Law School Admissions Essay Structures - Continued

by EssayEdge.com - The World's Premier Application Essay Editing Service

Page 4 of 5    Back

Admissions Essay Structure and Outline Categories:

Essay Structures | Sample Outline and Essay
Help on Tackling the Short Essays | Essay Writing Templates

Narratives

At face value, the chronological approach seems great for all parties involved. The writer has the easy job of reconstructing his personal history precisely as it happened; the reader can follow the resulting piece with little effort. It's very possible that a chronological essay will turn out to be ideal for your material if your life unfolded in an order that complements your themes, but you should not feel bound to tell your story in the order in which it happened. Here are some specific pitfalls of which you should be aware:

1. You may be including too much: If you start with "I was born on…" and proceed to recite your life's history, you've probably included a great deal of unnecessary information.

2. Your essay might be boring and monotonous: The most enjoyable essays have a sense of drama, which usually requires a more creative structure. Perhaps the introductory paragraph sets up some problem, and the subsequent paragraphs detail attempts to solve that problem. On the other hand, a chronological structure seems inherently list-like.

3. You show less thought and effort: It's obvious to the reader when an essay has been crafted with care and insight. Chronological essays might seem too effortless if there's no authorial imprint.

4. You separate naturally related points: A thematically structured essay puts related points together and allows them to build upon each other. Unless your life developed along thematic lines, a chronological essay would sacrifice the synergy that juxtaposing these points would create.

That said, a narrative can be the heart of your essay, if you handle it effectively. Below are some tips on how to structure a narrative essay.

1. The Origin: The most common approach is to start from the beginning. Everyone has a story to tell about his or her early interests in medicine, law, etc. This tactic can be an effective way to grab the reader’s attention and offer insight into your fundamental attraction to the field. You should be aware, however, of two concerns: a) it has been done many times before, and if your basic idea is about “realizing the power of medicine” or "learning to face challenges," then you will not stand out; b) most childhood stories revolve around passive observation and therefore offer limited insight into your character and abilities. Despite these concerns, there is still much potential in this approach if you have a compelling, original story to tell—and subsequent experiences that present you in a more active role.