Essay Category:
Essay Question:
Personal statement of 500 words
'As pertaining to the custody of the children,' the judge continued, 'the court
has decided that it would be in the children's best interests if full custody
were henceforth awarded to the mother.'
My mother then uttered a long sigh of relief. Although I was only eight
years old, I knew that I had just witnessed a life-changing decision. My
parents
had officially obtained a divorce. I had undergone a month of attorneys'
interviews, courtroom drama, and private dissertations in the judge's chambers,
so I then knew why my mother had sighed. My father's lawyer (or, as I referred
to him, the angry, loud man) had by far overshadowed my mother's more mellow
attorney, and this fact was reflected in the divorce decree. Aside from a
minimal child support payment and a division of the mutual assets, my mother
received next to nothing for ten loyal years of marriage. As our broken family
relocated to a small, two-bedroom apartment, I searched for someone to blame.
Although I was too young to understand the complicated legal proceedings, I
observed how 'the big, important guy' (the judge) seemed to listen more
attentively to 'the angry loud man.' When I asked my mother the reason for this
inequality, she said something about not having the same resources that my
father
had. So I was convinced that 'the loud, angry man' who wanted a lot of
resources
was the cause of my unhappy situation. For the next year, I repeatedly asked
questions about lawyers. While my peers were still insisting that they were
going to be ninja fighters or ballerinas, I proclaimed my future as a very loud
lawyer that did not require a lot of resources to do a good job.
As I grew and matured, I realized that my childish declaration would
require dedication. To adjust to my new school and family situation, I eased
the
transition with extracurricular activities. I especially became interested in
public-speaking, which was reflected in my growing confidence at school and my
outspoken personality at home. The jump from middle school to high school
shifted my attentions from 4-H debates and school elections to more in-depth
experiences. Sophomore year I discovered a rare opportunity in the Boy Scouts
Law Exploring Post. This group provided first-hand insights into modern law
careers and enabled me to directly experience numerous aspects of legal
medicine.
Enticing lectures from the district attorney, personal interviews with private
lawyers, and observational trips to local courthouses not only furthered my
interest in more popular, romanticized courtroom action, but also expanded my
interests to include the more practical applications of the law.
I have found within myself a passion for understanding and upholding the
institutions by which man attempts to govern himself. One day I hope to be a
productive part of the American justice system without losing touch of how
deeply
my efforts can affect a person's life. So now that I have established a clear
path to my goal, I must gather my resources.
Essay Category:
Essay Question:
Major: Personal statement
Until a few months ago when my family moved, a yellowed picture was taped to the side of the refrigerator. There were coupons stuck over and around it but some crayon scribbles and a signature still peeked through. This picture, drawn in first grade, showed a smiling figure wearing a blue and red cape. The caption read, 'When I grow up, I want to be ________.' Filled in the blank and with backward E's, I had carefully printed 'A SUPERHERO.' Some things have changed since first grade, and some have not: I no longer write with backward E's, but I still intend to save the world. I recognize that this goal cannot be achieved only with optimism and good intentions. Achievement will require comprehensive preparation, wide exposure, well-cultivated contacts, validated moral courage and strong communication and reasoning skills. I hope to improve and develop these abilities at ______ Law. I am interested in public international law, particularly dealing with war, peace, and human rights. My ambition is to be a leader committed to peace and willing to achieve cooperative solutions in international forum. I hope to prepare myself for a career in diplomacy and policymaking, and then help educate the next generation of leaders through teaching and research. [school name] Law offers this opportunity, with great name recognition and leading authorities in the field. I have much to contribute to the ______ Law community: enthusiasm, intellectual curiosity, and a humanistic academic background developed through the Boston College Honors Program. My research skills are well practiced from my current research fellowship position, from a senior thesis on South Africa's nuclear weapons program, and from an internship with the IISS, London. At IISS I helped the Senior Fellow for European Security track the progress of the Common European Security and Defense Policy in becoming a viable instrument, able to work with NATO and promote regional confidence. This was my second summer abroad: in June and July 1999 I studied language, history, society, and politics in Paris as a Presidential Scholar and in Strasbourg at the Council of Europe. I attended the first Council of Europe Summer University, designed to raise awareness of human rights and international law as well as to foster