2009-2010 DOJ Honors Program Forum

[JJS2877]

Anyone interview for this? And if so, have any of your references been contacted?

Anyone familiar with the program want to give numbers as far as usual number of interviewees compared to offers, etc?

[Anonymous User]

Interviewed and references called. They interview approximately 600 folks for 125 positions. HTH.

[Dania]

I interviewed and the interviewer contacted all of my references the next day. I still have not heard anything. Has anyone received offers yet?

I interviewed for the Civil Division, but I have a friend who interviewed with Criminal. For criminal he was told that 1000/4000 chose Criminal for their 1st or 2nd choice. Criminal interviewed 65 people for only 6 positions.

[Anonymous User]

Beyond the acceptance percentages, how competitive are these positions? If you come from HYSCCN, can you reasonably expect to have a good shot at getting one? Is there a good resource at which we can read about what it's like working in the Honors Program?

[Anonymous User]

Beyond the acceptance percentages, how competitive are these positions? If you come from HYSCCN, can you reasonably expect to have a good shot at getting one? Is there a good resource at which we can read about what it's like working in the Honors Program?

The positions are quite competitive, but not in the way you would think. You will need a strong GPA and ECs, but it's definitely not just about where you went to school (unless you are going for SG's office, in which you have to be coming off a COA clerkship and from H or Y anyway). For example, if you check the "where we hired from" school list from 08-09, you'll notice that not every school in the T14 is represented, and in fact, the hiring tendencies seem to lean towards the lower-ranked schools.

Instead, there is a much greater focus on whether you've had any previous work experience, preferably in public service. They especially love it if you've interned/externed at a USAO's office.

[Anonymous User]

Someone I know (BigLaw deferred until Hell freezes over) is going through the process. Hasn't said what his results are yet.

From what I've heard, I would second that it's much more about how well you did at your school than which school you went to. In other words, good GPA no matter where you went, and a more realistic chance than in firm hiring of a sky-high GPA making up for lower rank school. There was even some bitching last year or early this year how the computer that sorts applications didn't care what the name of the school was.

The other factor is, as stated above, this is the flagship of the government lawyering. They want true believers and they can drive very hard in interviews and substantive application review to find them.

Oh, and C&F can be doubleplus fun here. If you thought the state bar was bad, you've never met the FBI.