The time it takes to write a personal statement can vary depending on several factors, including how much preparation you have done and your writing skills. On average, it can take several weeks to produce a polished personal statement.
The basic format of a law school personal statement is a double-spaced essay with 1-inch margins. You should use a standard font in size 11 or 12, like Times New Roman, Calibri, Cambria, or Arial. You can also use standard Google fonts with a similar aesthetic, like Roboto.
Tutors want to hear an account in your own words of those books and features of literature that you found most enjoyable. But, while you might want to try and think outside the box by picking a more unusual novelist or poem, don't be obscure just for the sake of it.
For books, you could give an overall opinion or mention a specific idea from within the book and argue for/against it, for example. It's also a good idea to describe how one thing led you to another – try to tell a story and keep it engaging.
Your opening should grab the reader's attention and set the tone for your story. Consider starting with an anecdote, a surprising fact about yourself, or a pivotal moment that sparked a passion or interest. This not only makes your statement engaging but also personalizes it from the start.
How to Write a Personal Statement The New Yorker Magazine Joan Didion's essays Tina Fey's memoir, BossyPants When Breath Becomes Air, by Paul Kalinithi The historical travel writing of Sarah Vowell A Walk in the Woods by Bill Bryson Into Thin Air or Into the Wild by John Krakauer Zeitoun, by Dave Eggers
You can refer to as many books as you like but make sure that they all have a purpose. For example, you might have read one book that really interests you to a particular part of the course you applied and you then read another to explore it further.
9 Important Personal Statement Tips for Law School Applicants Tip 1: Focus on you. Tip 2: Brainstorm broadly. Tip 3: Be genuine. Tip 4: Just write. Tip 5: Remember your “why” ... Tip 6: Be specific. Tip 7: Grab our attention. Tip 8: Know what makes the school tick.
For the personal statement, you don't have to read the whole book, just referencing certain chapters and bits that interested you is fine. If you're lucky enough to get an Oxbridge interview - READ THE BOOKS!!!