10 Personal Statement Blunders: #10--Going Overboard with the Thesaurus

At Bowen, the personal statement is a very important component of the application. It can often make the difference between admission and denial. Thus, on each of the next 10 days I'm going to share with you one of my Top 10 personal statement blunders.

Today's blunder: #10--Going Overboard with the Thesaurus

• Gratuitous effectuation of abstruse and recondite nomenclature will engender the choler of the functionary duly consigned to peruse your missive.
• Use “everyday” vocabulary. The quality of your personal statement will not be judged based on the number of “12-letter words” you use.
• Use legal terminology only when absolutely necessary.

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Interested in meeting Bowen students, sitting in on a class or touring the school? If so, attend our Pre-Law Visitation Day on November 14, 2008. RSVP with Pat Martin at pamartin@ualr.edu.

10 Personal Statement Blunders: #9--Trying Too Hard to be Clever

At Bowen, the personal statement is a very important component of the application. It can often make the difference between admission and denial. Thus, on each of the next 10 days I'm going to share with you one of my Top 10 personal statement blunders.

Today's blunder: #9--Trying Too Hard to be Clever

• There is a fine line between cleverness and annoyance.
• Most attempts at humor don’t go over well. Remember, the personal statement is a formal document.
• Your statement should not take an alternative form (e.g. legal brief, poem, multimedia presentation).
• Stand out by telling your story, not by employing gimmicks.

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Interested in meeting Bowen students, sitting in on a class or touring the school? If so, attend our Pre-Law Visitation Day on November 14, 2008. RSVP with Pat Martin at pamartin@ualr.edu.

Applicant Question: I'm retaking the LSAT in Dec. Realistically, what's the most I can improve?

According to the LSAC, the average improvement upon retake of the LSAT is fairly nominal, not quite 3 points. Some scores actually decrease. But I have seen incidents of 15 or even 20 point improvements. These improvements are by no means typical and should not be expected. When evaluating your realistic chances of improvement on the LSAT, you should analyze three main factors: 1) your first score; 2) your level of preparation for the second test as compared to the first; and 3) circumstances surrounding your taking the first test.

Statistics show that the lower a person's score on the LSAT, the greater the possibility that the person will improve if the test is retaken. It's the age-old phenomenological concept called "regression to the mean". Thus, as a general rule, a test-taker with an initial score of 130 should show greater improvement than a test-taker with an initial score of 160.

Because the LSAT is a skills-based test, lack of preparation can be debilitating to a person's chances of realizing his or her full potential on the test. Thus, a markedly higher level of preparation for the second test increases your chances of improvement.

Lastly, to the chagrin of many unfortunate test-takers, "life happens" on test day-the car breaks down, a nasty virus decides to infect you, tragedy befalls, etc. Significant hassles on test day can negatively affect your test performance. Thus, if there is a tangible event to which you can attribute significant blame for your bad performance, chances are your score will improve on retake. But be careful not to blame a bad performance on innocuous inconveniences. Having a hard time finding your keys on the morning of the test probably had no effect on your performance if it took you only 10 minutes to find them; if it took an hour, that may be another story.

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Interested in meeting Bowen students, sitting in on a class or touring the school? If so, attend our Pre-Law Visitation Day on November 14, 2008. RSVP with Pat Martin at pamartin@ualr.edu.

10 Personal Statement Blunders: #8--Engaging in Cliche'

At Bowen, the personal statement is a very important component of the application. It can often make the difference between admission and denial. Thus, on each of the next 10 days I'm going to share with you one of my Top 10 personal statement blunders.

Today's blunder: #8--Engaging in Cliche'

• Be wary of using popular quotes, poems, and expressions in your statement.
• Provide a basis for compliments. While we like to be lauded as much as the next school, we want to know that your compliments are sincere and not mere attempts at flattery. So if you're inclined to tell us how wonderful we are, also tell us what factors prompt you to feel this way.
• For the record, everybody has wanted to be a lawyer since they were (insert amazingly young age here). Thus, this proclamation is indeed a cliche'--albeit somewhat endearing.

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Interested in meeting Bowen students, sitting in on a class or touring the school? If so, attend our Pre-Law Visitation Day on November 14, 2008. RSVP with Pat Martin at pamartin@ualr.edu.

10 Personal Statement Blunders: #7--Discussing Politics or Controversial Topics

At Bowen, the personal statement is a very important component of the application. It can often make the difference between admission and denial. Thus, on each of the next 10 days I'm going to share with you one of my Top 10 personal statement blunders.

Today's blunder: #7--Discussing Politics or Controversial Topics

• Your personal statement should not take the form of a position paper.
• You should refrain from discussing overtly political or controversial moral issues.
• It is OK to reference relevant work or volunteer experiences that may signal political or religious affiliations.

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Interested in meeting Bowen students, sitting in on a class or touring the school? If so, attend our Pre-Law Visitation Day on November 14, 2008. RSVP with Pat Martin at pamartin@ualr.edu.

10 Personal Statement Blunders: #6--Submitting Poorly Written Statements

At Bowen, the personal statement is a very important component of the application. It can often make the difference between admission and denial. Thus, on each of the next 10 days I'm going to share with you one of my Top 10 personal statement blunders.

Today's blunder: #6--Submitting Poorly Written Statements

• The personal statement is a formal writing sample.
• The statement should be organized, grammatically sound, and free of misspelled words.
• Do not use contractions or other forms of informal language.
• Ask persons whom you trust to proofread your statement and provide feedback.
• Your statement should go through multiple (at least 5) drafts before being submitted.

