Top Law Schools

Let me start off by saying im new to joining the forums and i really appreciate all of you who are active here. I have been lurking this forum for a little while now and i really appreciate the resource. so lets get into this.

As the title suggests, i am weak on my soft factors.

A little background on me first. I am a year out from graduating from undergrad and have been working for the navy. In undergraduate i studied Physics at one of the top schools for physics in the country and i got a 3.9 GPA and "highest honors" and "highest academic achievement" from my department. I haven't taken the LSAT yet and havent actually started studying for it yet, but have taken 2 tests under official timing conditions (and no headphones, at a coffee shop, etc) to see where i was. My scores from those two preliminary tests average out to a 167. I believe i can get my score up a bit when i really start buckling down and studying for my official test in the summer.

When thinking about my application I come into concerns when i think about my personal statement and other soft factors like extracurriculars and things like that. I was not in any clubs when in college except an engineers and scientist club at one point, and didnt do any volunteer work or things like that. while in college i worked as a grader, learning assistant and tutor along with a few standard retail jobs and things like that so i didnt go into debt for my degree. The most i ever did was i worked for a time doing after school science programs at a local middle school after a request from one of my nieces teachers. I also don't have a very good story i feel like. i took time off before going to college and just spent that time (about 4 years) road tripping around the country and playing in bands. I didnt also go into physics to change the world or because some grand plan, just got an urge to go to school and physics was interesting so i just stuck to that.

so my question is, how much do these soft factors matter in the applications process?
how do you write a personal statement when you dont have a real "story" and havent wanted to be a lawyer since you were 6?
and finally what are my chances of getting into a higher ranked law school without these soft factors?

Thank you for your time

You are worrying about the wrong things. The LSAT is far, far more important than soft factors or the personal statement. Soft factors only *really* matter to Yale and Stanford, and there are plenty of other great schools. Study for the LSAT like there are tens of thousands of dollars on the line. Your LSAT score will determine where you get in and how much scholarship money you get. A 167 diagnostic test is encouraging, and you have a stellar GPA. You could end up at a top school with a full ride. There's lots of advice on the forums for LSAT studying.

dwim324 wrote:You are worrying about the wrong things. The LSAT is far, far more important than soft factors or the personal statement. Soft factors only *really* matter to Yale and Stanford, and there are plenty of other great schools. Study for the LSAT like there are tens of thousands of dollars on the line. Your LSAT score will determine where you get in and how much scholarship money you get. A 167 diagnostic test is encouraging, and you have a stellar GPA. You could end up at a top school with a full ride. There's lots of advice on the forums for LSAT studying.

This.

Are you working for the Navy or in the Navy? Being in the Navy would actually be a really good soft.

notrub14 wrote:

dwim324 wrote:You are worrying about the wrong things. The LSAT is far, far more important than soft factors or the personal statement. Soft factors only *really* matter to Yale and Stanford, and there are plenty of other great schools. Study for the LSAT like there are tens of thousands of dollars on the line. Your LSAT score will determine where you get in and how much scholarship money you get. A 167 diagnostic test is encouraging, and you have a stellar GPA. You could end up at a top school with a full ride. There's lots of advice on the forums for LSAT studying.

This.

Are you working for the Navy or in the Navy? Being in the Navy would actually be a really good soft.

I currently work FOR the navy, i am a civillian.