Improving softs for PI Forum

[Skunky Bumps]

Hey TLS! Right now I'm sitting on a 172 and what I believe will be a 3.78-3.8 GPA at the conclusion of this school year. I'm looking to crack Stanford when I apply for the 2012-13 cycle. As an undergrad without any WE besides summer work, I'm trying to make up for it with some decent softs to show my passion for PI. I am currently a student representative for my school's judiciaries process and I interned for the local Public Defender's office fall quarter. Other than volunteering this summer at a local PI-related firm (which I plan on doing), what else can I do to improve my softs? Thanks!

[Doorkeeper]

I hate to be the harbringer of bad news, but Stanford will be extremely difficult to get with your GPA/LSAT combination unless you are a URM. Stanford really looks for high GPAs, and really only makes exceptions to that if you are in the 177+ LSAT or have some great softs.

[worldtraveler]

Well what exactly is your passion for PI? What do you want to do? Why?

[basketball law guy]

I have a similar question. I posted in another thread but will repeat my background:
Completing my third year of undergrad at a midwestern college and I play basketball (on scholarship). My basketball season runs September -last week. My other softs would be different volunteer activities (youth camps, nursing homes, elementary school volunteer reader, etc.). Taking LSAT in October so I will have the summer to study and prepare. Current GPA is 3.98. If I am looking to get into a T25 school, assuming I get a decent LSAT score, is this enough for my application? Thanks

[Skunky Bumps]

I hate to be the harbringer of bad news, but Stanford will be extremely difficult to get with your GPA/LSAT combination unless you are a URM. Stanford really looks for high GPAs, and really only makes exceptions to that if you are in the 177+ LSAT or have some great softs.

Yeah I realize I'm not in the best of positions, but I don't think it's unrealistic to at least have an outside shot. With the new rankings, I'm sitting at their 75th in LSAT and above their 25th in GPA. I've read quite a bit about them being a "GPA" school so that's why I'm trying to bump my softs if it's possible to give me that edge. LSN makes it look as though I'm about .05 short on my GPA, but I could very realistically be at 3.83 or so at the end of fall semester (we're converting from Q to S this coming year). I realize if I'll be in contention at all, I'll probably need a boost to get ahead of whoever else is occupying that precarious line between admit and deny. I'm hoping for a friendly cycle to bump me over.

Also not a URM.

[Skunky Bumps]

Well what exactly is your passion for PI? What do you want to do? Why?

Well my passion is policy and civil rights and liberties. I'm hoping to fight racially and economically discriminatory governmental policies like the War on Drugs, etc. Hoping for a job at a non-profit after law school. The why is probably a bit harder, but in a nutshell, I find myself angry and disgusted at the way we treat minority groups and the poor in the U.S. My family isn't rich, but I don't like the privileges afforded to me and not afforded to others. I'm a bit of a bleeding heart.

[worldtraveler]

Well what exactly is your passion for PI? What do you want to do? Why?

Well my passion is policy and civil rights and liberties. I'm hoping to fight racially and economically discriminatory governmental policies like the War on Drugs, etc. Hoping for a job at a non-profit after law school. The why is probably a bit harder, but in a nutshell, I find myself angry and disgusted at the way we treat minority groups and the poor in the U.S. My family isn't rich, but I don't like the privileges afforded to me and not afforded to others. I'm a bit of a bleeding heart.

Oh dear.

[Doorkeeper]

I hate to be the harbringer of bad news, but Stanford will be extremely difficult to get with your GPA/LSAT combination unless you are a URM. Stanford really looks for high GPAs, and really only makes exceptions to that if you are in the 177+ LSAT or have some great softs.

Yeah I realize I'm not in the best of positions, but I don't think it's unrealistic to at least have an outside shot. With the new rankings, I'm sitting at their 75th in LSAT and above their 25th in GPA. I've read quite a bit about them being a "GPA" school so that's why I'm trying to bump my softs if it's possible to give me that edge. LSN makes it look as though I'm about .05 short on my GPA, but I could very realistically be at 3.83 or so at the end of fall semester (we're converting from Q to S this coming year). I realize if I'll be in contention at all, I'll probably need a boost to get ahead of whoever else is occupying that precarious line between admit and deny. I'm hoping for a friendly cycle to bump me over.

Also not a URM.

Ah. Well a 3.83 is doable then. You need to gun the fuck out of your remaining semesters to get that. It's better than any soft you can get, short of a Rhodes or getting a ridiculously awesome job.

[rad lulz]

.

[Skunky Bumps]

Well what exactly is your passion for PI? What do you want to do? Why?

Well my passion is policy and civil rights and liberties. I'm hoping to fight racially and economically discriminatory governmental policies like the War on Drugs, etc. Hoping for a job at a non-profit after law school. The why is probably a bit harder, but in a nutshell, I find myself angry and disgusted at the way we treat minority groups and the poor in the U.S. My family isn't rich, but I don't like the privileges afforded to me and not afforded to others. I'm a bit of a bleeding heart.

Almost NO ONE does this. Basically no one.

I mean you can get a job filing s 1983 police or jail brutality claims, or doing hiring discrimination employment plaintiff's work, or working at the PD's office, but basically no one does what you are thinking about.

If you want to do policy, do policy.

I think I articulated myself poorly. Actually, now that I read it, very poorly. Policy is what I'm looking to do. Public advocacy. Definitely not "courtroom brawler" stuff.

[Skunky Bumps]

Well what exactly is your passion for PI? What do you want to do? Why?

Well my passion is policy and civil rights and liberties. I'm hoping to fight racially and economically discriminatory governmental policies like the War on Drugs, etc. Hoping for a job at a non-profit after law school. The why is probably a bit harder, but in a nutshell, I find myself angry and disgusted at the way we treat minority groups and the poor in the U.S. My family isn't rich, but I don't like the privileges afforded to me and not afforded to others. I'm a bit of a bleeding heart.

Oh dear.

Yeah, I realized after the fact that I articulated this poorly and it sounds very naive. I should have spent a bit more time and thought before writing this paragraph. I'm sorta giving it the, "what the fuck did I write that for" look. See above, but policy is my endgame.

Ah well, not the first time I've realized the stupidity of my post after rereading it.

[rad lulz]

.