cultural exchange among students from over twenty different nations. I intend to pursue a public service career, and I recently completed the first step - a year as an Americorps VISTA volunteer. My placement was in the U.S. Operations Division of ACCION International, a prominent non-profit microlender with Associates throughout the Americas and Africa. I was responsible for special projects under the Senior Director of Operations, including the development and implementation of a loan-application tracking system, maintenance of network policy and procedure, and ongoing support and computer systems training for the ACCION Associate programs. Through this work, I learned a great deal about development and finance and improved my management and strategic planning abilities. I was also fortunate enough to witness job creation and hard-working small business owners rising from near poverty to middle income. Achieving superhero stature is a challenge, but I have been raised to believe challenges can be overcome and goals achieved through hard work, determination, and positive thinking. My mother always said, 'You WILL succeed' and by believing this, I have. For example, when I began work at ACCION I was asked to learn Microsoft Access programming. At first the task seemed daunting, but after asking many questions of on-line workgroups, experimenting by trial-and-error, and reading help files, I built an extensive impact- and portfolio-tracking database. Another example of positive thinking paying off was my experience with the BC Varsity Fencing Team. I 'walked-on' to the (Div I) team freshman year. With hard word and perseverance I excelled, developing proficiency for independent action within team goals and a 'clutch' ability for success under pressure. In four years, I advanced from a beginner to MVP 2001 and a competitor in the 2001 NCAA National Championships. I was elected captain twice by my teammates, in recognition of my leadership, dedication and work ethic. Thank you for your consideration of my application.
Essay Category:
Essay Question:
General open-ended personal statement.
When an important football game is coming up, a team cant afford to proceed in ignorance of the competition. They have to know which plays will be used against them, as well as what strategies will most effectively lead them to victory. For this reason, teams and coaches spend hours studying footage of their opponents in action. I want to study the law for a similar reason. For me, though, it's not just a game - the stakes are nothing less than my right to marry, to adopt children, to become a foster parent, to serve my country in the armed forces, to teach in public schools, to enjoy freedom from discrimination in housing and employment, and to be physically intimate without being branded a felon. I am a gay American, and the contest I'm talking about is taking place not on the gridiron but in the courtroom. The opponents of gays and lesbians are adept at using the law against us: numerous anti-gay statutes are presently on the books, and scores of new anti-gay bills, referenda, and court verdicts make headlines each year. When I was still years from coming out, for example, I watched in scared silence as the residents of my own hometown, Cincinnati, voted to constitutionally enshrine their 'right' to discriminate against gays. They were spurred on largely by the efforts of legally savvy representatives of the far right, who inflamed their prejudices and raised alarms over the purported 'gay agenda.' This, I would tell them, is my gay agenda: to find a satisfying job in a discrimination-free workplace; to find a loving, committed partner, and get married; to start a family and be a nurturing parent; to be a moral person and a good citizen; to lead a meaningful and happy life - no more, no less. Strangely enough, this is precisely what most heterosexuals want. Yet, somehow, for trying to obtain exactly this, gays and lesbians are accused of 'flaunting' their sexuality, 'recruiting' children, and seeking 'special rights.' Rhetoric and illogic like this help bring about laws such as Cincinnati's aforementioned Issue 3, laws which threaten to prevent me from ever attaining my own American dream. But while my opponents are using the law to attack and persecute, my teammates - gays, lesbians, and supporters - are fighting fire with fire. In 1996, the Supreme Court's blow against discrimination in Romer v. Evans brought hope to at least one closeted Midwestern high school boy. In 1997, although I didn't know it then, pro-gay bills proposed in state legislatures outnumbered anti-gay bills for the first time. And I cheered in 2000 when civil unions became legal in Vermont. As I approach graduation and the 'real world' looms large ahead of me, I am both angered at the remaining legal roadblocks on the way to gay civil equality and thrilled to be coming of age as a gay man at this historic moment, when I might somehow make a difference. This is why I want to study the law. My opponents, whom I will have to face as soon as I enter the adult world, have used the law for decades to keep gays and lesbians from enjoying the opportunity and dignity that every American deserves; no doubt they will continue to run these same plays against us in years to come. But somewhere in that same playbook are the keys to our victory. I just want to be prepared on game day.
