Ontario Schools: Going under the PS word count?

[SJW15]

Hi folks,

Looking for some insight from those applying to Ontario schools, specifically Queen's and Osgoode. The personal statement max word count is 6000 for the former and 2000 + 2000 for the latter, which feels quite lengthy given my current drafts. Is it necessary to approximate the word count, or should I submit a statement that I feel is strong even if it's about half the maximum? I don't want to get dinged for submitting something that's too short, but also don't want to add meaningless info for the sake of length.

Thanks in advance!

[Dave Killoran]

Hi SJW,

Thanks for the question! The nice thing here is that it's all about quality, not quantity. There is no rule—spoken or unspoken—that says you have to approximate their word counts (which are really limits, not suggested lengths). If you have produced a top-flight effort that covers all the bases you wanted to cover, then you are fine coming in well under their maximum.

The one thing to think about when evaluating what you've written is whether you've delivered a statement that is both memorable and conveys who you are. If you haven't yet viewed it, watch the PowerScore Law School Personal Statement Seminar, which is first on the list here: The PowerScore Ultimate Law School Personal Statement Resource List. that seminar talks about best practices for personal statements, including the best way to open a statement and what message you are trying to send.

Please let me know if that helps. Thanks!