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Cracking the Statement of Purpose (SOP)

Updated: Jul 10, 2020

The statement of purpose (SOP), or the personal essay as it is often called, is the most critical component of the LLM application for several reasons: it gives character to your application and allows the admissions committee to get a glimpse of the real you; it gives you an opportunity to exhibit your writing skills, which most law school consider of primary important for lawyers; and gives you the chance to set yourself apart from the large pool of applicants. Arguably, a good LLM application hinges on a good SOP. On the other hand, a weak SOP has the potential to sink an otherwise good applicant with strong credentials. For these reasons, and the fact that telling your story within the confines of a strict word limit is challenging in itself, the SOP is also the most time-consuming component. In my opinion, a strong SOP cannot be written overnight or in a time crunch. As any good piece of writing, it requires long hours of brainstorming, mind mapping and careful editing.

Having been through the challenging process of writing a SOP when I was applying for my LLM, I’ll distill some vital tips I learnt in the process. It would have been helpful to have known some of this information before-hand and so I hope this benefits another LLM aspirant reading this. Some pointers are as follows.

1. Avoid clichés and repetitions

Very often we construct in our minds what we believe law schools want to read in LLM applications and use clichés to cater to that. However, it is important to keep in mind that law schools most primarily want you to your honest self in a SOP. Exaggerating personal stories or using dramatic quotes only eats into word capacity, which could otherwise used for better content. Such clichés and repetitions, as neat as they might sound, are exemplary writing tools for a SOP. The key is to present an honest account of your experiences and learning in crisp language. Some applicants tend to forget that law school admissions committees have years of experience evaluating applications and a keen eye for disingenuousness, and even a whiff of dishonesty can lead to an application being discarded.

Very often I also come across applicants who misrepresent, or falsify, their interests and reasons for pursuing the career path because they believe law schools are looking for particular clichés, qualities or ideas (such as pursuing law for the "passion for justice" for instance). If you are a corporate lawyer and in your essay you say that your reason for being a corporate lawyer is your "passion for justice", you are playing into an obvious cliché, which is easy to see through. There is no one standard or pigeonhole that law schools want applicants to slot into; in fact, admissions committees appreciate unique career paths and diverse skill sets. What they want to see is a clear passion for the area of law you practice whatever that might be and whatever the reasons for your choice might be. There is no right or wrong answer.

2. Bring out your learning and experiences—do not merely repeat what you have done

Many applicants tend to make the mistake of treating their SOPs as a reiteration of their CVs. Given that you are already submitting a CV, there is no value in repeating all the things you have already achieved or experienced. A SOP should, in fact, supplement your CV — speak more about what you learnt from these achievements or experiences and what impact it had on your career and personal growth. It is absolutely acceptable to speak of a moot competition you came in third in rather than a moot competition you came in first if the one you came in third taught you something more than the other. The SOP should be your story of what has shaped you, not just a list of your achievements.

3. State your intent and purpose clearly

The LLM is an academically intense program, and I can speak to my own experience and say that it is quite rigorous. Admissions committees and law school want to know you have the passion it takes to pursue it and pursue it well. Make sure your SOP gives a coherent reason of why you are motivated to pursue an LLM and how the LLM will add to your career goals. Do an in-depth research on what makes the law school (or schools) you are applying to unique and what motivated you to apply to that law school specifically. Keep in mind that “prestige”, “reputation”, “being an ivy league school” are not good enough reasons to choose a law school. Ask yourself these questions when thinking about applying to law schools: what is so unique about this law school? Is there a course (or two or three) that really catch my eye and would benefit me? Is there a clinic LLMs are allowed to participate, which aligns with my interest? What makes this school and their approach a good fit for me? And then, put pen to paper. Or, get typing.

4. Don’t use another SOP as a guide

Many applicants tend to ask others for their SOPs (past or present), and believe it would be a good start point for their own SOPs. In my opinion, however, there could not be a more fatal mistake. Reading another SOP tends to color your thinking process and vision and clouds your originality. Subconsciously, trends or words from the SOP you have read will find their way into your own even if you try to resist it. Remember that a SOP is built on a person's individual experiences and learning. It cannot be standardized, and and emulating another SOP makes yours look less genuine. When I say this, I don’t mean to say don't send it to colleagues, mentors, friends, family members or advisories for their thoughts and comments. This practice is excellent, in fact, and helps improving the quality of your SOP and brings a fresh perspective.

5. Spend time on it

As mentioned earlier, the SOP is arguably the most important component. Take time with it, and reflect on it. Mull over and map your content. Write and come back to it. Take a few weeks or months — do not rush your writing process — and make sure you map out what you want to include in it before actually getting down to it. Writing is easier, mapping it is hard.

Let your SOP drafting process be a learning experience. Do not try to fit your story or change your story, tell it as it and let it speak for your passion for law. We, at Your LLM Dream, believe with great conviction that these rules are cardinal to the process of writing a SOP. It is for these reasons we like to individualize the LLM application process because we want to help you tell your story. We do not want to tell you what your story is because you know your story best. But, we can help you tell it better and present the best version of yourself in your SOP. We can’t tell you what you’re passionate about, but we can help you bring out your passion on the SOP. Write to us at yourllmdream@gmail.com if you want to build a strong LLM application with us!

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