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How much can really really weak softs/resume hurt you?

Posted: Sat Sep 04, 2010 2:06 pm
by whymeohgodno
For lower ranked t14?

Re: How much can really really weak softs/resume hurt you?

Posted: Sat Sep 04, 2010 2:08 pm
by dresden doll
If your numbers are low, it'll kill you. If your numbers are in the mushy middle, it may help take you out of the running. If your numbers are strong, it won't affect your chances.

Re: How much can really really weak softs/resume hurt you?

Posted: Sat Sep 04, 2010 2:10 pm
by whymeohgodno
dresden doll wrote:If your numbers are low, it'll kill you. If your numbers are in the mushy middle, it may help take you out of the running. If your numbers are strong, it won't affect your chances.
So if you are in the "strong consider" category on lawschoolpredictors would that mean your numbers are strong.

And I'm guessing the "consider" is the mushy middle you were referring to?

Re: How much can really really weak softs/resume hurt you?

Posted: Sat Sep 04, 2010 2:15 pm
by dresden doll
whymeohgodno wrote:
dresden doll wrote:If your numbers are low, it'll kill you. If your numbers are in the mushy middle, it may help take you out of the running. If your numbers are strong, it won't affect your chances.
So if you are in the "strong consider" category on lawschoolpredictors would that mean your numbers are strong.

And I'm guessing the "consider" is the mushy middle you were referring to?
I'd consider you to be in a strong position if: 1) both of your numbers are at the 75th percentile; or 2) your LSAT is at the 75th percentile while your GPA hits school's median.

I'd consider you to be in a weak position if: 1) both of your numbers are at the 25th percentile; or 2) your LSAT is at the 25th percentile while your GPA is at or above school's median.

Anything in between is a mushy middle, IMO.

As an aside, I got into Chicago after applying a month after the deadline with a weak resume and weak softs. Less cynical posters might disagree, but I think it's pretty clear that my strong numbers were all that really mattered.

Re: How much can really really weak softs/resume hurt you?

Posted: Sat Sep 04, 2010 2:21 pm
by whymeohgodno
dresden doll wrote:
whymeohgodno wrote:
dresden doll wrote:If your numbers are low, it'll kill you. If your numbers are in the mushy middle, it may help take you out of the running. If your numbers are strong, it won't affect your chances.
So if you are in the "strong consider" category on lawschoolpredictors would that mean your numbers are strong.

And I'm guessing the "consider" is the mushy middle you were referring to?
I'd consider you to be in a strong position if: 1) both of your numbers are at the 75th percentile; or 2) your LSAT is at the 75th percentile while your GPA hits school's median.

I'd consider you to be in a weak position if: 1) both of your numbers are at the 25th percentile; or 2) your LSAT is at the 25th percentile while your GPA is at or above school's median.

Anything in between is a mushy middle, IMO.

As an aside, I got into Chicago after applying a month after the deadline with a weak resume and weak softs. Less cynical posters might disagree, but I think it's pretty clear that my strong numbers were all that really mattered.
What were your numbers?

Re: How much can really really weak softs/resume hurt you?

Posted: Sat Sep 04, 2010 2:22 pm
by 094320
..

Re: How much can really really weak softs/resume hurt you?

Posted: Sat Sep 04, 2010 2:22 pm
by sapien
What about GPA above the 75th, LSAT at the 25th, and good softs aside from a mediocre essay?

Re: How much can really really weak softs/resume hurt you?

Posted: Sat Sep 04, 2010 2:26 pm
by whymeohgodno
sapien wrote:What about GPA above the 75th, LSAT at the 25th, and good softs aside from a mediocre essay?
I think according to the poster that would make you weak?

Re: How much can really really weak softs/resume hurt you?

Posted: Sat Sep 04, 2010 2:28 pm
by beachbum
Haven't you already created a handful of new threads around this issue?

