Having trouble with personal statement (law)

kea1995

since I was around 10 I've always had a fascination with lawyers and studying law, among other subjects, and now that i've fully decided i want to study law I can't write down exactly why!

I did work experience at a law firm which made me even more convinced law was for me as I found it fascinating and interesting, but after looking at some example personal statements, I'm not sure the reasons "I find it fascinating, interesting and think my skills are suited to studying law" is a very good argument to put in my personal statement. Obviously that doesn't make me sound like a good candidate but I'm not really interested in criminal law, I'd rather employment and corporate law etc. but from the looks of things a lot of people have heavily alluded to criminal law.

Some people have also said that they "believe strongly in right and wrong" but I don't feel I can say that because everyone at some point in their life has broken a law. Obviously that doesn't make me sound like a good candidate but I'm not really interested in criminal law, I'd rather employment and corporate law etc. but from the looks of things a lot of people have heavily alluded to criminal law.

I've been told to say WHY specifically I'm interested in law and I'm finding that hard because, having not studied law before, I'm not exactly an expert on the ins and outs of it. I've always been interested in history and politics and these tie in nicely with law. My experience at the law firm made me realise that law isn't all about courts and wigs, that solicitors mainly work in offices although this hasn't put me off.

I'm just really confused about my personal statement as a whole because I'm finding it hard to put all my ideas into words because most of them have just been in the back of my mind and I've never really considered how they would sound in a personal statement. Now, I'm realising that they don't sound very convincing at all and I really need some help!

Reply 1

TheAdequateGatsby

If you're interested in employment and corporate law, then write about that. Don't pretend you're interested in criminal law if you're not. Just make sure that your personal statement is about wanting to study law and not actually being a lawyer.

For law, admissions tutors don't want you to be an expert on everything legal - that's the whole reason you're going to uni! Instead find an area of law, maybe read up on it, and express your thoughts in the PS. That shows that you've read around the subject and are able to think critically about what you've read.

There's a personal statement bank here on TSR, have a read through what others have written. Maybe you'll get some inspiration about how to word your PS. :smile: