Resumes and Personal Statements for Law School Applications

1. Resumes and Personal Statements for Law School Applications Frances P. Bernat, JD, PhD School of Criminology and Criminal Justice Arizona State University

2. Resumes • Organize your history by subject matter • Education, work history, awards, etc • Use basic print and style; don’t be fancy • Use Times New Roman, 12 font, 1 inch margins • Make sure you prioritize your history • Put most important items at the top

3. Arizona State Universityhttp://www.law.asu.edu/?id=24#regular • RésuméApplicants are required to submit a descriptive résumé of no more than three typed pages. Please include details about your educational background, honor societies, scholarships, work history, military service, extracurricular activities, public/community service, honors and awards, publications, foreign language proficiencies, and any other significant achievements and involvements. As to work history, include a complete and chronological list of positions (including organization name, phone number, dates of employment, and hours worked).

4. Common Résumé Items Name and contact information Education Experience Awards and Honors Foreign Language Travel Publications Community/ Volunteer Service Student Activities/ Student Organizations Organizational Memberships Military History Other items that relate to you?

5. Personal Statements Answer the law school’s prompt Write as much as you can, initially Edit and rewrite your statement Make sure that your statement is an accurate reflection of your ideas, history or values Edit and rewrite your statement to be tailored to the individual school you want to attend Make sure it reflects information in resume Submit the statement with correct law school application

6. Arizona State Universityhttp://www.law.asu.edu/?id=24#process • Personal StatementOne of the goals of the Admissions Committee when making decisions is to admit a diverse student body that will contribute to a dynamic, interesting learning environment. Academic background and strength of performance, though important, are not the only criteria evaluated in the application process. For this reason, a personal statement, written by you and no longer than three double-spaced, typed pages, is required as part of the application. In this statement we seek information about you. Statements about law in general or law and society will not be useful. The statement should illustrate the life experiences and talents that make you unique. You are invited to write about significant obstacles that you have overcome and events in your life that influence your perspective.

7. University of Arizonahttp://www.law.arizona.edu/Admissions/apply.cfm?page=ps&link=1 • 2. Personal Statement   The College of Law is particularly interested in students who, by virtue of their background and experience, will bring diverse interests and perspectives to the student body. The principal vehicle for describing those varied educational, life and work experiences is through the personal statement, required as part of the application. Your personal statement should be a typed, concise and well-written document of two to three pages single spaced. There is no page limit; all materials submitted are reviewed.  The personal statement should tell your "story".  It must be your written work.    It should demonstrate your writing ability and highlight your unique characteristics and personal qualities, including educational and work experiences, talents and special interests, cultural and economic background, involvement in community affairs and public service, or any events or circumstances that have helped shape your life or given it direction.

8. Arizona State Universityhttp://www.law.asu.edu/?id=24#regular • Supplemental Statements - Optional • Some students may wish to address deficiencies in their academic history or performance on standardized tests. This should be done in a separate addenda, and should not exceed one double-spaced, typed page.