The Significance of Your Personal Statement
The Harvard Law personal statement is very different from any kind of writing sample you might submit, in that it gives us a window into your personality. It is not just a question of whether it is a good piece of writing or not. A highly polished and perfectly written essay that tells us absolutely nothing about you will never be as interesting to peruse as a much less well-written essay if it reveals something compelling about yourself .
This is important for another reason – the essay is one of the few sections of the application over which you have some control. On the rest of your application, you are working with near-total strangers, submitting information on forms they have created. The essay is your way of taking the stage. This is your moment to shine, if you let your personality come through rather than simply reciting a set of pre-approved answers.
What Harvard Law Admissions Looks for in a Personal Statement
Harvard Law admissions officers largely agree that a strong personal statement is an opportunity for applicants to show authenticity and intent. This much can be gleaned from two articles written by members of the Harvard Law School (HLS) Admissions Committee: Amy J. Wells & Kimberly S. Wright, "What We Are Looking For," and Mark A. Hanyok, "The Personal Statement: A Harvard Law School Perspective." Amy Wells, Senior Assistant Dean, writes, "we seek that voice or that narrative that seems most authentically the applicant’s." In other words, the personal statement is likely the section of the application with the least clear limitations. From the outset, Amy Wells emphasizes that candidates should "use the personal statement to describe how the past has shaped who you are at this moment and how this moment might influence who you will be." Mark Hanyok, member of the Admissions Committee, follows up by saying, "show us who you are… let your voice come through." Arguably, no other admission committee in the world gives applicants more latitude with its personal statement, but the same principles apply: Be authentic, be clear, and show your passion!
Analysis of Successful Harvard Law Personal Statement Samples
To go further in demonstrating how potentially successful statements work in context, we will analyze several successful Harvard Law personal statement examples.
First, a personal statement that was viewed as strong in the previous admissions cycle is one discussing the author’s work as a legal assistant while in school. The statement opens with a powerful and poetic description of the author’s work as a part of a team. The author is part of a "machine" working to help a client who has been in a stressful and frightening legal situation. The author doesn’t name their team or their employer, most likely per HLS Guidance for Personal Statements. But it is clear that the work was complex and challenging, involving or being related to a legal system being tested by new technology. The author describes this experience with vivid language and a variety of literary techniques including metaphor, repetition and personification. The author then relates this experience to both the traditionally-stated goal of studying law – to add to your ability to work on behalf of clients – and to the personal goal of working for social justice. This author shows both what they can offer and how they see law school as a way to achieve their goals.
What is significant about this author’s work for them? The author writes narrative that makes them feel special, gives them "distinction." The relationship the author has to their work allows them to share a glimpse into an experience most people will have, but that not most law students will. The author makes themself seem proactive and curious about the law and its pathways as well as people and experiences. And while being a lawyer requires a great deal of training, the author describes wanting to do the work their example tied to their aspirations for the future. Partly because this example feels specific to the author, it does not feel trite or cliché. Taking a unique aspect of the legal world that the author knows well and relating to a common desire to help people is what makes this personal statement effective. Not everyone can or should write about law firm work and be immediately admitted; it is about how the experience is used that makes a different for this author.
Another personal statement we question here is one written by a woman who is also a business owner and grew up the child of a business owner. They have a unique idea and want to study law for their own business. The writing is first-person, highly detailed and descriptive. As a reader, you feel that the author is personally connecting with you about their life. By offering a narrative and not simply a reflection or an idea, this author is more compelling and interesting than if they had not chosen a first-person narrative. Though this author sadly lost their business recently, they hope to study law at HLS and for a greater purpose: to help entrepreneurs. The statement closes with a note about their "dual path," which was so appealing, that they became the 2nd underrepresented minority student admitted to Harvard Law and HLS’s 1L class.
While not "lawyerly" in content, this author has not used obvious clichés. They don’t talk about wanting to fight for justice or be a public defender and they spend little time on what they hope to "learn" from HLS. The challenge and solution of answering how you are unique and why your background and experience matter to law school, which the author solves with a narrative. It is clear that they have some legal aptitude as they want to study law and already own a business that would benefit from their having that additional training.
