|
In the previous section, we
examined some essays that each mentioned law as a
natural conclusion but focused on some novel experience
unrelated to law. When you don't have interesting, fresh
ideas to offer about the legal profession or the study
of law, you are better off emphasizing your unique
strengths rather than stating platitudes about your
future career. In the tired eyes of an admissions
officer, nothing is more tedious than an essay that
starts off, "I have always wanted to be a lawyer," and
then cites a list of trite reasons. One obvious mistake
is to focus on your parents' experiences as lawyers
without demonstrating any independent, mature thinking
about your own goals.
A less obvious, more common
mistake is to write about how you want to help people.
The fact is that most law school graduates, especially
from the top schools, go on to work in the private
sector. Law school admissions officers are not out to
judge the moral value of your career intentions,
particularly because they know that people often change
their minds. They're well aware that most of their
graduates will go on to seek financially rewarding
careers. Therefore, applicants who mention cliches about
wanting to "improve society" usually sound disingenuous.
Focusing on Specific Legal
Areas
If you have a specific goal,
such as working for a particular disadvantaged group
that lacks advocates, then the situation is different:
It's always good to showcase a unique, focused
commitment. Even better would be if you had a track
record of community service to back up your objectives.
For example, you may have worked with handicapped people
for several years, and this exposed you to certain
injustices that you want to correct. The same approach
would work for topics that are not about public service.
For example,
this applicant
describes his background in science and connects this to
his current interests in intellectual property law. He
recognizes that his unusual background is a strength
rather than a liability. His unique reasons for
attending law school are clearly grounded in relevant
experience and thoughtful consideration.
Personal Interests
Discussing specific areas of
law is a surefire way to demonstrate a mature commitment
to the study of law. However, admissions officers
certainly do not expect this level of decisiveness.
Another way to show your reasons for pursuing law is to
tie your interest to personal qualities or skills.
This applicant shows
that her interest in law is grounded in her willingness
to seek "justice at any cost." What's important is not
that she be the only person with this conviction,
because that would not be possible. Instead, the
uniqueness comes through her personal details, the
evidence that she provides to back up her principled
nature.
Brushes With the Law
Some people will discover
their interest in law through an unplanned encounter.
This applicant
describes her involvement in an Equal Employment
Opportunity suit, then ties this in with her interest in
environmental law. The result is an essay that provides
two specific details: first, a concrete event that
demonstrates her exposure to law, and second, a distinct
field of law for which she has special qualifications to
pursue.
This essay focuses even
more explicitly on the role that law and lawyers have
played in the applicant's life. Though the details of
the essay still center on the applicant's background, he
uses past encounters with the law to define his current
objectives. |
