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@adcoms - is this information out of date?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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2E2EDDBBTT
12:28
Did anyone on Scalia WL?
2E2EDDBBTT
12:28
and got interview?
anyone apply with gre
13:40
2E2EDDBBTT did
SurvivingThrivingGhost
13:42
Anyone know the word on CLS? Is it full?
should you ask a school if they are full
2E2EDDBBTT
14:12
????
2E2EDDBBTT
14:12
you 320
2E2EDDBBTT
14:12
you good good
i don't even think cls has started looking at their wl yet but their little wl faq said they would send out a round of decisions in early june so i'm guessing there'll be some communication next week
i actually did get an interview with scalia about 2 weeks ago! they told me i'd here back in 2 weeks approximately but I'm still waiting...
hear* sorry lmao
2E2EDDBBTT
15:15
@GruesomeStripedWizard: you so luncky
15:20
@GruesomeStripedWizard: how did the interview go?
2E2EDDBBTT
15:50
so sad
2E2EDDBBTT
15:50
sad
2E2EDDBBTT
15:50
sad
2E2EDDBBTT
15:50
GMU
it was mostly just them gauging my interest and letting me know that if admitted I'd have only a few days to make a decision! hope u guys hear back soon too
16:10
thanks! and good luck to you!
SillyGoose1111
16:54
Any word on Georgetown? Is it full?
SimonTWill
17:15
Georgetown isn't full, they said they would get back to some waitlisted people at the latest by the week of 6/12
SimonTWill
17:15
They let a few people in since they said that, but I would find it hard to believe that it is full already; their second deposit deadline is today, so well know more likely this week
18:23
Vandy WL to A!!!!!
19:22
congrats that's so exciting!!!
ColossalLuckyInsect
19:34
congrats omg
19:40
tysm! super quick turnaround from interview yesterday, so vindicated
SillyGoose1111
19:51
@reprobaddie4 Congratulations! Me too! so excited.
Congrats!!
20:23
@SillyGoose1111: congrats!!! will you be attending?
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