Reason for Paranoia on LSN? Forum

[scottybared]

I keep coming across profiles in which the owners are afraid to post specific numbers or all the schools that they are applying to. Are AdComms really sifting through LSN trying to figure out which applicants are already in at other schools? Is there any evidence of this or are these people just being paranoid?

I'm a pretty big splitter with a fairly rare major and uncommon softs. Should I make my LSN profile less specific? I guess it wouldn't be that hard to find me if an AdComm really wanted to.

[ashleyrenee]

I highly doubt they are sitting through LSN - they get so many applications I am guessing/hope that is where the majority of their focus is at. But if you're really paranoid about it you could make your profile name non specific and post 3.5 instead of 3.2 170 instead of 167 - something like that? I don't know - I really wouldn't worry too much.

I think the admission committees have enough on their hands

[071816]

It's anyone's guess as to what the admissions people do, but if you're going to make an inaccurate LSN profile, don't make one at all. That shit pisses me off.

[Bildungsroman]

people are dumb

[ashleyrenee]

It's anyone's guess as to what the admissions people do, but if you're going to make an inaccurate LSN profile, don't make one at all. That shit pisses me off.

agreed - but obviously people do it - i.e. 140 LSAT 3.0 GPA and accepted to all top 20 schools, stupid - not true.
My vote is either 1. don't include your stats or 2. don't make a profile
But if you're that paranoid making your profile 1 or 2 points diff I don't think makes a huge difference
I take lawschoolnumbers with a grain of salt anyways

[071816]

It's anyone's guess as to what the admissions people do, but if you're going to make an inaccurate LSN profile, don't make one at all. That shit pisses me off.

agreed - but obviously people do it - i.e. 140 LSAT 3.0 GPA and accepted to all top 20 schools, stupid - not true.
My vote is either 1. don't include your stats or 2. don't make a profile
But if you're that paranoid making your profile 1 or 2 points diff I don't think makes a huge difference
I take lawschoolnumbers with a grain of salt anyways

One or two points can make a huge difference in some instances. My recommendation to people who are paranoid is to just not include softs or don't put where you're from, etc. Otherwise, if you are paranoid don't use LSN. Simple as that. If you switch your numbers around to try and remain anonymous it defeats the whole purpose of the site.

[RaleighStClair]

It's anyone's guess as to what the admissions people do, but if you're going to make an inaccurate LSN profile, don't make one at all. That shit pisses me off.

agreed - but obviously people do it - i.e. 140 LSAT 3.0 GPA and accepted to all top 20 schools, stupid - not true.
My vote is either 1. don't include your stats or 2. don't make a profile
But if you're that paranoid making your profile 1 or 2 points diff I don't think makes a huge difference
I take lawschoolnumbers with a grain of salt anyways

One or two points can make a huge difference in some instances. My recommendation to people who are paranoid is to just not include softs or don't put where you're from, etc. Otherwise, if you are paranoid don't use LSN. Simple as that. If you switch your numbers around to try and remain anonymous it defeats the whole purpose of the site.

+1. I don't fudge my numbers at all, other than .01 - .02 on the GPA (just so it's not the exact number), and I don't include softs or where I'm from. I definitely wouldn't adjust my LSAT, that's one of the biggest benefits of the site - being able to see distinct cutoff points.

[ashleyrenee]

It's anyone's guess as to what the admissions people do, but if you're going to make an inaccurate LSN profile, don't make one at all. That shit pisses me off.

agreed - but obviously people do it - i.e. 140 LSAT 3.0 GPA and accepted to all top 20 schools, stupid - not true.
My vote is either 1. don't include your stats or 2. don't make a profile
But if you're that paranoid making your profile 1 or 2 points diff I don't think makes a huge difference
I take lawschoolnumbers with a grain of salt anyways

One or two points can make a huge difference in some instances. My recommendation to people who are paranoid is to just not include softs or don't put where you're from, etc. Otherwise, if you are paranoid don't use LSN. Simple as that. If you switch your numbers around to try and remain anonymous it defeats the whole purpose of the site.

