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Issue-Based Essays

Issues-based essays come in many different forms. The best kind of issues-based essays are written by applicants who have a strong passion for a specific cause and can show why the cause is important to them and what actions they have taken to further it. If there is an issue that dominates your thoughts, studies, or activities, it is natural that this issue will also dominate your essay.

This applicant, for example, begins: "I am an activist with a commitment to fighting for progressive causes through legislation, policy, and grassroots organizing." She continues to demonstrate that she has been an active advocate for citizens' right to sexuality education and health care on many fronts.

This applicant also writes about a single issue but does not focus on her own political activity. Rather, she uses the essay to argue against the injustice that currently exists in the court system regarding the issue of gay rights. She then relates her points to her motivation in the last sentence with:

Through obtaining a law degree, I hope to join many others in the struggle for our rights and dignity, and strive within an imperfect court system toward the goal of greater equality within the law.

Other issues-based essays focus more on analyzing all sides of the issue rather than taking a stand from one viewpoint. If you do this type of essay well, it will show the committee that you are a person of reason and logic who can make mature, educated decisions based on a thorough analysis of issues. It is not even necessary that you come to any final conclusions-just showing that you can see and analyze all sides of an argument has validity.

This applicant, for example, analyzes the issue of Latin American labor laws. She offers a nonstandard viewpoint based on her first-hand experience in the Peace Corps, but acknowledges the other side of the argument as well, without coming to any final conclusion:

How to balance these positive factors with the often exploitative and abusive methods of the factory managers, or how to control the problems of rural-urban migration are questions I am still investigating.

The pitfall inherent in any of the above issues-based approaches is that applicants who write about their commitment to a social justice issue without backing it up with real evidence or experience risk appearing insincere. One admissions officer had this comment:

Year after year hundreds of applicants swear by their altruistic motives, yet only 2% of all lawyers graduating in 1991 took jobs in the public sector, protecting the environment, fighting racial inequality, and crusading for rights for the homeless. The majority (over 60%) took jobs in private firms. After a time, you become skeptical.

If your beliefs are genuine, you will be able to support them with clear evidence of your involvement in activities that demonstrate your commitment.

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