Which looks better to an employer? Forum

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Which looks better to an employer?

Post by Anonymous User » Tue Jul 17, 2012 8:35 am

Top 20% on Law Review or Top 13% and secondary journal?

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cinephile

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Re: Which looks better to an employer?

Post by cinephile » Tue Jul 17, 2012 8:37 am

Did you school give you the choice of boosting your class rank if you declined law review? I don't understand your question.

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Re: Which looks better to an employer?

Post by Anonymous User » Tue Jul 17, 2012 8:38 am

Which candidate looks better?

One in top 20% on LR

or

One in the top 13% on secondary journal

JetsFan1990

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Re: Which looks better to an employer?

Post by JetsFan1990 » Tue Jul 17, 2012 8:39 am

I think he's just trying to figure out how much swing Law Review gives an applicant.

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Re: Which looks better to an employer?

Post by Anonymous User » Tue Jul 17, 2012 8:41 am

I'd rather be top 13% secondary.

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cinephile

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Re: Which looks better to an employer?

Post by cinephile » Tue Jul 17, 2012 8:48 am

But you don't have the choice of being one or the other. You're either in the top 20% or the top 13%, and you can't change that now. Why not just ask, "Does law review make up for the fact that I'm not in the top 15%?"

And what school are you talking about?

chasgoose

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Re: Which looks better to an employer?

Post by chasgoose » Tue Jul 17, 2012 8:54 am

cinephile wrote:But you don't have the choice of being one or the other. You're either in the top 20% or the top 13%, and you can't change that now. Why not just ask, "Does law review make up for the fact that I'm not in the top 15%?"

And what school are you talking about?
The fact that he specifies "13%" probably means that its the other way around.

To answer the question, it depends on the school and the firm. Some firms won't even look at a top 20% candidate at some schools regardless if he/she is on law review. That said if its at a firm where top 20% is good enough grades-wise, then the law review person is probably going to have a leg up. Personally, I would rather be top 13%/secondary journal so I wouldn't have to do law review, since I would probably get something, but YMMV.

rad lulz

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Re: Which looks better to an employer?

Post by rad lulz » Tue Jul 17, 2012 9:05 am

Depends on the school and the individual firms.

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dpk711

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Re: Which looks better to an employer?

Post by dpk711 » Tue Jul 17, 2012 9:12 am

You like to double post eh?

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lolwat

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Re: Which looks better to an employer?

Post by lolwat » Tue Jul 17, 2012 10:25 am

I think grades > LR if I had to choose

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Blindmelon

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Re: Which looks better to an employer?

Post by Blindmelon » Tue Jul 17, 2012 11:03 am

lolwat wrote:I think grades > LR if I had to choose
But 13 to 20% won't make a massive difference at OCI and you can always boost your grades 2L and 3L. I'd take LR over 7% higher class rank any day of the week (unless the 7% pushed you into top 10%). If you're a graduating 3L, then I'd take magna + secondary over LR + cum, but if top 13% and 20% put you outside of the magna range, I'd rather LR.

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Re: Which looks better to an employer?

Post by dixon02 » Tue Jul 17, 2012 11:06 am

For employers, I'd rather have the GPA. If hoping to clerk, I'd rather have the LR.

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Re: Which looks better to an employer?

Post by lolwat » Tue Jul 17, 2012 11:08 am

Blindmelon wrote:
lolwat wrote:I think grades > LR if I had to choose
But 13 to 20% won't make a massive difference at OCI and you can always boost your grades 2L and 3L. I'd take LR over 7% higher class rank any day of the week (unless the 7% pushed you into top 10%). If you're a graduating 3L, then I'd take magna + secondary over LR + cum, but if top 13% and 20% put you outside of the magna range, I'd rather LR.
13% is a weird number, honestly. I'd definitely rather take top 10% + secondary over top 15 or 20% + LR, though.

I guess it depends on school and I'm biased because of the way my school's OCI generally goes. At least at my school, I fully believe that 7% higher class rank that high up WOULD make a difference at OCI, while LR will likely matter very little except for clerkships--in which case I'd rather have LR, but the 7% lower class rank would hurt pretty badly, too.

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BarbellDreams

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Re: Which looks better to an employer?

Post by BarbellDreams » Tue Jul 17, 2012 11:52 am

I would rather be the 20% with LR personally.

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Re: Which looks better to an employer?

Post by Anonymous User » Tue Jul 17, 2012 3:02 pm

As somebody mentioned, it depends on your career goals after graduation.

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