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My GPA/LSAT numbers aren't so great - would any of my below softs help my application at all?

- Senior at small, private college in Northeast
- First generation college student
- Founded 2 organizations in Ugrad (gender equality org and club sport)
- President of Ugrad Program Board
- Small Business Owner
- Part-Time Retail Job
- Unpaid Internship With Well-Known Politician
- Volunteer Experience Abroad
- Student Consultant For Large Accounting Firm, Part of Academic Coursework
- Panhellenic Sorority, Academic Chair
- Strong LORs
- Strong Personal Statement

Lol at "small, private college in NE" being considered a positive. Nothing there will help substantially, TCR is to retake and improve LSAT because that will do much more than all of those softs combined. That or being URM.

Not trying to insinuate it as a positive, just trying to offer some background with that one Considering retaking LSAT, probably best way to improve app.

kingley wrote:My GPA/LSAT numbers aren't so great

I'm sorry about that. You should try retaking

kingley wrote: ...would any of my below softs help round out my application at all?

No.

Cicero76 wrote:

kingley wrote:My GPA/LSAT numbers aren't so great

I'm sorry about that. You should try retaking

kingley wrote: ...would any of my below softs help round out my application at all?

No.

To clarify what (I think) Cicero is saying: those softs will "round out" your application in the sense that you won't underperform your numbers. But you also won't outperform them.

midwest17 wrote:

Cicero76 wrote:

kingley wrote:My GPA/LSAT numbers aren't so great

I'm sorry about that. You should try retaking

kingley wrote: ...would any of my below softs help round out my application at all?

No.

To clarify what (I think) Cicero is saying: those softs will "round out" your application in the sense that you won't underperform your numbers. But you also won't outperform them.

Correct. They certainly prove you aren't the very boring and very rare exception that doesn't get into schools your numbers are qualified for, but they aren't going to vault you ahead.

Just my humble opinion:

kingley wrote:My GPA/LSAT numbers aren't so great - would any of my below softs help my application at all?

- Senior at small, private college in Northeast
- First generation college student Probably only relevant for certain scholarships - NYU has one I think
- Founded 2 organizations in Ugrad (gender equality org and club sport) Very minor impact - could be the difference between a denial and the wait-list, but will not get you accepted if the numbers aren't there
- President of Ugrad Program Board
- Small Business Owner Was/is it successful? What kind of business? This would probably impress Northwestern, and could marginally help sub-par numbers there, but not if you're below both medians
- Part-Time Retail Job Very minor impact IF you did it during school and spin it well - could be the difference between a denial and the wait-list, but will not get you accepted if the numbers aren't there
- Unpaid Internship With Well-Known Politician
- Volunteer Experience Abroad
- Student Consultant For Large Accounting Firm, Part of Academic Coursework
- Panhellenic Sorority, Academic Chair
- Strong LORs Very minor impact at certain schools - could be the difference between a denial and the wait-list, but will not get you accepted if the numbers aren't there
- Strong Personal Statement How do you know it's strong?

But really: http://mylsn.info/

You guys don't think that he is a small-business owner would help much? That seems to be the sort of thing that would stand out if he can talk about it. Also, campus organizations won't do much of anything, but what if he started an off-campus org (like a 501c3)?

Tyr wrote:You guys don't think that he is a small-business owner would help much? That seems to be the sort of thing that would stand out if he can talk about it. Also, campus organizations won't do much of anything, but what if he started an off-campus org (like a 501c3)?

See post above - completely depends on the small business (and success thereof) and the school. An off campus-org maybe, but again, it all depends on the success. Anyone can start something, but did you follow through? Did it work? What was the extent of it? etc.

lawschool22 wrote:

Tyr wrote:You guys don't think that he is a small-business owner would help much? That seems to be the sort of thing that would stand out if he can talk about it. Also, campus organizations won't do much of anything, but what if he started an off-campus org (like a 501c3)?

See post above - completely depends on the small business (and success thereof) and the school. An off campus-org maybe, but again, it all depends on the success. Anyone can start something, but did you follow through? Did it work? What was the extent of it? etc.

That makes sense. Thanks!

lawschool22 wrote:

Tyr wrote:You guys don't think that he is a small-business owner would help much? That seems to be the sort of thing that would stand out if he can talk about it. Also, campus organizations won't do much of anything, but what if he started an off-campus org (like a 501c3)?

See post above - completely depends on the small business (and success thereof) and the school. An off campus-org maybe, but again, it all depends on the success. Anyone can start something, but did you follow through? Did it work? What was the extent of it? etc.

Agreed small business start ups will only pique the interest of an adcomm. Probably not give substantial boost unless there is success or adversity overcome that is evident in the application. This soft is nothing like say…being published or something similar that would give an automatic boost just by being on the application (even then it depends where the piece was published).

The business is still running and successful - I design products for the home that are sold online and in retail stores. Not sure if this helps but just to answer that question!

Both orgs were on campus - still running.

I attend a top university, Ivy-league uni for business while also working in a top financial market and I also run my own company.

That gets me a good edge when it comes to breaking ties.

A LOT of people will have your number combos and if you have strong softs, you'll climb your way to the top and if a spot opens up in your bracket, you'll be prime real estate for it. However, in no way should you think that your softs will overcome your numbers and boost you forward unless you've done some SUBSTANTIAL things. And my softs and your softs do NOT count as "substantial" to that extent.