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Hello people 🫶

Writing my personal statement has been a struggle; as someone who studied in a different country, I really didn’t know what I was doing.

But I did it ✨ and I’ve been accepted by my dream uni and without an interview!

Before starting: if you have any questions about the Personal Statement or the application process, comment below 🫶

Now, let’s dive into some tips:

• Research:

As general advice, check what your university wants from you. You can find many info on your course webpage! For example, Oxbridge wants to read mainly about your academic career, while UAL would like to know more about your personality.

• Ask for Help:

I reached out to many friends to write my PS. I reached out to a lovely girl who posted about my course on TikTok asking for advice; I reached out to an old friend who studied in the UK to understand the concept of Personal Statement better; and finally, I reached out to several friends to read my final work and listen to their thoughts.

• What YouTube & Read Examples:

You can find different creators on YouTube by typing “UAL personal statement” to gather information and advice. Also, you can research on Google “name of your course + personal statement” to be inspired.

• Check your grammar and your level of writing:

I found different tools to help me write better.

The first one is Grammarly, as you can choose the “academic” option, and click on different filters to reach your goal. The second tool is PaperRates; an amazing tool for checking the quality of your writing.

Read my PS to be inspired and try to analyze its structure:

My devotion to the creative industry stems from my experience as a content creator. I consistently had a strong enthusiasm for fashion, online communication, and innovative ways of conveying messages to the world. My purpose of motivating people and building self-confidence through my words and style pushes me to choose this path.

Throughout high school, I matured an interest in the executive and expressive aspects of businesses, prompting me to switch my course of study from Foreign Languages and take a final high school Diploma in Financial and Marketing Administration. My education in a foreign language module trained me to talk and transmit messages in different languages, particularly English. Additionally, my diploma gave me the necessary business and marketing ability to comprehend various industries. Subsequently, I took a break to understand myself better; during this time, I took different online courses to extend my credentials and familiarity with online marketing, including the "Fundamentals of Digital Marketing" certification through a Google course.

I partook in extracurricular activities, such as being a part of a students' council, tutoring children in History and Italian, and taking photography classes, which allowed me to set up verbal and non-verbal communication skills with various personalities and age groups. Besides, I joined art and journalism projects in middle schools, like restoring and renovating old objects and creating a school journal. I amplified my teamwork, problem-solving, and time-management skills through these activities.

Later in life, I pursued my interest in fashion and became a fashion content creator. I created and grew a few social media accounts with up to 80000 followers and acquired invaluable learning that can be applied to the marketing and fashion industry. My social media background equipped me to create content that resonates with a target audience, use analytics to track performances, establish relationships with influencers, and create campaigns that attract attention.

I aim to create a more positive presence in online fashion spaces by furthering my studies. As digital marketing has become a key part of the fashion industry, it has caused mental health and self-esteem issues. My struggles with anxiety and social media use have also made me aware of online space's effect on individuals. I am eager to take a degree in the online area to bring about meaningful change in the industry and to use my understanding and mastery to create a more positive presence for fashion.

My career history has benefited me in imparting my knowledge about fashion and self-expression from multiple standpoints. For instance, as a hairdresser, I knew how to sell different hairstyles to clients and craft compelling messages to attract customers. As a waitress, I witnessed customer biases and realised how diverse types of attire can be used to make a statement and how to promote the establishment's products. Finally, as a retail associate in a museum, I gained insight into how fashion can recount a story and be used to stir emotions and how to market the museum's inventory.

The activities, the areas of study I learned, and my work experiences formed me into the person I am today. I currently work part-time in the hospitality industry, honing my oratory and networking skills. I have also launched a Social Media Marketing agency, leveraging my self-studied knowledge of fashion and digital marketing and the affinities I made via my Instagram account. Moreover, my past of moving to other cities during my lifetime can assist my current purpose of a marketing and communication industry career, as I can directly use the wisdom I hold for my future University studies.

#Lemon8Student #LCFStudent #UALStudent #PersonalStatement #universitystudent #universitytips #uniapplication #unitips #universityadvice #L8FashionStudent

I hope it helps at least one fo you 🍋 thank you for reading 🫶

So helpful 🥰

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How to write a personal statement for fashion

Fashion courses at university are incredibly competitive, so how do you make your personal statement stand out? Be original, think business, and don’t quote Chanel

"F ashion is not simply a matter of clothes; fashion is in the air, born upon the wind; one intuits it." That's a quote from Coco Chanel – and it's how not to start a personal statement for a fashion degree.

When applying for a university fashion course, your personal statement won't even be read though if your portfolio is not good enough.

Willie Walters, programme director for fashion at Central St Martins, said the personal statement is "secondary" to portfolio work.

"I don't even read the statements unless the work looks interesting," she says.

Walters advises applicants to make their portfolio work as clear as possible, and to include research and sketchbook work, as well as photographs of design pieces. "We look for originality and something fresh."

When it comes to the written statement, saying you have a "passion for fashion" is an immediate no-no, says Josephine Collins, course leader for fashion journalism at the London College of Fashion.

"It's easy to do and sounds great but we've seen it so many times before," she warns. Similarly, admissions tutors cringe when confronted with yet another tired quote from a fashion icon.

Fashion related courses are notoriously competitive, so avoiding clichés is an important way to make your application stand out, says Andrew Groves, course director for fashion design at the University of Westminster.

"Put yourself in my shoes," says Groves, who reads over 1,000 personal statements each year. "How would you make yours different from all those other applications?"

Although mentioning your favourite designer is a good idea, you should think carefully about who you cite, says Mal Burkinshaw, programme director of fashion at Edinburgh University.

"We always have the same designers quoted. Every now and then someone says they are interested in a more conceptual designer and it makes them stand out. You can tell they are engaging more deeply."

Evidence of engagement with fashion is essential, agree tutors, but make sure you are thinking about it as a serious industry.

"Fashion is the third largest industry in the UK," says Jane Gottelier, programme leader of the fashion department at Falmouth University.

"I steer clear of students who talk mainly about celebrity fashion and TV programmes in their personal statements because it makes me think that they see fashion as something rather fluffy," she says.

As well as explaining why you want to study fashion and listing any relevant work experience, it's also important to show interests outside of fashion, say tutors.

"Some of our fashion courses are really business-orientated," says Liz Barnes, senior lecturer in fashion at Manchester University, "so demonstrating a commercial mind is key."

Outside interests show an engagement with general society that is important for a fashion student, and key to fashion admissions tutors.

It's important to be up to date on current news, to prove an academic interest and to show curiosity about the world and an inquisitive mind. If you have an unusual hobby don't be afraid to mention it as it might help yourself get noticed.

"I've had ice skaters, an Olympic-standard gymnast and stick insect collectors," says Anne Chaisty, principal lecturer in fashion studies at the Arts University Bournemouth.

Fashion may be portrayed as a cut-throat industry, but people who are interested in giving something back interest Chaisty.

"We look for students who want to make a positive difference through what they do as a designer," she says.

Accuracy and a good flow are things all tutors agree on when it comes to a good personal statement, but Barnes says you should also be in tune with the specifics of your course.

