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Letters of recommendation and personal statements are two vital components in your U.S. law school application. This article is geared towards helping you complete these tasks so that your application will stand out among the thousands of others.

• Who should I ask for recommendations?

Many students think that getting the most “important” people they know to write recommendations for them will get them noticed. However, at the graduate level this approach is ALWAYS WRONG, even more so than at the undergraduate level.

Admissions officers are interested in hearing about your academic work, approach to learning, ability to think analytically and contribute to the classroom, and eventually to the profession you choose. Your recommendations should be written by people who know you and your academic work intimately: a thesis advisor, professor, or teaching assistant who supervised a long paper you wrote, or a lab supervisor who supervised your written laboratory submissions are great options to consider. These people can speak about your development as a student, a thinker, a scholar, and can point to specific examples of your work ethic and academic abilities.

A recommendation that is written by someone who really knows you is ALWAYS better than a recommendation written by a “high-up” official with an impressive title who just knows your name, or a recommendation written by a famous professor who can only comment on the grade you got in his/her class.


• How can I help my recommender write strong evaluations?

Obviously, you can’t tell your recommenders what you want them to write about you. But there are things you can do to help them help you.

Most importantly, don’t be shy about asking people if they feel they can write you a good, strong, positive recommendation. Some professors may appreciate the chance to tell you that they don’t honestly feel that they know you enough to write you a good recommendation. The faculty and teaching assistants you will ask for recommendations have already been through the same process and they know how important it is to you. Also make sure you give them ample warning and enough time to write the recommendations. At least a month before the deadline is considered the absolute minimum time you should allow. Two months ahead is a good time because that makes sure they won’t forget about it, as well as gives them ample time to really put some effort into it.

You should also supply them with a resume of your academic and extracurricular activities. Sometimes it’s helpful to give a professor or a teaching assistant copies of the graded papers you wrote for their class—it can be a helpful reminder to them of how you performed in their class, and it can give them some concrete examples to include in the letter. This is particularly useful if it's been some time since you were in their class.

In all cases though, make sure you check with the recommender first before handing over a resume or copies of past papers. It’s polite, and they will appreciate that you’re trying to give them material to work with without stepping on their toes.


• What is the “personal statement”?

All law schools require that you submit a “personal statement” which is simply an essay that tells the admissions committee a bit about the person you are, and gives them some insight into why you want to study law and what you might add to their class.

While the exact nature of the prompt may vary, it’s usually a variation of 'ABC Law School requires that you submit a personal statement or essay providing the Admissions Committee with information regarding such matters as personal, family or educational background; experiences, talents or special interests; one’s reasons for applying to law school as they may relate to your personal goals and professional expectations, or any other factors that you think will aid in the committee’s evaluation of your application'.

Most essays can be a maximum of two single-spaced pages. Some schools also require a supplemental essay on a particular question; for example, a 250-word statement on why you want to attend that particular school. In general, most applicants choose to write one general personal statement and tailor it to the requirements of each school’s essay prompt.


• What should my personal statement be about?

By definition, no one can tell someone else what a “personal” statement should be about. You should look at it as an opportunity for the admissions committee to get to know you beyond the scores, grades, resume, and list of achievements. Some students choose to write about why they want to go to law school; others pick a significant experience relating to their work or travels; and others write about their childhood and family background and how that has influenced their world view. The crux of the matter is that there is no “right” formula. A topic that works for one person might not work for another.

Personally, I’ve found the best approach is to treat the personal statement like a conversation you might have with the admissions officers. Imagine that you’re at an interview and they ask you whether there’s anything else you’d like to add that isn’t already mentioned in your application, and that you believe would convince them why you would make a good addition to their class. Don’t treat the question as a chance to show-off or sound 'intellectual', instead honestly tell them about what interests, excites, and inspires you. Additionally, don’t attempt to guess what the admissions committee is looking for, and write something that you think they will like.

Remember, the admissions process is at its core about finding a school where you will be a good 'fit' - where you will be well matched to the school and your classmates. If you write a personal statement that is geared only at getting you in, and that is not representative of you, the admissions officers cannot truly determine whether you are a good match for their school. You might get in, but end up being miserable because of the school environment and student body.


• How can I refine my personal statement?

Using the information above as a guideline create a first draft. From that point on, revise, revise and revise again!

You only have two pages at most to describe yourself - so make sure that every word counts. Have friends and family proofread and edit your drafts. But make sure they don’t change it around so much that the final product isn’t “you”. Reading the essay aloud to yourself is a great way to catch sentence structures that may be incorrect or unwieldy. Write the essay early, let it lie for a while, and then take a fresh look.

Most importantly, don’t worry too much about making it absolutely perfect. There is no such thing, and you can never predict what the admissions officers are looking for. The best thing is to try writing a statement that is truthful and representative of you, and that you in the end are proud of.

Now that you have something to work off of, start writing those 'admission guaranteeing' statements and obtain those glowing recommendations!