As a law school applicant, you will likely write your personal statement and other essays one at a time, since each may go through many drafts.
However, it’s important to remember that admissions officers read them altogether. They may flip back and forth between them, treating them as parts of the same body of work.
This is why it is so critical to understand how these different components in your application fit together. A harmonious application is the sign of a focused mind and a mature writer. It also helps show your commitment to law school, that you have thought through this path thoroughly.
[READ: How to Show You Are Committed to Law School.]
Here are four ways to ensure your personal statement, diversity statement and other optional essays align with your goals:
— Focus your argument.
— Consider the overall impression your essays make.
— Avoid redundancy.
— Check for inconsistencies.
Focus Your Argument
Before starting to write your essays, think carefully about what you want admissions officers to understand about why you are applying to law school. If this feels hard to articulate, it may be a sign that you need to give this decision more thought.
For older applicants, career-switchers and others whose journey to law school had more than a few meanders, it is especially important to present clear goals for your legal career and to explain why these goals are important to you.
Consider the Overall Impression Your Essays Make
Each of your essays should stand alone as a strong piece of self-advocacy, since advocacy is a key legal skill, after all. When read together, they should inform one another and work in concert to form a unified, consistent presentation.
[READ: How to Talk About Yourself Modestly on a Law School Application.]
In other words, do your essays complement one another, do they cover the same ground or are they contradictory? Do they work together to paint a compelling picture of yourself?
Avoid Redundancy
There are differences between the personal statement and diversity statement. Any major overlap between these essays is a waste of an opportunity to present another dimension of your candidacy.
If you have trouble distinguishing the essays, it may be a sign that you should not write a diversity statement. Avoid the temptation to write as much as you can, since lawyers should be concise communicators.
You might also take the opportunity for more introspection and reflection. Perhaps you might find a new, meaningful experience to detail, or a different angle to explore. Your purpose is not only to tell a great story about you; you also want to make it clear why this story matters to you and should matter to the reader.
Check for Inconsistencies
To someone reading your essays in sequence, a seemingly minor inconsistency or shift in tone or format can be as jarring as a movie scene in which the characters suddenly change outfits from one frame to the next.
[6 Deciding Factors in Law School Admissions]
While a minor inconsistency may be distracting, a major disconnect between your essays can undermine your credibility with the reader.
Thus, after producing final drafts of your essays, be sure to read them altogether to look for any glaring issues between them. Enlisting the help of a trusted reader can be helpful, as sometimes writers can be too close to the material to catch problems.
Ultimately, remember that your essays may evolve through several drafts. During this process, they may diverge in unexpected ways. At times it may be wise to put your work down for a few days, then go back and read everything afresh. This is one reason to give yourself plenty of time to prepare your applications.
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How to Ensure Cohesive Law School Applications originally appeared on usnews.com
