University of Maryland Francis King Carey School of Law

Personal Statement

Required · 750 words

Lawyers are routinely asked to engage critical analytical skills during moments of stress or engagement across difference. The ability to remain level-headed in the face of adversity is one essential lawyering skill. So too are leadership, resilience, determination, familiarity with diverse constituencies, and adaptability to change. While law school will provide you with training in all of these areas, our most successful applicants bring to their legal education some prior experience in one or more of them. To help us gain a fuller sense of who you are as a person, you are required to submit a personal statement. Applicants are required to submit a personal statement. We recommend that you use the personal statement to present to the Admissions Committee information and perspectives regarding your background, experience, special circumstances and interests that you believe will help the Committee understand your unique story. In addition, the statement should address why you are interested in obtaining a law degree and, more specifically, why you are interested in attending the University of Maryland Francis King Carey School of Law. The personal statement should be no longer than 750 words, double-spaced, and must be typed and not hand-written. Upload your personal statement as an attachment to the application form.

Source: Maryland Carey Law — First-Year JD Applicants

Optional Essay

250 words

Applicants are invited to complete one (and only one) of the optional essay prompts below. In responding to a prompt, please keep in mind that what you contributed to or took away from any experience is far more important to us than the experience itself. Your optional essay should be no longer than 250 words, double-spaced, and must be typed and not hand-written. Please title your document with the option you select. Upload any submission as an attachment to the application form. Option 1: Members of the Maryland Carey Law community make a difference in the world in ways big and small. We encourage our students and alumni to make their corner of the world a bit brighter through leadership and innovation. Describe one of your most important accomplishments and explain why it is important to you. Discuss how you demonstrated leadership, helped innovate, and/or drove change as part of that accomplishment. Option 2: The Law School values determination and resilience and recognizes that these traits are critical to success not just in law school, but also in the legal profession. Describe a significant challenge, disappointment, or setback that you faced. Discuss how you approached this experience and what you learned from it. Option 3: To succeed at the Law School and in the legal profession, you must be able to have respectful discussions across differences and, where appropriate, be open to changing your mind. Describe a time when you changed your mind on an important topic after discussing it with a person with whom you disagreed or after learning additional information. Discuss what you learned from this experience. Option 4: Maryland Carey Law has a strong sense of community and a longstanding tradition of public engagement. Our students and graduates are committed in rich and varied ways to public service and community engagement. Describe a community that has been particularly meaningful to you. Discuss what you gain from being a part of this community and what you contribute to this community.

Source: Maryland Carey Law — First-Year JD Applicants

Résumé

Required

Résumé: Submit a résumé or curriculum vitae detailing your education, employment, skills, honors, awards, and accomplishments. Upload your résumé as an attachment to the application form.

Source: Maryland Carey Law — First-Year JD Applicants

Application deadlines

We haven't re-verified this school's current-cycle deadlines yet, so none are published here. Check the school's own admissions page for dates.