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Let's say an applicant has approx a 50/50 shot at admission to a school based on GPA/LSAT. If that applicant has amazing softs (like a hard major, Peace Corps experience, and a great PS or something) would the odds be much higher? Or do you think there's a lot of randomness involved in admissions and the odds are still pretty close to 50/50?

I don't think you know what amazing softs are.

And I'm fairly sure when on the borderline it is those with better application packages that do get in (or those who submit earlier in some cases).

bk187 wrote:I don't think you know what amazing softs are.

And I'm fairly sure when on the borderline it is those with better application packages that do get in (or those who submit earlier in some cases).

Fine, good softs, whatever- you got the point.

You want to assign quantitative values to subjective criteria?

arism87 wrote:Let's say an applicant has approx a 50/50 shot at admission to a school based on GPA/LSAT. If that applicant has amazing softs (like a hard major, Peace Corps experience, and a great PS or something) would the odds be much higher? Or do you think there's a lot of randomness involved in admissions and the odds are still pretty close to 50/50?

Umm its not like toss coins once people have similar numbers... Of course numbers are highly important, but yes early apps/ a polished application/ coherent message/ strong softs/ decent UG/ etc. will all contribute to your chances if you are in an acceptable number range.

r6_philly wrote:You want to assign quantitative values to subjective criteria?

This. I remember reading in one of the dean interviews that the dean thought something like a competitive internship would be a good soft factor (i think he/she used a senator internship as the example). The former dean of HLS said someone who worked at an IT firm was a good "soft factor." It is all very subjective by adcomm/dean/school. Some schools value community/volunteer service, while others (such as higher law schools) think of it as just fluff and only hold things like nobel laureates and former druggy journalists in esteem.

it's like rolling a d10 vs a d12

kaftka juice wrote:it's like rolling a d10 vs a d12

I got a good laugh out of that one.

bk187 wrote:I don't think you know what amazing softs are.

And I'm fairly sure when on the borderline it is those with better application packages that do get in (or those who submit earlier in some cases).

Peace Corps is pretty hardcore. Isn't it two years in some poor country? Not exactly Prozac Nation but I bet it's worth a few sub-171 LSAT points.