how to write personal statement for lat test

Personal Statement For LAT Test

Personal statement is a part of the Law Admission test. One question asks in LAT which conducts Higher Education Commission of Pakistan. Personal statement writing for the law admission test is completely related to yourself and your ideas. A paper checker or reader can understand your views and abilities in personal statement writing. A candidate writes about his ideas , personal life, skills, education background and next purpose.

Personal statement in law admission test is of 10 marks. This part is a subjective type asked in LAT. Some tips can help you in personal statement writing:

• Summarize in simple words
• Write short sentences 
• Write in easy words
• Understand the question
• Told related to asked question  
• Avoid overcutting
• Write without grammar mistakes

Personal statement basically summary of your relevant aims, career motivations, introduction and education background. Points asked in LAT:

1.     Write about your life

2.     Education background

3.     Ideas description

4.     Problem solving

5.     Skills

6.     Ability to understand

7.     Experience

8.     Next life goals

9.     Career aims

Personal Statement:

Personal statements are also part of the law admission test. To get admission in law schools you must require a LAT. A question about personal statements is part of the test. This statement typically highlights the candidate’s motivations, experiences, and aspirations in pursuing a legal education.

Personal statements From LAT Past Papers:

How is the difficulty level of the LAT determined?

There is no scale to find the difficulty level for a law admission test. Some candidates do not prepare for the test and they think that the LAT exam is very difficult. Mostly students pass easily. If a candidate is eligible and intermediate passed, can pass LAT.

What advice do you have for candidates preparing for the LAT?

Candidates must read syllabus for LAT test . Prepare according to Higher Education Commission (HEC) test policy. Test is based on subjective and objective types of questions. We advise you to prepare PAST PAPERS for the LAT test. After that you can understand, how can you pass LAT Test. 

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Unique LAT Test Personal Statements to Try

Table of Contents

Crafting a compelling personal statement for the Law Admission Test (LAT) can be challenging. It requires a skillful combination of language proficiency, creativity, and subject-matter expertise.

Crafting an exceptional one requires unique approaches that go beyond most students’ conventional, mundane techniques. Fortunately, this article provides insight into crafting a good personal statement for LAT test in English .

What Is LAT?

The Law Admission Test (LAT) is a comprehensive assessment designed to evaluate the ability of aspiring law students to succeed in their legal studies. The exam evaluates knowledge and critical thinking skills related to reading comprehension, analytical writing, and logical reasoning. It typically consists of multiple-choice questions covering these areas and an essay component. 

A good LAT score can be invaluable for any law student seeking admission into prestigious universities or top law schools. Getting a high score on this test requires dedication, practice, and innovative approaches that go beyond traditional methods used by most test takers. Crafting powerful personal statements with unique colloquial language, factual examples, and emotive expressions can help you stand out among your peers. 

Using uncommon words strategically adds complexity and depth to your statement while demonstrating your proficiency in the English language. With diligent preparation and creativity, you can craft compelling narratives that capture attention and make lasting impressions.

Tips for Crafting a Good Personal Statement for LAT Test

Below are a few tips to help you write a good personal statement for LAT test.

The first thing you should do is brainstorm. Find a suitable and unique angle to tell your story. Students most often use experiences that demonstrate certain character traits. Think about stories or anecdotes from your past that demonstrate the skills required for success in the course of study. Select two or three ideas, then start writing. Keep it concise, and try to avoid rambling on too much. This isn’t a research paper, after all!

Use Simple Sentences

While you may be tempted to go all out in your personal statement, you should avoid long sentences. Long sentences are harder to read and can put the reader in a daze. Keep your sentences short, especially because the reviewers have a lot of other statements to review. 

Include Your Background Details

You shouldn’t forget to include your background details in the personal statement. Information like your career goals and aspirations should be in your personal statement.

Examples of Personal Statements for LAT Test

Take a look at these examples to inspire you when crafting your statement.

Personal Statement for LAT Test in English 1

I am an aspiring lawyer, passionate about leveraging my experience and expertise to serve justice. Over the years, I have developed a critical eye for detail and sharp analytical skills. This enables me to identify nuances in complex issues. My approach to problem-solving is unconventional yet effective — drawing on both my personal insights and facts and examples when necessary. I articulate my thoughts with clarity while keeping my emotions in check.

Personal Statement for LAT Test in English 2

I am an ambitious and inquisitive individual with an eye for solving difficult problems. My personal experiences have equipped me with the necessary acumen to bring creative yet realistic solutions to difficult challenges. Having achieved exemplary academic results in fields ranging from mathematics to law, I understand the importance of diligent research and resourceful critical thinking.

I believe that my skills as a leader are strengthened by a willingness to embrace diversity. My diverse cultural background has allowed me to appreciate different perspectives and develop collaborative relationships with others. This combination of traits is ideal for mastering the complexities of legal theory and practice. Ultimately, it will be invaluable on my journey to becoming a successful lawyer.

With the tips and samples above, you are ready to write your  personal statement for LAT test in English . Don’t forget to proofread the statement before submission. This can help you make sure you have captured all of the important points that deserve to be in the document.

Abir Ghenaiet

Abir is a data analyst and researcher. Among her interests are artificial intelligence, machine learning, and natural language processing. As a humanitarian and educator, she actively supports women in tech and promotes diversity.

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HEC Law Admission Test LAT 2023, Pattern, Syllabus, Registration, FAQs, Tips, Books

All You Need To Know About HEC LAT Test 2023, Pattern, Format, Syllabus, Registration Process, FAQs, Super Tips, Recommended Books, Expected Essays, Personal Statement The HEC Law Admission Test (LAT) is an important test that determines if a student can get admission in LLB. The LAT is used to determine admission to law schools in the Pakistan. The HEC LAT Test is offered twice a year once in the spring and once in the fall.