+1. I don't fudge my numbers at all, other than .01 - .02 on the GPA (just so it's not the exact number), and I don't include softs or where I'm from. I definitely wouldn't adjust my LSAT, that's one of the biggest benefits of the site - being able to see distinct cutoff points.

it's obviously stupid to mess with your numbers (the whole purpose of the site is to have a realistic idea) - but it's clear that people do it...doesn't mean you should

but to the point of the original post - i don't think admissions committees are actively searching LSN

[Tiago Splitter]

I definitely wouldn't adjust my LSAT, that's one of the biggest benefits of the site - being able to see distinct cutoff points.

Or not.

[American_in_China]

I was a little paranoid, but I figured why bother? What school is going to fault me for EDing to the best school I have a 50% chance at? Is Michigan really going to reject me because I ED to Chicago, who has better clerkship placement and dominates the market I want to work in? The school my law-mentor went to?

That would be very petty, since these school regularly throw massive scholarships to people who are almost certainly going to Yale. Other than an ED, its not like they'll know what my ranking is after that- maybe UVA is my #2, maybe Mich is, maybe Vandy or Berkeley are. I think the admissions officers are mature enough to just offer acceptance to people they think have a good chance of attending and would do well at the school.

[so_fetch]

if you are concerned, maybe you could just lie about some non-numbers stuff that does not matter too much to other applicants. This would throw schools "off the trail" so to speak. For example, if you were a government major, you could specifically write on your LSN profile that you were an Econ major. If you are from New England you can say you are from the "Midwest". But, for example, on behalf of myself and all the other U.Va. applicants out there, please don't say that you are not in-state at Virginia when you really are (because this is something that actually matters).

My bet is that schools don't put too much time into it, but I do know someone who applied a few years ago and a school told her they had found out stuff about her cycle from her LSN profile. They found her using her LSAT/undergrad school/GPA and they were certain it was her, and they were right, and she was creeped out. It's not a T14. I forget but I think it was a UC school (california) and they used it to see where else she was applying and if she had gotten in (to see if they should YP her). Also I would suggest potentially fudging your application /complete dates a little because that is super specific. If you have your GPA, LSAT, complete date, and one other piece of accurate information on LSN, I think it would be easy for a school to figure out who you are if they put some time into it.

[bdubs]

Just don't put anything stupid on LSN. A few people choose really terrible usernames or write incredibly immature, insulting things in the free form fields. Don't be one of those people and you will be fine.

I kept my LSN up to date and accurate all cycle and I don't think it affected me in the least.

[citykitty]

The only things off on mine are the dates slightly, because I was too lazy to look at a calendar. Accept dates are legit, but submit/complete dates might be off by a few days to a week or so. I don't think that really hurts anyone. Not to throw anyone off the trail, but like I said I was lazy.

[justonemoregame]

Just don't put anything stupid on LSN. A few people choose really terrible usernames or write incredibly immature, insulting things in the free form fields. Don't be one of those people and you will be fine.

I kept my LSN up to date and accurate all cycle and I don't think it affected me in the least.

+1 Some of the things people blog on LSN is probably more telling than their PS and would break a tie for me if I was an adcom.

[03121202698008]

Adcomms no, but employers maybe. ATL if you end up as part of some stupid story...probably.

[paul34]

.

[catholicgirl]

LSN seems to be down...a lot of people are complaining about "sessions" issues regarding logging on.

Personally, I don't really care if they look at my rankings or other information. I've stayed professional on my profile and if a school uses the fact I ranked them as my fourth choice instead of my first to deny me then I probably shouldn't be going there in the first place.

[American_in_China]

LSN seems to be down...a lot of people are complaining about "sessions" issues regarding logging on.

Personally, I don't really care if they look at my rankings or other information. I've stayed professional on my profile and if a school uses the fact I ranked them as my fourth choice instead of my first to deny me then I probably shouldn't be going there in the first place.

+1

[catholicgirl]

+1 to not caring about admissions counselors judging me or +1 to LSN being a pain and not working?