Summary: What exactly is an "optional” essay and is it really optional? Separate and apart from the personal statement, many law schools offer applicants the opportunity to write "optional essays,” on a range of topics and to explain certain aspects of their application through an addendum. When should you write these essays and what should you say? We asked admissions deans, a top admissions consultant and a prelaw advisor when an applicant should choose to answer these supplementary questions, how law schools use these essays to evalute your application, how to choose among topics, and hear how they think you can use these as opportunities to round out your application.