Table of Contents

What is the HEC Law Admission Test in Pakistan?

The Law Admission Test (LAT) is a national examination in Pakistan for admission to law colleges. It is administered by the Higher Education Commission of Pakistan. The test is divided into two sections: MCQs, and essay writing ability. The pass mark for the LAT is 50%.

What are the Different Types of Questions on the HEC Law Admission Test in Pakistan?

The Law Admission Test (LAT) is a national level admissions test in Pakistan for students seeking to study law in university. The test is divided into two parts, the first of which consists of general questions and the second of which consists of essay writing. The general questions cover topics such as English MCQs, GK, Islamic Studies, Pak Studies, Urdu and Math. The multiple choice questions are designed to assess a student’s aptitude and general information.

The LAT is open to students aged 18 years or above who have achieved a minimum score of 50% in their intermediate exam from an accredited board in Pakistan. There are three types of questions on the LAT: multiple choice questions, personal statement and essay question. Each type has a different set of scoring criteria.

How Long Does It Take to Get Your Score on the HEC Law Admission Test in Pakistan?

The results of the LAT are released approximately four weeks after the test has been administered.

How Do I Prepare for the HEC  Law Admission Test in Pakistan?

There are a few things you need to do in order to prep for the HEC LAT Test in Pakistan. The first thing is to make sure that you are familiar with the types of questions that are on the test. Secondly, you will want to practice taking the test. There is no way to guarantee success on the test, but by practicing, you will be able to increase your chances of doing well. Finally, it is important to have a good study plan in place. By knowing what material you will be studying and when you will be studying it, you can make sure that your preparation is effective.

What are the Best Books for Preparing for the LAT Test in Pakistan?

There are a number of books that can be used for preparing for the HEC LAT Test in Pakistan. Some of the better books include Ultimate Guide for Law Admission Test by Dogar Sons, LAT Test Guide By Mansoor Book House, and LAT Law Admission Test by Carvan Book House. It is important to find a book that fits your learning style and focuses on providing you with strategies and tips for success on the test.

How To Register Myself For HEC LAT Test?

For online registration you may visit http://etc.hec.gov.pk. If you feel any difficulty in the registration process then kindly visit onlinehelp.hec.gov.pk or you may visit nearest HEC office for guidance. Test fee will be received in A/C # 1742 7900 133401, A/C title Higher Education Commission, HBL, branch code 1742. You may deposit the fee via ATM and online only. After depositing the fee kindly send the ATM or online transfer slip via courier to room no 13-209, 2nd floor, HRD building, HEC, Sector H-8, Islamabad before the deadline of online registration. You are directed to write your CNIC # at the backside of slip.

How To Write Personal Statement in HEC LAT Test?

A law admission test personal statement is an opportunity to showcase your writing ability, your personality and your experience. It’s also a chance to explain why you want to attend law school and how you will contribute to the legal community. Your personal statement should be clear concise and free of errors. Like many other things in life, a good personal statement can make or break your chances of being accepted into a law college. A well-written and compelling personal statement can be the difference between being admitted and rejected from most law universities. That is why it is so important to take the time to craft one that will show your individuality, demonstrate your strengths, and highlight your reasons for wanting to attend law school. A personal statement is a written account of your life and achievements. It is usually used in conjunction with an application for a job scholarship or place on a course of study. Many people find it difficult to write about themselves, but if you follow some simple guidelines, it should be easy to produce a well-written and informative personal statement.

When writing your personal statement you should include:

1–Your full name and contact details

2-Your educational qualifications

3-Any relevant work experience

4–Any extra-curricular activities or interests that could be relevant

5–Why you are applying for the job/course/scholarship etc.

6-What qualities or skills you have that would make you suitable for the role/course etc.

Can Studysolutions.pk Provide a Sample of Personal Statement For HEC LAT Test?

Why not admin of study solutions is also a lawyer, Remember that you will have to write personal statement of 200 words only, here is the sample of personal statement for HEC LAT test provided by our admin;

I (Amjad Ali S/O Saqib Ali) am applying to study law at [university name] and I believe that I would be a valuable addition to your the legal community of Pakistan. I believe that my legal experience as an advocate for social justice gives me the unique perspective and ability to contribute to the legal system in a meaningful way. My legal education will give me the tools and expertise needed to protect vulnerable populations and advance social justice causes. I am confident that being a lawyer i will be able to struggle more effectively for rule of law, independence of judiciary and supremacy of constitution.

As a law student, I am interested in exploring all aspects of the legal system. My maternal uncle is an advocate supreme court and at present i am working with him as assistant. I have worked extensively in both criminal and civil law settings, and I believe that my experiences would be an asset for me during my legal studies. In addition, I have a strong academic record, including 3rd position in Lahore board inter arts exam 2023. I have been involved in clubs and organizations, including being president of my high school’s debating club, which has given me experience in leading, organizing, and teaching. I have also won Lahore Board inter schools debating competition 2022. Being a good debtor i have ability to convince the audience, that’s why i am sure that as a lawyer i will be able to convince the honorable judges too in favor of my clients.

I am passionate about the law. My goal is not only to become an excellent lawyer, but also to make a positive impact on society through my work. I believe that studying law will give me the tools and knowledge necessary to help people who are facing difficult challenges. I believe that a law degree from your HEC approved university would be an excellent investment for me. Thank you for considering me for admission into 5 years LLB program.

What is The HEC Helpline Numbers For LAT Test?

