Generally, your personal statement will be two pages, double-spaced. Read each of your applications carefully, however, to make sure they haven't indicated a different length.
2. What should I write about in my personal statement?
You will find that a few of your law schools may ask you to address a specific topic. Most won't. For those which leave it open, your challenge is to choose a topic which will give the admissions committee a sense of who you are, much in the same way as an interview. (Unfortunately, the majority of law schools do not grant evaluative interviews.)
Here are some tips to get you started on writing an effective personal statement:
- choose a topic which excites you and highlights the positive -- you may want to select an experience or relationship which has been important to you
- feel free to brainstorm with a Hiatt pre-law advisor about choosing and/or developing your topic
- tell the story of that experience/relationship in about 1/2 page, then focus the remainder of your essay on what you've gained and how you've grown as a result
- write about yourself as the participant rather than the observer
- use "I" liberally - this is very different from the type of writing you have been doing here at Brandeis
- avoid:
- writing about why you want to be a lawyer unless they have specifically requested that you do so
- writing an autobiography - instead, develop one or two related topics in-depth
- using quotes
- lecturing about the law - remember, your audience is more expert on this subject
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