Admissions: Removing Explanations from Your Personal Statement
Admissions Digest, 09.06.2022
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Discussion
We often field quite a few questions on what information belongs in a personal statement versus an addendum. Some students wanted to provide explanations for their LSAT scores and/or GPA within their personal statements, but that’s not what an AO would expect to see there. First, let’s start by distinguishing between the two documents.
A personal statement is essentially a document where an applicant can share something about themselves that would give AOs a better understanding of their trajectory, motivation, and/or goals. It can be a statement of purpose, an origin story, a personal narrative, or highlight an experience that was a turning point. AOs often recommend treating the personal statement as an interview, as most schools don’t have the resources or bandwidth to offer them to each applicant. In treating a PS as an interview, you’re meant to show a strong, positive version of yourself and your experience, which would result in a positive outcome—an offer of admission. A personal statement is also a tool to assess writing quality, which is why people stress grammar checks and proofreading so heavily.
Alternatively, an addendum is a brief statement meant to explain something about a candidate’s application that can be perceived as a red flag or a weakness. Maybe grades dropped for a semester because life was happening, or a candidate changed majors after finding an area of study that was a better fit. Maybe there are multiple LSAT scores or a big jump between scores. A candidate may also have a gap in education or work experience that warrants an explanation, or they may have some other anomaly they want to address. Addenda are optional statements, but they help to answer questions and provide context in a proactive manner by anticipating what an AO might ask. Note: character and fitness statements are required documents if any C&F question is answered affirmatively, so I do not include them within this definition of addenda.
While candidates often think that addressing the issues that are typically found in addenda within a PS is a head-on approach, it actually takes away from an AO’s opportunity to learn something positive about the candidate. In the PS, tell me something that demonstrates your likelihood for success in law school—whether that’s what motivates you, what you’re passionate about, who you aim to protect, an experience that changed you, something that’s influenced your perspective and/or career path. Tell me how you’re a leader, or how you persevered, or how you learned a tough lesson and moved forward in a positive direction. Tell me what what inspires you to be an advocate. As AOs build an incoming class, they’re looking for different backgrounds, experiences, perspectives, and motivations to create high-level discourse in the classroom and change-makers in the community.
And, yes, a PS can be difficult, because you hear caveats all the time that might be frustrating. You can talk about your experience, but don’t regurgitate your résumé. You don’t have to talk about law, but if you don’t have any legal work experience or exposure to law, maybe you should talk about law. You can talk about someone who’s influenced you, but don’t spend the whole statement on that person. At the end of the day, when we finish reading your application, we need to have a good picture of who you are and how you’d fit within our classes and our school community. Your experience and mentors and influences are important, but the focus of the essay should still be you. We don’t have to know everything about you, but we need enough to justify a favorable decision.
Candidates often avoid addenda because they’ve heard that AOs look at these documents as excuses. Is this true? It depends. If a candidate provides context to explain how or why a credential is where it is without the candidate taking any accountability for the parts within their control, yes, that might be seen as an excuse. However, many candidates successfully approach addenda by addressing the issue, providing context, taking responsibility, and highlighting any progress or upward trajectory. If you think that AOs will have a question or concern, don't wait for an admissions office to reach out to you for an explanation, because they may not have the time or bandwidth to do so. Provide the addendum up front. Have more than one area of concern? Write the addenda you need to address the issues. And while these statements should be succinct, don’t skimp on the details—if the circumstances warrant taking more space to give the full context, take it!
Each document within the application is an opportunity to add another layer and dimension to the picture that you paint with your application. In successfully completing the personal statement, addenda, other optional statements, and any C&F responses (if applicable), you’re equipping AOs with all of the information and context that they need to advocate on your behalf with their admissions committee (and possibly law school dean) and to justify your admission. The more thoughtful, complete, and dynamic your statements, the fewer questions AOs are left with at the end of your application, and the easier it becomes for AOs to make a favorable decision.
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7Sage Study Group Breakout
Still looking to be paired up with an LSAT study buddy? Join us for our next "Study Group Breakout" on Tuesday, September 27 from 9:00-10:30 p.m. ET. For more information, click here.
7Sage Webinar: Diversity Statements and Addenda
Join 7Sage admissions consultants on Thursday, September 15 at 8 p.m. ET for a panel discussion on the usage of diversity statements and addenda within application materials. There will be time reserved for audience Q&A. To register, click here.
Recruitment Events
American University (Washington College of Law) is offering in-person and virtual information sessions.
In-person info sessions are offered on Mondays and Fridays at 2 p.m. ET (register here).
Virtual info sessions are offered
Arizona State is offering virtual JD information sessions every other Tuesday at 9:30 a.m. MT. Register here.
