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Sample Law School Personal Statement 1
"Some cause happiness wherever they go; others, whenever they go." Oscar Wilde
I know that today’s society usually associates lawyers more with the latter half of the above quote than the former, but never the less I hope to become a lawyer myself, and in so doing, help change public perception of the profession one client at a time. My road to the law has not been a smooth one, but every rut and pothole along the way has been essential in helping me mature as a student, and as a person. When I first graduated from high school I saw college as an obligation I had to fulfill to remain in good standing with my family, but I had no personal drive to earn a degree, and had not yet found pleasure in learning just for the sake of it. I had always been involved in community service, organizing fundraisers and community beautification activities, but my parents knew that being a professional volunteer was reserved for the financially independent and made it clear that college was really my only option. Disgruntled and angry at what I saw as an injustice, off I want to ______ University, but my heart wasn’t in it and as a result my grades were dismal and I ended up on academic probation. Naturally this did not endear me to my parents any more than not going to college in the first place would have and I was promptly financially cut off.
It is funny how sometimes the absence of something you have taken for granted, and even perceived as a burden, can suddenly make you see it for the special and amazing gift it was in the first place. My perspective on my education changed dramatically after it was no longer being practically forced upon me. I realized how ungrateful I had been and that building a career that centered around helping others would require me to put in hard work and effort first. I humbled me to acknowledge that my parents had only been trying to ensure that I had opportunities that had not come so easily for them. Knowing I had to get my education back on track, I enrolled in my local junior college, finally determined to prove myself. This time I was paying for everything and even though it was difficult, it felt good to give my education the respect it was due. I bore down on my studies and dramatically improved my grades, enough to transfer to a prestigious four year university, and it was here that I really came into my own. In this competitive academic environment I achieved and maintained an impressive grade point average, and have every expectation that I will be able to do the same in law school, if given the opportunity.
My radical scholastic improvement has validated my belief that I am capable and competent, but more importantly, it has given me the confidence to aim for a career in which I can make a real and lasting difference in the lives of others. I have proven to myself that I have the ability to succeed at anything I put my mind to, and I am happy to say I have now found my career focus. Throughout my youth I have volunteered my time working with children as a camp counselor and mentor. I feel that I have a special connection with children and that they open up to me and trust me. Many of the children I have worked with were from financially disadvantaged backgrounds and suffering from illnesses, which made it especially difficult, and that much more rewarding, to mentor them. It is now my goal to become an attorney for children’s issues, most likely as a family practice attorney specializing in custody disputes. It is my hope that I will be able to build a strong academic foundation in the law upon which to build my career at ___ University. My ultimate goal is that by the end of my life I will be associated with the first half of the Oscar Wilde quote, and help swing the pendulum for the entire legal profession. |
