Law Personal Statement Example 29

It was undoubtedly a courtship.

As a child, law caught my eye, shimmering glamorously in dramas and newspapers, piquing my interest. Lawyers outfoxed their opponents in dazzling displays of ingenuity, showcasing astute and discerning methods of legal enquiry. It wooed me, inviting me to look past the shiny outfits, past Hollywood. I realised how the structure of society depends on its solid foundation, how essential the legal system is, how it breathes and moves like a living creature, changing and evolving with the times. It was a courtship. And law won my heart.

I want to be part of that process, to think critically, to be on the front lines of the battle for positive change. Law allows me to hone my reasoning ability, to articulate my views in an eloquent manner. Its multi-disciplinary format allows for a marriage of the objectivity and hard empiricism of the sciences, and the arts' exploration of social behaviour.

The subjects I take help me develop key skils. Mathematics is the purest language of logic. Coupled with the emphasis on critical thinking and investigative methods in knowledge and inquiry, they reinforce the need for clear, concise and sound reasoning, paying close attention to detail. The study of literature and economics has taught me to look at issues from multiple perspectives and to examine each angle carefully before taking a stand. The development of these skills have enabled me to have a varied and comprehensive assessment of any issue.

I studied in the Gifted Education Programme, which admits the top 1% of the national cohort, from 1999-2005. The programme required of us an annual research project. Thus, from a young age, I have cultivated the self-discipline and self-motivation to work independently. At the A Levels, I proved this in the undertaking of two research essays: literature at H3 level and knowledge and inquiry.

Basketball was an integral part of my life for seven years as I played competitively for schools and clubs. In 2000, I tore a knee ligament and underwent six months of agonising rehabilitation, only to tear it again during my national semi-finals in 2001, along with the anterior cruciate ligament. The doctors said it would never heal; my heart was broken.

I mourned. It was not just the physical pain and hardship, it was the loss of self, the wavering sense of identity. During that period, a friend advised: "Do something incredibly different. Plunge in the deep end. Grow."

So I enrolled myself in an alien environment. I joined the Debating Club and represented my school in the national competition. In Drama Club, I was appointed student director and learnt invaluable lessons about social interaction and that the devil is in the details. I was one of twenty-five to represent my school in the prestigious Pre-University and Temasek Seminars, as well as part of the thirteen school presenters at the Knowledge and Inquiry Symposium. These activities were not at the expense of my academic duties, and I earned a book prize for topping the cohort in Literature.

I look forward to meeting and accomplishing the challenges of further education, knowing that I am equipped with the skills necessary to be a competent lawyer and individual.