Law schools make admissions decisions based on a mix of objective and subjective criteria.
The objective criteria consist of your LSAT score, your undergraduate grade point average (GPA), and a number generated by the Law School Admission Council that uses weighted constants based on your LSAT score and your GPA. These objective criteria are the most important components of your law school application.
Subjective criteria, such as your personal statement, your letters of recommendation, and your background and experience, are generally used by law schools to distinguish among applicants with similar LSAT scores and GPAs. As a result, the subjective criteria are secondary to the objective criteria.
The mechanics of applying to law school involve assembling this mix of objective and subjective criteria.