As a Freshman Undergrad, What Should I Be Doing For Softs? Forum

[Auraeolux]

Hopefully this is in the right section…

Hello,

Let's talk about the Freshman part first because I'm sure many are rolling their eyes about that . haha
I'm currently a first semester freshman, but I'll be a Sophmore at the end of this semester (in two days) and a Junior after Spring 2014. This was due to all the college credits that I accumulated in my Senior year of high school. Since I'm on a fast track toward graduation, I figured that now would be a good time to start actively planning for my career choice. Obviously my decision to be a lawyer is not set in stone, but I don't think there's any harm in gathering information!

My goal is to attend a T-14 b/c of the employment situation. I realize that my stats would play the biggest factor in the admissions process, but as you know softs are pretty important for H/Y/S etc. What should I be doing now to be competitive or, at the very least, not have my application tossed? I volunteered over a 1000 hours in High School , but I doubt that'll be any help now. Idk if it's considered a soft, but I currently intern at a highly regarded media relations agency. Besides that, I am not participating in any other activities that could be considered softs. Are there any other options, besides being in a club, that I could do in the short time (planning to K-JD) I have left?

Thanks!

[Happy Gilmore]

The best thing you can do right now is to cure cancer or join the Olympics.

If you can't do either of those focus on work experience. Try to get a paid internship or job at a company with a national brand. Maybe start your own club even though clubs are stupid softs, at least you can point to some campus involvement. Really the best softs are almost exclusively work/internship experience.

Of course all this assumes you won't let your GPA/LSAT scores slip.

[rwhyAn]

You should be working on getting as much hot undergraduate ass as you can get, because when you're 30 like me and look back on your undergrad days, you won't look back and wish you had done more internships, but you will wish you had hooked up with more chicks before settling down. True story. Just try to get good grades and enjoy your time in school, as you're only young once. If you have the grades and the LSAT, law schools really won't care what sort of extracurriculars you have done, so long that they're legal.

[goldeneye]

Please focus on getting a degree you can actually use in case you don't go to law school. Stop worrying about law school this far in advance and enjoy life.

[A. Nony Mouse]

Do things that interest you or hold some kind of meaning for you. They'll be part of a much more compelling narrative about yourself than stuff you do simply because you think it will look good if you apply to law school down the road. Because first, you might not go to law school. And second, yeah, unless you make it to the Olympics, cure cancer, or join the military, your softs won't really make a difference - how you can talk about them and make them part of your self-presentation matters much more than what they are.

[iamgeorgebush]

My advice would be not to go straight to law school after only three years of college. You don't want to be the most immature person in your class, do you? Do some interesting internships during UG and get a couple years of work experience between UG and LS.

That being said, whatever you do, do something meaningful that shows both character and leadership. That could be any number of things, from founding a 501(c) nonprofit that teaches kids from Compton business skills to building a successful tech startup. Whatever suits your passions and skills.

[PalmBay]

Here's the advice I wish I had as a freshman undergraduate that I never got despite having a "pre-law advisor".
Start studying for the LSAT now, even if it's just a problem every other night. More the merrier. Jesus Christ, how different of a situation I'd be in if I had that advice then and there.

For softs, work experience. The more interesting the better. Get an unpaid position somewhere if you have to. You don't want to submit a barren resume when you're applying for law schools.

[09042014]

Just don't focus on getting an errection when you are with a girl. Thinking about it too hard gives youa soft. You gotta just go with the flow.

[Louis1127]

Here's the advice I wish I had as a freshman undergraduate that I never got despite having a "pre-law advisor".
Start studying for the LSAT now

Ehhhhhhhh.....three years is a hell of a long time to study for a test. Talk about burnout. I'm not sure this piece of advice is credited, outside of reading dense material. But doing logic games for three years? I don't know if that's credited.

[BigZuck]

Listen to golden, mouse, and george bush.

And then ignore the advice to start preping for the LSAT. Wait at least three years for that. Although occasionally reading dense articles in subjects that you find boring might not hurt.

[redsox]

Since I'm on a fast track toward graduation, I figured that now would be a good time to start actively planning for my career choice.

