Law School - Personal Statement

Living only for one's self can be considered self-serving. Toward the end of my high school education, my best friend committed suicide and I was profoundly affected by the notion of living for those who are departed from this life. The event affected me deeply and continues to do so to this day. I took time off from school, despite my high grades, in an attempt to re-evaluate my own life and determine my priorities. I was young, I arguably still am; I was unsure of my own mortality following this traumatizing event and was left wondering how I could possibly manage my way through this deep sadness and sense of loss.

School lacked appeal and my life was in a spiral. Eventually, with the assistance of my devoted and compassionate family, I came to my senses. I knew that my friend would not appreciate my wallowing. She always commented on my strength and determination. She would mention it sadly, as if it was something she strived for but could not attain. By giving in to my depression, I was losing that which she found so mysteriously compelling in my personality; I was losing my sense of self. In order to regain it, I focused on what made me most passionate.

Since I was a young child, I've enjoyed the rules and regulations which maintain the structures of society. More than once, I would debate the point of a timely bedtime with my parents and this liveliness would later play out during class debates as well. Not only did class debates allow me the opportunity to argue a point, it forced me to be able to analyze and interpret situations from a variety of viewpoints in order to most successfully argue against objecting viewpoints. It was invigorating.

In the country of my residency, Australia, it is mandated that students complete two years of undergrad work before applying to law school. Having already taken off some time from school, I am discouraged by the thought of waiting longer to accomplish what I know I was meant to do. I wanted to waste no more time and sought to plunge immediately into the future. So I did that which my mind is naturally programmed to do: I looked for a loophole.

In the United Kingdom, I will be free to pursue my dream of law school right away. While I understand how having a two year window to complete basic coursework can be a benefit to students who are not as certain of what they want to do, I so sure of this aspiration that I have trouble thinking of anything of which I have ever been more certain.

In addition to schooling, which is paramount, I also look forward to working as much as my student visa will allow. While school is my priority, I believe that there is a sense of responsibility that comes from working which is not just a privilege, but quite a necessity in my life.

There are numerous other things that draw me to the United Kingdom. I feel this is a beautiful, magnetic area where I can settle down and build roots, professionally and personally. It also allows me the experience of living in another country, which I find adventurous and enticing all on its own.

Already, I have options available to me when it comes to working. I am looking for work on a part time basis, since this would allow me to live as fully as possible. Through this, I would be embracing all of the rights and responsibilities that a maturing life has to offer me. I have a friend who is a manager at Ikea who has generously offered me a part time position, should I successfully make the move to the United Kingdom. In order to stand on my own, I will need to earn my own education and my own income. Along with this goes a sense of self-satisfaction, knowing I am capable of taking care of myself in the present while simultaneously ensuring a bright and prosperous future.

Ultimately, it is my goal to earn a master's degree and practice law internationally. Organizations such as Amnesty International are particularly compelling as far as establishments where I would ultimately prefer to work. Human rights are some of the most basic, but overlooked, rights in our society and the thought of being able to fight for those who cannot find their voice, such as my dear friend, fills me with a sense of purpose. To narrow the field a bit more, I am particularly passionate about women's rights, especially in parts of the world where being a woman necessitates one settle for a second-class citizen status.

I do not want a law degree in order to simply enjoy a particularly high standard of living, disrespecting the law and all that justice stands for in the world for the sake of a comfortable status in society. Rather, I want to make a real, tangible and noticeable difference for those in need. I want people to rely on me and I want to improve their lives as a result. No matter what, I am determined to speak for those who need assistance.

Some people may see being a lawyer as something negative or derogatory. Can't you, off the top of your head, recall several bad jokes involving lawyers and their immorality? Stereotypes aside, I know those who put their minds to it can accomplish great things through their work and this is what I want the opportunity to attempt.

I do not believe that law school will be my final chapter when it comes to my education or my life. Rather, I see it as a starting point. It offers me the kick start to my life of which I am so desperately in need. It will enable me to do all that I want to and more, not only for myself but for those who have perished before their pursuit could begin.