2017-2018 Admissions Spreadsheets Forum

[wmbuff]

Four cycles ago, lawschool22 created these incredible spreadsheets. The past three cycles, Xylocarp, BenWyatt, and GoBucks6612 updated them and I've taken it upon myself to do it this cycle. Twiix was originally planning to take on the task this cycle, but when I contacted him with an offer to help do some for the UT-USC portion of the rankings, he said he's been on a break from the forums, and asked if I wanted to o ahead and do them. I have chosen to extend the list down to USC, since the rankings groups through them seem to have solidified, and I am personally applying to several of them (and it solves the question of adding UT vs. dropping GULC neatly).

They're a great way for us to get some helpful information and analysis about our fellow TLS applicants and get a sense for where we fall within the pack. These spreadsheets are only useful if we keep them updated with accurate information and the more information we have, the better!

Please ensure all dates are correct and that you choose from the appropriate dropdown menus (i.e. choosing "Pending" instead of typing "pending"). Not doing so or entering incorrect dates can cause formulas to break down.

OPs of relevant admissions threads, I'd suggest adding these to the post so they're easy to reference.

Let me know if you notice any issues with the spreadsheets so I can fix them as needed.

Please don’t edit anything other than your own line of info, including sorting the data or filtering it in any way! If you want to do those things, go to file → make a copy, and then do whatever you want to your copied version.

I'm still tinkering with the formatting on these, but intend to add interview and Why X data where appropriate. If you have any other suggestions, I may try to accommodate them, depending on feasibility.

2017-2018 TLS Admissions Spreadsheets
Yale
Stanford
Harvard
Chicago
Columbia
NYU
Pennsylvania
Michigan
Virginia
Duke
Northwestern
Berkeley
Cornell
Texas
Georgetown
UCLA
Vanderbilt
Washington University
USC

(* indicated GPA/LSAT data was incomplete, but all are fixed now)

[wmbuff]

As promised, I've added the rest of the spreadsheets I listed initially. A few of these sheets are doing well, in spite of the post dropping like a rock as no one replied. Hopefully, the addition of the rest of the sheets will bring out some participation, and if we're fortunate, the mods will place this thread among the stickies, where the previous years' spreadsheets are found.

[Platopus]

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[gayfish]

Thanks for making these!

Should the Harvard spreadsheet have a JS1 column as well?

[wmbuff]

Thanks for making these!

Should the Harvard spreadsheet have a JS1 column as well?

I'll have to look at previous years, see what they did with Harvard. Since I'm not actually applying there, could you clue me in on what JS1 means? I can modify these to reflect the particulars of individual schools, if there's a big distinction for some of them.

[rowdy]

I'm just here to see every person mark their softs as average or better.

[wmbuff]

I'm just here to see every person mark their softs as average or better.

It looks like in the beginning, they tried to have more options, including "Weak". They described the levels in detail. And people still treated the categories like cup sizes at Starbucks.

I could fight it, but I'd lose. So, welcome to the land of calling your smallest size "tall".

[gayfish]

Thanks for making these!

Should the Harvard spreadsheet have a JS1 column as well?

I'll have to look at previous years, see what they did with Harvard. Since I'm not actually applying there, could you clue me in on what JS1 means? I can modify these to reflect the particulars of individual schools, if there's a big distinction for some of them.

JS1 is when you get your interview request (short for Jessica Soban, the main interviewer). Some wisdom says an earlier request means higher chance of acceptance, so I think collecting that data would be good for the collective neuroses of TLS.

I peeped last years spreadsheet, and they did include a JS1 column, as well as one for interview date.

[rowdy]

I'm just here to see every person mark their softs as average or better.

It looks like in the beginning, they tried to have more options, including "Weak". They described the levels in detail. And people still treated the categories like cup sizes at Starbucks.

I could fight it, but I'd lose. So, welcome to the land of calling your smallest size "tall".

It's okay, we're all going to get into schools way above what our numbers suggest and be in the top 10% of our class.

(OG Starbucks only had two sizes - 8oz and 12oz - short and tall.)

[Platopus]

.

[wmbuff]

Thanks for making these!

Should the Harvard spreadsheet have a JS1 column as well?

I'll have to look at previous years, see what they did with Harvard. Since I'm not actually applying there, could you clue me in on what JS1 means? I can modify these to reflect the particulars of individual schools, if there's a big distinction for some of them.

JS1 is when you get your interview request (short for Jessica Soban, the main interviewer). Some wisdom says an earlier request means higher chance of acceptance, so I think collecting that data would be good for the collective neuroses of TLS.

I peeped last years spreadsheet, and they did include a JS1 column, as well as one for interview date.

