Personal Statements: What NOT to Do

Sometimes I reread something I wrote years ago and feel proud - it’s a great feeling.

But when I reread my own law school personal statement? I feel shame, disgust, and horror.

Back in 2003, I got the courage to dig up my old application file. I thought it might be inspiring. Instead, I was horrified. I actually thought, “If I had been the dean, I wouldn’t have accepted me.” I put it away and tried to forget it ever existed.

But bad memories have a way of coming back. A while ago, I decided to read it again for this blog - partly to help others, partly to face my demons. It took me a long time to work up the nerve.

Here’s what I learned from my own terrible essay:

Big Mistakes I Made:

• I started with: “My interest in law school began when I was eight.” That’s exactly the kind of opening I now tell people to avoid.


• I used super formal, stiff language. It sounded unnatural and boring.


• I replaced normal words with fancy ones to sound smarter. (Big mistake.)


• I quoted a famous judge I had never actually read.


• The whole essay had zero stories or personal details. It was just dry explanations.


• I bragged in a very obvious way, then talked too much about other people without explaining why they mattered.


• Every paragraph felt random. There was no real flow or main point.

The truth is, my mom went to law school when I was little. I admired her a lot. But she ended up hating being a lawyer and died while I was in college. That made me seriously question if law was right for me. I should have written honestly about that journey - but at the time, it was too painful. So I wrote around it instead of being direct.

My Advice:

Don’t write in a fake, overly serious voice. Write like you’re having a normal five-minute conversation with a real person.

Skip generic reasons like “I like research and problem-solving.” Avoid childhood stories about wanting to be a lawyer. Don’t use big words or quote people you don’t actually know.

Be honest, tell a real story, and let your personality show.

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Even though I still cringe at my old essay, it taught me to be kinder when reading other people’s statements. We’ve all written things we regret!