You may call at 051-111-119-432 and 0334-111-9432 for getting the answers of your queries about LAT test.

What is Pattern and Syllabus of HEC LAT Test?

Total marks of the HEC LAT test will be 100. Marks of MCQs part will be 75 and marks of essay part of the paper will be 25. You need to get 50 marks out of 100 for clearing this exam. Essay part of the paper will consist of essay and personal statement. You may write the essay and personal statement both in English and Urdu languages. Maximum length of essay and personal statement is 200 words. Detailed pattern, format and syllabus of HEC LAT test 2023 have been given below in image format.

What is the Eligibility Criteria For Appearing in HEC LAT test?

Intermediate passed students can apply for HEC LAT test, even result awaiting students are also eligible to appear in this test.

How Many Chances are Given For Appearing in LAT test?

You will be given 3 chances in a year for clearing law admission test.

How To Check HEC LAT Test Answer Keys & Result 2023

Visit the following link for viewing HEC LAT test result 20223and HEC answer keys 2023.

Click Here to Get HEC LAT Test Result & Answer Keys 2023

Points to Remember About HEC LAT Test

1-International students are not allowed to appear in HEC LAT test. 2-After online registration students are not allowed to change test centre. 3-You will have to bring both CNIC and roll number slip at the time of test. 4-You will receive the roll number slip at your registered email, alternatively you may download it from https://etc.hec.gov.pk/.

5-We have written large number of all in one essays on various topics. Read these essay for your preparation of essay writing in HEC LAT test 2023;

All in One Essay on Any Social Evil

Energy Shortage in Pakistan

Democracy in Pakistan

All in One Essay on Science & Technology

All in One Women Related Essay

Quaid e Azam, Allama Iqbal

All in One Essay on Any Festival

All in One Essay on Any Personality

All in One Essay on Any Common Person

All in One Essay on Any New Invention

There are many other essays too on our website, just type essay in search box of studysoutions.pk for reading more all in one essays.

Tips For Clearing HEC Law Admission Test

If you are preparing for the HEC LAT test, here are some tips to help you succeed: 1. Make a study schedule and stick to it. The best way to prepare for the HEC LAT test is by breaking it down into small, manageable chunks. Set a date for when you will start studying, and stick to that plan.

2. Review the material with a friend or family member before taking the test. This will help you get familiar with the questions and make sure that you understand all of the information presented in the test questions.

3. Familiarize yourself with all of the different types of questions on the HEC LAT test. There are multiple-choice questions, personal statement, and essay questions on this exam. Be prepared to answer all of them correctly.

4. Be sure to take the time to review the answer explanations that accompany the questions on the HEC LAT test. This will help you better understand how to answer each question.

5. Practice taking the HEC LAT test as much as possible. This will help you get comfortable with the format and flow of this exam.

6. Familiarize yourself with the time limit that is imposed on you on the HEC LAT test. The time limit for this exam is 90 minutes. Make sure to pace yourself and don’t spend too much time on any one question.

7. Use the review materials that are provided by HEC to help you prepare for the exam. These materials include practice tests, past papers, model papers, and study guides.

8. The sooner you start preparing for the test the better your chances of clearing it. Give yourself at least 3-4 months to prepare.

9.Familiarize yourself with the format of the test so that you know what to expect on test day. This will help you manage your time better and avoid any last-minute surprises.

10. Once you know what to expect on the test you can begin practicing with sample questions. HEC provides a few sample questions.

Conclusion: The Law Admission Test is an important test that determines if a student can continue their law education. The best way to prepare for the HEC law admission test is by studying and practicing questions from different types of questions.

I am a professional content writer and have experience of 10 years. I also launched first ever English monthly magazine of human rights in Pakistan. Majority of content on this website is written by me.

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In this article, you'll get a complete guide for the law admission test (LAT) in Pakistan : being conducted by HEC for all the applicants desirous to get admission in the five years LLB degree program. All students in public and private sector universities and colleges ; even their affiliated institutes are now required to pass the law admission test.

LLB is now a 5 years program instead of 3 years (as in the past). Students after passing their 12-grade education (HSSC) can apply for the LAT.

LAT Essay (English/Urdu) and Important Topics

Personal statement, multiple choice questions (mcqs), registration method, download roll number slip, fee submission for law admission test, preparation guide for lat, contact hec, test syllabus and pattern.

The test can be divided into two parts; subjective and MCQs (objective) making a 100 marks paper in total .

The essay is a 15 marks question requiring students to write an article of 200 words max either in English or Urdu.

There is no need to use hard and fast vocabulary instead use simple words as it is for an intermediate level test. Here are some important topics to get an idea of it:

• Life and Work of Allama Iqbal
• Quiad e Azam Work and Life
• Literacy in Pakistan
• Population: Curse or Blessings
• Poverty Causes and Solutions
• Crime Preventions
• Power Sector Crisis in Pakistan

It is a 10 marks question which you can answer in English or Urdu. The personal statement is a summary of your ideas . You can say it is an introduction, motivation, skills, background, career, and relevant information about your live events. You need to answer this question in plain/ simple language in short sentences without grammatical mistakes .

In short, a personal statement is a description of your accomplishments, expertise, moments, and goals often involved in life.

The remaining 75 marks are of multiple choice questions . This part of the test is segmented into many sub-parts: English (Synonyms, Antonyms, Prepositions), General Knowledge, Islamic Studies, Pakistan Studies, Urdu (Vocabulary), Mathematics

Registration for the LAT can be done on the ETC website ( https://etc.hec.gov.pk/ ).

