The most important soft factors Forum

[sven]

How's about a Fulbright English Teaching Assistant grant? Granted ( ), it's only 1 year, and you're only working part-time, and you're getting paid relatively well, and it's probably not as competitive as it sounds... but people have told me that with that on my resume, I'll get into any school I want. I know this is BS, but to what extent is a Fulbright a game-changing soft? Is it like TFA even though it's a much less rigorous experience? I also feel like Fulbrights may be one of those things that schools count in their 1L statistics. Is that right?

[makingwaves]

I think post-UG work experience that is interesting and impressive is a good soft. I don't think it has to be earth shattering -- you don't have to split atoms from 9 to 5 -- but having been successful in another profession and getting some life experience will help.

I think showing you can manage working (even if its only 15-20 hours per week) and keeping great grades and a solid LSAT score says something about your determination and will to succeed.

[bighead715]

could be as simple as standing out. worked for me.

[Kobe_Teeth]

I feel like good full time WE helps, especially if your GPA sorta blows. I'm basing this on anecdotes. Hopefully, I'll be confirming this by getting into a T30 school or two.

[ps494]

For those of you who say that a personal statement with a good story can be an excellent soft, I think that it's not the story but whether or not you are a good writer. For example, someone that wrote an excellent PS about a hiking trip is going to be looked at much more favorably than someone who was in the Peace Corps but writes like they just got out of high school.

Also, I think there personal statements fall into one of three categories: 10% stand out as good, 10% stand out as bad, and 80% don't stand out at all.