Is this too sensitive to include in my personal statement?
I am applying for Law and I have had a fitting incident in my life in regards to Law. Without getting into any details, my family had some issues personally and I had to defend a family member in court by doing a speech to the judge, I was the age of 15 at this time and since I was a witness I was advised to give a statement which I willingly chose to do. The judge in his statement claimed that my argument was compelling. I would include this in my PS but I am not sure if I should, it is a unique situation but a sensitive one. I don’t have any advisers as I am on a gap year so any help would be appreciated, thank you
No experience in law, but from my own in finance- talking about your personal challenges is a good way to show who you are and why this matters to you more than the next person. Use it to show why, you are passionate, why you are keen and what lessons it taught you. I would touch on it briefly but avoid make it a ‘Britain’s Got Talent sob story’ as they may think it’s overdoing it.
Yes you should include it.
Yes like the above, if you can write it smartly and eloquently- you should be helped by it.
Be as smart as you can be.
Be as smart as you can be.
Original post by SZ159
I am applying for Law and I have had a fitting incident in my life in regards to Law. Without getting into any details, my family had some issues personally and I had to defend a family member in court by doing a speech to the judge, I was the age of 15 at this time and since I was a witness I was advised to give a statement which I willingly chose to do. The judge in his statement claimed that my argument was compelling. I would include this in my PS but I am not sure if I should, it is a unique situation but a sensitive one. I don’t have any advisers as I am on a gap year so any help would be appreciated, thank you
You could mention it very briefly but remember the point of the personal statement is to show why you are a good candidate for studying law as an academic subject for 3 years - so mainly just focus on your interest in studying law and anything relevant to that.
Original post by SZ159
I am applying for Law and I have had a fitting incident in my life in regards to Law. Without getting into any details, my family had some issues personally and I had to defend a family member in court by doing a speech to the judge, I was the age of 15 at this time and since I was a witness I was advised to give a statement which I willingly chose to do. The judge in his statement claimed that my argument was compelling. I would include this in my PS but I am not sure if I should, it is a unique situation but a sensitive one. I don’t have any advisers as I am on a gap year so any help would be appreciated, thank you
Remember that law is an academic subject - it's not teaching you to be a solicitor or barrister. You could include it briefly but it must have an academic focus (as @harrysbar said)
So I am applying for Law and am considering mentioning something very confidential in my personal statement.
Both my parents had involvement in a court case because of something they did years ago, I was unaware of this. They didn’t do anything ‘criminal’ but had a misunderstanding of something and did something that isn’t favoured by the law, it isn’t anything that results in jail time or anything but again something not favoured by the law. The case ended up impacting me, obviously I wasn’t at fault. However I had to defend my parents in court by writing a statement to the judge and doing a speech in front of a judge. I was 15 at the time. We lost the case however the Judge did commend my argument and speech in his final statement. Is it worth writing two or three lines about this in my PS? Because I have actually been in an actual court case that involved me, I believe it is good experience and has given me good skills just from being in that environment which are useful for Law. Or is this too confidential to include? Any advice will be appreciated
Both my parents had involvement in a court case because of something they did years ago, I was unaware of this. They didn’t do anything ‘criminal’ but had a misunderstanding of something and did something that isn’t favoured by the law, it isn’t anything that results in jail time or anything but again something not favoured by the law. The case ended up impacting me, obviously I wasn’t at fault. However I had to defend my parents in court by writing a statement to the judge and doing a speech in front of a judge. I was 15 at the time. We lost the case however the Judge did commend my argument and speech in his final statement. Is it worth writing two or three lines about this in my PS? Because I have actually been in an actual court case that involved me, I believe it is good experience and has given me good skills just from being in that environment which are useful for Law. Or is this too confidential to include? Any advice will be appreciated
Hi, this is a good example of what to include in your personal statement regarding experience. However, when mentioning it, be extremely vague about the situation itself, often universities find it unhelpful when people go off into narrative about something they did or experienced, I would especially advise you to be vague based on the confidentiality of the situation, however it's a difficult one, because being too vague about involvement in a court case can also seem somewhat suspicious haha.
I think the way to approach your question would be to ask a question in return.
What do you think adding that information will add to your application? and perhaps, what might it detract from your application.
You need to decide if the information will be received positively or negatively. In my personal opinion, I'd leave it out. It might be something that you can bring up later on, or at an interview if they ask you about your personal experiences. If the information is serious enough to need to remain confidential, then again I'd leave it out. Hopefully, your personal statement is full of many other reasons to be accepted onto your chosen course.