"There are lots of courses that are called fashion marketing, for example, but the content of those courses will vary enormously," Barnes explained.

"Understand the course you are applying for and tailor the personal statement to match."

For courses where a portfolio carries a heavier weighting than the personal statement, it is still important to express personality in your written statement.

Tutors say individuality and character are perhaps the most important things to convey.

"Don't contrive something for the sake of it," advises Chaisty, "just be honest, be natural and be yourself."

Just don't quote Coco Chanel.

This article was amended on 19 September to correct an error, changing Willie Walters' job title from course leader to programme director of fashion at Central St Martin's.

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Writing the Application Statements

• LSA Senior Collegiate Fellowship

Along with their scholarship, applicants for the LSA Collegiate Fellowship Program will be evaluated on their contributions and commitment to increasing diversity, equity and inclusion in higher education, as demonstrated through teaching/mentoring and/or research/scholarship and/or service/engagement.

In writing the research statement, diversity statement, and teaching statement, applicants are encouraged to address some or all of the points listed below.

Research/Scholarship Statement

This statement should outline your scholarly achievements, including a discussion of the impact and contribution of your work to your discipline. The research/scholarship statement should also detail your future plans in research/scholarship.

Additionally, if applicable to your research/scholarship, you may choose to address the following:

• How the research/scholarship has the potential to serve the needs of groups that have been historically underserved by academic research.
• research/scholarship that addresses issues such as race, gender, diversity, equity, and inclusion;
• research/scholarship that addresses topics such as health disparities, educational access, and achievement, political engagement, economic justice, social mobility, civil and human rights, and similar topics;
• artistic expression and cultural production that reflects culturally diverse communities or voices not well represented in the arts and humanities.
• How the research/scholarship brings to bear the critical perspectives that come from the scholarly understanding of the experiences of groups historically underrepresented in higher education or underserved by academic research generally.
• studying patterns of participation and advancement of women, racial minorities, and other groups in academic fields where they are underrepresented;
• evaluating research programs, curricula, and teaching strategies designed to enhance participation of students from groups underserved by higher education.

Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Statement

This statement should document your personal achievements in, and commitment to, advancing diversity, equity, and inclusion goals within academia and beyond. This can include sustained engagement, service, or leadership to increase access, retention, and success of underrepresented populations in higher education.

Some areas of interest to the program are:

• ability to articulate the barriers facing specific groups in fields where they are underrepresented;
• knowledge and experience gained through attendance (undergraduate or graduate) at a minority serving institution;
• knowledge and experience gained through participation in higher education pipeline programs such as Summer Research Opportunity Programs or McNair Scholars;
• significant academic achievement in the face of barriers such as economic, social, or educational disadvantage.
• commitment to allyhood through learning about structural inequities demonstrated by, for example, extensive reading or focused coursework, or participation in professional development programs or institutional diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives.
• A record of academic service to advance equitable access to higher education for groups in fields where they are underrepresented (e.g., women, racial/ethnic minorities, first-generation college students, student veterans).
• departmental or institutional committees, task force groups, or other workgroups;
• local or national service related to diversity, equity, inclusion, and access, such as through professional societies and organizations;
• scholarship, practice, or policy efforts to advance diversity, equity, inclusion or social justice for historically underrepresented or marginalized groups (at campus, local community, state, or national levels);
• other community engagement or outreach activities relevant to advancing diversity, equity, inclusion and access, such as volunteer activities, consulting, or advising.
• A record of leadership or significant experience performing public service addressing the needs of our increasingly diverse society.

Teaching Statement

This statement should describe your philosophy of teaching, and may include experience in formal course instruction or design as well as informal teaching or mentoring experiences.

Particular consideration will be given to the following:

• A record of leadership or significant experience teaching and mentoring undergraduate and graduate students from broadly diverse demographic and social backgrounds, including students from groups that have been historically underrepresented in higher education. Strong statements will demonstrate this engagement beyond individual students.
• Development or use of curricula designed to enhance participation of students from broadly diverse backgrounds, including groups underserved by higher education;
• Engagement in training or professional development activities designed to enhance intercultural or intergroup competencies and skills.
• Ability to integrate contemporary issues of diversity, equity, and inclusion into the classroom.
• How your own and your students’ identities (e.g., race, gender, class), background, experience, and levels of privilege affect classroom dynamics;
• How diverse perspectives can be integrated into teaching methods and approaches.

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How to Write a Personal Statement

A personal statement can be a key part of your college application, and you can really make yours shine by following a few tips.

When you're applying to college—either to an undergraduate or graduate program—you may be asked to submit a personal statement. It's an essay that gives you the chance to share more about who you are and why you'd like to attend the university you're applying to.  

The information you provide in your personal statement can help build on your other application materials, like your transcripts and letters of recommendation, and build a more cohesive picture to help the admissions committee understand your goals.

In this article, we'll go over more about personal statements, including why they're important, what to include in one, and tips for strengthening yours.

What is a personal statement?

A personal statement—sometimes known as a college essay —is a brief written essay you submit with other materials when applying to college or university. Personal statements tend to be most common for undergraduate applications, and they're a great opportunity for an admissions committee to hear your voice directly.

Many colleges and universities in the US, especially those using Common App , provide prompts for you to use. For example, "Reflect on a time when you questioned or challenged a belief or idea" or "Describe a topic, idea, or concept you find so engaging that it makes you lose all track of time" [ 1 ]. If the school you're interested in attending doesn't require prompts, you will likely want to craft a response that touches on your story, your values, and your goals if possible.

In grad school, personal statements are sometimes known as letters of intent , and go into more detail about your academic and professional background, while expressing interest in attending the particular program you're applying to.

Why is a personal statement important?

Personal statements are important for a number of reasons. Whereas other materials you submit in an application can address your academic abilities (like your transcripts) or how you perform as a student (like your letters of recommendation), a personal statement is a chance to do exactly that: get more personal.

Personal statements typically:

Permit you to share things that don't fit on your resume, such as personal stories, motivations, and values

Offer schools a chance to see why you're interested in a particular field of study and what you hope to accomplish after you graduate 

Provide an opportunity for you to talk about past employment, volunteer experiences, or skills you have that complement your studies 

Allow colleges to evaluate your writing skills 

Bring life to a college application package otherwise filled with facts and figures 

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How to write a personal statement.

As we mentioned earlier, you may have to respond to a prompt when drafting your personal statement—or a college or university may invite you to respond however you'd like. In either case, use the steps below to begin building your response.

Create a solid hook .

To capture the attention of an admissions committee member, start your personal statement with a hook that relates to the topic of your essay. A hook tends to be a colorful sentence or two at the very beginning that compels the reader to continue reading.

To create a captivating hook, try one of these methods:

Pose a rhetorical question. 

Provide an interesting statistic. 

Insert a quote from a well-known person.

Challenge the reader with a common misconception. 

Use an anecdote, which is a short story that can be true or imaginary. 

Credibility is crucial when writing a personal statement as part of your college application process. If you choose a statistic, quote, or misconception for your hook, make sure it comes from a reliable source.

Follow a narrative.

