How Am I Unique? - Continued

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Common Law School Admissions Essay Topics:

Why Law? | How Am I Qualified? | How Am I Unique? | Issue-Based Essays

This applicant offers an in-depth account of a boot-camp experience: "I entered boot camp on June 18, 1989. That day, the Indian child who had chased cows and the American youth who had philosophized about physics died. It is written in the Bhagavad-Gita that in death, the body's attachment to materialism falls away from the soul like a worn garment. So did my delusions of grandeur slip from me." Note how his focus on a single experience can nevertheless convey a great deal about his character, because he has the space to offer concrete details. Depth is almost always preferable to breadth.

Finally, this applicant achieves uniqueness through his writing style. What makes the essay effective is not the specific topics with which he engages the reader, but the playful and inventive thought process he demonstrates: "This personal statement has been looming over me throughout this application process. I find myself unable to overcome the seeming impossibility of this exercise. How can I convey enough of myself in two pages? I act. I sing in the shower. I occasionally reread the collection of comic books I amassed during high school. I enjoy helping people, but I do it for myself. Lately I’ve been dressing a little sharper. I play hockey whenever I can. And I question everything, often in the hopes of effecting a change."

The above examples are meant to show you the boundless ways in which you can offer a unique portrait. It's not necessary to have come from a very diverse background or accomplished something extraordinary. These essays are effective because they offer honest portrayals and are grounded in specific, personal details. Law, although mentioned, is not the focus of any of these essays. In your own essay, you should stay focused on the topic you choose and explore it fully, making a connection back to law only if that seems natural.