What Are the top soft factors?

Graduate School Law School
1

<p>What are the top soft factors (Factors other than GPA and LSAT)</p>

<p>Work Experience? ECS? Socioeconomic Status? URM? </p>

<p>Those are the things I can think of off the top of my head, which ones are generally the most important? What did I leave off?</p>

2

<p>Hi Rolen,</p>

<p>Anna Ivey- Former Dean of admissions fromthe University of Chicago Law school, Now paid consultant who has a cloumn, Ask Anna on vault.com (not advocating anything, just passing on information)</p>

<p><a href=“http://www.vault.com/nr/hottopiclist.jsp?ch_id=351&cat_id=2711[/url]”>http://www.vault.com/nr/hottopiclist.jsp?ch_id=351&cat_id=2711&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

<p>In her column: What are the Odds? she writes:</p>

<p>

</p>

<p>In her column: Is admissions a numbers game, she writes:</p>

<p>

</p>

3

<p><a href=“Search for Law Schools – LSAC Official Guide | The Law School Admission Council”>Search for Law Schools – LSAC Official Guide | The Law School Admission Council;

<p>The link for the LSAC calculator. </p>

<p>Its a little off, 2006 admissions numbers were slightly inflated (meaning more difficult to get in for almost all schools but Yale). I hope recent trends in increased applications decline; its making the process too cut-throat IMO.</p>

4

<p>First of all, law schools all have their own way of doing things. The big “soft” factors at one school might be a non-issue at another (much in the same way that some schools give a lot of weight to the LSAT and others don’t). Schools may even change their admissions policies from year-to-year. Generally, the “soft” factors are:
*undergrad school
*major
*work experience
*essays
*LORs
*geography
*etc.</p>

<p>Now, I’m going to set off a firestorm on this one, but being a minority is not a soft factor. When Michigan’s law school data was analysed, it was found that being black in the law school application process gives you more of a numerical boost than it does on the undergrad side (in which minority status gave an automatic 20 points). Generally, minority status is an extra 15 LSAT points. </p>

<p>Most of this is a pipeline issue - I read recently that less than 5% of black students in the 9th grade will graduate from college. (Now, this could be for my area, not nationwide, but it’s still a startling number.) If admitted only on numbers, top law schools would be more than 99% non-black. </p>

<p>I’m not going to even discuss what I think of affirmative action (as either a feather on the scale or the “anvil” that this has been said to be) - but they are there. Their value does not change their existence, IM(never humble) opinion.</p>

5

<p>How important is your Degree GPA (Aka Major GPA) relative to other things?</p>

6

<p>See above.</p>

<p>Depends on the school. Even within the same school, that might change year-to-year. </p>

<p>My guess is that it barely matters. Considering that your major GPA probably isn’t any better indication of your ability to do legal work than your overall GPA, why would it matter very much?</p>

7

<p>"Generally, minority status is an extra 15 LSAT points. "</p>

<p>does that include Asians like Chinese and Korean natives who have finished their education in the states?</p>

8

<p>It most certainly does not apply for any Asians.</p>

9

<p>do any of the t14 schools look favorably at asian-american applicants?</p>

<p>i see some of them have under 10% asian student body, which i guess is “overrepresented” in terms of US population, but of course i’m from california and it’s astonishing to imagine a student body of UNDER 10% asians! </p>

<p>it’s mostly in reference to michigan, virginia, and duke, but please give comments on any t14 school</p>

<p>(i realize someone already mentioned the boost given to historically under-represented minorities at michigan doesnt apply for asian-americans, but i’m still wondering if there’s ANY type of special consideration)</p>

10

<p>There is no special consideration for asians.</p>

11

<p>if im 1/2 spanish, do I qualify for URM status?</p>

12

<p>No, you do not.</p>

13

<p>Do you mean Spanish as in from Spain or Hispanic/Latino? In either case you are half non-anglo. </p>

<p>Didn’t we cover this sometime ago? For Native Americans 1/8 is sufficient–I assuming the same for other groups, with one-half being certainly enough.</p>

14

<p>What about Mexican citizens who have lived in the US and will attend an undergraduate school in the US but who do not yet have residence? Are you considered an URM in that case?</p>

15

<p>No. Legally you are a non-immigrant. Thus, you will be considered as an international student (some schools have specific policies for Canadian and Mexican citizens). Nevertheless, the diversity factor will still be present; While you will not benefit from AA, you will most likely benefit from being different and, consequently, increasing the diversity of the school. Having said that, however, a JD is not the most useful degree if you are planning to end up practicing in Mexico–a mexican law degree would be best, perhaps followed by an LLM in the States.</p>

16

<p>What if you plan to stay in the United States? I’m not real sure how the law works in regards to people like me, because I’ve been living here for about 10 years legally. I am here on an A-2 Visa which I will still have in college until my mom moves to another country for the government job she has. Then I think I’ll have to switch to an F-1. Is there any way for me to get residency status and if so what is the process I should follow in doing so? I just think it’s kind of silly that I’ve lived here most of my life, will attend college in the US, and after college may have to just leave the country completely and live in Mexico, where I’ve never lived before.</p>

17

<p>Are you a diplomat’s kid? (Just curious).</p>

<p>The bottom line, unfortunately, is that you are neither a Citizen nor a Permanent Resident (Green Card Holder). Furthermore, you have no real way to become either. Being that the case, you do not qualify as an URM. </p>

<p>To get residency, you’d have to get married to a US Citizen–that’s pretty much your only opportunity. Other than that, you’ll have to go back for good. I know it’s pretty silly, as you probably feel this is your home–but that’s the law and its beauty. </p>

<p>What are you planning to study in College? I’d definitely go for something that’s transferrable from country to country, like Economics, Engineering, or the Hard Sciences–perhaps even Business. Law is not one of them.</p>

<p>An option you may have, is to get a US company to sponsor you for a H1B (work visa). But even that one comes with an expiration date and the company has to really, really, really like/need you in order to go through the hassle. It takes time and is expensive.</p>

<p>If Law is truly your calling, I’d pursue regardless. If you graduate from a top Law school, you may or may not find someone to sponsor you. As a matter of fact, a lot of foreign students come to the states for an LLM, hustle and find a willing employer and stay. But as I said, work visas are temporary as well–most people get married.</p>

<p>Good luck.</p>

<p>Edit: I’d talk with an immigration attorney if I was you. But I’ll warn you: he or she will repeat what I just said.</p>

18

<p>I remember browsing through the LASC website. If my memory is correct, there was a section on how LGBT applicants offered LS more diversity. Would, then, being LGBT be equivalent to being URM?</p>

19

<p>

Sure there is. It’s negative, but it’s “special”. Heh.</p>

20

<p>Thanks for your help Wildflower. I’m actually thinking of majoring in either Economics or Hotel Administration, which I’m sure are transferable to wherever I go. I AM a diplomat’s son, so that’s why I’m on the A-2. Also, with the work visa, can you in time apply for residency?</p>