• Visit the ETC website and click on "Apply for Law Admission Test", fill out the form, and submit the fee.
• Click "Submit" application
• A test fee of Rs. 1000/- (updated) can be deposited through an Online/ATM in HEC Habib Bank Limited account (Account No: 17427900133401, Account Title: Higher Education Commission, Bank: Habib Bank Limited, Branch Code: 1742). NOTE: Bank accounts can be changed. Always check the official website for an updated account number.
• Submit the proof of fee deposit to "Room No. 13-209, 2nd Floor, HRD Building, HEC, Sector H-8, Islamabad" before the last date of registration.
• Applicant must mention CNIC on the backside of the deposit slip.

General Questions and Answers

There are many questions regarding the registration and preparation of LAT, which we'll try to address in this section.

The roll number slip is mandatory during the examination. The applicant can visit the ETC website (https://etc.hec.gov.pk/), click on the LAT test, and download your roll number slip. Printed roll number slip with CNIC is compulsory in the examination center.

Roll number slip is also sent to your registered email address.

Newly and updated fee for the LAT Rs. 1000/- which can be submitted online/ATM to the following account number.

• Account No: 17427900133401
• Account Title: Higher Education Commission
• Bank: Habib Bank Limited
• Branch Code: 1742

Note: The information in this section can be updated from time to time.

The difficulty of LAT multiple choice questions is that of GRE and GAT tests. All the books for GRE and GAT can be used for the preparation of the law admission test.

In case of error or help, applicants can contact HEC directly through phone calls or an online complaint system. For online complaints, there can be delays in answers. You can submit a complaint online here: http://onlinehelp.hec.gov.pk/

HEC has also provided with many phone number for help as follow:

• 051 111 119 432
• 0334 1119432

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Personal Statement

What is personal statement a step-by-step guide.

A personal statement is like a short essay where you talk about yourself. It’s usually required when you’re applying for things like college or a job. When you’re asked to write one for an entrance test, it means they want to know more about you and your thoughts on a specific topic. Here’s a step-by-step … Read more

Personal Statements

Learn How to Write a Stellar Personal Statement

Creating Your Personal Statement

Your personal statement is perhaps your first opportunity in life to flex some of your latent lawyering skills.

In writing your personal statement, you are both the lawyer (advocate) and the client (subject matter). Your job is to advocate in the most effective way possible on behalf of your own law school candidacy. To “win” this case, you have to convince the judge and jury (the admissions committee) that your candidacy is compelling enough to gain admission.

By the time you fill out your law school applications, you can no longer change some aspects of your case, like your grades or your LSAT. Yet it is the way in which you advocate on your own behalf that can make the difference in persuading the admissions committee that your candidacy is compelling.

Selecting a Personal Statement Topic

Selecting a personal statement topic is the first step and, sometimes, the hardest. Taking a look at your own personal experiences will be the key element to crafting the perfect personal statement. See the three recommended steps below.

First, Make a Chronology of Your Life

Go back through your life and make a chronology that includes: (1) academic, personal, and extracurricular accomplishments; (2) tragedies and obstacles overcome; (3) books or other pieces of writing that stuck with you over the years; (4) important/inspirational courses and professors you’ve taken; (5) meaningful jobs and volunteer work you’ve done; (6) the most important/inspirational people in your life and (7) if you’re leaning heavily towards a type of law you’d like to practice someday or a cause you’d like to serve using your legal education, then list in your chronology the events that pushed you in those directions.

Second, Canvass Those Closest to You

Ask your 3 closest family members and 3 closest friends to list the qualities they admire most about you, and the accomplishments, obstacles overcome in life, and life and academic experiences that most immediately come to mind when they think of you. Compile and condense those lists to see which qualities, accomplishments, obstacles overcome, life and academic experiences would make the best source material for a law school personal statement. Then add these to your chronology (and for the qualities, list any life experiences that exemplify those qualities). When canvassing your family and friends, you may want to show them your chronology as a way to help move along your conversations with them.

Third, Develop Personal Statement Topics from Your Chronology

With all this information organized into a chronology, you should be able to easily generate compelling topics for personal statements.

Popular Personal Statement Topics

You can write about almost anything when it comes to a personal statement for law school. In our experience, the majority of personal statements — and certainly many of the most successful ones — fit into one of the following three categories.

1. Answering a Question an Admissions Dean Would Most Likely Ask

Sometimes, after an admissions dean has read through an applicant’s resume and list of activities, it’s obvious what a person should write about. If you’re a serious collegiate athlete, write about that. If you’ve had significant leadership positions in student government or non-profits, then write about how they’ve matured you or how you hope to carry those efforts forward with a legal education. If a serious obstacle in your life has affected how you’ve studied or spent your time in extracurriculars, then write about that experience. The point is, if your resume or extracurriculars have a predominant theme, then hammer home that theme in a compelling personal statement.

2. A Memorable Academic Experience

Sometimes a college or even high school course steers you towards a life in the law. It could be a hands-on government experience during a college independent research course, or a science class that covered the intersection of science, policy and the law, or a term paper that explored law, policy or politics. Whatever that memorable academic experience, write about it and its impact on your career goals.

3. Words of Wisdom

Sometimes a book, a speech or even a quote can change the arc of your life. Or perhaps you were inspired by the example of a professor or teacher, and that inspiration has carried you forward to this day. If it has, then write about it, making sure to relate that writing or professor’s example to your life in tangible ways.

5 Dos of Personal Statement Writing

While there are probably 100 instructions we could offer about writing effective personal statements, these five are especially important.

1. Follow Directions

Every law school application has directions about the substance and format of the personal statement you need to write. Whatever those directions are — follow them. You could write a terrific essay, but if it doesn’t address the topic requested, admissions committee members will wonder why you didn’t follow their directions.