The best personal statements typically read like a story: they have a common theme, as well as a beginning, middle, and end. This type of format also helps keep your thoughts organized and improves the flow of your essay.

Common themes to consider for your personal statement include:

Special role models from your past

Life-altering events you've experienced

Unusual challenges you've faced

Accomplishments you're especially proud of

Service to others and why you enjoy it

What you've learned from traveling to a particular place

Unique ways you stand out from other candidates

Be specific.

Admissions committees read thousands of personal statements every year, which is why being specific on yours is important. Back up your statements with examples or anecdotes.

For instance, avoid vague assertions like, "I'm interested in your school counseling program because I care about children." Instead, point out experiences you've had with children that emphasize how much you care. For instance, you might mention your summer job as a day camp counselor or your volunteer experience mentoring younger children.

Don't forget to include detail and vibrancy to keep your statement interesting. The use of detail shows how your unique voice and experiences can add value to the college or university you're applying to.

Stay on topic.

It's natural to want to impress the members of the admissions committee who will read your personal statement. The best way to do this is to lead your readers through a cohesive, informative, and descriptive essay.

If you feel you might be going astray, ensure each paragraph in your essay's body supports your introduction. Here are a few more strategies that can help keep you on track:

Know what you want to say and do research if needed. 

Create an outline listing the key points you want to share.

Read your outline aloud to confirm it makes logical sense before proceeding. 

Read your essay aloud while you're writing to confirm you're staying on topic.

Ask a trusted friend or family member to read your essay and make suggestions.

Be true to your own voice.

Because of the importance of your personal statement, you could be tempted to be very formal with structure and language. However, using a more relaxed tone is better than you would for a classroom writing assignment. 

Remember: admissions committees really want to hear from you . Writing in your own voice will help accomplish this. To ensure your tone isn't too relaxed, write your statement as if you were speaking to an older relative or trusted teacher. This way, you'll come across as respectful, confident, and honest.

Tips for drafting an effective personal statement.

Now that you've learned a little about personal statements and how to craft them, here are a few more tips you can follow to strengthen your essay:

1. Customize your statement.

You don't have to completely rewrite your personal statement every time you apply to a new college, but you want to make sure you tailor it as much as possible. For instance, if you talk about wanting to take a certain class or study a certain subject, make sure you adjust any specifics for each application.

2. Avoid cliches.

Admissions committees are ultimately looking for students who will fit the school, and who the school can help guide toward their larger goals. In that case, cliches can get in the way of a reviewer understanding what it is you want from a college education. Watch out for cliches like "making a difference," "broadening my horizons," or "the best thing that ever happened to me."

3. Stay focused.

Try to avoid getting off-track or including tangents in your personal statement. Stay focused by writing a first draft and then re-reading what you've written. Does every paragraph flow from one point to the next? Are the ideas you're presenting cohesive?

4. Stick to topics that aren't controversial.

It's best not to discuss political beliefs or inappropriate topics in your essay. These can be controversial; ideally, you want to share something goals- or values-driven with an admissions committee.

Polish your writing skills on Coursera.

A stellar personal statement starts with stellar writing skills. Enhance your writing ability with a writing course from a top university, like Good with Words: Writing and Editing from the University of Michigan or Writing a Personal Essay from Wesleyan University. Get started for free to level up your writing.

Article sources

1. Common App. " 2022-2023 Common App Essay Prompts , https://www.commonapp.org/blog/2022-2023-common-app-essay-prompts." Accessed January 9, 2024.

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Writing A Law School And LLM Personal Statement

Find your perfect llm program search our database of over 2500 courses.

A great LLM (Master of Laws) personal statement should be persuasive, concise and easy to read:

Persuasive – you want the admissions board to choose you over the competition.

Concise – you need to compress information about your past, present and future into a limited word count.

Easy to read – you don’t want the admissions board to give up on it halfway through.

Why is your LLM personal statement so important?

Your LLM personal statement is a vital part of the process of applying to an LLM course, and together with your academic record and relevant work experience , it is a key element to the success of your LLM application.

It is crucial that you allow yourself enough time to craft the perfect LLM personal statement, one that showcases all your skills, qualifications, experience and personality.

1. An LLM personal statement explains gaps

If you've got a few spaces in your work history or a job that ended poorly, then the LLM personal statement is your chance to explain what happened and what you have learnt from the experience. An unhappy or bad experience can be a significant learning experience and might have provided you with additional skills or motivations that will make you able to contribute to the course in a unique or significant way. Many law schools encourage students to explain any career gaps.

2. Provides insight into motivation

It's important that your motivations for applying for and doing the LLM course match with the law school's ethics and ethos. Your LLM personal statement is your chance to show that you are a good match for the law school and the LLM course. Explain your reasons for wanting to do this course and why you are passionate about the law or the particular part of the law you are planning on studying. You can show what you will bring to the course and why you will be an asset to the law school.

3. Make yourself stand out

A popular LLM course at a prestigious global law school will receive many more applications than spaces on the course. Everyone applying to that course will have an excellent academic record and a wealth of relevant work experience. Your LLM personal statement might make the difference between being accepted onto the course and not. Make yourself stand out with the language you use, but don't overdo it. Explain the finer details of your experience and why you've chosen to attend this course at this particular law school.

4. Important part of the law school’s decision making

Almost 90% of universities use the LLM personal statement to make their decision about applicants. This means the time you spend on your personal statement is crucial. Try and get some other people to read through your statement and offer their advice/opinion, especially if you know someone who has completed the LLM course recently. Make sure that your personal statement is your own work and that any revisions you make on the recommendation of others don't change your personal statement beyond recognition and lose the essence of you.

5. Proves you can follow instructions

There will be guidelines and advice provided by the law school or university to help you write your LLM personal statement. Use these instructions to prove that you can follow directions. It's also an opportunity to show off your written English skills, this could be particularly relevant if English is not your first language, and your English test scores are not what you would like them to be.

6. The first chance for potential professors to ‘meet’ you

Your LLM personal statement is your introduction to your future law school professors and the people who you might connect and reconnect with throughout your legal career. View your personal statement as the first introduction to this new part of your future network.

What information should you include?

Key things to bear in mind to achieve success when crafting the perfect LLM personal statement are:

1. Conciseness:  whatever you do, you MUST remain within the institution’s word limit. Legal professionals are expected to be able to summarise masses of information without losing any essential facts, and your personal statement is an indicator of your ability to do this.

2. Language:  don’t use complicated words in an attempt to impress. As a legal professional, you will be working with clients who may not understand technical terms so your ability to communicate in a formal yet simple style will not go unnoticed.

3. Format:  keep your LLM personal statement uncluttered, with lots of spacing and white space, to make it easy to read. It's important for the document to look good as well as to read well.

4. Structure and flow:  your intro could summarise the reasons why granting you a place is the right decision for the admissions board to make. The main body should be broken up into your past (academic, professional and personal info; relevant experience, your interests and motivations and what led you to the point of applying), your present (all the details about the LLM; why you chose it at that particular institution, which modules you’re really keen on) and your future (what you plan to do after you complete the LLM). Your conclusion is a summary of your main points and should end on a memorable note. After you’ve written your first draft, print it out and review it to see if it makes sense, making notes in the margins along the way as if you were an editor editing another writer’s work.

