NYU 1L at median - Where should I consider bidding? Forum

[Anonymous User]

I've reviewed the CLS 3.2-3.3 info from another thread and have somewhat gotten a picture of what I should be aiming for. However, I am looking for a little more tailored advice from a school that may not be equal to CLS.

So... 1L at NYU, median (I'm above but within that 10% band around median where students within the range become fungible when only considering grades) work experience (not great, not awful, some managerial stuff for some low level businesses), non-URM minority. I am trying to figure out where my ceiling is, what type of firms should be reaches, and which should be targets. I understand I have a reasonable likelihood ofstriking out during EIW and want to avoid that at all costs. Native New Yorker only looking for NY (but they make us bid 10 outside of NY so they will be my last ten bids as throwaways).

I have one possibly complicating situation in terms of my grades: A-, B+, A-, B+, B-, B+. Basically, I managed to get a grade within the bottom 5% of the class that is technically discretionary. I am unsure of what happened and it obviously dropped my GPA significantly. I also don't know how to factor this into bidding. Thanks for any help and sorry for the long post!

[Anonymous User]

I'm literally in the exact same boat (mix of A-/B+ with a horrible B-) but at UVA. Would be interested to hear the responses too.

[Renne Walker]

You might consider a PM to itbdvorm, the NYC guru at the thread. V15 Senior Associate/OCI Interviewer Answering Questions.

BTW: I now can say I know the word “fungible” . . .how cool is that! Thanks & Good luck.

[nyf]

Even with the B- I think you are above median. I would not be too worried about the B-. I didn't have any A-s (all Bs and B+s) and I had several callbacks and offers in the V20 and up in 2010. I think your A-s will serve you well. I would forget the top 5 firms, mostly, and bid anywhere else you want (except for the tiny, really exclusive places). Also, NYU = CLS for EIW...those grades at CLS would not put you in a better place...so that other bid list is good for you too.

Finally, you don't HAVE TO bid outside NYC. You just can only bid 40 for NYC.

[WODKilla123]

You're right on the cusp bro. Judging from what I've read in the Men's fashion thread, this can go down one of two ways for you at EIW.


BB 1818 Navy Fitz + Allen Edmonds Park Aves --> V20 secure

Jos a Bank + Cole Hann --> dat bread line

red pill. blue pill. Oh fo sho!

[nonprofit-prophet]

You're right on the cusp bro. Judging from what I've read in the Men's fashion thread, this can go down one of two ways for you at EIW.


BB 1818 Navy Fitz + Allen Edmonds Park Aves --> V20 secure

Jos a Bank + Cole Hann --> dat bread line

red pill. blue pill. Oh fo sho!

helpful.

[forza]

...

[Anonymous User]

anyone know what a 3.11 GPA at NYU is? I assume below median but by how much?

I'm a 3L btw and this is what I ended up with....no B-'s, one A and one A-, the rest B's and B+'s.

[Detrox]

anyone know what a 3.11 GPA at NYU is? I assume below median but by how much?

I'm a 3L btw and this is what I ended up with....no B-'s, one A and one A-, the rest B's and B+'s.

For 1, http://top-law-schools.com/forums/viewt ... 3&t=157992

For a human generated random estimate: Since the median is slightly above 3.33 1L year, it is probably back down to around a 3.33 by 3L year (Source: ?!!!!?!). So you're about .22 below median.

[BaiAilian2013]

I don't think B- is discretionary for 1L curve.

[birdlaw117]

I don't think B- is discretionary for 1L curve.

It definitely is not discretionary. And median is like 3.30 I think.

[dixiecupdrinking]

So I'm posting that CLS list here for reference with my recommended changes noted. A * denotes a firm that strikes me as a bit of a reach. Take it with a grain of salt, this is merely one NYU 3L's opinion. Overall it's a pretty appropriate list, though.

1. Proskauer Rose
2. Milbank*
3. Jones Day*
4. Chadbourne and Park
5. Schulte, Roth, and Zabel
6. Kaye Scholer
7. Clifford Chance
8. Cadwalader Wickersham and Taft
9. Dechert
10. Fried Frank Harris Schriver and Jacobson
11. Linklaters
12. Stroock, Stroock, and Lavan
13. Shearman and Sterling*
14. Ropes and Gray** bid higher (because it's popular) or not at all (because they're selective)
15. Hogan Lovells
16. Bingham McClutchen
17. Gibson Dunn**
18. White and Case
19. Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw Pittman
20. Arnold and Porter
21. Sheppard Mullen
22. Katten Muchin Rosenman
23. Hughes Hubbard
24. Cahill
25. DLA Piper
26. Kirkland and Ellis** also, bid much much higher, like top five slots, if you want to get an interview
27. Paul Weiss *** probably not worth a bid, too grade selective
28. Latham and Watkins**(see Kirkland)
29. Willkie Farr and Gallagher
30. Allen and Overy

And since at NYU we get 40 NYC bids I'd consider adding:
- Orrick
- Goodwin Procter
- Kasowitz if you want litigation
- Skadden (might as well if you're doing Latham, PW, etc.)
- MoFo (maybe not worth it, is a popular bid at NYU)
- some others, I'm out of ideas. Might as well add Freshfields if you're doing the other UK firms.

