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Do you think being on some leadership positions such as student representative of some college committee, being a senator or a president of the SG help when applying to law schools? I know these are most useful when comes to B-schools and law schools are all about numbers, but still ?

Not really.

It's better than being a normal member of said organizations...
Still not particularly useful though.

Exec board for professional org. 2 summers interning for DA. helped with judicial campaign (side by side with candidate, small district election), 4 years collegiate lacrosse, and 2 years SG. 100+ hours community service (Susan G Komen mainly, mom beat cancer so very involved).

Would this be considered excellent, good, average, or weak softs?

jt1341 wrote:Exec board for professional org. 2 summers interning for DA. helped with judicial campaign (side by side with candidate, small district election), 4 years collegiate lacrosse, and 2 years SG. 100+ hours community service (Susan G Komen mainly, mom beat cancer so very involved).

Would this be considered excellent, good, average, or weak softs?

Average to better than average. On this site however and at t14, probably average.

CastleRock wrote:

jt1341 wrote:Exec board for professional org. 2 summers interning for DA. helped with judicial campaign (side by side with candidate, small district election), 4 years collegiate lacrosse, and 2 years SG. 100+ hours community service (Susan G Komen mainly, mom beat cancer so very involved).

Would this be considered excellent, good, average, or weak softs?

Average to better than average. On this site however and at t14, probably average.

Yea your probably right.

I can make a mean cheese and bean dip, does that count as a good soft?

ITT - people brag about how awesome they think they are before the cold hard truth that it doesn't make a bit of difference sets in.

kalvano wrote:ITT - people brag about how awesome they think they are before the cold hard truth that it doesn't make a bit of difference sets in.

President of Pre-Law Society or GTFO.

for the t14, if you have these kinds of average softs it makes you the standard applicant, but if you lack them, you stick out

$1.99 wrote:for the t14, if you have these kinds of average softs it makes you the standard applicant, but if you lack them, you stick out

how bad is sticking out?

Depends on how high your numbers are.

kalvano wrote:Depends on how high your numbers are.

around median? above for gpa maybe at or below for lsat.

It's my understanding that Yale and Berkley and Stanford are the three schools most interested in softs; the others are more numbers-driven, to a point. Having above-median numbers can compensate for a lack of awesomeness.

Barring high number or very good softs, you just get thrown in with everyone else...luck of the draw.

whymeohgodno wrote:

kalvano wrote:Depends on how high your numbers are.

around median? above for gpa maybe at or below for lsat.

Not good. So many applicants have the softs factor that without really high numbers (for the school you're applying to), the school will not have a problem finding someone else who has your numbers + the softs. If you don't have softs (and I did not btw) you should have good numbers and even then you'll be out at some schools (see my profile).

Hattori Hanzo wrote:

whymeohgodno wrote:

kalvano wrote:Depends on how high your numbers are.

around median? above for gpa maybe at or below for lsat.

Not good. So many applicants have the softs factor that without really high numbers (for the school you're applying to), the school will not have a problem finding someone else who has your numbers + the softs. If you don't have softs (and I did not btw) you should have good numbers and even then you'll be out at some schools (see my profile).

What were your numbers? your cycle was awsome...

Hattori Hanzo wrote:

whymeohgodno wrote:

kalvano wrote:Depends on how high your numbers are.

around median? above for gpa maybe at or below for lsat.

Not good. So many applicants have the softs factor that without really high numbers (for the school you're applying to), the school will not have a problem finding someone else who has your numbers + the softs. If you don't have softs (and I did not btw) you should have good numbers and even then you'll be out at some schools (see my profile).

What were your numbers?

Also I'm referring to mid to low t14 schools.

I know for schools like HYS softs are critical since everyone who has a chance to get in already has epic numbers.

jt1341 wrote:

Hattori Hanzo wrote:

whymeohgodno wrote:

kalvano wrote:Depends on how high your numbers are.

around median? above for gpa maybe at or below for lsat.

Not good. So many applicants have the softs factor that without really high numbers (for the school you're applying to), the school will not have a problem finding someone else who has your numbers + the softs. If you don't have softs (and I did not btw) you should have good numbers and even then you'll be out at some schools (see my profile).

What were your numbers? your cycle was awsome...

I am happy with the cycle but my point was that w/o at least decent softs, a school like Stanford is a no go. Great softs don't help much but weak softs can hurt. Until I actually started school, I had no idea how accomplished most applicants are. Pretty much every person that I have met so far has a more interesting life story than mine.
177/3.9

Edit: just to clarify "decent softs", I don't mean just president of this or that club or normal community service stuff. I mean teaching English in Tibet, building water purifying facilities in Africa, speaking 5-6 languages, etc.

OK, let me be a senator and then a president of the SG, score 176 on the LSAT, get a 3.95 GPA and see who gets in - the one who teaches English in Tiber or me

Ivan91 wrote:OK, let me be a senator and then a president of the SG, score 176 on the LSAT, get a 3.95 GPA and see who gets in - the one who teaches English in Tiber or me

With the same numbers you will both likely be accepted everywhere

After reading this thread I'm suddenly a lot more worried about admissions... I thought my softs were moderately strong but now they sound average/weak. Damn you overachievers... Do people think that having a parttime job throughout UG (15-25 hours/week) can in anyway compensate for, or at least explain, a lack of amazing softs?

Excellence = a Habit wrote:After reading this thread I'm suddenly a lot more worried about admissions... I thought my softs were moderately strong but now they sound average/weak. Damn you overachievers... Do people think that having a parttime job throughout UG (15-25 hours/week) can in anyway compensate for, or at least explain, a lack of amazing softs?

the point is, it just won't give you an edge beyond your numbers. no, the fact you worked won't excuse bc you still won't seem as impressive as Mr. Impressive Softs.

Ivan91 wrote:OK, let me be a senator and then a president of the SG, score 176 on the LSAT, get a 3.95 GPA and see who gets in - the one who teaches English in Tiber or me

You just invented a country.

SilverE2 wrote:

Ivan91 wrote:OK, let me be a senator and then a president of the SG, score 176 on the LSAT, get a 3.95 GPA and see who gets in - the one who teaches English in Tiber or me

You just invented a country.

Yeah, right ?Who has such a soft ?