What do you think adding that information will add to your application? and perhaps, what might it detract from your application.
You need to decide if the information will be received positively or negatively. In my personal opinion, I'd leave it out. It might be something that you can bring up later on, or at an interview if they ask you about your personal experiences. If the information is serious enough to need to remain confidential, then again I'd leave it out. Hopefully, your personal statement is full of many other reasons to be accepted onto your chosen course.
Original post by SZ159
So I am applying for Law and am considering mentioning something very confidential in my personal statement.
Both my parents had involvement in a court case because of something they did years ago, I was unaware of this. They didn’t do anything ‘criminal’ but had a misunderstanding of something and did something that isn’t favoured by the law, it isn’t anything that results in jail time or anything but again something not favoured by the law. The case ended up impacting me, obviously I wasn’t at fault. However I had to defend my parents in court by writing a statement to the judge and doing a speech in front of a judge. I was 15 at the time. We lost the case however the Judge did commend my argument and speech in his final statement. Is it worth writing two or three lines about this in my PS? Because I have actually been in an actual court case that involved me, I believe it is good experience and has given me good skills just from being in that environment which are useful for Law. Or is this too confidential to include? Any advice will be appreciated
Both my parents had involvement in a court case because of something they did years ago, I was unaware of this. They didn’t do anything ‘criminal’ but had a misunderstanding of something and did something that isn’t favoured by the law, it isn’t anything that results in jail time or anything but again something not favoured by the law. The case ended up impacting me, obviously I wasn’t at fault. However I had to defend my parents in court by writing a statement to the judge and doing a speech in front of a judge. I was 15 at the time. We lost the case however the Judge did commend my argument and speech in his final statement. Is it worth writing two or three lines about this in my PS? Because I have actually been in an actual court case that involved me, I believe it is good experience and has given me good skills just from being in that environment which are useful for Law. Or is this too confidential to include? Any advice will be appreciated
I've merged this with your previous thread on this question. Please look at the whole thread
Original post by SZ159
We lost the case however the Judge did commend my argument and speech in his final statement. Is it worth writing two or three lines about this in my PS? Because I have actually been in an actual court case that involved me, I believe it is good experience and has given me good skills just from being in that environment which are useful for Law.
You seem like you really do want to include it but the admissions staff will probably assume the judge was being nice as you were only 15 and trying hard to help your parents rather than that you jumped out as the greatest orator since Churchill.
You can introduce it as the event that sparked your interest in studying law but please keep it brief as there are more relevant things to include.
Original post by SZ159
So I am applying for Law and am considering mentioning something very confidential in my personal statement.
Both my parents had involvement in a court case because of something they did years ago, I was unaware of this. They didn’t do anything ‘criminal’ but had a misunderstanding of something and did something that isn’t favoured by the law, it isn’t anything that results in jail time or anything but again something not favoured by the law. The case ended up impacting me, obviously I wasn’t at fault. However I had to defend my parents in court by writing a statement to the judge and doing a speech in front of a judge. I was 15 at the time. We lost the case however the Judge did commend my argument and speech in his final statement. Is it worth writing two or three lines about this in my PS? Because I have actually been in an actual court case that involved me, I believe it is good experience and has given me good skills just from being in that environment which are useful for Law. Or is this too confidential to include? Any advice will be appreciated
Both my parents had involvement in a court case because of something they did years ago, I was unaware of this. They didn’t do anything ‘criminal’ but had a misunderstanding of something and did something that isn’t favoured by the law, it isn’t anything that results in jail time or anything but again something not favoured by the law. The case ended up impacting me, obviously I wasn’t at fault. However I had to defend my parents in court by writing a statement to the judge and doing a speech in front of a judge. I was 15 at the time. We lost the case however the Judge did commend my argument and speech in his final statement. Is it worth writing two or three lines about this in my PS? Because I have actually been in an actual court case that involved me, I believe it is good experience and has given me good skills just from being in that environment which are useful for Law. Or is this too confidential to include? Any advice will be appreciated
I personally wouldn't include this in my PS. I don't see how if makes you a good candidate for doing law. If it's something that influenced your decisions study law, you could mention it in your interview, but I don't see the purpose of putting it in your statement (partly because of how long it would take to actually explain why you were giving a stamen in court).
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