What novels or documentaries to mention in PS

Original post by Pigeon 2

Im planning on applying for Law at uni. I need to write one more sentence in my PS to do with how anything Ive done in my free time that I can correlate to Law. Is there any book or documentary that anyone can think of cause Im struggling to think. Any suggestions would be appreciated

Visit your nearest courts

Reply 2

Original post by Pigeon 2

Im planning on applying for Law at uni. I need to write one more sentence in my PS to do with how anything Ive done in my free time that I can correlate to Law. Is there any book or documentary that anyone can think of cause Im struggling to think. Any suggestions would be appreciated

As far as possible, do not mention any books or documentaries in your PS, it can come off as a book list or an attempt to show off how great you are cause you have read the particular book or seen the particular documentary. Rather than doing that show what transferable skills you have achieved from previous experiences and how they'll make your bid to being a successful law student even more better
Hope this helped!

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username1292215

22

Books about law that you have actually read, and write your thoughts about themes within those books. Law is a degree where you have to do lots of reading so get started now.

Also I disagree with the advice above about transferrable skills. The grades you have will reflect your skills anyway

(edited 6 years ago)

Reply 4

Original post by Pigeon 2

Im planning on applying for Law at uni. I need to write one more sentence in my PS to do with how anything Ive done in my free time that I can correlate to Law. Is there any book or documentary that anyone can think of cause Im struggling to think. Any suggestions would be appreciated

Remember that law is an academic degree. Novels and fiction aren’t relevant to that.

Most law admissions staff recommend an interest in the legal impact and influence of current events as the most important thing to see in a ps.

I would also agree that post #3 on this thread is talking utter crap. I recommend a court visit because you’re trying to cram something into a single sentence. Theory or documentary interests would take longer than a sentence to cover well.

Reply 5

Original post by Pigeon 2

Im planning on applying for Law at uni. I need to write one more sentence in my PS to do with how anything Ive done in my free time that I can correlate to Law. Is there any book or documentary that anyone can think of cause Im struggling to think. Any suggestions would be appreciated

I’ve sent my personal statement off to do Law and had offers from UCL, LSE, Uni of Southampton, and had an interview at Oxford. I spoke about 2 Law books I had read that I felt really shaped my understanding of the Law and really inspired me to do Law, but make sure you have actually read them! It’s more important to get things like Work experience in there, for example I’ve had 2 work experience placements, one at a legal aid centre and one at a Solicitors. Good books to read are What About Law?, Letters to a Law Student, Learning the Law, The Law Machine, and Eve was Framed if you’re stuck for ideas.

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Original post by SuperHuman98

Also I disagree with the advice above about transferrable skills. The grades you have will reflect your skills anyway

I have to disagree, if only grades were the prerequisite , then why would you even need to write a PS. The PS is for showing what all you have done academically and otherwise and how it'll help in furthering your career ambitions. You have to show how a particular activity will help you in studying law

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username1292215

22

Original post by abhinair3004

I have to disagree, if only grades were the prerequisite , then why would you even need to write a PS. The PS is for showing what all you have done academically and otherwise and how it'll help in furthering your career ambitions. You have to show how a particular activity will help you in studying law

Yeah like reading books about law, and law related things. I thought you meant any experience. Also there is no point writing I have "analytical skills" (which is something my school told me to do lol) because grades show that

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Original post by SuperHuman98

Yeah like reading books about law, and law related things. I thought you meant any experience. Also there is no point writing I have "analytical skills" (which is something my school told me to do lol) because grades show that

I mean experiences as well, like how a debate competition has helped you out or how you playing for a Sunday league or amateur football team has helped you out. Books can be mentioned, the key word there is "mentioned', you don't want to make it seem that you're writing a book review. I'm against it for the fact that it can come back to bite you if the person looking at your application thinks you're too full of yourself or you're asked a question about it in an interview. So, my advice always is to leave the books out unless they form a really integral part of your reason to opt for law.