LLM personal statement top tips

Here are some tips and strategies to creating the perfect LLM personal statement.

Academic history

Discuss what you studied as an undergrad and whether the LLM is a natural progression or would represent a change in career path. Do you have a first degree in law and are you working your way towards a PhD in Law and a future in legal academia? If your first degree was not in Law, how would the LLM complement it; do you have a first degree in Economics and want to do an LLM in International Business Law for example?

Make it personal

Mention what interests and motivates you, and what has happened in your life that put you on the path to applying for an LLM at that institution. If you’ve chosen a small college, explain why you prefer institutions with a small population. If you’ve opted for a large law school, let the admissions board know why you thrive in a busy environment. It’s important to explain your preferences so the admissions board gets a sense of who you are and why you fit in with their law school. Include relevant information – like volunteer experience or extra-curricular activities – that have inspired you with your choice. The admissions team want to understand the personal reasons why you want to study their LLM course.

Don’t make claims you can’t support

Since you are applying for a postgrad legal program you should be familiar with making persuasive arguments. As legal arguments are evidence-based, be prepared to apply the same approach in your statement by avoiding unsubstantiated claims. If you state that certain modules are ‘relevant to your career’, state specifically how. Don’t leave it to the admissions board to try to work it out for themselves. If you claim that you are a top student, highlight your grades even though you will submit transcripts as part of your application. Use clichés like ‘leadership skills’ only if you can give examples of instances when you demonstrated these traits. And don't forget that if you are subsequently called in for an LLM interview, this personal statement will probably be used as the basis for the interview, so always tell the truth!

Don’t just write it, craft it

When it comes to the actual writing of your LLM personal statement be prepared to write, edit and rewrite your personal statement several times. Remember all those essays you wrote in your undergrad days? Well, the same rules of presentation, structure and flow apply to your personal statement; the only difference being that this time, the essay is about you. And once you think you’ve written the perfect LLM personal statement get a trusted friend or colleague to read it through to offer you constructive criticism and to pick up any typos or grammatical errors.

Relevant referees

Pick a referee who can provide you with a good academic reference, so choose a tutor and lecturer who will remember you from your undergraduate studies. Including your employer as a referee is a good idea if your current job is relevant to the course, or include someone you did relevant work experience for. You will need to ask potential referees before you submit your application.

10 things to avoid in your LLM personal statement

Here are the top 10 things that you should avoid doing when writing your LLM personal statement.

Including a mini dissertation – you are meant to explain your interest in the area that you wish to specialise in, which doesn’t mean writing an essay on your proposed dissertation topic! That can wait till you start your LLM program and are asked to submit a thesis proposal.

Underselling yourself – rather than blaming yourself later on for missing out on listing achievements from your work experience or undergraduate study, make it a point to highlight all the relevant information; ranging from past work experience on specific projects, skills acquired and applied, publications, moot courts, etc.

Being ambiguous – all your efforts will be futile if you didn’t make your personal statement read clearly with details relevant to the LLM course that you are applying for and clearly stating your interest for that course.

Writing too much or too little – usually universities provide the word count/A4 page limit for the LLM personal statement. Some students will have a tendency to write less hoping that the CV will cover all their academic and career highlights, whilst others may be tempted to write too much describing everything they have done in all possible detail. The sensible approach would be to mention enough to match the word count/page limit and to highlight only what is important to put your case forward.

Obsessing with templates – it might be a common trend to scour the internet for templates on personal statements but be warned that some may have been copied off the others and may all end up looking very similar. Your LLM personal statement should be unique and well drafted to make logical sense to the reader.

Making stupid mistakes – sometimes we tend to overlook minor mistakes that can have significant bearing on the outcome of our application. Things such as addressing the statement to the wrong university (or with a wrong date/address) can give a very bad first (and almost certainly final) impression!

Doing it last minute – our general advice when it comes to university applications is to never leave anything to the last minute. Some students tend to work hard on their personal statement redrafting it a 100+ times, while others only pick up this part of the application on the last day of its submission. Time must be given to this vital part of your application so that any mistakes including ones listed here can be corrected in good time.

Repeating information – although you may feel that you are trying to make a point by explaining a situation in different ways, university admissions staff may see this as a repetition of information that they don’t need to know. Once you make a point about a particular skill/achievement, move on to the next piece of information to show varied experience, knowledge and interest.

Name dropping – in professional services we tend to mention names of high-profile clients or popular legal representatives to get ahead of competition through our application. This may work in a casual networking setting, however when it comes to application processes for admissions, the focus is usually around your contribution to legal matters, your ambition to progress your career further through further studies, rather than just throwing some names in!

Making grammatical errors – although legal eagles tend to be careful on this one, it is best to proofread your LLM personal statement several times before handing it in. Ideally, you should share it with friends or colleagues to spot any noticeable errors.

Writing a personal statement – real-life examples

With all this key information on writing the perfect LLM personal statement – explore our law expert’s analysis of real applications to help you craft the ideal introduction and give yourself the best chance of getting onto your dream LLM program.

Introduction to our law admissions expert

To help you achieve the success you deserve with your LLM applications we have taken four genuine (and successful) LLM personal statements from four genuine LLM students and asked LLM admissions expert Robynn Allveri to fine-tune them to make them as good as they possibly can be. To put it simply, our admissions expert cast her (very) critical eye over all four law school personal statements – that had already proved successful – and offers advice on how they can be improved. She highlights where the LLM personal statements let the candidates down, and of course also shows where and why they enable the candidate’s qualities to really shine through.

Our genuine LLM personal statements have been written by both international students and home students, applying to law schools in the UK, the USA and Canada. This unique selection of real law school personal statements will give you real insight into how to make you own law school personal statement a success. Armed with our knowledge of the dos and don’ts of LLM personal statement writing and unique admissions tips , you should be just a hop, skip and a jump away from LLM admissions success!

So here is our real-life guide on how to write a law school personal statement to guarantee success with your LLM application .

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Writing the Personal Statement

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The personal statement, your opportunity to sell yourself in the application process, generally falls into one of two categories:

1. The general, comprehensive personal statement:

This allows you maximum freedom in terms of what you write and is the type of statement often prepared for standard medical or law school application forms.

2. The response to very specific questions:

Often, business and graduate school applications ask specific questions, and your statement should respond specifically to the question being asked. Some business school applications favor multiple essays, typically asking for responses to three or more questions.

