YOU’RE THE MAIN CHARACTER: Becoming LawyHer Podcast Episode 3

“Sometimes unique is a little overrated,” says Harvard Law School Dean of Admissions, Kristi Jobson. When it comes to the personal statement, applicants often find themselves struggling with trying to craft the “perfect” narrative. “How can I stand out?” is probably a question many of you find yourselves asking as you navigate the written statement portion of your application. 

In the third episode of our Becoming LawyHer podcast, Hadiyah and Dean Jobson talk through the heart of Harvard Law School’s application: the statement of perspective and the statement of purpose. Dean Jobson emphasizes a few key points to consider when engaging with the prompts. 

Firstly, applicants should look at these written statements as an opportunity to reflect and look forward to their journey into the legal profession. The statement of purpose asks “Where are you going?” Whereas the statement of perspective asks “Who are you?” and “Who will you be?” Ideally, admissions officers want to see thoughtfulness in your application and they want to get a sense of your “why law”  as they are piecing together your entire application. 

Secondly, Dean Jobson emphasizes that it’s important to be authentic in your writing. You shouldn’t feel pressured to write a narrative that you think admission officers want to hear. Yes, we understand that you want to be unique and that you want to stand out, but “no one’s looking for unique” (1:01:34).

Lastly, it’s okay to not have your vision of your career fully formed. No one is asking you to commit to a specific practice in your personal statement. Again, these written statements are designed to tell admissions officers about who you are, what excites you about law, and what law school makes sense for YOU. As Dean Jobson excitedly remarks,  “You're the main character! We want to know more about the main character and protagonist of this application.” (28:14)

Throughout the rest of the episode, you’ll hear Dean Jobson and Hadiyah delve into other key aspects of your application. For example, what does the statement of perspective look like post SFFA v. Harvard? What does a “holistic” review look like at Harvard? Are Law schools using AI to process your application? How should you prepare for an interview with Harvard?

Episode 3 places a special emphasis on getting to know you and your story through different components in the application. Don’t miss out on the opportunity to share a little more about yourself— take this as a sign that you should write that not-so-optional optional statement for that school you’re thinking about. Seriously, we hope that when you tune in, you’ll find comfort in knowing that it pays off to be authentic throughout your application and that law school admissions is not a quest for unicorns (1:02:27).

Clearly, we have something against unicorns in admissions…

Listen to Becoming LawyHer on YouTube, Apple Podcasts and Spotify--or listen wherever you stream your favorite podcasts!