines and the enemy. Everyone else has a second-hand opinion."

    And I think I can make it work. I've just been taught that it's not really a good thing to do haha

  • LSATcantwinLSATcantwin Alum Member Sage
    13286 karma

    @10000019 said:
    I don't think it's a big no to include quotes. I think that advice is more for starting your essay off with a quote.

    Thank you! This is the exact answer I was looking for I think. I've become scared of quotes because of that advice I think...

  • goingfor99thgoingfor99th Free Trial Member
    3072 karma

    @10000019 said:
    I don't think it's a big no to include quotes. I think that advice is more for starting your essay off with a quote.

    Yeah, I've never heard you aren't supposed to include any quotes at all. Whether or not to include a quote would depend on context and style.

  • LSATcantwinLSATcantwin Alum Member Sage
    13286 karma

    @goingfor99th said:

    @10000019 said:
    I don't think it's a big no to include quotes. I think that advice is more for starting your essay off with a quote.

    Yeah, I've never heard you aren't supposed to include any quotes at all. Whether or not to include a quote would depend on context and style.

    Haha I think I hear stuff like that so often that I just get paranoid of ALL quotes...

  • goingfor99thgoingfor99th Free Trial Member
    3072 karma

    @LSATcantwin said:

    @goingfor99th said:

    @10000019 said:
    I don't think it's a big no to include quotes. I think that advice is more for starting your essay off with a quote.

    Yeah, I've never heard you aren't supposed to include any quotes at all. Whether or not to include a quote would depend on context and style.

    Haha I think I hear stuff like that so often that I just get paranoid of ALL quotes...

    No worries. Better to be paranoid than wrong on this stuff. Writing is a pain in the ass.

  • KayyyyyyyKayyyyyyy Free Trial Member
    346 karma

    Also really depends on how you're weaving it in - can you give more context?

  • LSATcantwinLSATcantwin Alum Member Sage
    13286 karma

    @Kayyyyyyy said:
    Also really depends on how you're weaving it in - can you give more context?

    Basically the start of my essay talks about esprit de corps. I talk about how Marines get the mindset we do and then I quote the Army general that said only Marines and the enemy understand Marines. I then continue to talk about how this mindset brings a uniqueness that law schools will benefit from.

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