Questions to ask yourself before you write:

• What's special, unique, distinctive, and/or impressive about you or your life story?
• What details of your life (personal or family problems, history, people or events that have shaped you or influenced your goals) might help the committee better understand you or help set you apart from other applicants?
• When did you become interested in this field and what have you learned about it (and about yourself) that has further stimulated your interest and reinforced your conviction that you are well suited to this field? What insights have you gained?
• How have you learned about this field—through classes, readings, seminars, work or other experiences, or conversations with people already in the field?
• If you have worked a lot during your college years, what have you learned (leadership or managerial skills, for example), and how has that work contributed to your growth?
• What are your career goals?
• Are there any gaps or discrepancies in your academic record that you should explain (great grades but mediocre LSAT or GRE scores, for example, or a distinct upward pattern to your GPA if it was only average in the beginning)?
• Have you had to overcome any unusual obstacles or hardships (for example, economic, familial, or physical) in your life?
• What personal characteristics (for example, integrity, compassion, and/or persistence) do you possess that would improve your prospects for success in the field or profession? Is there a way to demonstrate or document that you have these characteristics?
• What skills (for example, leadership, communicative, analytical) do you possess?
• Why might you be a stronger candidate for graduate school—and more successful and effective in the profession or field than other applicants?
• What are the most compelling reasons you can give for the admissions committee to be interested in you?

General advice

Answer the questions that are asked

• If you are applying to several schools, you may find questions in each application that are somewhat similar.
• Don't be tempted to use the same statement for all applications. It is important to answer each question being asked, and if slightly different answers are needed, you should write separate statements. In every case, be sure your answer fits the question being asked.

Tell a story

• Think in terms of showing or demonstrating through concrete experience. One of the worst things you can do is to bore the admissions committee. If your statement is fresh, lively, and different, you'll be putting yourself ahead of the pack. If you distinguish yourself through your story, you will make yourself memorable.

Be specific

• Don't, for example, state that you would make an excellent doctor unless you can back it up with specific reasons. Your desire to become a lawyer, engineer, or whatever should be logical, the result of specific experience that is described in your statement. Your application should emerge as the logical conclusion to your story.

Find an angle

• If you're like most people, your life story lacks drama, so figuring out a way to make it interesting becomes the big challenge. Finding an angle or a "hook" is vital.

Concentrate on your opening paragraph

• The lead or opening paragraph is generally the most important. It is here that you grab the reader's attention or lose it. This paragraph becomes the framework for the rest of the statement.

Tell what you know

• The middle section of your essay might detail your interest and experience in your particular field, as well as some of your knowledge of the field. Too many people graduate with little or no knowledge of the nuts and bolts of the profession or field they hope to enter. Be as specific as you can in relating what you know about the field and use the language professionals use in conveying this information. Refer to experiences (work, research, etc.), classes, conversations with people in the field, books you've read, seminars you've attended, or any other source of specific information about the career you want and why you're suited to it. Since you will have to select what you include in your statement, the choices you make are often an indication of your judgment.

Don't include some subjects

• There are certain things best left out of personal statements. For example, references to experiences or accomplishments in high school or earlier are generally not a good idea. Don't mention potentially controversial subjects (for example, controversial religious or political issues).

Do some research, if needed

• If a school wants to know why you're applying to it rather than another school, do some research to find out what sets your choice apart from other universities or programs. If the school setting would provide an important geographical or cultural change for you, this might be a factor to mention.

Write well and correctly

• Be meticulous. Type and proofread your essay very carefully. Many admissions officers say that good written skills and command of correct use of language are important to them as they read these statements. Express yourself clearly and concisely. Adhere to stated word limits.

Avoid clichés

• A medical school applicant who writes that he is good at science and wants to help other people is not exactly expressing an original thought. Stay away from often-repeated or tired statements.

For more information on writing a personal statement, see the personal statement vidcast .

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Gross Domestic Product, First Quarter 2024 (Advance Estimate)

• News Release
• Related Materials
• Additional Information

Real gross domestic product (GDP) increased at an annual rate of 1.6 percent in the first quarter of 2024 (table 1), according to the "advance" estimate released by the Bureau of Economic Analysis. In the fourth quarter of 2023, real GDP increased 3.4 percent.

The GDP estimate released today is based on source data that are incomplete or subject to further revision by the source agency (refer to “Source Data for the Advance Estimate” on page 3). The “second” estimate for the first quarter, based on more complete source data, will be released on May 30, 2024.

The increase in real GDP primarily reflected increases in consumer spending, residential fixed investment, nonresidential fixed investment, and state and local government spending that were partly offset by a decrease in private inventory investment. Imports, which are a subtraction in the calculation of GDP, increased (table 2).

The increase in consumer spending reflected an increase in services that was partly offset by a decrease in goods. Within services, the increase primarily reflected increases in health care as well as financial services and insurance. Within goods, the decrease primarily reflected decreases in motor vehicles and parts as well as gasoline and other energy goods. Within residential fixed investment, the increase was led by brokers’ commissions and other ownership transfer costs as well as new single-family housing construction. The increase in nonresidential fixed investment mainly reflected an increase in intellectual property products. The increase in state and local government spending reflected an increase in compensation of state and local government employees. The decrease in inventory investment primarily reflected decreases in wholesale trade and manufacturing. Within imports, the increase reflected increases in both goods and services.

Compared to the fourth quarter, the deceleration in real GDP in the first quarter primarily reflected decelerations in consumer spending, exports, and state and local government spending and a downturn in federal government spending. These movements were partly offset by an acceleration in residential fixed investment. Imports accelerated.

Current‑dollar GDP increased 4.8 percent at an annual rate, or $327.5 billion, in the first quarter to a level of $28.28 trillion. In the fourth quarter, GDP increased 5.1 percent, or $346.9 billion (tables 1 and 3).

The price index for gross domestic purchases increased 3.1 percent in the first quarter, compared with an increase of 1.9 percent in the fourth quarter (table 4). The personal consumption expenditures (PCE) price index increased 3.4 percent, compared with an increase of 1.8 percent. Excluding food and energy prices, the PCE price index increased 3.7 percent, compared with an increase of 2.0 percent.

Personal Income

Current-dollar personal income increased $407.1 billion in the first quarter, compared with an increase of $230.2 billion in the fourth quarter. The increase primarily reflected increases in compensation and personal current transfer receipts (table 8).

Disposable personal income increased $226.2 billion, or 4.5 percent, in the first quarter, compared with an increase of $190.4 billion, or 3.8 percent, in the fourth quarter. Increases in compensation and personal current transfer receipts were partly offset by an increase in personal current taxes, which are a subtraction in the calculation of DPI. Real disposable personal income increased 1.1 percent, compared with an increase of 2.0 percent.

Personal saving was $755.7 billion in the first quarter, compared with $815.5 billion in the fourth quarter. The personal saving rate —personal saving as a percentage of disposable personal income—was 3.6 percent in the first quarter, compared with 4.0 percent in the fourth quarter.

Source Data for the Advance Estimate

The GDP estimate released today is based on source data that are incomplete or subject to further revision by the source agency. Information on the source data and key assumptions used in the advance estimate is provided in a Technical Note and a detailed " Key Source Data and Assumptions " file posted with the release. The second estimate for the first quarter, based on more complete data, will be released on May 30, 2024. For information on updates to GDP, refer to the "Additional Information" section that follows.

*          *          *

Next release, May 30, 2024, at 8:30 a.m. EDT Gross Domestic Product (Second Estimate) Corporate Profits (Preliminary Estimate) First Quarter 2024

Full Release & Tables (PDF)

Technical note (pdf), tables only (excel), release highlights (pdf), historical comparisons (pdf), key source data and assumptions (excel), revision information.

