Fall 2015 OCI Results Forum

[Anonymous User]

School Range: CCN
Market(s): NYC
Approximate class rank: bottom 30%.
Law review: no
Work experience: 6 years
IP background: no
Anything else that might have an impact? strong resume
Screening Interviews: 22
Callbacks received: 8
Callbacks accepted: 4
Offers w/vault ranges: 3 (V30, 2 V50's)
How many firms just didn't get back with you with a rejection/callback?: none
Thank-you notes sent: no

I bid very conservatively and didn't have any V10-20 screener. I wish I had bid a little more aggressively in hindsight, but I'm happy with what I got.

[Anonymous User]

School Range: UM, NU, Cornell, GULC
Market(s): NYC, DC
Approximate class rank: bottom 50%.
Law review: No
Mock Trial/Moot Court: No
Work experience: 2 years
IP background: no
Anything else that might have an impact? Prior work experience in the legal field
Screening Interviews: 19
Callbacks received: 4
Callbacks accepted: 4
Offers w/vault ranges: 1 (V100 NYC) 2 offers total
How many firms just didn't get back with you with a rejection/callback?: none
Thank-you notes sent: Yes, mostly personalized for every interviewer.

I bid as conservatively as possible, grades were definitely my weakness. Was a struggle to get CBs despite how well interviews went. Places I networked at didn't offer callbacks, places I MM'ed gave me callbacks. Ultimate Vault offer ended up being the chillest interviews overall, whereas, didn't discuss much about school, the law, etc, mostly just having a strong conversation. Was able to parlay conversation into questions I had about the firm. Advice is to focus on grades and constantly work on interviewing skills to tell a coherent story about yourself.

[Anonymous User]

School Range: UT/Vandy/UCLA
Market(s): TX
Approximate class rank: ~slightly below median
Law review: secondary journal
Work experience: 2 yrs
IP background: No
Anything else that might have an impact? Speaks foreign language
Screening Interviews: 12 scheduled OCI + 6 ~ 7 walk-ins + multiple job fairs (tanked them all)
Callbacks received: 2 from Spring OCI + 2 from Fall OCI
Callbacks accepted: 4
Offers /w vault ranges: 1(V30)
Accepted: V30
Thank-you notes sent: All my interviewers
How many firms just didn't get back with you with a rejection/callback?: No

[Anonymous User]

School Range: HYS
Market(s): DC
Approximate class rank: Dead median or slightly below
Law review: No. Secondary journal position.
Mock Trial/Moot Court: No
Work experience: 1 year
IP background: no
Anything else that might have an impact? Pros: Ivy league undergrad; Cons: VERY public interest-y resume (but "elite" public interest). Outstanding incomplete grade from last semester.
Screening Interviews: 12
Callbacks received: 7
Callbacks accepted: 6
Offers w/vault ranges: 5 offers total (V15-V100, mostly clustered in V20). All DC.
How many firms just didn't get back with you with a rejection/callback?: 1
Thank-you notes sent: Nope.

The HYS name lets people get away with far too much. It's freaking nice, but a bit disconcerting.

[Anonymous User]

^not sure what you mean. Your numbers aren't surprising at all from what's going on in the rest of the t14.

[Anonymous User]

School Range: Tier 2
Market(s): NYC
Approximate class rank: ~Top 1-2%
Law review: Yes
Work experience: No
IP background: No
Anything else that might have an impact? No
Screening Interviews: 25 from OCI, 2 or 3 others from MM
Callbacks received: 14
Callbacks accepted: 10
Offers /w vault ranges: 4 offers - 1 V15, 2 V30, 1 non ranked firm that pays market
Thank-you notes sent: About half the time
How many firms just didn't get back to you with a rejection/callback?: Several would have ignored forever but my prodding got me my formal rejections.

If interested, most people in the top 10% at my school got big law. WLRK is the ONLY firm that didn't give CBs to anyone. Although I had more CBs than most, my final results were actually not very impressive considering what some of my classmates got (I went 1/5 in V20 CBs -- 1 of which was V5 and 2 V10).
Fwiw, those saying it was a mistake to go to a non T14 after doing poorly at OCI probably go to schools in small/nonexistent markets. Go to a T2 in the NYC Metro Area and you will be fine if you are at the top of the class.