Another great personal statement we like that I think would fit in our received portfolio was a simple answer of "I am me" and a poem. It was a play on a few sentences you learn in law school and how law was very difficult, but the applicant was up to the challenge and ready to be unique. It is a great example of basic language and a first-person narrative that as a reader, I feel this is someone I would want to interview. They end the poem with how they are a unique person, which to us is how a range of experiences and those background interests can be differentiated in everything from law school to admissions interviews to networking to position within a firm. Having a sense of self that is independent of the law takes time and you receive a unique person here.
Tips on How to Write a Personal Statement
Before you panic, don’t. We didn’t start with how to write a personal statement that no one else is going to write. That is important though and we will get to it. But just because something is important doesn’t have to be first. What’s first is to figure out what to write about.
The first step in writing any personal statement is brainstorming. And do it with no rules. It doesn’t matter if something seems dumb and you know it is redundant or lame. Any idea is fair game and the crazier and more random the better. Write down everything you can think of. Do it again two days later. Doodling works too. No idea is too far afield at this point.
Now that you have exhausted the list of ideas, you have all of your potential material. See where the overlap is, where something might provide you the opportunity to discuss a range of topics. But, at this point, there is nothing wrong with writing about being a huge Stephen Colbert fan and then talking about why being disallowed from his show as an intern was so devastating (all positive stuff talking about your internship experience, of course).
Don’t worry yet about the themes of your essay or how it comes together in the end. Just review the list of ideas and see what jumps out as something you are passionate about talking about. If you see a thread developing that you like, maybe reread something you have read about what makes up a good personal statement, and start to outline the flow of your discussion. But, keep in mind, the first draft is just that, a draft.
As far as the structure of a personal statement, there are no ironclad rules. But there are different strategies that work for different people. If you are big on tear-jerking openers, then start with something heartfelt and evocative, and you will suck the admissions committee in. Alternatively, if you don’t think that works for you, then don’t worry about it.
If memory serves, when the movie "The Fugitive" came out, a lot was said about how Robinhood-style "Jurors should watch the movie ‘The Fugitive’ if they want to catch the real killer." You can open with a quote like that, or a line from a song or poem that can make an impact on your audience. But it will work to your advantage if you pick something that is not really cliché. And, while I’m not saying rip off the band-aid in the middle of the night and hope a quote comes out, inspiration is a funny thing sometimes. It isn’t what you want or expect. So, even if you don’t think you’re the type, be open to that possibility.
It is important not to construct a narrative that can make you look bad or arrogant. Don’t talk about all your fancy accomplishments in detail, and don’t assume that everyone knows what you are talking about. You don’t want to have to explain anything, and you definitely don’t want to have to explain a flaw or perceived flaw on your part. Don’t just trust your choice of an interesting fact as it presents itself in your adventure; it has to fit in the narrative you have constructed.
Finally, don’t talk about law school in your personal statement. Save it for your addendum or diversity statement or whatever other statements you made up that are not unexpected and no one reads. A personal statement is an opportunity to tell your story. Your story is about you, not law school. And if you steer someone toward concluding you want to be a lawyer when you are 6 years old, then you didn’t tell his or her story. You told yours. And it’s not your story to tell from someone else’s perspective.
What Not to Do in a Personal Statement
In your Harvard Law School personal statement, you must make yourself both memorable and likeable. There are common mistakes applicants make that could work against both of those goals.
Tone
You must remember that when you write a personal statement for a school on an elite level, you’re writing for an audience that sees thousands of personal statements. In that context, it could be easy to believe that you should adopt an overly formal tone. However, this is often a mistake as overly formal language tends to distance even the most casual observer. Formality can add to the effect that your Harvard Law School personal statement is overly academic. Instead, your goal should be to put your reader at ease and help them to connect with you as a person. It is better to use the kind of language which feels natural to you in speech, including contractions, rather than the stuffy, raw word for word text you would have given as a reading assignment.