• GDP Lisa Mataloni  301-278-9083 [email protected]
• Corporate Profits Kate Pinard 301-278-9417 [email protected]
• Media (BEA) Connie O’Connell 301-278-9003 [email protected]

Additional resources available at www.bea.gov :

• Stay informed about BEA developments by reading the BEA blog , signing up for BEA's email subscription service , or following BEA on X, formerly known as Twitter @BEA_News .
• Historical time series for these estimates can be accessed in BEA's interactive data application .
• Access BEA data by registering for BEA's data Application Programming Interface (API).
• For more on BEA's statistics, refer to our online journal, the Survey of Current Business .
• BEA's news release schedule
• NIPA Handbook : Concepts and Methods of the U.S. National Income and Product Accounts

Definitions

Gross domestic product (GDP), or value added , is the value of the goods and services produced by the nation's economy less the value of the goods and services used up in production. GDP is also equal to the sum of personal consumption expenditures, gross private domestic investment, net exports of goods and services, and government consumption expenditures and gross investment.

Gross domestic income (GDI) is the sum of incomes earned and costs incurred in the production of GDP. In national economic accounting, GDP and GDI are conceptually equal. In practice, GDP and GDI differ because they are constructed using largely independent source data.

Gross output is the value of the goods and services produced by the nation's economy. It is principally measured using industry sales or receipts, including sales to final users (GDP) and sales to other industries (intermediate inputs).

Current-dollar estimates are valued in the prices of the period when the transactions occurred—that is, at "market value." Also referred to as "nominal estimates" or as "current-price estimates."

Real values are inflation-adjusted estimates—that is, estimates that exclude the effects of price changes.

The gross domestic purchases price index measures the prices of final goods and services purchased by U.S. residents.

The personal consumption expenditure price index measures the prices paid for the goods and services purchased by, or on the behalf of, "persons."

Personal income is the income received by, or on behalf of, all persons from all sources: from participation as laborers in production, from owning a home or business, from the ownership of financial assets, and from government and business in the form of transfers. It includes income from domestic sources as well as the rest of world. It does not include realized or unrealized capital gains or losses.

Disposable personal income is the income available to persons for spending or saving. It is equal to personal income less personal current taxes.

Personal outlays is the sum of personal consumption expenditures, personal interest payments, and personal current transfer payments.

Personal saving is personal income less personal outlays and personal current taxes.

The personal saving rate is personal saving as a percentage of disposable personal income.

Profits from current production , referred to as corporate profits with inventory valuation adjustment (IVA) and capital consumption (CCAdj) adjustment in the National Income and Product Accounts (NIPAs), is a measure of the net income of corporations before deducting income taxes that is consistent with the value of goods and services measured in GDP. The IVA and CCAdj are adjustments that convert inventory withdrawals and depreciation of fixed assets reported on a tax-return, historical-cost basis to the current-cost economic measures used in the national income and product accounts. Profits for domestic industries reflect profits for all corporations located within the geographic borders of the United States. The rest-of-the-world (ROW) component of profits is measured as the difference between profits received from ROW and profits paid to ROW.

For more definitions, refer to the Glossary: National Income and Product Accounts .

Statistical conventions

Annual-vs-quarterly rates . Quarterly seasonally adjusted values are expressed at annual rates, unless otherwise specified. This convention is used for BEA's featured, seasonally adjusted measures to facilitate comparisons with related and historical data. For details, refer to the FAQ " Why does BEA publish estimates at annual rates? "

Quarterly not seasonally adjusted values are expressed only at quarterly rates.

Percent changes . Percent changes in quarterly seasonally adjusted series are displayed at annual rates, unless otherwise specified. For details, refer to the FAQ " How is average annual growth calculated? " and " Why does BEA publish percent changes in quarterly series at annual rates? " Percent changes in quarterly not seasonally adjusted values are calculated from the same quarter one year ago. All published percent changes are calculated from unrounded data.

Calendar years and quarters . Unless noted otherwise, annual and quarterly data are presented on a calendar basis.

Quantities and prices . Quantities, or "real" volume measures, and prices are expressed as index numbers with a specified reference year equal to 100 (currently 2017). Quantity and price indexes are calculated using a Fisher-chained weighted formula that incorporates weights from two adjacent periods (quarters for quarterly data and annuals for annual data). For details on the calculation of quantity and price indexes, refer to Chapter 4: Estimating Methods in the NIPA Handbook .

Chained-dollar values are calculated by multiplying the quantity index by the current dollar value in the reference year (2017) and then dividing by 100. Percent changes calculated from real quantity indexes and chained-dollar levels are conceptually the same; any differences are due to rounding. Chained-dollar values are not additive because the relative weights for a given period differ from those of the reference year. In tables that display chained-dollar values, a "residual" line shows the difference between the sum of detailed chained-dollar series and its corresponding aggregate.

Updates to GDP

BEA releases three vintages of the current quarterly estimate for GDP. "Advance" estimates are released near the end of the first month following the end of the quarter and are based on source data that are incomplete or subject to further revision by the source agency. "Second" and "third" estimates are released near the end of the second and third months, respectively, and are based on more detailed and more comprehensive data as they become available.

The table below shows the average revisions to the quarterly percent changes in real GDP between different estimate vintages, without regard to sign.

Annual and comprehensive updates are released in late September. Annual updates generally cover at least the five most recent calendar years (and their associated quarters) and incorporate newly available major annual source data as well as some changes in methods and definitions to improve the accounts. Comprehensive (or benchmark) updates are carried out at about 5-year intervals and incorporate major periodic source data, as well as major conceptual improvements.

Unlike GDP, advance current quarterly estimates of GDI and corporate profits are not released because data on domestic profits and net interest of domestic industries are not available. For fourth quarter estimates, these data are not available until the third estimate.

GDP by industry and gross output estimates are released with the third estimate of GDP.

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Personal Details Of Thousands Of Qantas Passengers Exposed Due To Glitch

The carrier issued a statement, apologising to its customers, and confirmed there was no indication that the glitch was a "cyber security incident"..

Qantas recommended that customers log out and log in to their Qantas Frequent Flyer account

Personal details of thousands of Qantas customers were made public on Wednesday via the airline's app, in a major glitch. Many frequent fliers posted on social media that they were seeing other passengers' names, accounts, flight plans, points, and boarding passes, Guardian reported. 

One user wrote on X, ''Hey @Qantas, I'm pretty sure whatever app issue this warning is about is not entirely resolved because every time I refresh I've got someone else's name, point balance, and status…''

Hey @Qantas I'm pretty sure whatever app issue this warning is about is not entirely resolved because every time I refresh I've got someone else's name, point balance, and status… pic.twitter.com/gR3AG7NqbC — El Yobo (@elyobo) May 1, 2024

A Qantas spokesperson said current investigations indicate that it was caused by a technology issue and may have been related to recent system changes.

''We apologise to customers impacted by the issue with the Qantas app this morning, which has now been resolved. Current investigations indicate that it was caused by a technology issue and may have been related to recent system changes. At this stage, there is no indication of a cyber security incident,'' the carrier said in a statement.