[Clearly]

School Range: Tier 2
Market(s): NYC
Approximate class rank: ~Top 1-2%
Law review: Yes
Work experience: No
IP background: No
Anything else that might have an impact? No
Screening Interviews: 25 from OCI, 2 or 3 others from MM
Callbacks received: 14
Callbacks accepted: 10
Offers /w vault ranges: 4 offers - 1 V15, 2 V30, 1 non ranked firm that pays market
Thank-you notes sent: About half the time
How many firms just didn't get back to you with a rejection/callback?: Several would have ignored forever but my prodding got me my formal rejections.

If interested, most people in the top 10% at my school got big law. WLRK is the ONLY firm that didn't give CBs to anyone. Although I had more CBs than most, my final results were actually not very impressive considering what some of my classmates got (I went 1/5 in V20 CBs -- 1 of which was V5 and 2 V10).
Fwiw, those saying it was a mistake to go to a non T14 after doing poorly at OCI probably go to schools in small/nonexistent markets. Go to a T2 in the NYC Metro Area and you will be fine if you are at the top of the class.

And how many people are at the top of the class again?

[pancakes3]

School Range: Tier 2
Market(s): NYC
Approximate class rank: ~Top 1-2%
Law review: Yes
Work experience: No
IP background: No
Anything else that might have an impact? No
Screening Interviews: 25 from OCI, 2 or 3 others from MM
Callbacks received: 14
Callbacks accepted: 10
Offers /w vault ranges: 4 offers - 1 V15, 2 V30, 1 non ranked firm that pays market
Thank-you notes sent: About half the time
How many firms just didn't get back to you with a rejection/callback?: Several would have ignored forever but my prodding got me my formal rejections.

If interested, most people in the top 10% at my school got big law. WLRK is the ONLY firm that didn't give CBs to anyone. Although I had more CBs than most, my final results were actually not very impressive considering what some of my classmates got (I went 1/5 in V20 CBs -- 1 of which was V5 and 2 V10).
Fwiw, those saying it was a mistake to go to a non T14 after doing poorly at OCI probably go to schools in small/nonexistent markets. Go to a T2 in the NYC Metro Area and you will be fine if you are at the top of the class.

[Anonymous User]

School Range: Tier 2
Market(s): NYC
Approximate class rank: ~Top 1-2%
Law review: Yes
Work experience: No
IP background: No
Anything else that might have an impact? No
Screening Interviews: 25 from OCI, 2 or 3 others from MM
Callbacks received: 14
Callbacks accepted: 10
Offers /w vault ranges: 4 offers - 1 V15, 2 V30, 1 non ranked firm that pays market
Thank-you notes sent: About half the time
How many firms just didn't get back to you with a rejection/callback?: Several would have ignored forever but my prodding got me my formal rejections.

If interested, most people in the top 10% at my school got big law. WLRK is the ONLY firm that didn't give CBs to anyone. Although I had more CBs than most, my final results were actually not very impressive considering what some of my classmates got (I went 1/5 in V20 CBs -- 1 of which was V5 and 2 V10).
Fwiw, those saying it was a mistake to go to a non T14 after doing poorly at OCI probably go to schools in small/nonexistent markets. Go to a T2 in the NYC Metro Area and you will be fine if you are at the top of the class.

And how many people are at the top of the class again?

Not many, but it's a given that you'll need to be at the top of the class in any T2 to get big law. However, lots have said that they went to T2s and ARE at the top of class and still didn't get big law, and really regret not going to a T14. Others opine constantly that there are "no guarantees" even if you do well at a lower ranked school. I'm just reassuring the uninformed that the fears are misplaced. Of course there are no guarantees, but that is the case at T14 as well. Anyone at the top of the class at my school who didn't get big law is very weird or a horrible interviewer and also wouldn't have gotten big law at a T14.

[Anonymous User]

School Range: Lower t-14
Market(s): NY
Approximate class rank: top 5%.
Law review: Yes
Work experience: 1 year experience, nothing fancy
IP background: None
Anything else that might have an impact?
Screening Interviews: 13 at OCI
Callbacks received: 13
Callbacks accepted: 12
Offers w/vault ranges: 11. V10
How many firms just didn't get back with you with a rejection/callback?: 1
Thank-you notes sent: None for OCI, a few for CBs if the people were really nice.

[lavarman84]

Not many, but it's a given that you'll need to be at the top of the class in any T2 to get big law. However, lots have said that they went to T2s and ARE at the top of class and still didn't get big law, and really regret not going to a T14. Others opine constantly that there are "no guarantees" even if you do well at a lower ranked school. I'm just reassuring the uninformed that the fears are misplaced. Of course there are no guarantees, but that is the case at T14 as well. Anyone at the top of the class at my school who didn't get big law is very weird or a horrible interviewer and also wouldn't have gotten big law at a T14.

