Another odds topic... How're my softs going to play? Forum

[InsertCleverName]

3.81 GPA in economics and philosophy. Will take the LSAT in October but cold tested at 166 with several months to study. Let's just assume a 164 for now.

Since I realize how pointless it is to play odds when I don't have a real LSAT score, but need to start getting my app together now, I was hoping you guys could give me an opinion on how some of my softs might help/hurt my odds and which ones I ought to highlight in personal statements, letters, addendums, etc.

-Published numerous papers in my school's undergrad research journal and presented at conferences.
-President of the econ honor society.
-Heavily involved in student government
-econ "professor"; I teach some of my school's elementary micro and macro economics courses
-casually involved in partisan politics; volunteered on political campaigns
-School's nominee for the Truman Scholarship
-Graduated college in 3 years through AP and CLEP testing. I'm wondering if I ought to send in an addendum here because since I've roughly 40 credits from testing, I sacrificed the easy A's I could have otherwise gotten.

I'm particularly interested in George Washington, Georgetown, Virginia, Duke, Pennsylvania and anywhere with a strong international law/international affairs program.

Thanks in advance.

[thatsnotmyname]

Your softs are good, but they are not good enough that law schools will cut you slack if your numbers aren't there.

If you had actually won a Truman Scholarship that would've helped a bit more. But even then your numbers would've had to have been in range. Just do your best on the LSAT and go from there.

EDIT: Also, don't write an addendum explaining why you graduated early. There doesn't appear to be any reason to do so.

[NayBoer]

Those are probably more impressive for a job search, but for law school they probably aren't game-changing. More like tie-breaking softs. Apply wherever your numbers dictate, and then add a couple more reaches than normal.

Do not write that addendum. Even though it's true you undermined your GPA, writing an addendum will not help and will almost certainly hurt.

It's also worth noting that being younger than usual is the most common reason for underperforming one's numbers. Make sure you are able to translate those softs into some decent LORs (with people who can give specific examples of your qualifications).

[D-ROCCA]

Your softs seem to be average/slightly above for the schools you are applying to. I would highlight your school publications, teaching experience (don't call yourself a professor), and either student gov't or econ honor society, whichever you were more invested in. As to LOR, maybe the editor of the undergraduate research journal, or the professor who oversaw your instruction of the intro econ classes--I'm assuming your UG institution didn't let a 20 year old kid have free reign over their intro econ classes.

HTH

[Bildungsroman]

-econ "professor"; I teach some of my school's elementary micro and macro economics courses

Whatever you do, do not call yourself a professor, even if its in scare quotes. "Professor" is a very specific title referring to specific people (it varies by university but it is never that I have seen used when talking about an undergraduate/graduate student), and is not a blanket term for an instructor. Classifying yourself as a "professor" will make it immediately clear you are exaggerating your accomplishments.

Also, don't write a GPA addendum unless you can point to something specific and out of your control that lowered your GPA. Saying "I would have gotten a higher GPA had I taken easier classes" doesn't reflect well on you.

[InsertCleverName]

Ok, thanks for the answers. Good to know my resume stacks up, since that's the hardest part of the app to quantify. Also, the "professor" is used colloquially for the position since the official title is unwieldy and nondescriptive. Obviously, the official title would be on any application.

[Woozy]

This is slightly off topic, but what do you mean by "cold test?"

If you got 166 your first time taking a practice LSAT with little/no prep beforehand, you should be aiming for a score no lower than mid 170s.

Also, you should get over to the LSAT forum and spend the next few months on that, not pondering your softs/essays.