2017-18 Admissions Spreadsheets

School-specific applicants threads, waiting for results, announcements of acceptances/denials/waitlists.
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Stranger
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2017-18 Admissions Spreadsheets

Post by Stranger »

Four cycles ago, lawschool22 created these incredible spreadsheets. The past three cycles, Xylocarp, BenWyatt, and GoBucks6612 updated them and I've taken it upon myself to do it this cycle. Twiix was originally planning to take on the task this cycle, but when I contacted him with an offer to help do some for the UT-USC portion of the rankings, he said he's been on a break from the forums, and asked if I wanted to o ahead and do them. I have chosen to extend the list down to USC, since the rankings groups through them seem to have solidified, and I am personally applying to several of them (and it solves the question of adding UT vs. dropping GULC neatly).

They're a great way for us to get some helpful information and analysis about our fellow LSL applicants and get a sense for where we fall within the pack. These spreadsheets are only useful if we keep them updated with accurate information and the more information we have, the better!

Please ensure all dates are correct and that you choose from the appropriate dropdown menus (i.e. choosing "Pending" instead of typing "pending"). Not doing so or entering incorrect dates can cause formulas to break down.

OPs of relevant admissions threads, I'd suggest adding these to the post so they're easy to reference.

Let me know if you notice any issues with the spreadsheets so I can fix them as needed.

Please don’t edit anything other than your own line of info, including sorting the data or filtering it in any way! If you want to do those things, go to file → make a copy, and then do sort and filter to your heart's content in your copied version.

I'm still tinkering with the formatting on these, but intend to add interview and Why X data where appropriate. If you have any other suggestions, I may try to accommodate them, depending on feasibility.

2017-2018 LSL Admissions Spreadsheets
Yale
Stanford
Harvard
Chicago
Columbia
NYU
Pennsylvania
Michigan
Virginia
Duke
Northwestern
Berkeley
Cornell
Texas
Georgetown
UCLA
Vanderbilt
Washington University
USC

(* indicated GPA/LSAT data was incomplete, but all are fixed now)
Last edited by Stranger on Tue Feb 06, 2018 3:54 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Stranger
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Re: 2017-18 Admissions Spreadsheets

Post by Stranger »

Do not repost these links on TLS.
somelawperson
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Re: 2017-18 Admissions Spreadsheets

Post by somelawperson »

Stranger wrote: Tue Jan 30, 2018 9:30 am Do not repost these links on TLS.
You should put a link to this topic at the top of each spreadsheet!
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Stranger
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Re: 2017-18 Admissions Spreadsheets

Post by Stranger »

Rowdy wrote: Tue Jan 30, 2018 9:44 am
Stranger wrote: Tue Jan 30, 2018 9:30 am Do not repost these links on TLS.
You should put a link to this topic at the top of each spreadsheet!
Great idea for after work!
legallybrunette
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Re: 2017-18 Admissions Spreadsheets

Post by legallybrunette »

Stranger wrote: Tue Jan 30, 2018 9:50 am
Rowdy wrote: Tue Jan 30, 2018 9:44 am
Stranger wrote: Tue Jan 30, 2018 9:30 am Do not repost these links on TLS.
You should put a link to this topic at the top of each spreadsheet!
Great idea for after work!
Were you the one who wrote the name of the bad old forum at the top of each spreadsheet or did the new owner of that site do that...?
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Stranger
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Re: 2017-18 Admissions Spreadsheets

Post by Stranger »

legallybrunette wrote: Tue Jan 30, 2018 10:32 am
Stranger wrote: Tue Jan 30, 2018 9:50 am
Rowdy wrote: Tue Jan 30, 2018 9:44 am
Stranger wrote: Tue Jan 30, 2018 9:30 am Do not repost these links on TLS.
You should put a link to this topic at the top of each spreadsheet!
Great idea for after work!
Were you the one who wrote the name of the bad old forum at the top of each spreadsheet or did the new owner of that site do that...?
That was me, when I initially made them. Looks like I need to edit.
legallybrunette
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Re: 2017-18 Admissions Spreadsheets

Post by legallybrunette »

Stranger wrote: Tue Jan 30, 2018 10:37 am That was me, when I initially made them. Looks like I need to edit.
Oh good! With the crazy censorship / filters they've got going on in that old forum I wasn't sure if they've decided to sabotage the stuff made by users who have migrated!
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Stranger
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Re: 2017-18 Admissions Spreadsheets

