Example of Law School Admission Essay – Application Essays
The determination and perseverance that I have developed throughout the past four years of college have significantly shaped the course of my life. Throughout high school I was never particularly motivated in school. I received average grades and struggled through
the obstacles that I encountered in my classes, finishing high school still not remarkably motivated.
I went on to the University of Arizona where I was
completely undecided about what I wanted to study. I initially thought that psychology would be an exciting and interesting major, however this proved to be wrong after experiencing my first few classes. As I explored my options I determined that I had an enormous amount of interest in law. I subsequently pursued this direction by changing my focus to political science and declared it my major. For the first time in my academic life I felt focused and challenged by school. I actually enjoyed attending class. The subject matter and the related research filled a void that gave me a direction in life. I had never been so excited and driven to be successful in my life.
My research about law school options pointed out that there would be many obstacles that I would need to overcome in order to be accepted. I realized that I would need excellent grades and that if I wanted to attend a leading law school that I should transfer to a school more compatible with my major. Thus, I strived to transfer to the University of Southern California where political science is a dominant and respected major. Throughout the next two years of college I worked extremely hard to try to achieve this goal. I took the maximum amount of units each semester, working diligently in order to be accepted to this prestigious school. I excelled in my tests and research papers, and was rewarded with excellent grades in my subsequent semesters. My determination to persevere and succeed onto USC gave me the motivation to raise my grades and excel in everything I did, including achieving my goal of being accepted to USC.
Upon my acceptance into the University of Southern California I was extremely nervous about the change of environment. When I say environment I don’t mean a new location, I mean a completely different spectrum of intellectuals. USC was like no other school I had been to before. It was an intellectual challenge that I was not used to and I initially felt uncomfortable. In the beginning of my transition I perceived everyone around me to be smarter than I and I was embarrassed to speak in class. The classes were quite different, the teachers were intellectually challenging, and the student’s intensity and dedication was intimidating. I struggled and continued to tell myself that I was just like them. I mean I did get into the same school they did right? Through my determination to succeed I was able to overcome this fear and excel at this school as well. After completion of my first semester at USC I did better than I had done in my entire academic life. My ability to conquer my fear of failing and transforming it into my ability to succeed in school ultimately led to my success as a student.
In addition to my academic achievements I felt that related work experience would be helpful in broadening my understanding of the law. I applied for and was accepted as an intern at the LA District Attorney’s office where I worked with the attorneys in organizing evidence and assisting them in preparing for trial. This experience further enhanced my understanding of the legal process and reinforced my commitment to become a lawyer.
As I previously stated, school was never my focus. However, now that I have succeeded both at the University of Arizona and USC I know that I can succeed in law school as well. I am confident that the determination and perseverance that I developed throughout my college experience will enable me to excel in both law school and the legal profession.