[Column] Law school self-introduction

As someone who has experience reviewing and commenting on over 50 self-introductions at a law school admissions academy last year, and based on advice I received from my advisor while attending law school, I would like to introduce some tips that will help you write a self-introduction.

First, the self-introduction is a key document that evaluates the two factors of a law school applicant: character and intelligence. It is evaluated whether the applicant has the ‘character’ to be able to examine not only himself but also his surroundings, and the ‘intellect’ to have the expertise and ability to provide appropriate legal advice as a lawyer. To put it more directly, it means checking whether you are a selfish person that only you know and whether you have the basic qualifications to pass the bar exam in three years. Therefore, when answering each question in your self-introduction, please first think about which of the two factors above is being evaluated.

Second, when writing your motivation for applying, it is a good idea to clearly state why you applied to the law school in question. By emphasizing the strengths of the law school, such as specialized content, recommendations from seniors, excellent faculty, high bar exam passing rate, systematic curriculum, and various scholarship benefits, you can clearly convey the motivation for applying and at the same time appeal to compatibility with the law school.

Third, in the shortcomings section, it is a good idea to write down elements that can be interpreted as advantages in other aspects (ex. perfectionism, etc.). Also, be sure to mention that you are clearly aware of these shortcomings and that you will make some efforts now or in the future to improve them. So, if you can convince the evaluator that such shortcomings will not be a problem at all in your future law school life and preparation for the bar exam, it will be a great success.

Fourth, regarding your academic plan after entering law school, above all, make it clear that you will faithfully complete the curriculum provided by the school, and that you will make up for any shortcomings through online lectures, etc., so that completing the law school curriculum and preparing for the bar exam become one. In fact, after entering law school, there are students who neglect school classes and only listen to online academy lectures to prepare for the bar exam. If you mention the above in your study plan in advance, you will definitely make a good impression.

Fifth, the section on subjects completed and grades during undergraduate school is intended to evaluate the intellectual aspect of the applicant in earnest. Here, you can appeal that you have prior experience taking law courses, that you have passed a certification exam that includes law courses, or that your grades in law courses were particularly excellent. However, even if you do not have any law-related history as above, you can honestly describe what you experienced while studying your major subject, for example, if you have improved your grade by retaking a course, why you got a bad grade the first time, what improvements you made that resulted in your grade going up when you retook the course, and how you will apply what you learned in law school. There is no need to focus on studying the law in advance while preparing for the patent attorney, certified labor attorney, or first exam of the public administration exam.

Sixth, volunteer activities and non-academic participation activities are evaluated for personality aspects. You must appeal through specific episodes about how you demonstrated and developed cooperation, consideration, and leadership. It is much better to emphasize the impressions and lessons learned from your specific experiences rather than simply listing general details such as having done these activities.

Seventh, regarding the formal aspect, even if it was an answer to a single question, it was much better to see it written in a separate table of contents.

To the author who has read many self-introductions, in the end, a well-written self-introduction is one that naturally reveals the person's personality, values, and thoughts within the person's specific experiences. Even though we took the same classes and participated in the same club activities, the content and impressions we received were all different. Keep in mind that any experience can be the subject of your self-introduction, and try to include specific episodes rather than general abstractions as much as possible. We support the future of all students preparing to enter law school and wish them successful law school admission.

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