Transfer Students OCI: Likley to get a preselect Forum

[Anonymous User]

Hello Transfer here from a TTTT (one of the worst in the country, seriously) to a T-45. How likely do transfer students get pre-select? I got 1 out of 30 bids that I put and 1 alternate that I'm waiting on. Pretty bad huh? I bid for all big-law mostly. I think the pre-select I got is big-law as well (firm has more than 600 attorneys). Correct me if it's not biglaw. I've heard that's normal though for transfer students to get that much. Did not do many extra-circulars in my TTTT because I was focusing on grades ONLY in order to transfer out of my TTTT. Right now I'm trying to apply-on to a journal to make up for extra-circulars at my T-45 and to have something to BS about during screening interview.

Also, what is OCI like during the interview phase for transfers? The screening interview is expected to last 20 mins. What should I expect to be asked, etc?


Thanks!!!!

[Anonymous User]

Transfer here: they will ask why transfer? Pretty simple question and given your situation it's clear but they want to see you articulate it. Otherwise, basic resume questions and some firms will ask "why us?"

600+ is big law. Is your school 100% pre-select? If so, maybe that's why 1 bid but still, it seems like you had a high GPA so maybe your bid list was too ambitious.

Edit: Extra-curriculars is no big deal. Journal at new school no big deal unless law review and journal for transfers is common at new school. Focus more on interviewing. More importantly, mass-mail big firms and firms in your primary and secondary markets.

[Anonymous User]

Transfer here as well. Transferred from a TT to a T30. 3 others made the same move and none of us had luck at OCIs. Entirely preselect 30 bids. One of us got 7 screeners, one got 17, one got 3. None of us had any call backs and thus no offers. Although two of us ended up with biglaw either before or after OCIs the third ended up in house. I think OCIs are really tough for transfers when the school is entirely preselect. Also as mentioned be prepared for the why transfer question because I promise it will come up in every interview from now until you graduate.

[lavarman84]

Transfer here: they will ask why transfer? Pretty simple question and given your situation it's clear but they want to see you articulate it. Otherwise, basic resume questions and some firms will ask "why us?"

600+ is big law. Is your school 100% pre-select? If so, maybe that's why 1 bid but still, it seems like you had a high GPA so maybe your bid list was too ambitious.

Edit: Extra-curriculars is no big deal. Journal at new school no big deal unless law review and journal for transfers is common at new school. Focus more on interviewing. More importantly, mass-mail big firms and firms in your primary and secondary markets.

If he's at a lower T1, it's extremely likely that it's 100% pre-select. And that's exactly why he only got 1 interview. It's not that the bid list was too ambitious. Pre-select is just tough for transfers.

OP, hustle and network. OCI is going to be tough for you. You might convert that one interview, but odds are that the firm will favor a student originally from the school. That all said, give it your best and you never know what might happen.

Even if you don't convert it, keep mailing. Keep networking. And you can get something.

[Anonymous User]

Interesting... Perhaps it had to do with where your TTTT was?

I transferred TTTT to T-20. Entirely preselect. Ended up with around 30 screeners, 10 callbacks, and 3 offers. Not sure if it was luck or what. It might have to do with the fact that T-20 and T-45 is a wide gap? Not sure. Anyways, you got one interview, so try to make the most out of it! Mass mail, hustle, network, etc. Do some mock interviews. Have a "story." A narrative that you can use to guide you along in your interview. Best of luck.

[Anonymous User]

Op here, I don't understand what you mean by entirely preselect. So if it wasn't preselect, I would have a better chance? Is this something about a lottery system or something that works in like T-14s. I've heard of it but don't know what it is.

Anyone care to summarize and why it's better than pre-select? I mean wouldn't you have to submit transcripts and whatever BS in that system as well as you do in the preselect OCIs?

Also yes 100 percent preselect at my T-45. Fml. Gotta make the most of it and hustle and mass mail like most of you all said.

[RaceJudicata]

Op here, I don't understand what you mean by entirely preselect. So if it wasn't preselect, I would have a better chance? Is this something about a lottery system or something that works in like T-14s. I've heard of it but don't know what it is.

Anyone care to summarize and why it's better than pre-select? I mean wouldn't you have to submit transcripts and whatever BS in that system as well as you do in the preselect OCIs?

Also yes 100 percent preselect at my T-45. Fml. Gotta make the most of it and hustle and mass mail like most of you all said.

lottery is better because you are almost guaranteed to have a whole bunch of interviews (assuming your bidlist isn't terrible). More interviews = chance at more callbacks = chance at more offers.

That said, preselect is better if you get selected by a lot of firms. With preselect you have already surpassed a major hurdle -- you have been deemed "qualified" in the firm's eyes (grades, WE, etc.).

At the end of the day, you just gotta hustle. Mass mail like crazy, set up calls/coffee with attorneys in your city, work on interviewing, attend events, etc. It is freaking exhausting and difficult, but its worth it if you land a job.

[Anonymous User]

Transfer here: they will ask why transfer? Pretty simple question and given your situation it's clear but they want to see you articulate it. Otherwise, basic resume questions and some firms will ask "why us?"

600+ is big law. Is your school 100% pre-select? If so, maybe that's why 1 bid but still, it seems like you had a high GPA so maybe your bid list was too ambitious.

Edit: Extra-curriculars is no big deal. Journal at new school no big deal unless law review and journal for transfers is common at new school. Focus more on interviewing. More importantly, mass-mail big firms and firms in your primary and secondary markets.

If he's at a lower T1, it's extremely likely that it's 100% pre-select. And that's exactly why he only got 1 interview. It's not that the bid list was too ambitious. Pre-select is just tough for transfers.

OP, hustle and network. OCI is going to be tough for you. You might convert that one interview, but odds are that the firm will favor a student originally from the school. That all said, give it your best and you never know what might happen.

Even if you don't convert it, keep mailing. Keep networking. And you can get something.

Got it on the lower T1. I didn't know that.

[lavarman84]

Transfer here: they will ask why transfer? Pretty simple question and given your situation it's clear but they want to see you articulate it. Otherwise, basic resume questions and some firms will ask "why us?"

600+ is big law. Is your school 100% pre-select? If so, maybe that's why 1 bid but still, it seems like you had a high GPA so maybe your bid list was too ambitious.

Edit: Extra-curriculars is no big deal. Journal at new school no big deal unless law review and journal for transfers is common at new school. Focus more on interviewing. More importantly, mass-mail big firms and firms in your primary and secondary markets.

If he's at a lower T1, it's extremely likely that it's 100% pre-select. And that's exactly why he only got 1 interview. It's not that the bid list was too ambitious. Pre-select is just tough for transfers.

OP, hustle and network. OCI is going to be tough for you. You might convert that one interview, but odds are that the firm will favor a student originally from the school. That all said, give it your best and you never know what might happen.

Even if you don't convert it, keep mailing. Keep networking. And you can get something.

Got it on the lower T1. I didn't know that.

No worries. It's pretty brutal. But I understand why it is the way it is.