Essay Category:
Essay Question:
Major essay: UCLA: Why do you want to attend UCLA? Cornell: Our desire is to learn something that we may not be able to learn from the application. NYU: Complete or clarify responses to the application, additional information, describe important or unusual aspects of yourself not otherwise apparent in the application, tell us what led you to apply. Vanderbilt: Statement of reasons for wishing to study law, special qualifications you have. Additional facts that have bearing on admission.
A LIFETIME OF LEGAL STUDIES My interest in law began early in my education when, in kindergarten, I was introduced to the Torah, the Old Testament, that includes the laws that govern the Jewish people and that are followed by many to this day. I studied the Torah in school and as my Hebrew and Aramaic developed to fluency, I delved more and more into the different legal tractates and interpretations derived from the original five books. I learned about civil law from the Jewish law codes and common law from the rabbinic responsa literature. I learned how to argue my point of view and interpretation of the law, much as attorneys do in court, with the person with whom I had paired off to study law. I continued my Jewish legal studies in seminaries in Jerusalem for two years and at Yeshiva University in New York. Throughout my high school and undergraduate college studies, I studied under a heavy dual curriculum that kept me at my studies from early in the morning until late at night. This dual curriculum - the equivalent of being enrolled in two institutions simultaneously - has prepared me for the rigors of a legal education at Cornell University. At Yeshiva University, I honed my reasoning skills with courses in math, computers, and physics, while trying to round out my education with courses in Spanish and sociology. In the Masterpieces of World Literature course with Dr. Louis Feldman, a renowned expert on Josephus and Philo, I was able to further develop my interest in law. I wrote a paper for him examining the universal nature of law by comparing the Spartan lawgiver Lycurgus with the Jewish lawgiver Moses. This experience also taught me the skill and delight of thorough, original research. The research was included in a series of lectures by Dr. Feldman, and in an article to be published by the Oxford University Press. Business school taught me not only the practical business application and view of American and international law, including a course in jurisprudence, but also the proficiency to deliver prepared presentations on a variety of subjects. This was part of my transition from purely theoretical legal study to the practical. In Communication, I prepared an informative, a descriptive, and a persuasive speech, culminating in a formal debate on the legality of law enforcement racial profiling in the United States. Working for Becker Productions, a small journalism and public relations firm, I developed my writing skill professionally, and continue to do so. I research, proofread, edit, and author articles for the firm. I have shared bylines in several Wisconsin newspapers, starting at the age of thirteen, and have had my photographs published with credit. Knowing that written communication is an important part of the legal process, I applied to work at the Yeshiva College Writing Center, both to help others develop their skills, and to improve my own communication skills. As a tutor for the Writing Center, I was able to help both undergraduate and graduate students in their written communication. One of my most rewarding experiences was helping a Hispanic woman who had gotten her GED and gone on to college to study social work to honor the memory of her murdered son. She'd been ashamed that she hadn't been able to help her son with his schoolwork, and was now working to gain an education. When we sat down together, she was extremely nervous and embarrassed, having to ask for help from someone half her age. Though she lacked confidence in her learning abilities, I was able to develop a rapport with her using my knowledge of Spanish, her first language, thus enabling her to master the skills that she needed to do well in graduate school, and subsequently as a professional social worker. This Hispanic student was one of many students of different national, cultural, and socio-economic backgrounds that I worked with in the Writing Center, much like those I would work with both in pursuit of a legal career, and as a lawyer. I have had the opportunity to travel extensively with my mother, a travel journalist, since I was an infant. I was exposed to a wide variety of cultures both in my world travels and in the multiethnic neighborhood in which I was raised, and am thus able to relate well with people of different backgrounds and nationalities. Because of my dual interest in computers and law, I hope to be able to combine the two disciplines in the nascent field of Internet law and to work in the law school in the researching and drafting of the codes and laws that will pertain to the still uncharted field of cyberlaw. With my knowledge and logic skills, communication skills, and ability and desire to interact and communicate with a diverse group of people, I feel I am well prepared to do well in the study and profession of law, as well as to make a contribution to others. My background and the philosophy of the [insert name of law school], with its interest in diversity and academic rigor, will mesh beautifully, benefiting [law school] and myself.