''The issue was isolated to the Qantas app with some frequent flyers able to see the travel information of other customers, including name, upcoming flight details, points balance and status. No further personal or financial information was shared and customers would not have been able to transfer or use the Qantas Points of other frequent flyers. We're not aware of any customers travelling with incorrect boarding passes,'' the statement added.

In a late afternoon announcement, the airline said the Qantas app was ''currently stable and operating normally following an issue with its homepage today.''

The Qantas app is currently stable and operating normally following an issue with its homepage today. There were two periods today where some customers were shown the flight and booking details of other frequent flyers. We sincerely apologise to all customers impacted and… https://t.co/InzUb1UnkQ — Qantas (@Qantas) May 1, 2024

Qantas recommended that customers log out and log in to their Qantas Frequent Flyer account on the Qantas App.

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Major cyber attacks in recent years have raised concerns about the protection of Australians' personal data. In November 2022, Australia's largest private health insurer Medibank said hackers had accessed the data of 9.7 million current and former customers, including medical records, as per asn AFP report. 

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Trump on trial: Personal anguish, political defiance and a loss of control

The former president has tried to campaign during his New York trial, but it’s constraining him

NEW YORK — For 20 minutes Donald Trump campaigned like everything was normal. He made his way down a line of cheering fans outside a construction site at 6:30 a.m., pumping his fist, clasping outstretched hands and signing MAGA hats. “Election interference,” he grumbled about the criminal charges against him, reprising his year-long mantra.

But by 9:30 a.m., Trump was stuck in court, no longer narrating the legal saga intertwined with his run for president. He sat quietly for hours at a time Thursday and watched stone-faced as a longtime friend and former tabloid publisher recounted Trump’s agitation in 2016 when a hush money scheme failed to quash a story about an alleged affair with a Playboy model. His go-to outlet: brief interludes in a dingy courthouse hallway in front of TV cameras, where he has vented about the judge, the “freezing” temperatures in the courtroom and “sitting up as straight as I can all day long.”

Two weeks in, the first criminal trial of a former president has been personally taxing for Trump and disruptive to his campaign. Despite efforts to schedule dinners where donors, friends and world leaders join him, Trump’s moods are worse on trial days, according to several people close to him. The former president is accustomed to near-daily rounds of golf, “constant stimulation” and cheers when he enters and exits a room at Mar-a-Lago, they said. Instead, he is now reporting four days a week for mundane court arguments and long stretches without permission to check his phone.

“The phrase around here is ‘the process is the punishment,’” said one person close to Trump, who like others spoke on the condition of anonymity to describe private conversations.

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Trump has done his best to turn his trial into an extension of his 2024 campaign, raging that the case is politically motivated and bragging that he can assemble adoring crowds even in heavily Democratic Manhattan. He has marveled to advisers that he gets more media attention outside court than he even did on the campaign trail, and that his comments are sometimes carried live. But the indictments that once helped Trump lock down the GOP nomination by firing up his base have become a serious constraint in the general election and thrust the domineering candidate into an unusually humbling position.

The trial is taking time and resources just as his campaign is rushing to build out infrastructure for the general election and close a fundraising gap with President Biden . Expected to stretch six to eight weeks, the trial is limiting the schedule of the presumptive GOP nominee at a critical moment when Biden is outspending him on the airwaves and seeing some improvement in the polls, though Trump’s team notes the former president still holds an edge in many surveys of a very tight race.

During the Republican primaries, Trump could swoop in and out of his court proceedings with more flexibility and campaign on the sidelines. Now the former president is required to attend; adding insult to injury, his first mid-trial rally was canceled last weekend because of bad weather. Next week, Trump is planning to squeeze two rallies — in Michigan and Wisconsin — into his off day. His team was angered that the judge chose Wednesday as the day off — believing it was meant to hurt him politically. He has trekked to his club in Westchester to play golf on the days he has been off, instead of hitting the trail.

Although Trump has consistently survived major scandals, the New York case is training new attention on salacious allegations that could give some voters pause. Trump is accused of falsifying business records to conceal a hush money payment to an adult-film actress, whose allegations of an extramarital affair with Trump threatened to hurt his 2016 campaign. He has pleaded not guilty.

Trump campaign senior adviser Jason Miller, who has been attending court with the former president, rejected the idea that the trial has dampened Trump’s mood or hindered his campaign, despite what he called “some justifiable outrage” about the case. He said Trump “keeps telling us to load up his schedule” with events.

“Obviously, Trump would rather be in battleground states,” Miller said. “But we have a great candidate; we have a phenomenal airplane. … We’re going to bring the campaign trail to us.”

Trump has settled into a predictable if surreal rhythm for the trial, with his court appearances punctuated by all-caps social media posts and brief combative remarks in front of the press. He fields questions occasionally, sometimes ignoring reporters’ shouted queries.

“I’d love to say everything that’s on my mind,” Trump lamented to reporters this past week, chafing at a gag order forbidding him to talk publicly about witnesses, jurors and some other people linked to the case.

Prosecutors complained to the judge that Trump was still not restrained.

He’s been violating the gag order “right outside the door,” Assistant District Attorney Christopher Conroy said.

The outcome of the trial could sway some voters, polling shows, and Trump faces three other criminal cases, though it’s unclear if any others will go to trial before the election. Nearly a quarter of registered voters who back Trump say a conviction in one of his cases might cause them to reconsider supporting him, according to a CNN poll conducted April 18-23.

Americans were evenly split on whether Trump has been treated more harshly or more leniently than other defendants, underscoring how voters of different political persuasions and backgrounds are absorbing Trump’s legal woes in very different ways.

Trump’s lawyers have argued that there was nothing improper and attacked the credibility of a central witness, former Trump attorney Michael Cohen. On his first Monday in court, Trump emerged with his trademark red tie, shoulders slightly hunched, to denounce proceedings as a “political persecution,” “an assault on our country” and “really an attack on a political opponent.” (Despite Trump’s claims, there is no evidence that local prosecutors have coordinated with Biden or his administration.)

“So I’m very honored to be here,” Trump concluded.

‘He can’t believe it’

The trial has been a jarring shift for a man who is rarely confined to silence, often around people paying to see him, and used to spending his days making phone calls, holding meetings, reading newspapers, tending to his properties, taping videos and peacocking around his Mar-a-Lago Club in Florida. Trump has also long prized having control of many of the details in his day-to-day life, people familiar with the matter said.

He largely avoids restaurants outside his properties because he wants control over the food — particularly how his steak is cooked. He has avoided certain hotels on the road, telling advisers he prefers a Holiday Inn Express, because the bathroom floors are light colored and he can see if there is dirt. At his property, he controls the music — both the song choice and the volume. He was personally involved in renovating his plane, asking for constant updates, and complained about having to use the private planes of others while his was in the shop for over a year.

Last year, a group of Trump advisers and lawyers spoke with him about the benefits of his criminal cases — his small-dollar fundraising was surging, he was crushing Republicans in the nomination fight, and his base was rallying to his defense. But Trump stopped the conversation to remind the group of a problem: He had been indicted four times and was going to spend the next year in court.

“It’s almost like he can’t believe it,” the person close to Trump said. “There is a sense when you talk to him, ‘Can you believe this? They indicted me.’”

