What are "Softs" and How are Soft Tiers Classified?

A comprehensive guide to understanding soft factors in law school admissions

Understanding Soft Tiers in Law School Admissions

Hard Factors

LSAT score and undergraduate GPA: the quantifiable metrics that form the foundation of your application.

These numbers heavily influence median rankings and are weighted significantly in admissions decisions.

Soft Factors

Everything else in your application that demonstrates your potential as a law student and future attorney.

Includes work experience, leadership, service, diversity factors, personal challenges, and your compelling story.

Critical Understanding

Soft factors are inherently subjective and unquantifiable. It's truly impossible to reduce the richness of your experiences, growth, and potential into a single tier or number, yet that's exactly what this guide attempts to do. The tier system below serves merely as a rough heuristic for anxious applicants to benchmark themselves against others, but remember that every applicant brings a unique constellation of experiences that cannot be captured by any ranking system. Admissions committees evaluate each application holistically. What resonates with one reader may differ from another, and the same experience can be valued differently depending on how it's presented and how it fits within your overall narrative.

Law school admissions committees evaluate applications using two distinct categories of criteria. While "hard factors" (your LSAT score and undergraduate GPA) provide quantifiable metrics that can be easily compared across applicants, "soft factors" encompass everything else that makes you unique as a candidate. These include your work experience, leadership roles, extracurricular activities, personal background, challenges overcome, and the compelling narrative you present through your personal statement and résumé.

The term "soft" can be misleading: these factors are not less important than your numbers. For applicants at or below a school's median LSAT and GPA, strong soft factors can make the difference between acceptance and rejection. Even for those with stellar stats, compelling softs can influence scholarship decisions and help secure admission at reach schools. Law schools seek to build diverse, dynamic classes filled with future leaders who bring varied perspectives and experiences to the legal profession.

The Soft Tiers

A rough guide to classifying your experiences and achievements

Note: URM status should not be considered when classifying your soft tier

Tier 1

Extremely Rare

• High military decorations (Medal of Honor, DSC, Silver Star)
• Rhodes Scholarship
• Founded multimillion-dollar company/household name service
• C-suite executive at Fortune 500
• Professional athlete/near-professional athlete
• Widely published author/heavily cited academic
• Groundbreaking expertise (invented medical technique, etc.)

Tier 2

Rare

• Decorated military service (Purple Heart, Bronze Star)
• Fulbright/prestigious scholarships
• NCAA standout athlete (team captain, championships)
• Overcame extraordinary disability (ALS, blind & deaf)
• Director-level position in prior career
• Patents or significant innovations

Tier 3

Uncommon

• Commissioned military service
• Prestigious undergrad scholarships/research awards
• NCAA athlete
• Overcame significant adversity (poverty, disability)
• Published academic work
• Peace Corps/AmeriCorps service
• Relevant legal/professional experience
• First-gen college, LGBTQ+, single parent

Tier 4

Common

• Any military service
• Legal internships
• Congressional internships
• Club/fraternity leadership
• School newspaper/yearbook
• Honor societies

Pro Tip

These tiers are guidelines, not rules. A compelling story can elevate any experience.

Application Strategy

Focus on depth over breadth. Show sustained commitment and impact.

Remember

Authenticity wins. Be genuine about your experiences and growth.

This tier system is adapted from /u/whistleridge's Reddit post

Questions or updates? Contact us at [email protected]