I hope nobody reads this post and thinks, "Man, this person knows what they're talking about." Not just giving awful advice...but giving awful advice as an anonymous poster.

[cron1834]

Not many, but it's a given that you'll need to be at the top of the class in any T2 to get big law. However, lots have said that they went to T2s and ARE at the top of class and still didn't get big law, and really regret not going to a T14. Others opine constantly that there are "no guarantees" even if you do well at a lower ranked school. I'm just reassuring the uninformed that the fears are misplaced. Of course there are no guarantees, but that is the case at T14 as well. Anyone at the top of the class at my school who didn't get big law is very weird or a horrible interviewer and also wouldn't have gotten big law at a T14.

I hope nobody reads this post and thinks, "Man, this person knows what they're talking about." Not just giving awful advice...but giving awful advice as an anonymous poster.

LOL, just cop top 1-2% at a NYC school bro, what's so hard to understand?

Just LOL.

[barkschool]

.

[PourMeTea]

I hope nobody reads this post and thinks, "Man, this person knows what they're talking about." Not just giving awful advice...but giving awful advice as an anonymous poster.

LOL, just cop top 1-2% at a NYC school bro, what's so hard to understand?

Just LOL.

what about top third at a T19?!

[Anonymous User]

School Range: CCN
Market(s): NYC
Approximate class rank: somewhere near median
Law review: secondary
Work experience: 4 years
IP background: no
Anything else that might have an impact?
Screening Interviews: 23, 1 outside OCI
Callbacks received: 11 + 1 outside OCI
Callbacks accepted: 6
Offers w/vault ranges: 5 (1 V20, 1 V30, 2 V50, 1 V70)
How many firms just didn't get back with you with a rejection/callback?: none
Thank-you notes sent: most firms

[Anonymous User]

Not many, but it's a given that you'll need to be at the top of the class in any T2 to get big law. However, lots have said that they went to T2s and ARE at the top of class and still didn't get big law, and really regret not going to a T14. Others opine constantly that there are "no guarantees" even if you do well at a lower ranked school. I'm just reassuring the uninformed that the fears are misplaced. Of course there are no guarantees, but that is the case at T14 as well. Anyone at the top of the class at my school who didn't get big law is very weird or a horrible interviewer and also wouldn't have gotten big law at a T14.

I hope nobody reads this post and thinks, "Man, this person knows what they're talking about." Not just giving awful advice...but giving awful advice as an anonymous poster.

Not many, but it's a given that you'll need to be at the top of the class in any T2 to get big law. However, lots have said that they went to T2s and ARE at the top of class and still didn't get big law, and really regret not going to a T14. Others opine constantly that there are "no guarantees" even if you do well at a lower ranked school. I'm just reassuring the uninformed that the fears are misplaced. Of course there are no guarantees, but that is the case at T14 as well. Anyone at the top of the class at my school who didn't get big law is very weird or a horrible interviewer and also wouldn't have gotten big law at a T14.

I hope nobody reads this post and thinks, "Man, this person knows what they're talking about." Not just giving awful advice...but giving awful advice as an anonymous poster.

LOL, just cop top 1-2% at a NYC school bro, what's so hard to understand?

Just LOL.

Not many, but it's a given that you'll need to be at the top of the class in any T2 to get big law. However, lots have said that they went to T2s and ARE at the top of class and still didn't get big law, and really regret not going to a T14. Others opine constantly that there are "no guarantees" even if you do well at a lower ranked school. I'm just reassuring the uninformed that the fears are misplaced. Of course there are no guarantees, but that is the case at T14 as well. Anyone at the top of the class at my school who didn't get big law is very weird or a horrible interviewer and also wouldn't have gotten big law at a T14.

I hope nobody reads this post and thinks, "Man, this person knows what they're talking about." Not just giving awful advice...but giving awful advice as an anonymous poster.

I was fearful, but now my concerns have been addressed. Everything OCS said was correct, all I have to do is not be weird, be at the top of my class, and not be at another school where similar performance wouldn't land me the same job.

Fairly sure I didn't give advice, just information. You will get big law if you are at the top of the class at T2s in big markets. You don't have to be top 1%. The vast majority of the top 10-15% got something.

And yes, of course being in the top 10% at CCN or HYS would get you big law too. But that is exponentially harder to do, and many of us are not capable of it. Contrary to what people tell you though, anyone reading this is capable of being top 10% at my school.