And use your non-NYC bids on NJ, CT, Westchester offices, maybe Philly?

[Anonymous User]

Thanks for all the responses, they've been really helpful. I thought I read somewhere that the top 57% can get B+ and better and "the rest" could get B's. I guess I am wrong, which in some ways makes me feel a bit better.

Does anyone have any suggestions on how to work around having this type of grade blemish?

[Anonymous User]

Thanks for all the responses, they've been really helpful. I thought I read somewhere that the top 57% can get B+ and better and "the rest" could get B's. I guess I am wrong, which in some ways makes me feel a bit better.

Does anyone have any suggestions on how to work around having this type of grade blemish?

I don't think it will be a big deal. Your overall trend (assuming you're the OP) will outweight the one B-, IMO. But I'm a 1L, so WTF do I know.

I'm in the same boat as you - a bit higher than a B+ average. I'm not sure what median is, but I'm guessing I'm around it?

If anyone wouldn't mind critiquing my list, I'd really appreciate it.

1. Ropes and Gray
2. Linklaters
3. Weil
4. Allen and Overy
5. MoFo
6. Freshfields
7. White and Case
8. Gibson Dunn
9. Proskauer
10. Orrick
11. Sidley Austin
12. clifford chance
13. Fried Frank
14. Cahill
15. baker and mckenzie
16. Arnold and Porter
17. Goodwin Proctor
18. Mayer Brown
19. Shearman
20. Jones Day
21. Akin Gump
22. Latham
23. dla piper
24. Dechert
25. Paul Hastings
26. hogan lovells
27. Kaye Scholer
28. Pillsbury
29. Chadbourne
30. Milbank Tweed

Haven't finished yet and don't know what my non-NYC bids will be. Is it worth it to throw bids at selective firms with large summer classes, like Cleary? Or at any V10-15 firms?

[Anonymous User]

Where would a 3.52 put me?

[Anonymous User]

Where would a 3.52 put me?

Top 20-25%.

[dixiecupdrinking]

Thanks for all the responses, they've been really helpful. I thought I read somewhere that the top 57% can get B+ and better and "the rest" could get B's. I guess I am wrong, which in some ways makes me feel a bit better.

Does anyone have any suggestions on how to work around having this type of grade blemish?

I don't think it will be a big deal. Your overall trend (assuming you're the OP) will outweight the one B-, IMO. But I'm a 1L, so WTF do I know.

I'm in the same boat as you - a bit higher than a B+ average. I'm not sure what median is, but I'm guessing I'm around it?

If anyone wouldn't mind critiquing my list, I'd really appreciate it.

1. Ropes and Gray
2. Linklaters
3. Weil
4. Allen and Overy
5. MoFo
6. Freshfields
7. White and Case
8. Gibson Dunn
9. Proskauer
10. Orrick
11. Sidley Austin
12. Clifford Chance
13. Fried Frank
14. Cahill
15. Baker and McKenzie
16. Arnold and Porter
17. Goodwin Proctor
18. Mayer Brown
19. Shearman
20. Jones Day
21. Akin Gump
22. Latham
23. DLA Piper
24. Dechert
25. Paul Hastings
26. Hogan Lovells
27. Kaye Scholer
28. Pillsbury
29. Chadbourne
30. Milbank Tweed

Haven't finished yet and don't know what my non-NYC bids will be. Is it worth it to throw bids at selective firms with large summer classes, like Cleary? Or at any V10-15 firms?

Looks pretty good but if you're at "a bit higher than a B+ average" as in 3.4 or so, you are in better shape than you're giving yourself credit for.

Also, I'd move up Jones Day, Milbank, and Shearman a couple slots each. I think you can bump Linklaters down ten slots or so -- could be wrong, didn't bid them, but 2 seems outrageous. I dunno, the UK firms are weirdly popular so maybe I'm wrong... do you have a good reason to be bidding all of them so high?

Finally: If you are at around a 3.4 I think you might as well put DPW, STB and Cleary in your list in the high 30s or so. People with that sort of GPA have gotten those jobs before, and they are likely to have open slots if you bid them that low.