Alright, I'll look over the previous years this afternoon, see about getting the modifications added and making sure any additional analytics are working. I derived all of these from last year's Yale spreadsheet. But it makes sense to add interview data for the schools that use them.

On the subject of interviews, I know they're common practice at Northwestern, Cornell, Vanderbilt, and Wash U. It sounds like they're common at Harvard. Texas seems to be experimenting with them. With Virginia and Georgetown, they appear to be used to evaluate marginal and scholarship candidates. How about the others? Outside of Harvard, are they common to the T6? What about the California schools?

I'm considering adding a column for 'Why X' essays outside of the T6. Would folks like to see that? I don't think the spreadsheets did anything with the major/undergrad data, so I probably won't add that back.

[wmbuff]

I've changed the Harvard sheet, and switched out the link URL. Given the amount of analysis last year had on JS dates, I found it easier to just modify that sheet than the one I had put up already. I've copied over the data of the two people who had posted in Harvard so far.

[Bush v. Gorgeous]

Thanks for these!! Happy to participate.

I would actually love to see the OG softs definitions. Whenever people talk about softs I get this uncomfortable feeling that I've stumbled onto something I do not understand. Like green bean casserole, or marching bands.

[Bush v. Gorgeous]

Thanks for these!! Happy to participate.

I would actually love to see the OG softs definitions. Whenever people talk about softs I get this uncomfortable feeling that I've stumbled onto something I do not understand. Like green bean casserole, or marching bands.

(So I put mine at above average but maybe I am crazy. If someone wanted to critique/guide I'd be very open to the feedback.)

[wmbuff]

Thanks for these!! Happy to participate.

I would actually love to see the OG softs definitions. Whenever people talk about softs I get this uncomfortable feeling that I've stumbled onto something I do not understand. Like green bean casserole, or marching bands.

"Highly Unique" : Rhodes, founder of a nonprofit/startup, chef at a Michelin starred restaurant, NFL player, published novelist, etc.
"Above Average" : Marshall/Gates/Fulbright/Truman, MBB Consulting/bulge bracket Investment Banking, production assistant at CNN, paralegal at the ACLU, software engineer at a venture-funded startup, officer of a state or national student organization, etc.
"Average" : student government, student newspaper, neighborhood outreach, fund raising, officer at a student club or two, etc. (some combination of at least three of these)
"Below Average" : one or two of "average"
"Weak" : few to no ECs/internships

(Yes, seriously, that was the user name.) I kinda feel like this list is geared towards recent graduates, and less appropriate for non-traditional students like us. The gap between "Average" and "Above Average" is vast, and while the categories make sense for recent grads, it's hard to evaluate where to put the sort of volunteer work you can do in a decade of real life.

[jellyjar]

Thanks for these!! Happy to participate.

I would actually love to see the OG softs definitions. Whenever people talk about softs I get this uncomfortable feeling that I've stumbled onto something I do not understand. Like green bean casserole, or marching bands.

(So I put mine at above average but maybe I am crazy. If someone wanted to critique/guide I'd be very open to the feedback.)

So I literally copy/pasted this from the original LS22 sheets in 2013, as it was the proposed criteria for ranking your softs. This is not my own, I am just not great with tech and don't know how to quote from another forum (or if that is even possible? lol).

"Highly Unique" : Rhodes, founder of a nonprofit/startup, chef at a Michelin starred restaurant, NFL player, published novelist, etc.
"Above Average" : Marshall/Gates/Fulbright/Truman, MBB Consulting/bulge bracket Investment Banking, production assistant at CNN, paralegal at the ACLU, software engineer at a venture-funded startup, officer of a state or national student organization, etc.
"Average" : student government, student newspaper, neighborhood outreach, fund raising, officer at a student club or two, etc. (some combination of at least three of these)
"Below Average" : one or two of "average"
"Weak" : few to no ECs/internships

But it isn't set in stone obviously. I said average for myself, but think I would be on the cusp of below average, as my softs are pretty standard (leadership in 2 clubs, honors societies, student magazine, full time work during school).

[Bush v. Gorgeous]

Thanks for these!! Happy to participate.

I would actually love to see the OG softs definitions. Whenever people talk about softs I get this uncomfortable feeling that I've stumbled onto something I do not understand. Like green bean casserole, or marching bands.

