Northwestern 1L/2L/3L/Grads Taking Questions and Challenges Forum

[Chrstgtr]

How important is it to get a writing sample during your 1L summer gig? I know Career Services says we should (but they have provided poor advice before...), but is it really necessary to get another writing sample for OCI or can I just use the final memo from CLR?

The reason I ask is that I have been given the option of doing formal internal memos for my summer gig but have also been told that less formal write ups of my findings would be just as useful to the organization and these informal writeups would obviously be far less time consuming.

[rinkrat19]

I would think it rests on how good your CLR memo is.

But also, actual real-world legal writing is pretty different from CLR writing. I'd do at least one real memo during the summer just to get the experience.

[cookiejar1]

i know this is probably a question for someone in career services, but does anyone have suggestions about how I should respond to an email from a firm asking me for my transcript or gpa/rank? My understanding is that it is against NALP rules for firms to ask for transcripts during the pre-select process/before the interview? I bid on this firm for the CCBA minority job fair and I am interested so I want to respond appropriately

If I recall correctly I had my GPA on all my career fair resumes. Try to update your resume if you can unless the rules have changed. Firms definitely 100% make their pre-select decisions on the basis of the GPA that they see. That's why people with high GPA's tend to collect way more interviews at these fairs than others.

NU has internal OCI rules that prevent firms for asking us for our transcript / seeing our GPA on our resume before we sit down with them for a screener.

[FloridaCoastalorbust]

If I recall correctly I had my GPA on all my career fair resumes. Try to update your resume if you can unless the rules have changed. Firms definitely 100% make their pre-select decisions on the basis of the GPA that they see. That's why people with high GPA's tend to collect way more interviews at these fairs than others.

NU has internal OCI rules that prevent firms for asking us for our transcript / seeing our GPA on our resume before we sit down with them for a screener.

I noticed this when I was shopping for law schools and that NU was proud of this policy. At what point do firms (OCI) see your GPA? It seems at least beneficial in that you could with middling grades impress your interviewer and get them on your side before they look at said grades. And how do they estimate your class rank?

[Micdiddy]

If I recall correctly I had my GPA on all my career fair resumes. Try to update your resume if you can unless the rules have changed. Firms definitely 100% make their pre-select decisions on the basis of the GPA that they see. That's why people with high GPA's tend to collect way more interviews at these fairs than others.

NU has internal OCI rules that prevent firms for asking us for our transcript / seeing our GPA on our resume before we sit down with them for a screener.

I noticed this when I was shopping for law schools and that NU was proud of this policy. At what point do firms (OCI) see your GPA? It seems at least beneficial in that you could with middling grades impress your interviewer and get them on your side before they look at said grades. And how do they estimate your class rank?

Nope. You sit down and hand them your resume with gpa immediately. No time to woo unless you got a real zinger walking in the door.

[Dr. Filth]

Some interviewers won't look at your GPA on purpose when you hand them your resume. That is the very small minority though. I definitely had one interviewer that looked at my GPA at the beginning and then just didn't really interview me at all. He just disinterestedly talked about one of my interests the whole time.

[cookiejar1]

Some interviewers won't look at your GPA on purpose when you hand them your resume. That is the very small minority though. I definitely had one interviewer that looked at my GPA at the beginning and then just didn't really interview me at all. He just disinterestedly talked about one of my interests the whole time.

My best screener interview: *One glance at resume* "So what happened during write-on?"

[Micdiddy]

Some interviewers won't look at your GPA on purpose when you hand them your resume. That is the very small minority though. I definitely had one interviewer that looked at my GPA at the beginning and then just didn't really interview me at all. He just disinterestedly talked about one of my interests the whole time.

My best screener interview: *One glance at resume* "So what happened during write-on?"

Sick brag

[furrrman]

I'm moving to Chicago with a U-Haul, 'cause I've got lots of shit, mostly worthless.

I don't have time to fly into Chicago to scout apartments before signing a lease.

Should I 1) sign a lease site unseen or 2) stay at a hotel for a week when I first move so I can check out places?

If you're coming to Chicago with a U-Haul, I think you are going to have some issues finding parking if you stay in a hotel for a week.

If you're worried about leaving a uhaul around for a week, you can try renting a storage unit temporarily. Most have first month move in specials that don't require you to sign a long term lease or stay more than the first month.

[feralinfant]

Some interviewers won't look at your GPA on purpose when you hand them your resume. That is the very small minority though. I definitely had one interviewer that looked at my GPA at the beginning and then just didn't really interview me at all. He just disinterestedly talked about one of my interests the whole time.

My best screener interview: *One glance at resume* "So what happened during write-on?"

this was almost undoubtedly Williams and Co. That guy was a dick.

[sandwhich]

Can someone post some recommendations for parkas good enough for Chicago weather?

[lhanvt13]

Can someone post some recommendations for parkas good enough for Chicago weather?

There's one made of metal called uber

[rinkrat19]

Can someone post some recommendations for parkas good enough for Chicago weather?

Any good thick ski/snowboarding parka is warm enough when you combine it with gloves and a hat and maybe a scarf. And by "good," I mean you're going to have to spend some money. $250-350 will get you something sufficient from North Face/Mountain Hardwear/Marmot/etc. $700-900 will get you Canada Goose.

North Face Triclimate jackets (men's and women's) are a good bet because you can wear the parka or liner separately, so you can adapt to the changing weather and not be one of those insane people wearing their puffy down jacket when it's 60 degrees because that's literally the only coat they have.

