Module 4 - Strengths & Weakeness (Admissions)/ Financing a Legal Education and AccessLex/ Debt Flashcards
How does Ann K Levine define SOFT FACTORS?
- anything outside of the cumulative LSAC GPA and LSAT score
Problems with soft factors in admissions
overestimating the value of soft factors
Soft factors that show
leadership, growth, and dedication in involvements > having several memberships
Do not overstate experiences
must have gone above and beyond (ex. all frats have volunteerism so don’t take credit unless you lead some philanthropic effort)
Athletics as a soft factors can be used to
demonstrate time management and dedication (if you have good grades)
International experience as a soft factor
study abroad is common so only a strength if volunteering in an impoverished country, new language/fluency, or lived their during a formative period (non-tourist destinations are more attractive to law schools)
Diversity factors
- socioeconomic disadvantage
- experiences as a the child of immigrants
- overcoming abuse, poverty, tragedy
- growing up in subsidized housing/using food stamps
- growing up in single-parent household
- attending schools with majority non-english speaking
- times spent in the foster care system
- a disability
Work experience as a soft factor must
show business and people skills (ex. for non-traditional students show professional work + why law school makes sense for you now/know what it entails –> paralegal - willingness to put in hours; actors - discipline; dancers - fine tune their craft)
Internship as a soft factor
- paid internships have to be disclosed
- better to do something different, off the beaten path
- or come back to the same job multiple times (shows increased responsibility and permanence)
- internships in quasi-related fields (show you are exploring a potential career)
- internships in unrelated fields (show lack of direction)
What counts as diversity?
overcoming significant disadvantage
Two types of weaknesses
- mandatory; character and fitness questions (infractions, criminal record, education gaps)
- contextual; provides context/explanation/background to achievements (LSAT, GPA, disability explanation) –> addendum
General addendum rules for writing
- brief factual statements
- state facts, provide argument for why this issue will not plague you in law school/legal career, PERIOD
Common addenda topics
- lackluster grades/poor GPA
- academic probation
- time off from school
- check “Yes” on a character and fitness
- Disciplinary incident
Best excuses for lackluster grades/ poor GPA
- working through school
- changing from science-based major (ex.pre-med to pre-law)
- personal/family trauma
- participation in intercollegiate athletics
- undiagnosed/untreated disability or medical condition
Best way to show your poor grades should not be used to judge your potential to compete in law school is to
provide evidence –> (ex. “For my first two years of college, I worked 35 hours a week to support myself and my daughter”
Academic probation and time taken off from school are
NOT discretionary on the application
Academic probation
for most schools, means GPA fell at/below 2.0; this addendum can be combined with other GPA-related addendum
Time taken off from school
schools ask on the application if you took time off from school; have to explain if you withdrew, took a leave of absence, or decided not to attend + provide a reason and include dates and what you did during that time (usually combined with academic probation explanation and/or lack of maturity explanation)
Key to a “Yes” answer for a character and fitness question is
recency and severity
Recency and severity
have to demonstrate that you’ve had time to grow up/turn things around and it is not a pattern of behavior (reflects bigger issue/lack of judgement)
Law schools will inquire about incidents involving
academic dishonesty (important to show turning point + provide paperwork)
Disclosing discipline incidents
report candidly, include relevant details, and get out
Traffic violations
most schools do not require them but some do –>approximate date/fine to the best of your knowledge if you don’t remember, if you do include date, time, pertinent details, that you paid the fine, and that it was removed from you record
LSAT is the only ______ piece of your application
objective
No explanation needed for LSAT scores if you took it twice and they are
- within 3 points of each other
- you have one cancellation and one score you’re sticking with
Explain LSAT score if
- pattern looks weird (took it three times and scores are the same/close) –> explain why you kept trying and what you expected to be different the other times
- significant score increase (explain if you had more prep, were sick the first time, etc.)
Taking responsibility is essential to
retaining credibility