Take a look at some of the sample personal statement questions below that we’ve collected from various law schools. And note: some law schools will tell you to write about pretty much anything and to choose the length. In such cases, it’s far better to craft a traditional essay and keep it to two pages or less, than to try something substantively risky that goes on for five or 10 pages. In all instances, you should double-space your personal statement and put your name and Social Security number at the top of every page.

2. Grammar, Spelling & Details

The spelling and grammar of your personal statement must be flawless. Most personal statements are only two pages/500 words or so length. Find at least three people to proof your work before you submit it to any law school. And before you mail or hit the “Send” button on your applications, make sure you are sending the right personal statement to the right law school. This sounds like such obvious advice, but each year law schools receive the wrong personal statement from an applicant and that, alone, is enough to deny you admission.

3. Distinguish Yourself

The whole point of writing a strong personal statement is to convince an admissions committee that your written communication skills and some aspect of your life are more compelling than another applicant with a similar LSAT score. Put differently, if a law school admissions committee is looking to fill out its incoming class with an academic pedigree that’s similar to yours, then you need to explain why you’re more interesting or will contribute more to the incoming class than the next person with your same grades.

4. Be Confident & Positive

It almost always helps if your tone exudes confidence and positivity no matter the subject matter of your personal statement. Here’s what confidence and positivity mean in the context of a personal statement:

Confidence:  Confidence, in a personal statement, means stating forcefully yet humbly what you expect to accomplish with your law degree, or stressing how you overcame something as opposed to dwelling on the obstacle, setback or tragedy in your life.

Positivity:  Positivity, in a personal statement, means emphasizing the solutions to a problem or injustice rather than dramatizing for effect the problem or injustice or stressing what you learned or how you’ve matured by overcoming adversity in your life.

5. Start Strong & End Strong

Your opening paragraph or sentence must captivate your readers, and it must successfully introduce the subject matter of your personal statement. Likewise, your conclusion must resolve the topic you’ve raised in a memorable way. Because the beginning and ending of your personal statement are so critical, you should try out three different openings and three different conclusions to see which ones work best.

5 Don’ts of Personal Statement Writing

Just as there are probably 100 “Dos” we could offer, there are 100 “Don’ts” we could list, too — but the five below are among the most important.

1. Don’t Distill Your Resume into Essay Form

A personal statement is not a long-form resume. Your resume exists to organize and summarize your achievements and experiences into one page. Your personal statement exists to demonstrate to an admissions committee that your written communication skills are strong, that you are insightful and interesting, and that there exists a coherent story about why you’re applying to law school.

2. Don’t Focus on Your Weaknesses

Your personal statement is a positive essay to convince an admissions committee to admit you to their school. It is not a forum for excuses, explanations, or justifications about why some aspect of your law school application is weaker than it should be.

3. Don’t Write Colloquially

Think of the admissions committee as the judge or the jury hearing your case. You would never submit a court brief written in an informal style, replete with contractions, sarcasm, and unconventional structure. Do not write your personal statement in an informal manner.

4. Don’t Focus on Another Person to the Exclusion of Yourself

Sometimes, if you write about a book or quote or professor or some other person in your life, it is tempting to spend a significant amount of time during your personal statement writing about that person rather than yourself. Resist this temptation. You are not writing a personal statement in order to get that person admitted to law school. You are writing a personal statement to show how their wisdom affected you in a meaningful way and why you are a perfect candidate for admission.

5. Don’t Submit a Lightly Edited Draft

A surprising number of admissions deans at top law schools have told us that their schools routinely reject applicants with super-high GPAs and LSATs when those applicants submit a personal statement that clearly reflects a lack of effort or attention to detail. Nothing — nothing — turns off an admissions committee more than an applicant turning in a rough draft personal statement.

Sample Personal Statement Questions

Below are the personal statement writing instructions for seven top law schools. They should give you a good sense of the kinds of questions most law schools ask of applicants, as well as the instructions on the form for completing your personal statement.

Columbia Law School

“While there is no official page limit, a good guideline is two double-spaced pages, using readable fonts and margins. Your personal statement/essay should be a clear and concise example of your best writing. It should also be free from spelling and grammatical errors.”

Georgetown Law

“Georgetown Law does not have a minimum or maximum length for the personal statement, though we recommend around two pages double-spaced. You can write your personal statement on any subject that will enable the Admissions Committee to get to know you.”

Harvard Law School

“The personal statement provides an opportunity for you to present yourself, your background, your ideas, and your qualifications to the Admissions Committee. Please limit your statement to two pages using a minimum of 11-point font, 1-inch margins, and double spacing. We expect applicants to use the full two pages in crafting their statement.

The personal statement is intended as an opportunity to give the Admissions Committee a better sense of who you are as a person and as a potential student and graduate of Harvard Law School. In many instances, applicants have used the personal statement to provide more context on how their experiences and strengths could make them valuable contributors to the Harvard and legal communities, to illuminate their intellectual background and interests, or to clarify or elaborate on other information in their application. Because applicants and their experiences differ, you are the best person to determine the content of your statement.”