Essay Category:
Essay Question:
Personal Statement
'Thomas...Michael...Smith!' As the hair on the back of my neck stands at attention; I cringe, paralyzed mid-stride; my chest constricts; it becomes impossible to breath. My thoughts race between the 'choice words' of an eight year old and the decisions of my recent past. In a panic-stricken state I dart through memories, desperate to recall what has invoked my mother's wrath. Only a week before Christmas, I am well aware that Santa is watching and I have been attentive to my every move. I had not recently given myself a haircut, loudly exclaimed my discontent at not receiving a 'potato chip' at church, accidentally removed one of my sister's front teeth, put a hole in a wall, or tried to bathe electronic toys. Although the reason is currently unclear, one thing is certain, I have done something wrong in my mothers eyes and I am in for it! Regardless of what I had done, the high jinks of my youth taught me valuable lessons beyond truths like Teddy Ruxben does not like baths, I have power over dry-wall and only barbers should give children haircuts. I learned how to function within the mini-legal system of my family. Seldom did I have a strong case to plead and appeals were rarely heard. Being the oldest, I could not rely on precedent and I frequently threw myself on the mercy of the court. However, each instance yielded personal growth which slowly manifested itself in self-discipline and a more healthy relationship with my parents. This is my inspiration to study law. I can appreciate the intrinsic value of a law school education and do not feel that it is merely a means to some end. Although a legal education provides many appealing opportunities, a specific career goal is not what guides my interest. In a less scathing lawyer joke, Jerry Seinfeld most accurately expresses my mind-set. He describes life as a huge board game in which lawyers are 'the only ones who have read the inside of the top of the box and know the rules." An education that teaches specifics to be used in a lab does not hold the same value for me as one that offers practical knowledge of how to function and work best within society. My undergraduate major which entails advanced philosophy and sciences has instilled in me a comprehensive picture of the world. Combining classes like organic chemistry and advanced moral problems has challenged me to adopt a unique method of approaching problems and finding solutions. The diverse philosophies I have encountered have taught me to identify, examine, construct, and rebut arguments. By synthesizing humanities and the natural sciences I have been taught to read, analyze and argue with precision; skills invaluable to any successful student. Perhaps being grounded and having my mouth washed out with soap did not seem just at the time, but my upbringing helped instill in me values essential to a good legal professional. I was taught that my actions bring serious consequences, both great and harmful. A profound sense of personal responsibility was the result. My extensive Catholic education has honed my sense of mutual respect and integrity and I have become increasingly conscious of those who do not have a voice in today's society. The true test of my values has not been in the classroom, but on the field. As a student-athlete I was provided an education far beyond what I learned in the classroom. I quickly discovered how to balance the various aspects of my life successfully. In a highly competitive environment my success has shown my superior work-ethic. My duties as captain of a division 1A sports team challenged and expanded my capacity for responsibility and accountability. My peers inadvertently taught me that true leadership primarily entails listening and serving. In addition, through serious sports injury and extensive rehabilitation I learned I have the perseverance and fortitude to face adversity. My childhood antics strengthened my character and provided valuable insight into community life. In retrospect, I can see that opening and rewrapping my presents well before Christmas is not something that would please my parents. However, on Christmas morning I did learn that there are many children who are not as fortunate as I am.