Nah. Now would be a good time to party as much as you can without fucking up your grades.

The one thing I kind of wish I did early in college was take the LSAT. I'm pretty sure my intelligence peaked when I was about 18, and given that as a college kid I was too lazy to do any real studying beyond taking a few practice tests, the LSAT probably would have gone better if I'd taken it a couple years earlier. But you sound like someone who will study hard for it, so this isn't good advice for you.

Also, please, for the love of God, don't ever actually refer to yourself as a sophomore just because you have advanced standing. You're still a freshman.

[PalmBay]

Here's the advice I wish I had as a freshman undergraduate that I never got despite having a "pre-law advisor".
Start studying for the LSAT now

Ehhhhhhhh.....three years is a hell of a long time to study for a test. Talk about burnout. I'm not sure this piece of advice is credited, outside of reading dense material. But doing logic games for three years? I don't know if that's credited.

Never too early IMO. Better being burnt out but a master at the LSAT and actually having a shot at T-14 than taking the LSAT and ending up with a score in the 150 or low 160s and having no shot at the golden tier of schools.

You don't have to drone over logic games for three years, just start prepping your brain to think the way LSATs require you to. Yeah, it's boring as hell, but it'll pay off in thousands of dollars of scholarship money and a realistic shot at the better schools in the nation.

[BigZuck]

Here's the advice I wish I had as a freshman undergraduate that I never got despite having a "pre-law advisor".
Start studying for the LSAT now

Ehhhhhhhh.....three years is a hell of a long time to study for a test. Talk about burnout. I'm not sure this piece of advice is credited, outside of reading dense material. But doing logic games for three years? I don't know if that's credited.

Never too early IMO. Better being burnt out but a master at the LSAT and actually having a shot at T-14 than taking the LSAT and ending up with a score in the 150 or low 160s and having no shot at the golden tier of schools.

You don't have to drone over logic games for three years, just start prepping your brain to think the way LSATs require you to. Yeah, it's boring as hell, but it'll pay off in thousands of dollars of scholarship money and a realistic shot at the better schools in the nation.

I'm old and dumb as dirt and I got a T14-worthy LSAT with a few months of prep. Tons of people do. It would be a total waste of time studying for the LSAT now. That time should be spent having fun and doing collegey things. Not preping for some far off standardized test like a total square.

[PalmBay]

Here's the advice I wish I had as a freshman undergraduate that I never got despite having a "pre-law advisor".
Start studying for the LSAT now

Ehhhhhhhh.....three years is a hell of a long time to study for a test. Talk about burnout. I'm not sure this piece of advice is credited, outside of reading dense material. But doing logic games for three years? I don't know if that's credited.

Never too early IMO. Better being burnt out but a master at the LSAT and actually having a shot at T-14 than taking the LSAT and ending up with a score in the 150 or low 160s and having no shot at the golden tier of schools.

You don't have to drone over logic games for three years, just start prepping your brain to think the way LSATs require you to. Yeah, it's boring as hell, but it'll pay off in thousands of dollars of scholarship money and a realistic shot at the better schools in the nation.

I'm old and dumb as dirt and I got a T14-worthy LSAT with a few months of prep. Tons of people do. It would be a total waste of time studying for the LSAT now. That time should be spent having fun and doing collegey things. Not preping for some far off standardized test like a total square.

No way, there are TONS of people who never even come close... I don't know how you can even claim that "tons" of people get T-14 LSAT scores easily...
Far away? 3-4 years is nothing. Time will fly, and you can have all the fun you want in the world. All I'm saying is familiarizing yourself with the type of questions that will appear on an LSAT, a single question every now and then (which takes what, 30 seconds?).

From the perspective of someone who had to work hard to get a decent LSAT score... it's never too early. Sure, if you're naturally good at the LSAT, then maybe you don't need it. But I needed it, and wish I had done it. It's outrageous to assume someone might be good at the LSAT so they should just put it off.

[BigZuck]

Where did I claim that "tons of people get T14 LSAT scores easily?" I never once said that. You had a reading comprehension fail my bro.