University of Michigan Law School

“As you prepare to write your personal statement, please keep the following in mind. First, we do not have a fixed checklist of particular attributes we seek in our students, and you will have the best insights into what is most important for us to know. Second, there is no set convention for communicating the information you choose to share. A successful essay might involve writing directly about expansive themes such as your goals or philosophy or background or identity, or very differently, might be a vignette that reveals something significant about you. Thus, there is no formula for a successful personal statement, and different individuals will find different topics to be well-suited to them. Applicants have, for example, elaborated on their significant life experiences; meaningful intellectual interests and extracurricular activities; factors inspiring them to obtain a legal education or to pursue particular career goals; significant obstacles met and overcome; special talents or skills; issues of identity, such as gender, sex, race, or ethnicity; particular political, philosophical, or religious beliefs; socioeconomic challenges; atypical backgrounds, educational paths, employment histories, or prior careers; or experiences and perspectives relating to discrimination, disadvantage, or disability. Any of these subjects, and many more, could be an appropriate basis for communicating important information about yourself that will aid us in reaching a thoughtful decision. In other words, think broadly about what you might wish to convey and how you might best convey it.

While we do not impose a page or word limit for the personal statement, we value clear and concise writing; most personal statements are between two and four pages. For ease of reading, please use double-spacing and at least an 11-point font.”

Northwestern University School of Law

“Your personal statement is an opportunity to present yourself as more than an LSAT score and GPA. The personal statement sets you apart from other candidates. It is also a sample of your ability to express thoughts clearly and cogently.”

Stanford Law School

“Enclose a statement of about two pages sharing important or unusual information about yourself that is not otherwise apparent in your application. This statement must be submitted electronically with your electronic application.”

University of Texas School of Law

“The personal statement is an opportunity to share with the Admissions Committee your background, interests, as well as the important experiences and aspects of yourself not otherwise apparent from your résumé and academic record. Your personal statement demonstrates to the Admissions Committee not only how you write—a skill fundamental to success in the legal profession—but also how you think and how you have reflected upon and derived meaning from your life experiences. Although there is no specific topic or question for the personal statement, your narrative should at some point address your decision to pursue a legal education.

Your personal statement may not exceed two (2) double-spaced pages with a minimum 11-point font size and 1-inch margins.”

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How to Write a Law School Personal Statement

Many prospective law students can feel overwhelmed when faced with the task of writing a law school personal statement, one of the most subjective pieces of your law school application .

A good personal statement is interesting to read without needing to rely on shock value. It should have a conversational tone; it’s not there to show how many big words you know, but rather to offer insight into your character.

TABLE OF CONTENTS:

Why Are Law School Personal Statements Important?

Tips for picking a law school personal statement topic, law school personal statement faqs.

• How To Format Your Law School Personal Statement
• How To Write a Great Law School Personal Statement
• How To Edit Your Law School Personal Statement

Law School Personal Statement Example

What you should not do in a law school personal statement.

Law school personal statements are important because they can turn what would have otherwise been a certain rejection into an offer of admission.

They help admission committees get to know you in a way they couldn’t from other pieces of your law school application. And, hopefully, it also shows why a law degree is the next logical step for you.

When deciding what to write in your personal statement, do not make stuff up. Stick with what has really happened to you and how it affected you, and you will write a better personal statement than if you pretend.

Do Your Research

Read as many personal statements as you can. Discovering what has worked vs what doesn’t work is equally important.

Admission committees are very experienced at reading personal statements. They can quickly sniff out when something rings false.

Be Yourself

Admission committees utilize the personal statement portion of the application to learn about you and why you want to go to law school. Tell your story, and do not try to hide who you are.

Discuss Personal Stories with Friends and Family

Try getting feedback on your topic ideas from family or friends.  If they have been to law school, even better, but talking about your topic and learning how to articulate why you chose that topic for your personal statement will help you flesh out good ideas vs bad ideas. 

[ RELATED: LSAT Admissions Consulting ]

Try a Reflective Writing Exercise

You should get in the habit of being able to think deeply about how your interests and experiences relate to attending law school. Try writing a sentence or two for each of these prompts to get warmed up:

• What you’ve done
• Why you did it
• What it meant to you
• How it affected you

Then try writing a paragraph or more in response to these prompts:

• Recount a time when you faced a challenge, setback, or failure. How did it affect you, and what did you learn from the experience?
• Reflect on a time when you questioned or challenged a belief or idea. What prompted your thinking? What was the outcome?
• Describe a problem you’ve solved or a problem you’d like to solve. Anything of personal importance, no matter the scale. Explain its significance to you and what steps you took or could be taken to identify a solution.

The personal statement is an integral part of the law school application, and it is important that you not only take it seriously but also try your best to have fun with it. Many questions may be circulating in your head that you feel need to be answered before you start to write your personal statement. Let’s look at frequently asked questions applicants have about writing their personal statements.

How long are LSAC personal statements?

Some law schools ask for only five hundred words, while others allow for up to four pages double-spaced. However, most schools ask for a two-to-three-page (double-spaced) essay.

Law schools have personal statement length requirements for two reasons: (1) to test your ability to follow directions (keeping to the length requirement) and (2) to evaluate how well you write.

What can I expect from the personal statement prompt? 

Most law school personal statement prompts are pretty vague and give the applicant a lot of room to interpret it as they see fit. 

Personal statement prompts are usually a general question and contain a page or word limit; exact requirements will vary from one school to the next. If you have questions you should get in touch with the admissions office via phone or email.

How personal should my personal statement be?

Incorporating emotion into your personal statement could make it more interesting and easier to read, but if you overdo it you can sound like you’re whining, begging, or trying to write a sob story—which can, in turn, be perceived as disingenuous.

Admissions committees want to see passion, but they also want to see who you are. It is extremely important to be honest. Law schools can see right through feigned emotions. Remember, they’ve probably read hundreds of thousands of these, and it’s very easy for them to detect when people aren’t being authentic. Allow yourself to be vulnerable, open, and clear—but make sure it comes from the heart.