Essay Category:
Essay Question:
General personal statement
As I stepped off the plane and the sun glared in my eyes, I immediately realized that my jeans and college sweatshirt were not appropriate attire for Mexico's steamy July heat. While the sweat began to cover my brow, I became acutely aware that I was thousands of miles away from my safe existence in small town Indiana. Understanding the foreign language being spoken around me was a difficult task, but despite my apprehension I knew that this was the first step towards my quest for independence. Moving to Mexico required me to leave the comfort zone that my parents provided. Prior to this experience, the thought of actively partaking in the lives of those less fortunate had not crossed my mind. My limited perspective was the result of not being exposed to culturally diverse environments. From my experience in Mexico I have come to realize that I have gained a new perspective, developed a stronger sense of responsibility, and strengthened my desire to practice law, all of which will enhance my potential as a law student. Before visiting Mexico, I had the misconception of arriving into a city where donkeys roamed the streets that were filled with poverty stricken individuals. Upon my arrival in Monterrey on the campus of Tec de Monterrey, to my surprise I observed what appeared to be a typical college campus. It was not until traveling further south outside of the city limits that I truly witnessed the existence of a poverty-stricken Mexico. While in that environment, I observed a disparity of wealth that appeared to be impossible by American standards. There has always been the saying: 'The rich get richer, while the poor get poorer,' but even this old adage did not seem to capture the severity of the situation. In one area there were college students living comfortably with air conditioning, running water, and various other amenities, while two streets away there were families of seven living in a one room shack with an outhouse and no electricity. It was very common to see several generations of one family begging in the streets. Filthy children would lie on the street corners starving while their mothers begged pedestrians for pesos, and the grandmothers would sit still with a cloth over their faces in order to protect themselves from the scorching heat radiating from the midday sun. The problem, as I view it, arises when the growing sentiment of the upper class is under the impression that impoverished individuals lack in success because they are lazy and choose to live the way that they do. The fact remains that it is very difficult to advance up the socioeconomic ladder in many foreign countries. In most cases an individual is either born rich or poor, and despite socioeconomic membership it is plausible that the circumstances afforded to future generations may remain the same. In Mexico there is a noticeable lack of social programs that adequately assist and educate the people, and the quality of education is wholly dependent upon one's social class. Average citizens do not receive a quality education and are not provided with many opportunities to improve their well-being. Witnessing the inequalities in Mexico allowed me reflect on my native country. Although I live in a country that has a strong economic system, there are still individuals, such as those in Mexico, who are uneducated and underprivileged. I found myself having a strong desire to advocate for persons who were thousands of miles away from my home, and even more so for those persons at home who at one time I failed to consider. I began to see how limited my perspective on cross-cultural environments had truly had been. As I gazed out of the airplane window while returning to Indiana, all of the thoughts, feelings, and emotions that were inspired by the past year of my life raced through my mind. The desire for me to carry my new found passion and use it to assist others has become unwavering. Since returning from Mexico, I have been working as a tutor for Hispanic children who have just arrived in the United States from Mexico. Their lack of a strong educational background is evident as they not only have to learn English grammar and reading skills, but they have to review their Spanish grammar and spelling as well. Although I enjoy tutoring my students, my dedication to making a lasting impact on the lives of many directs me to the study of the law. I believe that it is a country's responsibility to ensure that all of its citizens have access to a proper education. A career in law is an essential tool that will assist me in achieving my goal of working to build a more egalitarian society. I am determined to stand up for the rights of various races and cultures that may not necessarily obtain a 'fair chance' in our society. Not only do I now believe that it is my duty to assist the less fortunate, but I feel a strong obligation to do everything I can to ensure that they are given the same opportunities that everyone deserves.