"Highly Unique" : Rhodes, founder of a nonprofit/startup, chef at a Michelin starred restaurant, NFL player, published novelist, etc.
"Above Average" : Marshall/Gates/Fulbright/Truman, MBB Consulting/bulge bracket Investment Banking, production assistant at CNN, paralegal at the ACLU, software engineer at a venture-funded startup, officer of a state or national student organization, etc.
"Average" : student government, student newspaper, neighborhood outreach, fund raising, officer at a student club or two, etc. (some combination of at least three of these)
"Below Average" : one or two of "average"
"Weak" : few to no ECs/internships

(Yes, seriously, that was the user name.) I kinda feel like this list is geared towards recent graduates, and less appropriate for non-traditional students like us. The gap between "Average" and "Above Average" is vast, and while the categories make sense for recent grads, it's hard to evaluate where to put the sort of volunteer work you can do in a decade of real life.

What would we do without iamgeorgebush! So thank you for this. Agreed that I'm not quite sure where to fit myself as an older type, but considering my job and my grad degrees I will stick with Above Average but be open to gentle ribbing and inquiries re my Marshall/Gates/Fulbright/Truman fellowships.

[mwells56]

You should add an ED tab

[wmbuff]

You should add an ED tab

I'll probably do one on Northwestern first (given the scholarship it entails and attendant interest in the qualifications for such), but at a lower priority for other schools.

[y6392]

What does WE mean?

[wmbuff]

What does WE mean?

Work Experience.

[wmbuff]

I've fixed the medians on the analysis sheet (except for Northwestern) so that the tables breaking TLS applicants into over/under sets now use the school's c/o 2020 profile numbers rather than Yale c/o 2019. Also, OPs of applicants threads, take note of how much traction the Duke spreadsheet got from being added and mentioned there. I've since been able to add a couple of features relevant to Duke applicants, and will gladly take input on the others (I need an afternoon to do the interview data in the sheets where that matters, but it's on my radar). Also, if someone particularly interested in a school with advanced spreadsheet skills wants to help with that school, PM me. I'm more than willing to take on partners in this project.

[jd21]

Thanks for making these!

Should the Harvard spreadsheet have a JS1 column as well?

I'll have to look at previous years, see what they did with Harvard. Since I'm not actually applying there, could you clue me in on what JS1 means? I can modify these to reflect the particulars of individual schools, if there's a big distinction for some of them.

JS1 is when you get your interview request (short for Jessica Soban, the main interviewer). Some wisdom says an earlier request means higher chance of acceptance, so I think collecting that data would be good for the collective neuroses of TLS.

I peeped last years spreadsheet, and they did include a JS1 column, as well as one for interview date.

Alright, I'll look over the previous years this afternoon, see about getting the modifications added and making sure any additional analytics are working. I derived all of these from last year's Yale spreadsheet. But it makes sense to add interview data for the schools that use them.

On the subject of interviews, I know they're common practice at Northwestern, Cornell, Vanderbilt, and Wash U. It sounds like they're common at Harvard. Texas seems to be experimenting with them. With Virginia and Georgetown, they appear to be used to evaluate marginal and scholarship candidates. How about the others? Outside of Harvard, are they common to the T6? What about the California schools?

I'm considering adding a column for 'Why X' essays outside of the T6. Would folks like to see that? I don't think the spreadsheets did anything with the major/undergrad data, so I probably won't add that back.

At UVA interviews are used to evaluate people who they're seriously considering not marginal candidates. I think they're interviewing everyone that they intend to admit.

[iamgeorgebush]

Thanks for these!! Happy to participate.

I would actually love to see the OG softs definitions. Whenever people talk about softs I get this uncomfortable feeling that I've stumbled onto something I do not understand. Like green bean casserole, or marching bands.

"Highly Unique" : Rhodes, founder of a nonprofit/startup, chef at a Michelin starred restaurant, NFL player, published novelist, etc.
"Above Average" : Marshall/Gates/Fulbright/Truman, MBB Consulting/bulge bracket Investment Banking, production assistant at CNN, paralegal at the ACLU, software engineer at a venture-funded startup, officer of a state or national student organization, etc.
"Average" : student government, student newspaper, neighborhood outreach, fund raising, officer at a student club or two, etc. (some combination of at least three of these)
"Below Average" : one or two of "average"
"Weak" : few to no ECs/internships

(Yes, seriously, that was the user name.) I kinda feel like this list is geared towards recent graduates, and less appropriate for non-traditional students like us. The gap between "Average" and "Above Average" is vast, and while the categories make sense for recent grads, it's hard to evaluate where to put the sort of volunteer work you can do in a decade of real life.

What would we do without iamgeorgebush! So thank you for this. Agreed that I'm not quite sure where to fit myself as an older type, but considering my job and my grad degrees I will stick with Above Average but be open to gentle ribbing and inquiries re my Marshall/Gates/Fulbright/Truman fellowships.

I'm still around, and I'm glad to see my definitions are still paying dividends.

[newyork14]

Is there any way to get this thread pinned like the versions from past cycles?