About answering a specific question on the PS

[pipskicks]

So it seems that most PS's are supposed to be about the same.  But one school, as opposed to the others, said that the PS should say why you want to go to law school, why you choose their school, and the diverstiy/ethnicity crap we all hear about.

If I skip the why I want to go to law school (specifically because I feel like I have the same reasons as everyone else-like debate and have always been facinate by the law) because I feel like it's too generic and mainstream and causing the admission officer to read the same crap over again, will it hurt my PS??
I did answer the other 2 parts of the prompt, and it doesn't really specify that you must, it just says it shoud answer those.

[Burhop]

I'd say it's be best to find a way to state your interest in the law in a way that doesn't sound like everyone else. Try this--get yourself good and silly--that means, allow for any possibility that pops into your head--and do a freewrite to respond to "why law?" Just start writing whatever nonsense comes to you. Do this for like 15-20 minutes. Write everything down, no matter how ridiculous it seems.

I think you'll find that once you've written the obvious stuff down, your mind will free itself up to get more creative with the question. You might even surprise yourself! This way, you'll have some more fodder to work with--some funny stuff, some creative stuff.

The reason students generally 'sound alike' is because they write the first thing they think of down. If you start writing down the 15th thing you think of, suddenly differences and nuances emerge. The individuality is in there--you just have to be committed to finding it.

good luck!

dani

[pipskicks]

Well then let me restate the question because I have thought about it a bit, and I don't know if I can figure out a way to say it, and I think my PS is pretty good other than this.

How bad do you think it would be if I did not write my reasons for going to law school. 

#1. for schools that don't have a prompt for the PS

and

#2. for schools that have a prompt and say that you should indicate your reasons for law school etc.

I may try a bit more, but I don't really have much...

[Burhop]

if the schools that want 'why law?' are your top schools, do it, or you may kick yourself later.

If there's no prompt for it, no point in raking yourself over the coals.

good luck!


dani

[LostMyMonkeys]

A good PS will tell a story, show through experience/situations/backgroud/story why you want to be a lawyer, not necessarilly TELLING them "I want to be a lawyer because X Y and Z". IF you are able to tell a story that SHOWS them why, that would be ideal...