Essay Category:
Essay Question:
PERSONAL STATEMENT
In Missouri, rainy days, though mild at times, often live up to their "tornado alley" reputation. In my youth, one such massive storm raged through my rural hometown. The humid early summer air imperceptibly produced raindrops, then a saturating downpour. Hail pierced the ground and forced people indoors. Green swirling clouds appeared to stain the sky. Although late in the evening, my dad had not yet returned from his second job. He worked as a delivery person after hours to pay the bills. My mom sat silently in the living room almost in a trance, barely interacting with the world. Severe chemical depression has plagued her entire life. Doctors prescribed various medications, but none seemed to effectuate any considerable results. On any given day she could be queen mom or absolutely beyond reason. Symptoms come and go, but on that night she was too tired to react to anything. The storm's power swelled. The large maple trees outside swayed violently with the commanding wind. Rain beat against the windows of the old house. The only light in the room stemmed from the heavily filtered sunset. Still, my mother gazed off into the darkening sky. Suddenly, as if from a movie, a colossal maple failed under the stress and crashed into the roof. The entire house shook and a loud smashing noise pierced our ears. Frightened, I turned to my mother for comfort. She said nothing. Her fear and frustrated gaze offered me no solace. At the time, I naively wondered why she didn't care enough to try and help us out of such a dire situation. In hindsight, my mother's silence was not reflective of malice or neglect. Her lifelessness simply reflected her own internal lack of control. Such interplay is characteristic of my childhood. I knew my mother cared for me, but the disease grasped her so forcefully that she often did not have the energy or will to nurture her children. On that stormy day and others like it, I faced two alternatives: attempt to gain control or just give in and go crazy. From an airplane swooping into the airport in Rio de Janeiro, even the casual observer notices a dramatic paradigm shift. Shadowed by the Pao de Acucar and Cristo Redentor, the overgrown city is splashed carelessly about the hills. Concrete skyscrapers jut out of hillsides and slums fill the crevices. Small cars speed through narrow, cobblestone streets, and occasional drenching rains turn those same crowded streets into rivers. During the first few weeks in Brazil, I experienced considerable culture shock. The heat was sweltering. Neighborhoods consist of small brick houses without yards surrounded by short cement walls. I was in a new world and awestruck. How was I to comprehend this place when I had very little understanding about my previous one? I lived with no one who even spoke English. Rosieanne and Marcos are the parents of four children and live in a tiny house with three rooms. Marcos earns about one hundred American dollars monthly as a security guard and has only worked at his job for a couple of years. Their three children sleep in a tall bunk bed in a corner of the dark kitchen. The family washes their clothes in a river and dries them in a small area behind their house. Neither Rosieanne nor Marcos has any significant education. Likewise, their children have very little hope of gaining any secondary education, but their parents love and sacrifice greatly for them. When I first became acquainted with the family, I wanted to do something to help them have a better life. After spending nearly four months with the family, however, I had been richly taught. Despite their comparatively impoverished circumstances, they constantly radiated contentment and happiness about life. Rosianne has very little control over her world, but she is comfortable in her daily routine and spending time with her children. In my quicksand world I often feel the need to flail my arms violently in fear of losing control. While I enjoy many academic disciplines, economics provides a stable foothold upon which I can understand that world. I take comfort in the simple fact that decisions are made based on benefits weighed against costs. So many arguments, behaviors and values are based on tradition, emotion and very little observation and reason. The study of economics, however, stresses the explanation of behaviors only after careful analysis of empirical study. After tragic personal events, wars with foreign nations, or great financial crises, many people are left to question assumptions about life. We naturally seek a method to understand and reconcile intricate phenomenon. Economics explains past events and gives context to predictions about the future. The clarity of economic reasoning facilitates decisions about occupational choices, public policies, and even social interactions. My sister lives just outside the campus of BYU. She and her husband own a small house that they usually rent to young couples. They refuse to consider the more lucrative option of renting to students of the two colleges nearby. They feel that students are destructive, careless, and not as dependable as those living permanently in the area. Students, however, often have a different perspective. While serving on the Student Advisory Council at BYU, I was approached with a common situation. A student was very angry with her landlord. She reported that the manager towed legally parked cars, didn't respond to maintenance calls, and billed excessively for disputed damages. The student felt that the landlord would not respond to her needs because he could fill the vacancy very easily next year due to scare available housing. She was very frustrated and felt helpless because of the circumstances. My experiences with both sides of the dilemma taught me that landlords and students are mutually trying to establish a more controlled agreement. Information is readily accessible to apartment managers through credit checks and histories from previous landlords. Students, on the other hand must rely on the narrow, often biased opinions of past tenants. Landlords certainly face other challenges in finding the best tenants, but I proposed that clear data about landlords would aid future apartment seekers. The problem in the student housing market is a lack of brand recognition. Compiled information about the intangibles of the living experience at various apartments is key to helping shoppers. A standardized survey from a sample of tenants would cause landlords to respond more rapidly to students' needs. Future shoppers will be able to make their buying decision more accurately. This solution motivates landlords to be more responsive to their tenants without coercion, regulation or force. After hearing the proposal, the once frustrated tenant happily volunteered to get involved with the student housing survey. Her frustration of being trapped in a storm without recourse turned into energy spent to improve a difficult situation.