Post by Stranger »

legallybrunette wrote: Tue Jan 30, 2018 10:49 am
Stranger wrote: Tue Jan 30, 2018 10:37 am That was me, when I initially made them. Looks like I need to edit.
Oh good! With the crazy censorship / filters they've got going on in that old forum I wasn't sure if they've decided to sabotage the stuff made by users who have migrated!
I've switched them all to LSL, except for GULC, which someone beat me to.
lsatlsatlsat
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Re: 2017-18 Admissions Spreadsheets

Post by lsatlsatlsat »

Sorry if this is a dumb question (never used TLS) - what are examples of below average, average, above average, and highly unique softs?

What I've gathered is -

Below average: nothing?
Average: clubs, sports, internships
Above average: advanced degree, TFA, AmeriCorps, work experience
Highly unique: Rhodes Scholar, Olympic athlete, president's kid

Is this accurate?
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Stranger
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Re: 2017-18 Admissions Spreadsheets

Post by Stranger »

lsatlsatlsat wrote: Wed Jan 31, 2018 8:38 pm Sorry if this is a dumb question (never used TLS) - what are examples of below average, average, above average, and highly unique softs?

What I've gathered is -

Below average: nothing?
Average: clubs, sports, internships
Above average: advanced degree, TFA, AmeriCorps, work experience
Highly unique: Rhodes Scholar, Olympic athlete, president's kid

Is this accurate?
Unfortunately, I think the work experience and advanced degrees fall back to average. Maybe founding a company or sitting on a corporate board and PhDs make the cut for above average.
somelawperson
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Re: 2017-18 Admissions Spreadsheets

Post by somelawperson »

Stranger wrote: Thu Feb 01, 2018 2:53 am
lsatlsatlsat wrote: Wed Jan 31, 2018 8:38 pm Sorry if this is a dumb question (never used TLS) - what are examples of below average, average, above average, and highly unique softs?

What I've gathered is -

Below average: nothing?
Average: clubs, sports, internships
Above average: advanced degree, TFA, AmeriCorps, work experience
Highly unique: Rhodes Scholar, Olympic athlete, president's kid

Is this accurate?
Unfortunately, I think the work experience and advanced degrees fall back to average. Maybe founding a company or sitting on a corporate board and PhDs make the cut for above average.
IMO it's "highly unique" if there is maybe one per cycle, if that. The kind of softs you just don't see. Olympic Athlete / Pro Athlete, founder of a household name startup, president's kid.
lsatlsatlsat
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Re: 2017-18 Admissions Spreadsheets

Post by lsatlsatlsat »

Rowdy wrote: Thu Feb 01, 2018 11:13 am
Stranger wrote: Thu Feb 01, 2018 2:53 am
lsatlsatlsat wrote: Wed Jan 31, 2018 8:38 pm Sorry if this is a dumb question (never used TLS) - what are examples of below average, average, above average, and highly unique softs?

What I've gathered is -

Below average: nothing?
Average: clubs, sports, internships
Above average: advanced degree, TFA, AmeriCorps, work experience
Highly unique: Rhodes Scholar, Olympic athlete, president's kid

Is this accurate?
Unfortunately, I think the work experience and advanced degrees fall back to average. Maybe founding a company or sitting on a corporate board and PhDs make the cut for above average.
IMO it's "highly unique" if there is maybe one per cycle, if that. The kind of softs you just don't see. Olympic Athlete / Pro Athlete, founder of a household name startup, president's kid.
Thank you both! A decent chunk of people reported "above average" softs in the spreadsheets which seemed odd to me so I was wondering what these above average softs are.
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Stranger
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Re: 2017-18 Admissions Spreadsheets

Post by Stranger »

Hey, team, keep alert. I'm not sure if others are able to retitle the spreadsheet files, but the TLS mods restored the links to them, probably not realizing that they're all titled LSL class of 2021 now. If the TLS mods are able to touch these, and retitle them, please restore the LSL in the title.
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LSNlife
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Re: 2017-18 Admissions Spreadsheets

Post by LSNlife »