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Original post by PQ

Remember that law is an academic degree. Novels and fiction aren’t relevant to that.

Most law admissions staff recommend an interest in the legal impact and influence of current events as the most important thing to see in a ps.

I would also agree that post #3 on this thread is talking utter crap. I recommend a court visit because you’re trying to cram something into a single sentence. Theory or documentary interests would take longer than a sentence to cover well.

Disagree about the book element. I had books and personal experiences in my PS, not my opinion of current events or affairs. Books about the Law are important because they discuss being a law student or different aspects of the Law you will study in a QLD. Proving an interest in the subject is a highly important thing to do in a PS. A court visit is a good idea over a documentary, I do agree with you there.

Reply 10

Original post by ruthflame57

Disagree about the book element. I had books and personal experiences in my PS, not my opinion of current events or affairs. Books about the Law are important because they discuss being a law student or different aspects of the Law you will study in a QLD. Proving an interest in the subject is a highly important thing to do in a PS. A court visit is a good idea over a documentary, I do agree with you there.

A novel is a word of fiction.

I didn’t say anything about not including extra curricular reading of non fiction law and legal books (except that it would be difficult to cover that appropriately in a single sentence).

Reply 11

Original post by PQ

A novel is a word of fiction.

I didn’t say anything about not including extra curricular reading of non fiction law and legal books (except that it would be difficult to cover that appropriately in a single sentence).

Sorry I misunderstood you there. It’s not difficult to cover either, you just sum up what parts of the book you found the most useful or interesting. That’s what I did and my PS has been very successful so far.

Reply 12

Original post by ruthflame57

Sorry I misunderstood you there. It’s not difficult to cover either, you just sum up what parts of the book you found the most useful or interesting. That’s what I did and my PS has been very successful so far.

If you don't mind me asking, where'd you study and how's your experience been so far?

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username2981082

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Original post by Pigeon 2

Im planning on applying for Law at uni. I need to write one more sentence in my PS to do with how anything Ive done in my free time that I can correlate to Law. Is there any book or documentary that anyone can think of cause Im struggling to think. Any suggestions would be appreciated

I've applied for a legal apprenticeship where I also had to write a PS. In my PS I mentioned one book that got me interested in Law, which was Plato's 'Republic.' I also mentioned visiting The Old Bailey and sitting in on a court case.

You don't have to read a law book but you do need to read something that demonstrates an interest in law. Reading the law section of newspapers like The Times is a good idea.

Reply 14

Original post by abhinair3004

If you don't mind me asking, where'd you study and how's your experience been so far?

I’m still in year 13 so I haven’t gone to university myself yet!

Reply 15

Original post by ruthflame57

I’m still in year 13 so I haven’t gone to university myself yet!

Who are you applying to?

Reply 16

username2981082

19

Original post by PQ

A novel is a word of fiction.

I didn’t say anything about not including extra curricular reading of non fiction law and legal books (except that it would be difficult to cover that appropriately in a single sentence).

I mentioned fictional books in my PS, mainly to explain why, as a English degree student, I want to switch to law. If you can make something relevant to Law it becomes useful.

Reply 17

Original post by abhinair3004

Who are you applying to?

I’ve received offers from UCL, LSE and the University of Southampton. I’ve also had my interview at Oxford. I’m still waiting to hear back from King’s however.

Reply 18

Original post by ruthflame57

Sorry I misunderstood you there. It’s not difficult to cover either, you just sum up what parts of the book you found the most useful or interesting. That’s what I did and my PS has been very successful so far.

I didn’t say difficult to cover. I said difficult to cover well IN A SINGLE SENTENCE.

Given the approaching deadline the OP spending a week reading a reasonably sized law book and summing that up into a single sentence is likely to add less to their PS than a court visit or comments on the legal implications/ramifications of current events (neither of which would take up as much time).

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