Law school admissions officers look for clear and concise writing, free from grammatical error. Remember that they have to read thousands of essays. For this reason, you should never submit a thesis paper, term paper, or other sample of written work in the place of the personal statement. While your essay may communicate your confidence in your ability to complete the course of study, it should not project a pompous image. The most common error is the attempt to impress.
Some candidates become pretentious or pedantic in their choice of words and phrases.
These qualities are touted as being the sine qua non for the successful law school applicant. You will find my credentials stellar in these and other respects. Clearly, this is an example of what not to submit to a law school. There is a fine line between confidence and arrogance. It is crucial to understand the difference and to demonstrate only confidence, never arrogance.