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Interested in meeting Bowen students, sitting in on a class or touring the school? If so, attend our Pre-Law Visitation Day on November 14, 2008. RSVP with Pat Martin at pamartin@ualr.edu.

10 Personal Statement Blunders: #5--Rehashing the Resume

At Bowen, the personal statement is a very important component of the application. It can often make the difference between admission and denial. Thus, on each of the next 10 days I'm going to share with you one of my Top 10 personal statement blunders.

Today's blunder: #5--Rehashing the Resume

• Personal statements based primarily on resumes typically lack the depth of information required to be compelling.
• While the resume typically discusses the past, the personal statement should encompass the past, present, and future.
• To the extent feasible, introduce “new” information in your personal statement.
• It is OK to elaborate on one or two relevant and significant resume items.

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Interested in meeting Bowen students, sitting in on a class or touring the school? If so, attend our Pre-Law Visitation Day on November 14, 2008. RSVP with Pat Martin at pamartin@ualr.edu.

10 Personal Statement Blunders: #4--Violating Page (or Word) Limits

At Bowen, the personal statement is a very important component of the application. It can often make the difference between admission and denial. Thus, on each of the next 10 days I'm going to share with you one of my Top 10 personal statement blunders.

Today's blunder: #4--Violating Page (or Word) Limits

• Limits on the the number of pages and words in a personal statement aren't arbitrary in nature; they are set for a reason.
• At Bowen, we request no more than 2 pages (or roughly 1000 words).
• Non-adherence can reflect negatively on your ability to interpret instructions.
• The “small font” trick doesn’t work. Use 12-point, Times New Roman font (or something equivalent).
  

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Interested in meeting Bowen students, sitting in on a class or touring the school? If so, attend our Pre-Law Visitation Day on November 14, 2008. RSVP with Pat Martin at pamartin@ualr.edu.

10 Personal Statement Blunders: #3--Submitting Life Stories

At Bowen, the personal statement is a very important component of the application. It can often make the difference between admission and denial. Thus, on each of the next 10 days I'm going to share with you one of my Top 10 personal statement blunders.

Today's blunder: #3--Submitting Life Stories

• An effective personal statement may read like a life story, but it shouldn't amount to an autobiography.
• It is not necessary or advisable for you to discuss every major life experience. You should discuss only those events that inspire or prepare you to study law.
• Your statement should be compelling, yet concise.

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Interested in meeting Bowen students, sitting in on a class or touring the school? If so, attend our Pre-Law Visitation Day on November 14, 2008. RSVP with Pat Martin at pamartin@ualr.edu.

10 Personal Statement Blunders: #2--Making Too Many Excuses

At Bowen, the personal statement is a very important component of the application. It can often make the difference between admission and denial. Thus, on each of the next 10 days I'm going to share with you one of my Top 10 personal statement blunders.

Today's blunder: #2--Making Too Many Excuses

• Highlight your ACHIEVEMENTS not your FAILINGS!!
• Only significant and/or life-altering excuses should be discussed.
• Do not harp on any excuse—even if valid.
• “I didn’t study for the LSAT because I was taking a full-load of classes and working” is NOT a good excuse. Law school will be at least as demanding.

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Interested in meeting Bowen students, sitting in on a class or touring the school? If so, attend our Pre-Law Visitation Day on November 14, 2008. RSVP with Pat Martin at pamartin@ualr.edu.

10 Personal Statement Blunders: #1--Forgetting to Personalize

At Bowen, the personal statement is a very important component of the application. It can often make the difference between admission and denial. Thus, on each of the next 10 days I'm going to share with you one of my Top 10 personal statement blunders.

Today's blunder: #1--Forgetting to Personalize

• The personal statement should be about you, your accomplishments, your motivations, and your goals.
• Discuss the qualities you bring to the table and what you expect to gain from study at Bowen.
• Discuss those things about Bowen that interest you. We would much rather fill our classes with people who have specific interest in our school, rather than people who are merely "school shopping." So make sure you tell us, "Why Bowen?"
• Remember that a little humility can be endearing. Even if you are perfect in every way, you don't have to flaunt it!! :-)

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Interested in meeting Bowen students, sitting in on a class or touring the school? If so, attend our Pre-Law Visitation Day on November 14, 2008. RSVP with Pat Martin at pamartin@ualr.edu or 501.683.4882.

SCHOLARSHIPS at Bowen

The Bowen School of Law automatically considers all admitted applicants for three scholarships: Bowen, Merit, and Non-resident:Bowen Scholarships cover full tuition and fees for up to 90 credit hours. Recipients will have exceptional academic credentials, strong LSAT scores, and demonstrated leadership qualities.

Bowen Scholars exhibit the abilities to excel in the classroom while also taking active roles as leaders within the law school community.

Merit Scholarships may be awarded in an amount up to $7,000 for up to 90 credit hours. These scholarships are awarded based on an array of factors, including academic achievement, LSAT scores, diversity, and quality of application materials. Personal statements are critical to the selection of Merit Scholarship recipients.

Non-resident Scholarships are awarded in an amount that allows recipients to pay the resident tuition rate during their first year of study. All admitted, first-time enrolled applicants who are not Arkansas residents are eligible for the scholarships. The basis of the awards is our belief that these applicants will enrich the educational environment of the Bowen School of Law and bring with them a diversity of experience.

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Interested in meeting Bowen students, sitting in on a class or touring the school? If so, attend our Pre-Law Visitation Day on November 14, 2008. RSVP with Pat Martin at pamartin@ualr.edu or 501.683.4882.