Stranger wrote: Fri Feb 02, 2018 4:26 pm Hey, team, keep alert. I'm not sure if others are able to retitle the spreadsheet files, but the TLS mods restored the links to them, probably not realizing that they're all titled LSL class of 2021 now. If the TLS mods are able to touch these, and retitle them, please restore the LSL in the title.
Good looking out stranger!
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rachelac
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Re: 2017-18 Admissions Spreadsheets

Post by rachelac »

lsatlsatlsat wrote: Thu Feb 01, 2018 12:59 pm
Rowdy wrote: Thu Feb 01, 2018 11:13 am
Stranger wrote: Thu Feb 01, 2018 2:53 am
lsatlsatlsat wrote: Wed Jan 31, 2018 8:38 pm Sorry if this is a dumb question (never used TLS) - what are examples of below average, average, above average, and highly unique softs?

What I've gathered is -

Below average: nothing?
Average: clubs, sports, internships
Above average: advanced degree, TFA, AmeriCorps, work experience
Highly unique: Rhodes Scholar, Olympic athlete, president's kid

Is this accurate?
Unfortunately, I think the work experience and advanced degrees fall back to average. Maybe founding a company or sitting on a corporate board and PhDs make the cut for above average.
IMO it's "highly unique" if there is maybe one per cycle, if that. The kind of softs you just don't see. Olympic Athlete / Pro Athlete, founder of a household name startup, president's kid.
Thank you both! A decent chunk of people reported "above average" softs in the spreadsheets which seemed odd to me so I was wondering what these above average softs are.
I've been reporting as "above average" because I'm a TFA alum and did extra time at my placement school, but even that might be a stretch tbh- SO many TFA alum apply to law school that Asha did a whole blog on it a few years back. I think other work experience would fall under average and being K-JD without SIGNIFICANT extracurriculars would be below average. Like, if you're K-JD and were class president or worked close to full-time or were an all-American Mock Trial witness, I'd say that's average. If you were the president of a small club and in a sorority, I'd put that as below average.
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Stranger
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Re: 2017-18 Admissions Spreadsheets

Post by Stranger »

rachelac wrote: Sun Feb 04, 2018 12:38 pm
lsatlsatlsat wrote: Thu Feb 01, 2018 12:59 pm
Rowdy wrote: Thu Feb 01, 2018 11:13 am
Stranger wrote: Thu Feb 01, 2018 2:53 am
lsatlsatlsat wrote: Wed Jan 31, 2018 8:38 pm Sorry if this is a dumb question (never used TLS) - what are examples of below average, average, above average, and highly unique softs?

What I've gathered is -

Below average: nothing?
Average: clubs, sports, internships
Above average: advanced degree, TFA, AmeriCorps, work experience
Highly unique: Rhodes Scholar, Olympic athlete, president's kid

Is this accurate?
Unfortunately, I think the work experience and advanced degrees fall back to average. Maybe founding a company or sitting on a corporate board and PhDs make the cut for above average.
IMO it's "highly unique" if there is maybe one per cycle, if that. The kind of softs you just don't see. Olympic Athlete / Pro Athlete, founder of a household name startup, president's kid.
Thank you both! A decent chunk of people reported "above average" softs in the spreadsheets which seemed odd to me so I was wondering what these above average softs are.
I've been reporting as "above average" because I'm a TFA alum and did extra time at my placement school, but even that might be a stretch tbh- SO many TFA alum apply to law school that Asha did a whole blog on it a few years back. I think other work experience would fall under average and being K-JD without SIGNIFICANT extracurriculars would be below average. Like, if you're K-JD and were class president or worked close to full-time or were an all-American Mock Trial witness, I'd say that's average. If you were the president of a small club and in a sorority, I'd put that as below average.
Yeah, I suspect it's a lot harder to get to "above average" as a K-JD. Plenty of folks held enough leadership roles in enough organizations to get to "average", but short of national-level service, your undergrad organizations likely aren't going to get you to "above-average". I'd reckon there are still volunteer positions that can raise adcom eyebrows (say, volunteer firefighter), but not a lot short of the national/board level.
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resiny
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Re: 2017-18 Admissions Spreadsheets

Post by resiny »

I would think also that "average" or "above average" is often going to be in the eye of the beholder. Something like (to make up very random examples) "missionary" or "started highly successful blog about doughnuts" or "three years' woodworking experience" could elicit anything from making the reviewer think you sound awesome to being a slight but not substantial bump to being neutral or even slightly negative (insert explanation for why). Rhodes Scholar is always going to be good, vice-president of young Republicans/Democrats is always going to be ok, and a complete blank is always going to be bad - but beyond obvious stuff like that I think it's harder to say what's going to help.