Essay Category:
Essay Question:
Personal statement
At thirteen - with baggy jeans and a voice that refused to change - I had my first trumpet lesson. My playing was strong, but my interest was lacking. Towards the end of that first lesson, my teacher changed the way I thought about music. I had played through De Gouy's 'Bolero' for him, proud to have hit every note. 'Nice,' he said, 'But I've heard it before. Next week, I want you to play it your way.' With that, he added my name to the score: 'Edited by S.' And I began to make music. From then until I was nineteen, music became my primary focus. Nowhere else did I feel as though I were creating meaning rather than merely receiving it. I excelled on my instrument, eventually playing at both Carnegie Hall and Lincoln Center. Soon after I arrived at college, and I began to create meaning without an instrument in hand. My first opportunity was a class on ethical theory. Instead of merely reading texts, we explored their limits. I even wrote a paper on the failure of Homeric maxims under Kant's categorical imperative. 'Homeric maxims' are, naturally, rules for living according to Homer J. Simpson - my interest in Ancient Greek came later. While my work at that time might have been less than groundbreaking, I was enraptured by the chance to develop my own perspective. My interests in philosophy and music collided when I reflected, as a sophomore, on the question of peer-to-peer file-sharing. I had been using file-sharing applications for years, but with mounting litigation against such services and increased attention on the criminality of copyright infringement, I decided to put my philosophical tools to work on the ethics of file-sharing. But the initial search was aporetic: I needed to explore the underlying copyright theory. The research that followed culminated in an article entitled '[Title omitted]' which was published in the [Title omitted] Law Review. For the first time, my philosophical voice enjoyed a public performance. Though I did not thank my trumpet teacher, my article feels a bit like Lockean property theory, 'Edited by S.' I still love music, but what is even more exciting about making music in the scholarly realm is that my voice could change the way people live their lives. I do not expect that out of my article, of course. At this point, I would be thrilled if just a few people were to read the article. But being heard has inspired me to work harder: I hope to make more noise soon. My goal is to help shape the way society understands, regulates, and recognizes intellectual property in a digital world. I have developed a strong background already by working with Professor [Name] at Temple Law School, attending iLaw at the Berkman Center, and publishing an article on copyright. I can find no better place to continue my studies than at Harvard Law School for three reasons. First, I greatly admire Professor Fisher's work, particularly the alternative compensation system he advances in Promises to Keep. Second, my experience at iLaw was an amazing one, and I would love to contribute in any way possible to the Berkman Center's cutting edge research. Finally, Professor Zittrain's current research on the potentially grim future of the internet has been the primary inspiration for my current project, 'Running Headlong to Our Chains: The End of the Cyberstate of Nature.' At twenty-one, my jeans are not as baggy as they once were, and my voice has settled down. But my interest in creating meaning has not subsided. I make music every day, by rethinking property rights in intellectual products, by reinterpreting Kant, and, of course, by playing even that old 'Bolero' my own way. As a student of philosophy interested in music and law, shaping media policy is the perfect way to fuse my passions into a symphony of creativity. The laws of yesterday are not fit for the technologies of tomorrow. My goal is not to change the world, but to help resolve this discord. Perhaps one day, a small part of the way the world understands and regulates intellectual property in cyberspace will be 'Edited by S.'
