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Law School Essay ¾²´Â ¿ä·É

• Avoid the Resume Approach
  
• Avoid the "Why I want to go to law School" Essay¡¡
  
• Avoid the "I want to save the word" Essay¡¡
  
• Avoid Taking about your Negatives¡¡
  
• Don't be Too personal¡¡
  
• Watch the use of Fancy Vocabulary¡¡
  
• Don't Discuss Legal Concepts¡¡
  
• Avoid Immature Subjects¡¡
  
• Don't Put down Lawyers or the Legal Profession¡¡
  
• Shy Away from the Bizarre¡¡
  
• Don't Try to Cover to Many Subjects

and     

1. Don't include information that doesn't support your thesis.
   
2. Don't start your essay with "I was born in...," or "My parents came from..."
   
3. Don't write an autobiography, itinerary, or resume in prose.
   
4. Don't try to be a clown (but gentle humor is OK).
   
5. Don't be afraid to start over if the essay just isn't working or doesn't answer the essay question.
   
6. Don't try to impress your reader with your vocabulary.
   
7. Don't rely exclusively on your computer to check your spelling.
   
8. Don't provide a collection of generic statements and platitudes.
   
9. Don't give mealy-mouthed, weak excuses for your GPA or test scores.
   
10. Don't make things up.

  Essay Dos

• Tell Stories¡¡
• Make it Interesting¡¡
• Be Funny - If you can Pull it Off¡¡
• Be "Unique"¡¡
• Start with a Great Lead¡¡
• Have a General Theme¡¡
• Don't be Afraid to Express Opinions¡¡
• Tailor your Statement to a Particular Law School¡¡
• Open Up a Little

and

1. Unite your essay and give it direction with a theme or thesis.
   The thesis is the main point you want to communicate.
   
2. Before you begin writing, choose what you want to discuss
   and the order in which you want to discuss it.
   
3. Use concrete examples from your life experience to support your thesis
   and distinguish yourself from other applicants.
   
4. Write about what interests you, excites you.
   That's what the admissions staff wants to read.
   
5. Start your essay with an attention-grabbing lead --
   an anecdote, quote, question, or engaging description of a scene.
   
6. End your essay with a conclusion that refers back to the lead
   and restates your thesis.
   
7. Revise your essay at least three times.
   
8. In addition to your editing, ask someone else to critique
   your personal statement for you.
   
9. Proofread your personal statement by reading it out loud or reading it
   into a tape recorder and playing back the tape.
   
10. Write clearly, succinctly.