Warning

Info

What are "softs" and how are they classified?

LSAT score and GPA are "hard" data. Softs refer to everything in your application that isn't "hard" data.

Softs are inherently unquantifiable. That's why they're called softs.

The tiers below are very rough guidelines for putting a number on something that really can't be quantified. Don't take the tiers too seriously when comparing yourself to other applicants on LSData. Holistically valuing softs is the admissions committee's job.

The soft tier system is copied from an old reddit post by /u/whistleridge.

@adcoms - is this information out of date? Email us at admissions@lsd.law and tell us how we can improve!

Soft tiers

Please do not consider under represented minority (URM) status when classifying your soft tier.

Tier 1 (extremely rare)

  • High decorations for valor (Congressional Medal of Honor, DSC/Navy Cross, Silver Star)
  • Rhodes Scholarship
  • Started multimillion-dollar company/innovative service that is household name
  • C-level executive in publicly traded/Fortune 500 company
  • Professional athlete/college athlete who was a lock for professional except for injury
  • Widely published author/heavily cited academic
  • Prior high expertise in field (surgeon who invented technique, etc.)

Tier 2 (rare)

  • Decorated military service (Purple Heart, Bronze Star)
  • Fulbright/other prestigious scholarship
  • NCAA athlete in standout position, e.g. household basketball name, led water polo team to 3 titles, etc.
  • Overcome extraordinary physical/mental handicap (ALS, blind & deaf, etc.)
  • High level (director, etc.) position in prior employment
  • Prior demonstrations of high expertise (patents, etc.)

Tier 3 (uncommon)

  • Commissioned military service
  • Prestigious undergraduate scholarships and/or research awards
  • NCAA athlete
  • Overcame extraordinary adversity (childhood poverty, physical/mental handicap, etc.)
  • Published academic
  • Peace Corps/Americorps/other public service
  • Prior employment in legal field or otherwise pertinent area (engineer for IP, etc.)
  • Disadvantaged status: LGBTQ+, first in family to attend college, single working parent, etc.

Tier 4 (common)

  • Any military service
  • Legal internships
  • Congressional internships
  • President/officer of clubs/frat/etc.
  • School newspaper/yearbook/etc.
  • Honors societies

General

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LuckyDog
19:28
I think you can try it
LuckyDog
19:28
Until they decline
LuckyDog
19:29
Do u think many WL movement will come next week?
TruthTheX
19:45
I’d say give it two weeks and we will start to see some WL movement but who can say for sure when it’ll really begin
TruthTheX
19:45
Blind leading the blind I think
KnowledgeableRitzyWasp
19:52
Once you deposit you lose a lot of leverage
KnowledgeableRitzyWasp
19:52
It’s still possible but harder
Ijustwannagetinman
19:58
@KnowledgeableRitzyWasp: even if I can show them a competing offer?
Ijustwannagetinman
19:58
My Georgetown scholarship is still pending but i doubt a decision comes before Wednesday
Ijustwannagetinman
19:59
Also a Stanford A reported from today?
KnowledgeableRitzyWasp
20:07
@Ijustwannagetinman: it’s still possible but you lose leverage because you’ve already given them money so they assume you’re more attached to their school
Attemptingapplications
20:09
SLS A was me. I was accepted last week but made an error when clicking the date. I fixed it.
TruthTheX
20:11
Also at that point you won’t get much more too but they may try to make it binding. I’ve seen a few places (not GULC FTR) that give like a 5-10K increase but it is binding
TruthTheX
20:11
Also congrats on Stanford!!!
Ijustwannagetinman
20:26
I’m hoping to get off a waitlist and delusional wanna try to get money from that school if I get in lol
CanWeTalkAboutTerrenceMalick
20:48
Thanks for the R sent to my home, Stanford.
CanWeTalkAboutTerrenceMalick
20:48
Could have just sent me an email or a status checker update.
CanWeTalkAboutTerrenceMalick
20:48
Psh.
Ijustwannagetinman
20:49
@CanWeTalkAboutTerrenceMalick: did ur lawhub ever update
CanWeTalkAboutTerrenceMalick
20:50
I don't have lawhub. In fairness to Stanford, it may be that my status checker for Stanford has already indicated that I was rejected. I haven't checked since I knew there was next to no chance I would get in. I just don't understand the need to send someone an R admissions decision to their home.
KnowledgeableRitzyWasp
21:02
haha I know i was feral when they sent the R snail mail
KnowledgeableRitzyWasp
21:02
unhinged adcom behavior
WasabiPirates
21:08
I think it's just Stanford reminding you that they have money to waste and still didn't want you. So yeah, unhinged adcom behavior indeed.
CanWeTalkAboutTerrenceMalick
21:44
@WasabiPirates: By the way, we have the same "goal." I also want to be a federal judge. Well, I would also be happy with one of certain state judgeships. May I ask what you're thinking your ideal career trajectory would be prior to, you hope, landing a federal judgeship? Like, do you want to be in private practice beforehand, government, both?
HurriedNippyPirate
22:03
Anyone still waiting to hear back from NDLS
Ijustwannagetinman
22:24
Ugh I never got a password from Stanford
Ijustwannagetinman
22:24
I wish I knew if they’d rejected me
Ijustwannagetinman
22:24
Already
SymptomaticFoxhound
22:31
wishing everyone lots of As this week
LuckyDog
23:40
Praying🙏
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