How important are softs for URMs at HYS? Forum
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Anonymous Posting
Anonymous posting is only appropriate when you are sharing sensitive information about bar exam prep. You may anonymously respond on topic to these threads. Unacceptable uses include: harassing another user, joking around, testing the feature, or other things that are more appropriate in the lounge.
Failure to follow these rules will get you outed, warned, or banned."
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Verity
- Posts: 1253
- Joined: Sun Jan 30, 2011 11:26 pm
Re: How important are softs for URMs at HYS?
Honestly, these softs will not astound H. They'll care more about numbers.
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BruceWayne
- Posts: 2034
- Joined: Sat Aug 14, 2010 9:36 pm
Re: How important are softs for URMs at HYS?
Once you get to a 170 LSAT score the softs will matter more. Below that the LSAT will probably be worth more (it will depend on how far below that the LSAT is and just how "good" the softs are).
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Hull_at_The_House
- Posts: 17
- Joined: Sat Jun 06, 2009 5:47 pm
Re: How important are softs for URMs at HYS?
Okay so I'm a 0L applying this cycle so take what I have to say with a grain of salt. But i'm a long time lurker so here's my 2 cents:
"Was among 40 men to ever first attend a traditionally all women's college near Harvard, had an article in the Boston Globe too about me. (hence they will know about it)" - cute but doesn't really matter
"Worked with both as an ITS specialist in computers, graphic arts design for clients and for a non-profit owned by a wealthy town in the area." - cool story, depends on how you present this in your resume. standard fare
"Various scholarships otherwise I could not afford college." - join the club, not impressive unless this is the core of your PS
"Double major and minor (Political Science and International with a minor in Economics)" - meh, there's a lot of overlap there so nothing special
"Tons of Volunteer work at two churches in particular near me" - this actually means something. But is still not stellar. (But could show good commitment to public service)
I live next to Cambridge (I know the area well hence I can say "fit in" with that image/culture Harvard will be looking for) - trash, might actually be a disadvantage.
"I live in a very wealthy city near Cambridge however, I am one of the only, who was ever low income. (checked my stats)" - depends how you swing this. Maybe make it part of your PS or DS?
"Work for Lawyers offices, one who is Counsel for Greece, and one who is only 1 and 6 Gun Attorneys in the State of MA" - cool standard work experience (hard to understand what you're saying though, needs to be proof-read)
"Various Honors." - standard
"Help Found a Gay Lesbian Alliance at my school" = THIS could be a big one if you emphasize it as part of your PS/DS.
"Self taught in computers, set a small mouth to mouth computer servicing and computer building service." - depends on how you spin it.
"Started a small business on eBay, selling refurbished iPods" - depends on how you spin it again
"Was the Treasurer for our Model United Nations Group, Harvard Model United Nations was one of the conferences we attended" - cool, I'm actually familiar with this (I head up my college's program) but unless you make clear what YOU did for MUN this could easily slip into being another mediocre soft.
So in conclusion, your softs are either standard things that won't really help, OR they are things that could show some potential if you market them right. NONE of them are earth shattering (at least not how you've presented them), and I would actually recommend that you play down your existing links to Harvard, in case it comes off as a sense of entitlement
"Was among 40 men to ever first attend a traditionally all women's college near Harvard, had an article in the Boston Globe too about me. (hence they will know about it)" - cute but doesn't really matter
"Worked with both as an ITS specialist in computers, graphic arts design for clients and for a non-profit owned by a wealthy town in the area." - cool story, depends on how you present this in your resume. standard fare
"Various scholarships otherwise I could not afford college." - join the club, not impressive unless this is the core of your PS
"Double major and minor (Political Science and International with a minor in Economics)" - meh, there's a lot of overlap there so nothing special
"Tons of Volunteer work at two churches in particular near me" - this actually means something. But is still not stellar. (But could show good commitment to public service)
"I live in a very wealthy city near Cambridge however, I am one of the only, who was ever low income. (checked my stats)" - depends how you swing this. Maybe make it part of your PS or DS?
"Work for Lawyers offices, one who is Counsel for Greece, and one who is only 1 and 6 Gun Attorneys in the State of MA" - cool standard work experience (hard to understand what you're saying though, needs to be proof-read)
"Various Honors." - standard
"Help Found a Gay Lesbian Alliance at my school" = THIS could be a big one if you emphasize it as part of your PS/DS.
"Self taught in computers, set a small mouth to mouth computer servicing and computer building service." - depends on how you spin it.
"Started a small business on eBay, selling refurbished iPods" - depends on how you spin it again
"Was the Treasurer for our Model United Nations Group, Harvard Model United Nations was one of the conferences we attended" - cool, I'm actually familiar with this (I head up my college's program) but unless you make clear what YOU did for MUN this could easily slip into being another mediocre soft.
So in conclusion, your softs are either standard things that won't really help, OR they are things that could show some potential if you market them right. NONE of them are earth shattering (at least not how you've presented them), and I would actually recommend that you play down your existing links to Harvard, in case it comes off as a sense of entitlement
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ScrabbleChamp
- Posts: 963
- Joined: Wed Jun 23, 2010 8:09 am
Re: How important are softs for URMs at HYS?
Ask the person with the 159 that got into Yale last cycle.Omberon wrote:How important are softs for URMs at HYS?
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Jante05
- Posts: 67
- Joined: Tue Jan 03, 2012 4:49 pm
Re: How important are softs for URMs at HYS?
silly question but i never did understand what softs meant....
