The role of softs? Forum

[scorky]

I'm a longtime lurker, about to apply this fall, and looking for advice about how much of a role softs do or do not play in admissions (yes, I know that LSAT/GPA are paramount). 167 LSAT, 3.52 GPA (female, nonminority)- but I was a double BS in biology/anthropology from a top 10 undergrad school. Since graduating (2005) I've been in a PhD program in neuroscience and published papers and all that, and I'd like to do IP law in the future. (You think the job market for new lawyers is bad, try the job market for new PhDs..)

I was wondering whether anyone with good/great softs but questionable (for the alluring T14) numbers had any surprising success stories of admission to schools well beyond their hard numbers, or, conversely, where it really didn't make any damn difference. Thanks!!

[KibblesAndVick]

Those soft factors aren't great. They're decent but you aren't going to get a big boost in admissions.

[scribelaw]

Very slight chance at Cornell. Other than that, out at the T14.

If you retake and get a 170, you would have a shot at the lower T14, Georgetown, Cornell, Virginia, Michigan, Northwestern.

Your softs aren't going to take you anywhere your numbers won't.

[lawschool2014]

I think softs matter for the t6. Otherwise, I'm the living case that it does not matter. I had average softs (baseball, snowboarding etc) and got into most t14 except HYSN (but got C though!h