Hate ads? Verify for LSD+ → Learn More

Follow @lawschooldata on TikTok & Instagram

Applicant wisdom

Advice applicants left on their LSD.Law profiles, searchable by topic, school, and stats.

LSAT 176 GPA 3.94 2020–21 cycle

Admitted to Stanford University

Based on my experience, soft factors and essays are VERY important in law school admissions, especially at T-14 schools (I believe that the more you go up in the rankings, the more softs and essays matter). Strong numbers matter a lot too, but they’re usually not enough on their own to give applicants a strong shot…

LSAT 178 GPA 3.00 2021–22 cycle

Admitted to Stanford University

…things from the source instead of through hearsay. Both softs and numbers matter. Softs are everything about your app that isn’t quantitative. Whether it is a “good” soft is a matter of framing. In the words of Dean Andy from GULC, this is basically pole vaulting; the bar is set by your numbers, and the pole is your…

LSAT 162 GPA 3.30 2025–26 cycle

Attending Washington and Lee University

Soft tiers are pseudoscience. For below both median applicants or splitters, softs are there for you to prove to law schools that you will succeed despite your low numbers and that you really want to go to their school. It’s not as much about having standout outstanding softs as it is about knowing how to work it…

LSAT 173 GPA 2.72 2025–26 cycle

Attending University of Pennsylvania

…of my “core” applications NLT 27-Nov-2025. Materials: My softs, in my humble opinion, are incredibly unique but that simply didn’t come through in my writing. I went back and reviewed my 2024 cycle applications and while they weren’t technically weak, they did a poor job of emphasizing what I would offer an incoming…

LSAT 170 GPA 3.67 2021–22 cycle

Admitted to Wake Forest University

…League STEM masters (reason why I took the GRE) so put T3 softs but idk if that is real. I feel like everyone loves to inflate their softs lol My personal take is that compared to the average college student the average of T20 applicant softs are incredible but then you have to normalize for applicant pool so…

LSAT 169 GPA 4.11 2021–22 cycle

Attending University of Michigan

Long recap below ordered by: Biographical, LSAT, Softs, PS, Applications. Summary: Had inconsistent results, but such is the life of a splitter. Apply broadly, study as hard as you can for the LSAT, and emphasize how you’ll fit into a school. I thought I was more likely to get into Cornell than UMich or NW, so 1.)…

LSAT 172 GPA 3.40 2020–21 cycle

Attending University of Michigan

…Some thoughts for my fellow T14-or-bust peeps: my softs were (ironically) solid enough to get me into my school in what was otherwise an extremely cycle. I relentlessly highlighted the most appealing parts of my softs in my application. Don’t ignore your softs in highly-competitive cycles where schools could pick…

LSAT 180 GPA 4.00 2024–25 cycle

Attending Harvard University

…Mike Kim’s LSAT Trainer helped me a lot as well. On softs/your narrative as an applicant: I think a better question than asking what tier softs someone has is what tier narrative they have. Someone can have a bunch of softs that are impressive individually (elite internships, unique upbringing, published work, etc),…

LSAT 171 GPA 3.28 2021–22 cycle

Attending University of Michigan

Thoughts on particular schools UNC “hold” is a soft waitlist, and unless you demonstrate visit-level interest after receiving it, it will turn into a real waitlist- Address went long at Michigan the Thursday/Friday before the week I got the A Gray bar at WashU within a week of decision GW date did disappear but I do…

LSAT 173 GPA 3.78 2023–24 cycle

Attending Georgetown University

…but I don’t think it went well overall. I think my softs outside of what I wrote my PS about were pretty weak, and that probably hurt me the most. I don’t think good writing can overcome mediocre softs, or at least not in 2024. Being a splitter didn’t help either, but I’ve seen enough people with my stats get better…

LSAT 179 GPA 3.85 2023–24 cycle

Attending Northwestern University

…My LSAT score carried me for sure, but with stronger softs and essays I think I would have had very different outcomes (proof: stats twin this cycle got a Ruby at Chicago). Not R&Ring as my statistical profile can only depreciate and my softs are bad, so there’s no guarantee I have a better cycle next year. Chose NU…

LSAT 172 GPA 4.00 2022–23 cycle

Attending Duke University

…have been engaged in several activities that amount to T3 softs in undergrad. All I had to do was score well on the LSAT. Ultimately, I did, but let me just say; little compares to the sustained anxiety of studying for a test as difficult to “perfect” as the LSAT for roughly 6 months. Godspeed to all those who come…

LSAT 157 GPA 3.02 2022–23 cycle

Attending University of Georgia

UGA acceptance i would greatly attribute my acceptance to my softs and to the fact that i applied ED as a URM that is way under their medians- my PS was about how i found myself by finding my passion for law and how my struggles with self-confidence were shaped by that. one paragraph was dedicated to why UGA and one…

LSAT 171 GPA 3.90 2021–22 cycle

Attending University of Chicago

I’m a late-cycle applicant, and I applied to UChicago last (besides WashU). Shoot for the stars and focus on your softs! I almost didn’t apply to Chicago because I didn’t think that I would get in without insane stats (read: 175 or higher). Clearly my softs made a hell of a difference and ended up getting me into my…

LSAT 162 GPA 3.70 2021–22 cycle

Admitted to University of Virginia

…I felt that I needed to explicitly state this. 2+ years WE Softs: Worked two jobs during undergrad, TONS of leadership/volunteering experience, department awards, completed two thesis, and one funded research project. Some other softs are not mentioned as they are doxxy. Wrote a DS and included it with every…

LSAT 172 GPA 3.89 2021–22 cycle

Attending University of California—Berkeley

Stream of consciousness advice in no particular order: Don’t coast on any component of your application! Keep addenda short and sweet, when possible. Even T4 softs can tell a story about you - don’t collect “softs” as gold stars, do what makes you fulfilled and use that as the starting point of your “narrative”…

LSAT 157 GPA 3.71 2020–21 cycle

Admitted to University of Oregon

T3/T4 softs. Not a lot of softs to speak of. Admittedly, law school has been a dream I only recently started taking seriously. I definitely wish I would have done some more extra curriculars during undergrad but oh well! Very interested in immigration law as I’ve spent a lot of time dealing with immigration stuff my…