A law school personal statement does not mean a mandatory hardship story. While getting through a rough life situation can be a great place from which to pull material for your personal statement, it is not even close to the only way to write a stellar piece, especially if it means overstating reality or making up emotional lessons that weren’t really present.

The biggest key to the law school personal statement is to be honest. The story you want to tell about how you’ve gotten where you are today doesn’t have to be exciting or on a grand scale or heartbreaking, it just needs to show something important about you.

“If you write about your childhood in your personal statement, you must find a way to tie it to your adulthood.”

Should you discuss your decision to attend law school in your personal statement?

This topic is contentious. If the rest of your application does not clearly indicate why you are applying—say, for example, you have no legal internship or student group experience, majored in a subject unrelated to law, and spent the past five years working in a biology lab—then you should at least touch on your reasons for pursuing a law degree in your personal statement.

However, if your application already demonstrates why you are applying to law school—whether through your college extracurricular activities, your work history, or your coursework—then you are probably safe to submit a personal statement that does not directly mention your decision to attend law school.

How to Format Your Law School Personal Statement

Law school personal statements should be:

• Double-spaced, left-aligned
• In 11 or 12-point Times New Roman font
• Uses a single space after a period
• Contain page numbers
• Use one-inch margins on all sides
• Your LSAC number
• The words “Personal Statement”

Signatures and titles are not needed for law school personal statements.

How to Write a Great Law School Personal Statement

The trick to writing is getting that first word, sentence, or paragraph on the page; after that, everything can follow more easily. If you are having trouble starting your intro paragraph, start with the body of your essay. Saving the introduction or conclusion till the end is much easier for some people.

In each section of your essay, bring in references to who you are and how you will enhance the law school’s student body. Instead of just saying that you are diligent and compassionate, say that your experience training to run a marathon taught you the value of consistent hard work, and the time you spent volunteering with Habitat for Humanity showed you how important it is to empathize and help the under-resourced members of society. 

Find ways to make the things that you’ve done support your contention that you’ll bring something great to the law school.

Start with an Outline

Take your thoughts and organize them into an outline. Try to incorporate key attributes about yourself into your headings.

Remember that legal professionals place a high value on organization—a good personal statement is clearly organized and easy to follow—and since at least some of the people reading and evaluating your essay are legally trained, creating a good outline is crucial.

Personal Statement Intro Section

Starting a personal statement can be difficult and it may be easier for you to leave this section of your personal statement as the last thing you write. Use this section to introduce yourself, catch the attention of the reader, and set up your story.  

Tips for writing an introduction paragraph

• Avoid catchy openings like “from a young age” or “I have always wanted to…”
• Get to the point quickly
• Start with something interesting, relevant, and specific
• Think about what is inspiring you today
• Avoid exclamation points to emphasize your excitement

Personal Statement Body Section

The body of your personal statement should focus on the details of your story. Each paragraph should expand on your points and begin with a topic sentence that expresses the main idea of the paragraph in which it occurs.

Ending sentences for body paragraphs should wrap up your points and help transition the reader to the next body paragraph or the concluding paragraph.

In the climax of your essay, use concrete language and zoom in on the moment of transition.

For example, if you talk about your financial stress, which was caused by foreclosure and you didn’t have an attorney, which led to you getting sick, don’t say that you “experienced hardship” or that it  “took a toll” on your health. What was the hardship? What was the toll? Specific, concrete details give transition moments their power.

[ TIP: Vary your sentence length to keep readers interested ]

Personal Statement Conclusion Section

The conclusion section of your personal statement should re-emphasize and summarize your main points.  It should be concise and leave the reader with a greater understanding of who you are and why law school is the next logical step for you in your education.  

If you are having trouble, consider taking a break and asking for help .  

Overcoming Writer’s Block

We all suffer from writer’s block sometimes, and it can be particularly brutal when the stakes are high … like when you are trying to get into law school.

One way to cut through the blockage is to make a stream-of-consciousness list of word associations. Start with a memory (e.g., first grade), a person (e.g., grandmother), or a place (e.g., the beach), and then just write down every word that comes to mind for the next two to three minutes. Do not worry if the words that come to mind are absurd (e.g., tuna, rabbits, dominoes)—they are coming from somewhere, and one of them just might trigger a memory that makes you think, “Ah! That could have a place in this essay.”

This advice may sound a little silly and unguided, but that is precisely the point. When you are experiencing writer’s block, that is a sign that you are too “in your head”—that is, your conscious mind. You need to hop over from your left brain to your right, which is less judgmental and more creative.

How to edit your law school personal statement

Do not underestimate how crucial editing is to writing a good personal statement. Editing is about far more than correcting your spelling and punctuation. A hastily edited personal statement could very well be the thing that makes the difference between “Congratulations!” and “We regret to inform you…”.

Inspect the Structure

Your first goal should be to make sure that your personal statement is well organized. Return to the outline that you wrote and shift things around if necessary. Make sure each topic sentence inspires you to keep reading.

Copyediting

Run the spell-check, of course, but also read through on your own, very carefully. If your typo is a correctly-spelled but inappropriately used word, it won’t set off the spell-check. Pay attention to your use of commas, semi-colons, and other punctuation marks; consult a resource on English language mechanics if you have any doubts about usage.

[ TIP: Make sure that you mention the correct law school in the essay ]

Verify Personal Statement Is About You

Avoid including too much about “the world” and/or too little about yourself.  Look for these items throughout your personal statement.

• You have several sentences in a row describing life (or the universe, or society, or the world) in abstract terms.
• You spend a full paragraph talking about something or someone else without reflecting on your topic from your perspective.
• You get to the end of the personal statement and realize you do not know how what you have read reveals something significant about you as a person.
• You spot very few uses of “I” in your personal statement.