In any case, I think very few of us are in a position to tell you the exact significance of your softs (or lack thereof) and the effect they'll have on admissions. I imagine it'll vary by school, too. FWIW, it seems to be the general wisdom around here that your softs matter the most when you're a splitter or your numbers are around median. If you've substantially cleared both medians (i.e. above or around the 75%iles), you'd have to really fuck up to get rejected. If you're below both medians, you'd have to have something incredible about you to gain admission. And if I didn't just describe you... get to work on that PS.

Re: How much can really really weak softs/resume hurt you?

Posted: Sat Sep 04, 2010 3:30 pm
by dresden doll
whymeohgodno wrote:
What were your numbers?
173/4.0 (listed in my profile, just to note). So, yeah, I was an auto admit numbers wise, and it turns out that CCN doesn't particularly care even if you're way late with your app.

Re: How much can really really weak softs/resume hurt you?

Posted: Sat Sep 04, 2010 3:55 pm
by Hattori Hanzo
I had really weak softs and an ok-ish resume and got rejected by S (GPA > 50, LSAT > 75) and Y (GPA slightly < 50, LSAT > 75) and barely got off the WL at H (GPA > 50 & LSAT > 75). Based on that I'd say really really weak softs can definitely hurt you in sme cases while strong softs won't help that much.

Re: How much can really really weak softs/resume hurt you?

Posted: Sat Sep 04, 2010 4:15 pm
by 2011Law
Don't mean to hijack OPs thread, but I'm in a somewhat similar situation. I actually have very strong softs during second year, and honestly nothing before or after (got lazy I guess). Wondering how that might hurt me (if it will), trying to get in to a school where I am LSAT at or just above 75% and GPA just below 25%. Also, I'll be applying in January, so I know that will hurt me as well.

Re: How much can really really weak softs/resume hurt you?

Posted: Sat Sep 04, 2010 4:17 pm
by vanwinkle
What matter are the medians. If you're above one median your odds are okay, if you're above both medians they're just going to care if you have a pulse and haven't killed anyone (or alternately if you can write a sufficient addendum showing remorse for your murder).

Re: How much can really really weak softs/resume hurt you?

Posted: Sat Sep 04, 2010 6:46 pm
by whymeohgodno
Hattori Hanzo wrote:I had really weak softs and an ok-ish resume and got rejected by S (GPA > 50, LSAT > 75) and Y (GPA slightly < 50, LSAT > 75) and barely got off the WL at H (GPA > 50 & LSAT > 75). Based on that I'd say really really weak softs can definitely hurt you in sme cases while strong softs won't help that much.
Thanks a lot for the info.

Re: How much can really really weak softs/resume hurt you?

Posted: Sat Sep 04, 2010 7:25 pm
by 094320
..

Re: How much can really really weak softs/resume hurt you?

Posted: Sat Sep 04, 2010 7:53 pm
by JJDancer
sapien wrote:What about GPA above the 75th, LSAT at the 25th, and good softs aside from a mediocre essay?
Just my opinion but that seems like a weaker consider. If you kept everything the same but had a great essay that would make it a good consider. And if you had a great essay and great softs, that would be a stronger consider (but still not strong applicant).

Re: How much can really really weak softs/resume hurt you?

Posted: Sat Sep 04, 2010 9:32 pm
by Hattori Hanzo
whymeohgodno wrote:
Hattori Hanzo wrote:I had really weak softs and an ok-ish resume and got rejected by S (GPA > 50, LSAT > 75) and Y (GPA slightly < 50, LSAT > 75) and barely got off the WL at H (GPA > 50 & LSAT > 75). Based on that I'd say really really weak softs can definitely hurt you in sme cases while strong softs won't help that much.
Thanks a lot for the info.
I should also add that below S I got in everywhere with money so it looks like weak softs have much less of an impact once you go below S.

Re: How much can really really weak softs/resume hurt you?

Posted: Sat Sep 04, 2010 9:36 pm
by kazu
vanwinkle wrote:What matter are the medians. If you're above one median your odds are okay, if you're above both medians they're just going to care if you have a pulse and haven't killed anyone (or alternately if you can write a sufficient addendum showing remorse for your murder).
:lol: :lol: :lol: