24 May, 2006
Get Help Writing a Personal Statement for Law School Applications?
Interesting article here on law school personal statement consulting services. I had no idea how much it costs for expert help with a personal statement. The article says as much as $300 dollars an hour. The article seems to imply that admissions decision makers may actually hold it against a candidate who has written a "perfect" personal statement and that these consulting services are not worth the money.
A good response is here. It basically says that admissions decision makers cannot possibly identify and throw out a statement that looks professionally written.
- "Do they mean that they are suspicious of well-written, thoughtful essays? Are they going to reject the applications with personal statements that show personality and individuality? Do they ding those whose essays contain substance and reflect introspection and accept those who regurgitate the pablum they think the adcom wants to read?"
It's a potentially costly decision of whether to actually consult an expert to help with a personal statement. It could cost a lot of money to get a professional consultation regarding a personal statement if the consultation is unneeded, but alternatively it could cost a chance at a target school if the consultation is needed. If your GPA/LSAT numbers are above and beyond what your target school requires then it is definitely not worth it because you are likely in either way. However, it might be worth it if it gets you into the law school of your choice where your LSAT/GPA numbers are average to below average at that school.
I personally would not spend that kind of cash on such a service. If writing my own personal statement reduced my chances at a school at which I was borderline, so be it. A "good" personal statement is so subjective and it is unclear what kind of emphasis admissions puts on the statement anyway. Either way the article and response above should help you with the decision of whether to use an expert for your law school personal statement.
Great article. I think professional help can benefit students on the margins -- but of course I'm biased. You're spending hundreds of thousands of dollars on your JD, you might as well spend a few extra bucks to take your best shot at getting the degree from the school you want. That said, there are a lot of good sites out there with good, free advice. And, get to know your advisors and professors -- most will be happy to help a good student with their essays.
Posted by M, founder of TestSherpa Free LSAT Test Prep 22 Jul 2006, 19:06