samanthasessler wrote: ↑Thu Sep 09, 2021 5:14 pm
I've seen in Webinars and other places that writing a personal statement with the theme "I've always wanted to be a lawyer/go to law school" is not a good idea. However, I want to ask if it would still be a bad idea if you tell a story about the evolution of what you like about the law, and why you want to go. If a compelling story follows, is it a good idea? I just have no idea!
Hi Samantha,
Thanks for the post, and great question! The short answer is, it depends.
As you noted, usually those types of essays are cliché and similar to one another, which is primarily why they are advised against. But if you have a compelling story to write about this topic, if you present it well, and if it's a unique take on an otherwise overused topic, then yes, go for it!
Mike Spivey of Spivey Consulting actually just did a podcast with Dean Sarah Zearfoss of Michigan Law, and they touched on this very topic:
https://blog.spiveyconsulting.com/dean-z-interview/. They discuss this at around the 18-minute mark (there's also a transcript of the discussion at the bottom).
Thanks!