I'd imagine also that even how you present/pitch an experience like TFA or the Peace Corps could make a difference in how it's perceived.
triplem
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Re: 2017-18 Admissions Spreadsheets

Post by triplem »

I went through all of the spreadsheets and found that in almost all of the top schools a large majority of the people (usually upwards of 60%) considered their softs to be better than average which is... you know...

I think there are really also two different things that sort of get lumped into softs. There are accomplishments (Rhodes Scholar, for example). Then there are factors that aren't distinct accomplishments so much as qualities that make a candidate stand out. I've got 15 years of work experience in a field that's not normally seen by adcoms. It's the sort of thing that sticks in people's minds. It's got no directly transferable skills but speaks to character and motivative. It's not an accomplishment so much as something that makes them say, "Hmmm... tell me more..." (stroking chin). I think the assessment of these sorts of softs is very school dependent. Some schools couldn't care less while others seem to be really interested in a well rounded class.

All in all (this is where the complete speculation begins) I think these sort of soft-softs are not so relevant unless you work them into something like a personal statement. In my case, my career plays a role in my diversity statement. I believe that several schools have found that statement intriguing enough to look more closely at my candidacy and, occasionally, off me a seat.
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Re: 2017-18 Admissions Spreadsheets

Post by icechicken »

resiny wrote: Sun Feb 04, 2018 2:22 pmI'd imagine also that even how you present/pitch an experience like TFA or the Peace Corps could make a difference in how it's perceived.
Rwanda was SO cool but did you know they don't even have rhinoceroses there?!
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sev
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Re: 2017-18 Admissions Spreadsheets

Post by sev »

Stranger wrote: Fri Feb 02, 2018 4:26 pm Hey, team, keep alert. I'm not sure if others are able to retitle the spreadsheet files, but the TLS mods restored the links to them, probably not realizing that they're all titled LSL class of 2021 now. If the TLS mods are able to touch these, and retitle them, please restore the LSL in the title.
Heads up that they have now copied them and reposted them as view-only.
Last edited by sev on Tue Feb 06, 2018 3:00 pm, edited 1 time in total.
somelawperson
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Re: 2017-18 Admissions Spreadsheets

Post by somelawperson »

sev wrote: Tue Feb 06, 2018 2:59 pm
Stranger wrote: Fri Feb 02, 2018 4:26 pm Hey, team, keep alert. I'm not sure if others are able to retitle the spreadsheet files, but the TLS mods restored the links to them, probably not realizing that they're all titled LSL class of 2021 now. If the TLS mods are able to touch these, and retitle them, please restore the LSL in the title.
Heads up that they have now copied them and posted them as view-only.
AYFKM
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Stranger
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Re: 2017-18 Admissions Spreadsheets

Post by Stranger »

sev wrote: Tue Feb 06, 2018 2:59 pm
Stranger wrote: Fri Feb 02, 2018 4:26 pm Hey, team, keep alert. I'm not sure if others are able to retitle the spreadsheet files, but the TLS mods restored the links to them, probably not realizing that they're all titled LSL class of 2021 now. If the TLS mods are able to touch these, and retitle them, please restore the LSL in the title.
Heads up that they have now copied them and reposted them as view-only.
Well, then. I believe we can actually do something about that. They can repost content on the site, but those were always hosted off-site. I'm off to the Lounge to see if someone in there has enough expertise to advise on how to respond.
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MikeSpivey
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Re: 2017-18 Admissions Spreadsheets

Post by MikeSpivey »

Is the class median spreadsheet anywhere on LSL? Thanks!
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Stranger
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Re: 2017-18 Admissions Spreadsheets

Post by Stranger »

MikeSpivey wrote: Tue May 08, 2018 9:09 am Is the class median spreadsheet anywhere on LSL? Thanks!
Do you mean this one?
viewtopic.php?f=8&t=565
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MikeSpivey
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Re: 2017-18 Admissions Spreadsheets

Post by MikeSpivey »

yes thank you! Someone should delete it from the other site.
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