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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@adcoms - is this information out of date?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

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General

General chat about the legal profession.
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HowlEngineer
16:59
yeah I second the comment about the LSAT
shaquilleoatmeal
16:59
also never heard anyone call it that before lmao usually its just the name of the state and then AGs
Pitch4rk
16:59
@cumsock: i like
CleverRightfulTomato
17:01
Why does washu have the time to send out so many promo emails but not review apps?
cumsock
17:01
oh u like
Pitch4rk
17:01
ye
Pitch4rk
17:01
s
FunctionalTastelessHyena
17:02
@cumsock: thanks. i'm still deciding. i'm in no rush. I've been contemplating studying for the lsats for literally 3 years. that's the issue. I have a salary job with benefits. i don't make much but i make enough etc. after working for attorneys for 5 years it has only become more clear that i want to do it. i think i need to start a study schedule to atleast see how high i can score... give it a go.... i'm in no rush to be accepted. it could be 2026 or 2027
cumsock
17:03
7sage brotha
cumsock
17:03
or a tutor if u got the facilities for that
Pitch4rk
17:03
@FunctionalTastelessHyena: you have tons of time. take it stress free. majority of the top schools like older applicants too
cumsock
17:03
and use this site to familiarize urself with the admissions process, lots of poeple have no idea just how well they can do
FunctionalTastelessHyena
17:03
@CleverRightfulTomato: definitely due to 2 different departments. the marketing promos vs. the acceptance don't even cross paths
HowlEngineer
17:04
7sage is great. I set aside about 2 hours a night to study with it after work on the weekdays, and it helped a lot with the LSAT
FunctionalTastelessHyena
17:04
i'm going to check out 7sage -- i haven't heard of this one
windyMagician
17:05
love it when I have nothing to do at work because I need other people to get off their ass and do their shit
FunctionalTastelessHyena
17:06
@Pitch4rk: thank you. that's good to hear. my age and work experience will certainly stand out. how i see it is- if 22 year old's can do it, why can't i give it a go?
cumsock
17:06
one day i'll float away
FunctionalTastelessHyena
17:06
^ i literally just wrote a poem about that before i got on here haha
FunctionalTastelessHyena
17:07
maybe i won't go to law school if the world blows up before then
FunctionalTastelessHyena
17:09
sorry if that killed the chat lol
cumsock
17:10
functional you are closer to harvard law than u could even understand. if you study ur cheeks off any of these schools could be urs
cumsock
17:10
especially if u had good grades during undergrad
FunctionalTastelessHyena
17:11
thanks. that is nice. i think i am my own worst enemy some times. i know i could do it.
windyMagician
17:11
he doesn't need hls if he wants to do State ag
snow
17:11
state ag is crazy
FunctionalTastelessHyena
17:11
i had a 3.4 in undergrad so it wasn't great but it wasn't terrible
windyMagician
17:11
lol
FunctionalTastelessHyena
17:12
i don't want to stay at the state ag forever
FunctionalTastelessHyena
17:12
that i know of
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