Same Personal Statements for All Schools

[Jrtzsweetie]

Hey guys,
You know how a lot of schools just want you to write a PS that gives them insight into who you are, rather than asking specific questions.  Well, is it a good idea to send the same one to the schools that simply suggest you write about anything you want?

[LSATGuru]

In my opinion, it's acceptable with one exception. Make sure that you put individual information about the school at the end of the personal statement.  "The first step to my law school vision starts at [Insert Law School].  Your fantastic [insert something you learned about the school through reading their website or discussing with their Admissions Office on the phone] will be a key resource in my legal education.  The stellar faculty-to-student ratio communicates your school's commitment to student/faculty interaction and blah blah blah"

Round it off with personal reasons, like you have visisted their city before and loved this or that, how you want to eventually practice law in that area because of the thriving economy and so on.

Hey guys,
You know how a lot of schools just want you to write a PS that gives them insight into who you are, rather than asking specific questions.  Well, is it a good idea to send the same one to the schools that simply suggest you write about anything you want?

[Engilaw]

I don't think it hurts.  You could add a personalized ending to some of them specific to the school, but I think adcom's basically understand that you'll be applying to a ton of schools, and that it may be unrealistic to expect you to write 10 unique essays.

[buster]

I think it depends what you're writing about. If you're writing about odds you overcame or something like that I doubt it matters. If, on the other hand, you're writing in a very specific way about wanting to go to law school in order to work in a particular field, you probably would want to make some reference(s) to the way(s) in which that school will further that specific goal (certain professors or courses, for example). Not necessarily a whole separate essay, though.

Hey guys,
You know how a lot of schools just want you to write a PS that gives them insight into who you are, rather than asking specific questions.  Well, is it a good idea to send the same one to the schools that simply suggest you write about anything you want?

[egfmba]

Sure!  I just want to reiterate:  don't leave Harvard's name in your Yale app!  So many applicants do it and each one ends up in the trash!  I even saw one app with outstanding organization, a great cover letter, photo and everything with the wrong school's name in the PS.  File 13 for that one!

Just proofread like crazy!!

[buster]

photo?!

Sure!  I just want to reiterate:  don't leave Harvard's name in your Yale app!  So many applicants do it and each one ends up in the trash!  I even saw one app with outstanding organization, a great cover letter, photo and everything with the wrong school's name in the PS.  File 13 for that one!

Just proofread like crazy!!

[egfmba]

Yeah.  Like Elle Woods, only static. Right in the middle of the front cover of the folder she submitted her statement in.

She was even blonde.

[ruskiegirl]

In my opinion, it's acceptable with one exception. Make sure that you put individual information about the school at the end of the personal statement.  "The first step to my law school vision starts at [Insert Law School].  Your fantastic [insert something you learned about the school through reading their website or discussing with their Admissions Office on the phone] will be a key resource in my legal education.  The stellar faculty-to-student ratio communicates your school's commitment to student/faculty interaction and blah blah blah"

Round it off with personal reasons, like you have visisted their city before and loved this or that, how you want to eventually practice law in that area because of the thriving economy and so on.

Hey guys,
You know how a lot of schools just want you to write a PS that gives them insight into who you are, rather than asking specific questions.  Well, is it a good idea to send the same one to the schools that simply suggest you write about anything you want?

While I agree that it is acceptable to insert the school's name into your personal statement, I think your example illustrates one of the many things you should not include in your personal statement.  You are telling the School X about School X, which not only points out information with which the adcoms are already familiar, but also wastes precious sentences that you could be using to tell about yourself.  I think the only time it is appropriate to include information like that is when you are writing a seperate statement for admission to a particular program in the school (like LEOP at Hastings), at which point it would certainly be appropriate to indicate what aspects of the program would make it the correct educational path for you.

[Jrtzsweetie]

Hey guys,
Thanks to everyone for the awesome advice.  I haven't finalized my PS topic yet, but the pointers are great.   Now I just have to sit down and immerse myself into it this piece of writing that could possibly make or break my chances law school.  Ohhh, the stress!! 

[swifty]

In my opinion, it's acceptable with one exception. Make sure that you put individual information about the school at the end of the personal statement.  "The first step to my law school vision starts at [Insert Law School].  Your fantastic [insert something you learned about the school through reading their website or discussing with their Admissions Office on the phone] will be a key resource in my legal education.  The stellar faculty-to-student ratio communicates your school's commitment to student/faculty interaction and blah blah blah"

Round it off with personal reasons, like you have visisted their city before and loved this or that, how you want to eventually practice law in that area because of the thriving economy and so on.

Hey guys,
You know how a lot of schools just want you to write a PS that gives them insight into who you are, rather than asking specific questions.  Well, is it a good idea to send the same one to the schools that simply suggest you write about anything you want?

While I agree that it is acceptable to insert the school's name into your personal statement, I think your example illustrates one of the many things you should not include in your personal statement.  You are telling the School X about School X, which not only points out information with which the adcoms are already familiar, but also wastes precious sentences that you could be using to tell about yourself.  I think the only time it is appropriate to include information like that is when you are writing a seperate statement for admission to a particular program in the school (like LEOP at Hastings), at which point it would certainly be appropriate to indicate what aspects of the program would make it the correct educational path for you.

I was going to say the exact same thing, Ruskie, but somebody on this board thinks I'm shifty, so I bowed out.