Calling all below Median UChi / UVA / Duke Law Students Forum

[firstimer]

I'm looking at these three schools and wanted to talk to people who were or are below median at each of these schools, just to get a sense of what the opportunities are across the board. Not that I'm aiming for below median obviously, but from my understanding, grades can be kind of random (and there are lots of smarter people than me at each of these schools). Feel free to PM me if you don't want to post. Thanks!

[PM2353]

I'm also interested in this. And also, what were some of your motivations/reasons to stick with it even after a sub par 1L? I may very well find myself in the same position after my first year.

[NoodleyOne]

Also interested, especially those that have been through OCI. Is there any data on the percentage of oci participants that got offers?

[Rahviveh]

Talking to a few people isn't going to provide much insight, especially in a class of 300-400 students.


The latest that leaked from Chi last year are here:

http://www.top-law-schools.com/forums/v ... 3&t=187451

CLS c/o 2014:

http://www.top-law-schools.com/forums/v ... 3&t=208262

I do not know about UVA or Duke.

From my uninformed 0L opinion, the current c/o 2012 stats should be a fairly good predictor - maybe a little better going forward.

[PM2353]

Thanks ChampagnePapi.

Wouldn't mind hearing some first hand accounts though.
But I agree, the statistics are probably the best way to measure what's happens to the class as a whole.

[PM2353]

OP

Found this thread to be useful. In there is a poster who listed numerous other threads about the topic.

http://www.top-law-schools.com/forums/v ... 3&t=186127

[SportsFan]

From all the reading and research I've done, the way I understand it (for biglaw and clerkships) is basically that the top 1/3 of the class at a non-HYS T14 is 'safe' for biglaw or whatever (and the top 10% or so have a decent chance for clerkships), the bottom ~15% of the class is probably not getting biglaw because of grade cutoffs and what happens to the middle 50-60% of the class just depends on how well (and where) they bid during OCI, work experience, and interviewing skills.

[The Brainalist]

From all the reading and research I've done, the way I understand it (for biglaw and clerkships) is basically that the top 1/3 of the class at a non-HYS T14 is 'safe' for biglaw or whatever (and the top 10% or so have a decent chance for clerkships), the bottom ~15% of the class is probably not getting biglaw because of grade cutoffs and what happens to the middle 50-60% of the class just depends on how well (and where) they bid during OCI, work experience, and interviewing skills.

This is broadly true for Harvard as well. At least, to the extent someone appears to be bottom of the class at Harvard, firms either have hard cutoffs or you get outcompeted by Harvard students with better grades. I presume this is not as true for Yale, though.

[2014]

From all the reading and research I've done, the way I understand it (for biglaw and clerkships) is basically that the top 1/3 of the class at a non-HYS T14 is 'safe' for biglaw or whatever (and the top 10% or so have a decent chance for clerkships), the bottom ~15% of the class is probably not getting biglaw because of grade cutoffs and what happens to the middle 50-60% of the class just depends on how well (and where) they bid during OCI, work experience, and interviewing skills.

As badly as I want to refute this generalization I think it is a fair characterization of how I feel my chances are.

From what I gather from upperclassmen here once you control for awful grades, bad bidding, and socially inept people, your chances are very very high. Can't speak to UVA/Duke.

[SportsFan]

From all the reading and research I've done, the way I understand it (for biglaw and clerkships) is basically that the top 1/3 of the class at a non-HYS T14 is 'safe' for biglaw or whatever (and the top 10% or so have a decent chance for clerkships), the bottom ~15% of the class is probably not getting biglaw because of grade cutoffs and what happens to the middle 50-60% of the class just depends on how well (and where) they bid during OCI, work experience, and interviewing skills.

As badly as I want to refute this generalization I think it is a fair characterization of how I feel my chances are.

From what I gather from upperclassmen here once you control for awful grades, bad bidding, and socially inept people, your chances are very very high. Can't speak to UVA/Duke.

Yeah, its not a perfect characterization by any means, but I think its about the best way to generalize things (at least for people who want biglaw). Honestly, maybe I'm just trying to reassure myself, but even ITE I think biglaw is a really good bet from HYSCCNP (yes, egregious Penn trolling; deal with it) if you're in that middle 50-60% and bid/interview well.