I did say that you can get a T14 worthy LSAT with a few months study and that preping now would be way overkill. The OP should be working on useful skills like throwing ping pong balls into red solo cups (filled with non-alcoholic beverages until you're 21, of course!) and picking up people of their desired sex. You know, stuff that matters. Not the LSAT. That can all be conquered in due time.

[redsox]

I'll say it. Tons of people get T14 LSAT scores easily. Every LSAT. If you put all the people who got 170+ with less than 100 hours of studying on a scale after each administration, I'm sure they'd add up to at least 4,000 pounds. That's tons.

[kershka]

I'll say it. Tons of people get T14 LSAT scores easily. Every LSAT. If you put all the people who got 170+ with less than 100 hours of studying on a scale after each administration, I'm sure they'd add up to at least 4,000 pounds. That's tons.

180. Way to defuse a tense discussion!

[Auraeolux]

Thanks for all the replies!

Getting an interesting job seems like the consensus regarding softs. I like your advice, Mouse.


I only have 1.5 years until my first LSAT so I'll continue to casually "study" by reading books and I'm taking a required course on logic anyway. Just because I'm paranoid, I'll start actively( few questions per day and one PT a month) studying for it at the end of the Spring semester or maybe June. I don't want to be a slave to this exam, but I want a good deal of money from the T-14 schools that offer it based on my score. (Specifically, Hamilton from Columbia). Obviously having fun is in this equation as as well!

REALLY happy to hear that none of you said join a club. I've always avoided them.

@redsox I never say I'm a Sophmore unless specifically asked or until it's time for registration so I can have priority. Wait so should I say that I'm a Sophmore next fall even though I'll technically be a Junior? I DO NOT want to be or sound pretentious at all!

[WanderingPondering]

Why do you want to graduate college early? College is awesome.

[Auraeolux]

Why do you want to graduate college early? College is awesome.

I'm kind of forced to do so. My college accepted all of the college credits I received throughout high school , but they won't substitute them. Because of that I have to rush to take all the freshman requirements, sophomore requirements and pre reqs for my intended major to take all the classes I am required to have taken before graduation. Since I'll be a junior by the end of the next semester, I'll have to start taking courses that pertain to my major in Fall 2014. It's really more a scheduling issue. If I don't take all the pre required courses in time, I'll have to pay an extra year in tuition.

Sure I'd like the extra year, but I don't want to unnecessarily pay for it.

[BigZuck]

If you're gunning for a Hamilton now then I'm not sure that fun really is on your agenda.

Seriously, don't worry about law school now. Just get a high gpa in a major that can get you a non-law job and keep all your options open. Law school will always be there, and it's not a great idea to try and plan everything out when you're like 19. Stuff happens and life changes and you're way too young to lock yourself into one path.

[HorseThief]

Why do you want to graduate college early? College is awesome.

Sure I'd like the extra year, but I don't want to unnecessarily pay for it.

Nope. College isn't about the degree. It's about the people and what you learn. You can have an entire year that would be free from stress. You can hang with your friends whenever you want. You can make an independent research and get published (which would be a great soft). You can take interesting courses that make you a more interesting person. It may be a lot of money (it sure was for me), but it's well worth the expense.

More to the point, though, your softs should be ridiculous things. Some real examples:

• Organize a TED talk at your school.
• Raise funds and personally build a school in a third world country.
• Start a company.
• Create a summer camp.
• Build fighting robots.

Find your passion, and don't be afraid to show your ambition. Talk to your career center- they'll appreciate having someone who's completely ready to go all in.

[094320]

..

[iamgeorgebush]

Considering that,

(a) a ton is 2,000 lbs;
(b) there are 4,293 people in the c/o 2016; and
(c) people attending to law school tend to weigh between 100-200 pounds,

we can infer that there are hundreds of tons of people with T14 LSAT scores.

Thus, assuming at least 1% of those attending T14 schools got their LSAT scores easily, we can infer that tons of people with T14-worthy LSAT scores got their scores easily.

EDIT: Damn, redsox beat me to this.

[redsox]

EDIT: Damn, redsox beat me to this.