Additional Essays and Statements

When law schools review your application, they’re hoping to get to know you as fully as possible. To do that, there may be additional essays — either required or optional — that are part of an application. These essays are another chance to share your own voice with the people reviewing your application. Here are two of the most common topics an additional essay or statement might cover.

More About Your Identity

Many law schools will give you an opportunity to share more about your identity and how it’s affected your life. They’ll use this essay to understand how you can contribute to the law school and greater legal community.

Here are a few tips for crafting these sorts of essays:

• Tell a story different from the one you used in your personal statement.

• Show your best writing skills.

• Be concise and focused.

• Connect your story to a change or difference in how you see the world.

• Be cautious of only talking about issues without relating the issues back to you as a person.

If you’re not sure whether your topic is right, talk to a prelaw advisor at your undergraduate institution — even if you’ve already graduated — or a law school admission representative. As with all parts of your application, pay close attention to the instructions and prompts.

Your Interest in a Specific School

Some schools will give you an opportunity to explain why you’re applying to that school in particular. If you’re going to write one of these statements, make sure you have a genuine interest in the school — reviewers can easily identify when someone is rewording what the school has written in their viewbook or on their website.

If such a statement is optional and you don’t have a strong message to share, you’re better off not submitting one — a weak “Why this law school?” statement can adversely affect your application.