A lot of girls like the long down jackets but I think they look ridiculous and are unnecessary. My knees do not get cold. But ymmv. (Not sure what gender you are.)

[FloridaCoastalorbust]

Has anyone opted for a health insurance plan outside of the plan Northwestern offers through Aetna? This year it will be $3,692(!!), which seems absurdly high. Especially b/c I'll have to add a dependent on my plan, which would double the price to nearly $8k/yr.

[Big Dog]

This year it will be $3,692(!!),

Welcome to the Affordable Care Act (aka ObamaCare). Colleges/Unis are precluded from offering lower cost, lower benefit options.

[rinkrat19]

This year it will be $3,692(!!),

Welcome to the Affordable Care Act (aka ObamaCare). Colleges/Unis are precluded from offering lower cost, lower benefit options.

It was expensive before Obamacare and only ever offered one plan, but thanks for playing.

[FloridaCoastalorbust]

This year it will be $3,692(!!),

Welcome to the Affordable Care Act (aka ObamaCare). Colleges/Unis are precluded from offering lower cost, lower benefit options.

I'll be paying $20/day for health insurance. Wtf. At least there's no copay for meds or checkups. Looks like I'll be asking for scrips 'erry day to get my money's worth.

Edit: Coming back to complain some more. $140/wk as a broke grad student - fml.

[Desert Fox]

fobstory.jpeg

[sandwhich]

Can someone post some recommendations for parkas good enough for Chicago weather?

Any good thick ski/snowboarding parka is warm enough when you combine it with gloves and a hat and maybe a scarf. And by "good," I mean you're going to have to spend some money. $250-350 will get you something sufficient from North Face/Mountain Hardwear/Marmot/etc. $700-900 will get you Canada Goose.

North Face Triclimate jackets (men's and women's) are a good bet because you can wear the parka or liner separately, so you can adapt to the changing weather and not be one of those insane people wearing their puffy down jacket when it's 60 degrees because that's literally the only coat they have.

A lot of girls like the long down jackets but I think they look ridiculous and are unnecessary. My knees do not get cold. But ymmv. (Not sure what gender you are.)

So Canada Goose and the like are overkill? Would I look like a goober wearing a ski jacket to school? Forgive my ignorance, I've never lived where it snows before. I'm just trying to get a feel for what most people wear before dropping $400 on a coat.

[splitsplat]

it's not overkill, and you definitely see a lot of people with canada goose jackets walking around. just depends how much you want to spend. more important shit is gonna be learning how to layer properly + buying some gloves and shit

[GoCats56]

it's not overkill, and you definitely see a lot of people with canada goose jackets walking around. just depends how much you want to spend. more important shit is gonna be learning how to layer properly + buying some gloves and shit

+1. Your core can pretty much take care of itself; I go the whole winter in a basic peacoat with a sweatshirt under it. The key thing is hat, gloves, scarf, and earmuffs or something if your hat doesn't cover your ears.

[rinkrat19]

Can someone post some recommendations for parkas good enough for Chicago weather?

Any good thick ski/snowboarding parka is warm enough when you combine it with gloves and a hat and maybe a scarf. And by "good," I mean you're going to have to spend some money. $250-350 will get you something sufficient from North Face/Mountain Hardwear/Marmot/etc. $700-900 will get you Canada Goose.

North Face Triclimate jackets (men's and women's) are a good bet because you can wear the parka or liner separately, so you can adapt to the changing weather and not be one of those insane people wearing their puffy down jacket when it's 60 degrees because that's literally the only coat they have.

A lot of girls like the long down jackets but I think they look ridiculous and are unnecessary. My knees do not get cold. But ymmv. (Not sure what gender you are.)

So Canada Goose and the like are overkill? Would I look like a goober wearing a ski jacket to school? Forgive my ignorance, I've never lived where it snows before. I'm just trying to get a feel for what most people wear before dropping $400 on a coat.

It's not overkill for the really cold days. It's kind of overkill for the slightly less cold days. You see plenty of people wearing them and other heavy winter jackets. But you can do just fine with a slightly less extreme coat (North Face, etc.) and some accessories (hat, scarf, gloves), so you can save some money from the price of a Canada Goose.

You will find that whatever brand they buy, 99% of people you see have a black or navy coat. Maybe they'll be crazy and go for the dark maroon one. I rocked my collection of loud-as-hell brightly colored and obnoxiously patterned snowboard jackets for three years and stood out like a stripper at a nun convention, but I loved that. (I also got complimented on my loud jackets constantly, as if it takes a special talent to choose something other than black.) All the black coats are depressing, and I would encourage you to have a little fun with your outerwear. Winter is hard enough without dressing like you're going to a funeral every day.

This is how I dress for snow (obviously this was taken at home over xmas break, not in Chicago. But it's my favorite winter coat.)

[Chrstgtr]

Does anyone have a copy of the old callback GPAs that you could post or send to me? The one Career services posted today for OCI has the median callback GPAs for the 2012-2014 OCIs listed all together so we can't see how much the callback GPAs moved from 2012 when hiring was quite a bit worse than it is now so I am just wondering how much the callback GPAs listed are inflated.

[irishballa]

Do we get to see solely the 2014 numbers? Doesn't the Student Career Group have them?

[hearsay77]

How often to 1Ls manage to get big law summer gigs? Or (this might be a stupid question) what sort of internships do people shooting for big law do during 1L summer?