Repetition
Remember that you only have a limited amount of space to tell your story within your Harvard Law School personal statement. Repeating the same things over and over again is not going to add to the impact of your story. It will only serve to make it painfully clear that you didn’t give yourself enough time to really think about what you wanted to say in your personal statement. After all, most applicants only have about a 1,000 word limit . Instead, establish the theme you want to address speaker and then weave its strands throughout your personal statement as you tell your story. The result should be a unique narrative that pulls your reader through to the end of your personal statement.
Ambitious Vocabulary
Similarly, using an ambitious vocabulary is not going to ensure that you impress your audience. Instead, you definitely have to be aware of your audience when writing your Harvard Law School personal statement. In particular, you must keep in mind that it is in their interest to be impressed so they are already impressed by what you have to say. Rather than reaching for the thesaurus to further embellish your story, focus instead on clear, articulate descriptions that effectively relate your identity, values, and experiences to your reader.
Punctuality
You only have this opportunity to make the best impression possible on your reader. Respect their valuable time by avoiding last-minute admissions. The truth is that you might feel that you need to get your personal statement out in a hurry in order to ensure that you secure your place at Harvard Law School. However, unless you give yourself time to reflect on your application before you make your final decision about which personal statement to submit, you won’t be able to present your best self in your personal statement. It is worth it to take a couple of days to review your application and think about whether the personal statement presents your best self.
Editing and Revising Your Personal Statement
When it comes to the law school admission Personal Statement (PS) for Harvard Law, or any law school for that matter, getting it right takes time, and effort. Careful, thoughtful revision and editing of your PS could be the difference between an admissions offer and rejection. Many times, however, it is difficult for applicants to "see" the issues that may exist in their own PS (a natural human tendency) and for those who do admit to having difficulty with the PS, it is often difficult for these same individuals to know exactly what is wrong, how to fix it, or if the PS is even good enough or what could make it good enough. Here are some general tips to keep in mind as you begin the process of revising and editing your original draft. Perhaps the most important tip we can offer is to take a well-deserved break after writing (and proofreading) your PS, and before revising. Taking some time away from the PS for a day or two (or longer if needed) will allow you to return to it with a fresh mind, objective distance, and a new perspective. The value of this will become readily apparent once you begin the revision process! When you begin revising, first be aware of whether you have strayed from your thesis. Your thesis is your central idea(s) or focus that you will communicate in the PS. Don’t lose the reader by veering away from your thesis. Keep in mind that whatever you write must be able to be read by someone outside your world and still make some sense! Considering your audience will help you stay on track when revising. Can the reader tell who you are, where you have been, and where you are heading based on the PS? Have you proved that you are "law school materials"? Have you answered the prompt? Have you told the reader why you want to attend HLS? Your PS must answer the prompt directly to be accepted, so make sure you do this! Remember that after you have gone through the above process, you must once again proofread your PS carefully to ensure it is free of any errors and to make sure that it is consistent in appearance and voice. You may have to repeat the revision and proofreading process a few times before you are satisfied with your PS. Give yourself plenty of time to revisit your PS, so that you have time to be thorough, honest, and more importantly, allow a small window of time for an honest reality check on the PS’s excellence!
Other Resources for Personal Statements
In addition to the above resources, there are many other places a Harvard Law School applicant could go in order to find more sample personal statements and additional information that would help them in crafting the most impressive application possible. Namely, for more personal statement examples as well as general information about how to craft a compelling Harvard Law School application College Board offers a large amount of information related to these topics . Other websites that offer helpful information about applying to Harvard Law School as well as extensive examples of previous personal statements include those such as Accepted, Law School Confidential, PowerScore, and Top-Law-Schools. When preparing any personal statement or for that matter any part of an application it is essential that applicants know the ins and outs of what Harvard Law School is looking for. Having access to comprehensive online databases with various examples and additional recommendations on how to develop these key components to a successful application can make all the difference.
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