Berkeley Law will host a general applicant information session virtually on Tuesday, September 20 at 3 p.m. PT. Register here. They are also offering office hours with the dean of admissions on Wednesday, September 28 from 2 p.m. to 3 p.m. PT. Register here.
Boston College has cancelled in-person events for this semester. They will begin offering virtual events the fourth week of September (details TBD).
Boston University will be offering virtual information sessions every two weeks:
Cardozo Law is offering virtual information sessions on Wednesdays at 11 a.m. ET and Friday afternoons at 2 p.m. ET. Register for a session here.
Columbia Law is offering an in-person information session offered on Thursday, September 8 at 11 a.m. ET. Register here. They will offer a virtual information session on Thursday, September 22 at 12:15 p.m. ET. Register here.
Duke Law is offering virtual information sessions at 2 p.m. ET on the following days (registration link here):
Thursday, September 15
Thursday, September 29
Thursday, October 27
Thursday, November 10
Thursday, December 8
Fordham Law is offering virtual admissions sessions on Thursday, September 15 at 12:30 p.m. ET (register here) and Thursday, September 22 at 6 p.m. ET (register here).
Harvard Law is offering virtual Q&A sessions beginning on Thursday, September 22 at 8 p.m. ET. Register here. Their first in-person information session will be offered on Friday, September 23 at 2 p.m. ET. Register here.
The LSAC is offering a digital forum for LLM candidates only on Friday, September 16 from 6 a.m. to 9 a.m. ET. Register here.
Loyola University New Orleans is hosting the Aspiring Law Student Expo—a law fair run by Make a Statement LLC—on Saturday, October 1 from 9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. CT. Register here.
Northeastern Law is offering outdoor law school tours, showcasing three of their law school buildings. Each tour is led by a current law student who will take Q&A during the tour. Schedule a tour here.
Northwestern is offering in-person, student-led tours every two weeks. Registration is required to participate in this hour-long tour with a current JD student. Next tour date: Friday, September 16 at 12 p.m. CT (register here).
Notre Dame Law is offering in-person visits, which include an admissions information session and a student-led tour of the law school on Fridays at 11 a.m. ET. RSVP here. They are also offering group information sessions via Zoom every other Wednesday, which will include time for Q&A. RSVP here.
Penn Law is offering Ask Me Anything: The Application Process events on Tuesday, September 13 at 6 p.m. ET (register here) and Tuesday, September 27 at 3 p.m. ET (register here).
Suffolk Law will host the Boston Law Fair, which will include over 60 law schools from across the country on Saturday, September 10 from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. ET. Register here.
UCLA Law is offering in-person law school tours on Mondays and Fridays. They are also offering virtual law school tours on Wednesdays. Register here.
University of Chicago is offering their monthly law admissions webinar to discuss the application process on Tuesday, September 20 at 5 p.m. CT. Register here.
University of Michigan is offering a series of workshops (register here):
September 7 at 12 p.m. ET: Why Michigan and General Q&A
September 7 at 3 p.m. ET: Application Process
September 14 at 12 p.m. ET: Personal Statement
September 14 at 3 p.m. ET: Application Process
September 21 at 12 p.m. ET: Financial Aid
September 21 at 3 p.m. ET: Personal Statement
University of Southern California is hosting a Nuts & Bolts of the application process series virtually on Wednesdays, beginning September 21 at 12 p.m. PT. The first session will be on understanding the role of the GPA and LSAT in the admissions process. Register here. Additionally, USC Law will offer an in-person information session on Friday, September 23 at 10 a.m. PT. Register here.
University of Virginia will host in-person Q&A sessions each Friday from 2 p.m. to 3 p.m. ET, beginning on Friday, September 30. No registration is required.
Vanderbilt Law is offering virtual information sessions on Thursday, September 8 at 9.m. CT (register here) and Monday, September 19 at 3 p.m. CT (register here).
WashU Law in St. Louis is offering meetings with admissions, virtual open houses, and live-streamed events. For more details and to sign up, click here. To schedule an in-person campus visit, click here.
Yale Law is offering one-on-one appointments with a member of the admissions office to address prospective student questions. Schedule here. They are also offering a series of online open houses (space is limited for most events, and these events fill up quickly—these events still have spaces left):
Friday, September 23 at 3 p.m. ET: Admissions “Office Hours” With Current YLS Students (register).
Monday, October 3 at 5 p.m. ET: Corporate Law @ YLS Webinar (register).
Wednesday, October 5 at 5 p.m. ET: YLS Online Open House (register).
Friday, October 7 at 1 p.m. ET: Office Hours With the Admissions Deans (register).