If any of these describe your current draft, look for ways of introducing yourself more frequently in it.

Get Feedback From Others

Once you’ve fully completed editing, ask several people whose writing skills you trust to look over your essay and offer suggestions. Ask them if they came away with a clear and cohesive sense of you as an individual. 

Incorporate Feedback

When you’ve gotten feedback from others, incorporate suggestions you find valuable into your rewrites. Repeat this as necessary until you get an essay that you’ve proud of… or until your application is due, whichever comes first.

Note: To maintain the integrity and authenticity of this project, we have not edited the personal statements, though any identifying names and details have been changed or removed. Any grammatical errors that appear in the essays belong to the candidates and illustrate the importance of having someone (or multiple someones) proofread your work.

Personal Statement

I don’t imagine the process of coming out as gay is easy for anyone. I can still remember the first time the words came out of my mouth. The person I told, my best friend, waited expectantly for the big news I had promised her over the phone. My heart began to beat faster. My palms were sweating. A million thoughts raced through my head. Here was something integral to my identity, something so deep it had taken me years to uncover. And I was about to tell someone who could either accept it, or turn away from me.

Fortunately, the experience in my case was a positive one, overall. Without fail, my closest friends and family told me they loved me, and would continue to do so. There were, of course, some people who did not accept me, and that hurt in ways that I can’t begin to explain. But the ones who really mattered embraced me, and coming out to them was an affirming experience. I knew even more than I had before that I had a network of people around me who cared for me and supported me.

When I was in college, I became involved in activities that affirmed my identity further. I organized on campus for things like a gay student union and gender non-specific bathrooms, and the groups I worked with had various levels of success with these projects. But [my undergraduate university] is a largely queer-friendly school in [a large metropolitan city], and so the activities felt somewhat sheltered. After organizing with these campus groups for a while, I branched out and began volunteering for organizations in the larger city ….

I had always known that not everyone’s experience of coming out as gay was as positive as mine, but it was when I became involved with these organizations that I began to see just how cruel the world could be to LGBTQIA [lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, questioning, intersex, and asexual] people. I met thirteen-year-olds who had been abused and thrown into the street because they were gay. I met trans women who had been discriminated against for their identities by bosses and landlords. I met drag queens whose daily experience involved street harassment and the threat of bodily harm. For the first time in my life I was surrounded by people who were struggling every day to meet their basic needs like food and shelter because of their identities.

I also began to learn from people who were older than me, who had slept on the Chelsea Piers, and lived through the plague of HIV and AIDS. I learned about intersectionality, the varied forms that oppression can take and where they meet in an individual’s life. I learned of how mainstream organizations like HRC [Human Rights Campaign] and those involved in the fight for marriage equality often jettison the most vulnerable members of queer struggle in order to achieve what they consider the “greater good”—like the exclusion of transgender people from the Employment Non-Discrimination Act in the ‘90s. I learned about assimilation of gay people into mainstream society, and how it worked remarkably well for some while for others it would never, ever be an option.

In the end, it was these—the most vulnerable members of my community—that I found the most reason to fight for. People whose doctors won’t treat them because they’re HIV positive. Trans men and trans women without legal documentation who can’t find a lawyer that will take them on. Intersex prisoners who the prison industrial complex tries to squeeze into its limited boxes.

I honestly believe going to law school is the best way I can help these people. I have spent years writing and signing petitions, organizing LGBTQIA dance parties, protesting in the streets. Now, as I enter the phase of my life in which I am choosing a profession, I want it to be one that takes all I have learned and keeps it in the forefront of my mind. I want to stand up for the people in my community who have so few advocates.

A queer utopia—that is, a world in which the struggles I have learned of through my involvement in the LGBTQIA community no longer exist—is still a long way off. But I have seen good people filling in the gaps in the lives of those most strongly affected by inequality. I am committed to becoming one of those people, and I feel that this is the best way I can do it.

A story illustrating the reasons you want to go to law school is always going to be more effective than a generic essay that anyone could have written; remember the point of the law school personal statement is to show a law school something unique about yourself. 

Law School Personal Statement Don’ts

• Avoid dramatic tales of romance
• Curse often
• Avoid absolute statements which tend to sound more unreasoned than reasoned— law school is all about reason
• Do not submit an essay version of your resume
• Do not use the same personal statement for every school

[ NEXT: What not to do in a law school personal statement ]

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Law Admission Test (LAT) English Essay Topics

• July 24, 2020
• Law Admission Test
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Law Admission Test (LAT) English Essays topics are important for the LAT examination. LAT is an important paper for taking admission in a 5-year LL.B programme. It is a compulsory examination for taking admission. There is a topic of 15 Marks in the LAT paper in which you have to write an essay (in English or Urdu). So in the article, you will find the Law Admission Test (LAT) English Essay Topics. There are many Law Admission Test (LAT) English Essay Topics available here.

you can also view or learn more about the LAT paper pattern, method to apply and study material like Personal Statement , and Urdu Essay Topics here.

You should write an English Essay in a very humble and polite language. No need to write hard and fast vocabulary. As the LAT examination is an intermediate base examination so the topics of the Essay will also be easy and short. So we have collected the most famous topics or English Essays for the LAT examination. The detail of all the English Essay topics is given below:

These are some of the most famous English essay topics for the LAT examination. We will update these English essays with new topics every now and then. You are required to visit this page, again and again, to stay updated.

Download our official LAT Preparation App from Play store. its available in both offline and online versions.

Now you have any other questions regarding the LAT examination you can submit them in the comment section.

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