I am 39 years old, a wife, a mom of 3 boys, a sister, a daughter, and a friend. One of my favorite parts of the law school admissions process was writing my personal statement. It was a profound way to reflect on my past, present, and future. I think sharing my personal statement is a great way to give some insight into who I am and what got me to this point...a rising 1L.
It’s been almost ten years since I
found myself in uncharted territory. I was about to turn 30 years old; I had
two young boys and minimal work experience after choosing to be a stay at home
mom for several years prior. I was staring at the face of divorce and the need
to return to the workforce. With a small amount of past work history, I looked
for a position that supported my experience and accepted a position as an
Executive Assistant to a Financial Advisor. I quickly learned that I could not
continue in a role like this. It was neither financially adequate nor
challenging enough for me. I needed to move up…and quickly. With the minimal
amount of experience the position had given me, I accepted an administrative
role on a team at a large financial brokerage firm. I was highly under
qualified, but I was confident that I could add value to the team. As time
passed, I continued to grow and worked for months preparing to further my
career by obtaining my General Securities Representative License. I take pride in passing the Series 7 exam as
well as the Uniform Securities Agent State Law Examination (Series 63). This
accomplishment took my career to the next level. I accepted a position at a new
firm and I have continued to grow and learn.
I was determined to create a life for
myself and my children and worked diligently each day as I demonstrated I could
handle my new position. I have a strong desire to show my three boys what determined
work ethic looks like. It was at that point that I saw the value of setting
goals. Every year since then I have taken the time to write down my annual
goals and have come farther than I ever thought I could. I worked tirelessly to
move from a 900 square foot apartment to purchasing my own home. I struggled to
provide my children with necessities, and now I’m able to offer them a life I’m
very proud of. I remarried in July of 2008, and I am grateful for my husband, a
man who supports my aspirations and my children as if they were his own. I
progressed in a relatively short time from entry level positions to being a
valuable part of a thriving team at a large brokerage firm. I am proud of this
journey and how it has shaped me.
Even after achieving the
aforementioned, I found myself at another impasse. My role on my team has
limitations, I found myself not realizing my full potential, and discovered my
lack of passion for the financial industry. As I contemplated options for my
future, I felt trapped by not having a college degree. That was it, my next
goal! In February 2014, I enrolled in an online University with the intention
of obtaining my Bachelor’s degree to expand my career options as I continued to
work full time. As I began the program, the classes were exciting, and I was
able to move along in the process at a much faster pace than I had anticipated.
Suddenly my long time desire to be an attorney didn’t seem out of reach. I
quickly began to wonder, could law school be my next attainable goal?
I was rejuvenated at the realization
that this could be possible. I began my research to see if my dream could
become a reality. I created a timeline and the steps to get from that day to
the end goal of being an attorney. I did a cost calculator to evaluate my
investment compared to my anticipated return. I met with several attorneys that
were at different stages in their career to help give me a realistic picture of
what to expect. After this enlightening time, I knew that this was right for me
and my next move, my next goal and my next dream realized. Intention is the
starting point of every dream and I intend to help people in the most
challenging times of their lives as an attorney.
My journey that is often reserved for
people much younger than myself has been a true adventure of experiences,
enlightenment, and excitement. I’m grateful for each turn along the way as they
have helped mold me into a determined, resourceful and motivated person with a
clarity of purpose and intention.