Now captive to the courthouse for much of the day, Trump tries to exert influence over what he can, often serving as his own spokesman between sessions. On the first Thursday of the trial, the former president appeared brandishing a thick stack of news clippings, claiming that every article vindicated him. But his loss of power is evident: At one point, when he stood up, the judge immediately told him to sit down — and he did. When he has mumbled in court, the judge has reprimanded him.

Privately, he has complained at times to his lawyers, giving suggestions for what arguments they should make and sometimes second-guessing their arguments in the courtroom. But he is generally pleased with this set of attorneys, people close to him said.

On Friday, he opened his morning media remarks by wishing his wife, Melania Trump, a happy birthday.

“It would be nice to be with her — but I’m in a courthouse for a rigged trial,” Trump said .

He rails against the lack of mass demonstrations outside, falsely claiming that police are keeping hordes of supporters away. On Monday, he declared on social media that the area outside the court was “completely CLOSED DOWN,” though some protesters had been chanting and walking on the sidewalk. By Tuesday he was saying that “Thousands of people were turned away from the Courthouse in Lower Manhattan by steel stanchions and police.”

There have been some minor demonstrations, with appearances from far-right activist Laura Loomer and conservative commentator Andrew Giuliani. But on Thursday afternoon, 68-year-old Gary Phaneuf was the only Trump supporter visibly protesting in the park outside the courthouse.

“Fight for Trump!” the Staten Island resident shouted as other New Yorkers in the park went about their day.

Phaneuf, who was arrested for a curfew violation in Washington after the Jan. 6 , 2021, storming of the U.S. Capitol, said he was disappointed in the turnout for the trial. He speculated that Trump supporters got discouraged from mass mobilization after Jan. 6.

“We got nothing here right now, let’s be real,” Phaneuf lamented. “You don’t see any prominent Republicans here today, do you?”

Trump in court: Quiet, then combative

Trump has been mostly impassive when court is in session, sandwiched between lawyers at the defense table as reporters scrutinize his every move. Some days, his most notable reaction is a yawn.

He frowned when David Pecker, the former National Enquirer publisher, discussed a Trump Tower doorman who had claimed — falsely, Pecker said — that Trump had fathered a child outside his marriage. He briefly folded his arms in front of his chest when Pecker turned to the topic of Karen McDougal, the Playboy model who alleged an affair with Trump.

His tone during his brief appearances outside the trial room, meanwhile, has at times veered into outright mewling. “I’m sitting here for days now, from morning till night in that freezing room,” he moaned at one. “Freezing! Everybody was freezing in there, and all for this.”

He has griped about the court-imposed gag order, complaining that he has been unfairly muzzled. And he says he should be out campaigning. “I should be right now in Pennsylvania and Florida and many other states — North Carolina, Georgia — campaigning,” Trump said last week.

Some of Trump’s grousing has provided an opening for the Biden campaign, which has gleefully seized on his daily remarks to portray him as feeble and infirm. “Trump says he has difficulty sitting for long periods of time and staying awake,” the Biden campaign wrote on X.

At the end of the day, Trump returns to Trump Tower, his famous property in Manhattan. People close to Trump said he appears happiest in his gilded triplex there, which remains furnished from his time in New York. During evening dinners, the conversation often veers back to the case.

Late Thursday afternoon, a small crowd began to gather outside the tower at the intersection of Fifth Avenue and East 56th Street. By just after 5 p.m., about a hundred people were waiting to catch a glimpse of Trump, even though police insisted they would not be able to see anything besides the black vehicles.

Some people waiting were the die-hard fans whom Trump aides have made sure to highlight in their videos from New York. “I love him!” declared Lucy Cooper, 16, who said she was visiting from Boston.

Others who wandered by were hostile. One man stopped to take a selfie under the chunky gold “TRUMP TOWER” letters with his hand in the shape of an L, for “loser.”

Dawsey and Parker reported from Washington.

Trump New York hush money case

Former president Donald Trump’s criminal hush money trial is underway in New York. Follow live updates from the trial .

Jury selection: A full jury of 12 jurors and six alternates has been seated. Here’s what we know about the jurors .

The case: The investigation involves a $130,000 payment made to Stormy Daniels, an adult-film actress , during the 2016 presidential campaign. It’s one of many ongoing investigations involving Trump . Here are some of the key people in the case .

The charges: Trump is charged with 34 felony counts of falsifying business records. Falsifying business records is a felony in New York when there is an “intent to defraud” that includes an intent to “commit another crime or to aid or conceal” another crime. He has pleaded not guilty . Here’s what to know about the charges — and any potential sentence .

Can Trump still run for president? The short answer, legal experts said, is yes. The U.S. Constitution does not forbid Trump, or anyone else, from serving as president if convicted of a felony.

Emerson parent says ‘serious failure’ by administrators prompted petition

• Published: May. 02, 2024, 5:44 p.m.
• Charlie McKenna | [email protected]

Nearly 150 Emerson College parents on Thursday sent a letter calling for President Jay Bernhardt’s resignation, a decision one parent said was motivated by a sense that administrators and Bernhardt in particular had consistently failed to meet the needs of students before and after the arrests of more than 100 pro-Palestinian protesters last week.

Megan Howard, one of the organizers of the petition, and the first parent to sign on, told MassLive that her student was at the encampment set up at Emerson on the morning of April 25, when Boston Police descended on student protesters and began taking them into custody. She said her student was not arrested, but watched as “things turned violent.”

The experience was “pretty traumatic,” Howard said.

Feeling powerless, Howard said she and other parents looked for a way to make their voices heard. The first signature recorded in support of the call for Bernhardt’s resignation was Howard’s, on April 29.

“We are paying tuition and we are still involved, we are still a stakeholder very much so in the college, and... a lot of us were really let down by what we saw happen. It did not seem consistent with the values and our understanding of Emerson as a college,” Howard said Thursday afternoon.

More higher ed

• Mass. student activists hope Brown agreement could be ‘domino effect’
• MIT says cutting research ties with Israeli military would ‘violate academic freedom’
• Biden addresses pro-Palestinian campus protests, says students caused chaos
• Emerson parents back call for president’s resignation after protester arrests
• Students meet with officials at Tufts, MIT as encampments linger despite warnings

In the petition , the parents said they no longer had confidence in Bernhardt’s ability to “keep students safe, communicate openly and transparently with the Emerson community, and lead a unified campus.”

The petition adds to the growing public pressure on Bernhardt and other college administrators, though Emerson’s Board of Trustees said it “remains confident in President Bernhardt’s leadership and unequivocally supports his presidency.”

Howard said she has not seen any response from officials at the college.

In the wake of the arrests, Bernhardt failed to be “open, transparent and genuinely available,” Howard said.

“I just think there’s a lot of things that they could have done before we got to the point of police beating up students in an alley,” she said. “That is the serious failure here.”

Emerson students on Wednesday afternoon held a rally on Boston Common and later marched to the building where Bernhardt’s office is located, plastering its windows with sticky notes with messages like “horrified, disturbed, angry” and “deal with students fairly!!!”

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