[JustHawkin]

Lol. Spending a couple hundred dollars on retaking the LSAT is a better guarantee than spending thousands at a T2 where any slight trip up will cause you to loose a chance at big law.

[pancakes3]

Not many, but it's a given that you'll need to be at the top of the class in any T2 to get big law. However, lots have said that they went to T2s and ARE at the top of class and still didn't get big law, and really regret not going to a T14. Others opine constantly that there are "no guarantees" even if you do well at a lower ranked school. I'm just reassuring the uninformed that the fears are misplaced. Of course there are no guarantees, but that is the case at T14 as well. Anyone at the top of the class at my school who didn't get big law is very weird or a horrible interviewer and also wouldn't have gotten big law at a T14.

I hope nobody reads this post and thinks, "Man, this person knows what they're talking about." Not just giving awful advice...but giving awful advice as an anonymous poster.

Not many, but it's a given that you'll need to be at the top of the class in any T2 to get big law. However, lots have said that they went to T2s and ARE at the top of class and still didn't get big law, and really regret not going to a T14. Others opine constantly that there are "no guarantees" even if you do well at a lower ranked school. I'm just reassuring the uninformed that the fears are misplaced. Of course there are no guarantees, but that is the case at T14 as well. Anyone at the top of the class at my school who didn't get big law is very weird or a horrible interviewer and also wouldn't have gotten big law at a T14.

I hope nobody reads this post and thinks, "Man, this person knows what they're talking about." Not just giving awful advice...but giving awful advice as an anonymous poster.

LOL, just cop top 1-2% at a NYC school bro, what's so hard to understand?

Just LOL.

Not many, but it's a given that you'll need to be at the top of the class in any T2 to get big law. However, lots have said that they went to T2s and ARE at the top of class and still didn't get big law, and really regret not going to a T14. Others opine constantly that there are "no guarantees" even if you do well at a lower ranked school. I'm just reassuring the uninformed that the fears are misplaced. Of course there are no guarantees, but that is the case at T14 as well. Anyone at the top of the class at my school who didn't get big law is very weird or a horrible interviewer and also wouldn't have gotten big law at a T14.

I hope nobody reads this post and thinks, "Man, this person knows what they're talking about." Not just giving awful advice...but giving awful advice as an anonymous poster.

I was fearful, but now my concerns have been addressed. Everything OCS said was correct, all I have to do is not be weird, be at the top of my class, and not be at another school where similar performance wouldn't land me the same job.

Fairly sure I didn't give advice, just information. You will get big law if you are at the top of the class at T2s in big markets. You don't have to be top 1%. The vast majority of the top 10-15% got something.

And yes, of course being in the top 10% at CCN or HYS would get you big law too. But that is exponentially harder to do, and many of us are not capable of it. Contrary to what people tell you though, anyone reading this is capable of being top 10% at my school.

I like how this is supposed to be a backpedal but you're actually just digging yourself deeper into your idiot-hole.

[WokeUpInACar]

Or maybe just look at the job statistics instead of this MAJOR MARKET anecdata? Though I'm sure you enjoyed congratulating yourself on a smarter choice than those OTHER t2 students who didn't realize that ALL TEH JOBZ are in major markets.

[El Pollito]

going to a T2 is still a horrible idea and your school is going to follow you big time when you try to get another job

[Desert Fox]

[Akroman]

I like how this is supposed to be a backpedal but you're actually just digging yourself deeper into your idiot-hole.

Chill out. He's just trying to provide information, which is what the whole point of this thread is about. Frankly, it was surprising to me that top 10% at a T2 school in NYC could still get biglaw.

[Anonymous User]

Anon here...

This is not the place for such conversation, as my post was meant for future non top LSAT scorers who still want to be lawyers and not for arguing, so this will be my last word on the subject, and you can call me delusional or an idiot or whatever, that's fine.

I'm not advocating choosing my school over a T14. But many of us, myself included, couldn't get into a T14 (and I took the LSAT 3x fwiw). I wanted to be a lawyer anyway, and almost didn't go to my school--even though I got a full ride--because I came on TLS and read many people saying things like "you won't get biglaw even if you do well at a T2" or "don't go to law school unless you get a T14 you'll regret it when you're jobless in 5 yrs."

Well, I went anyway, mostly because I knew I wouldn't have an insurmountable amount of debt (just living expenses) even if I didn't do well. But I did do well, and had tons of opportunities, and saw that all the top students did too (and again, "top" stretches farther than you would think). So it is possible, even if not probable. And yea, I could have done poorly and would have no chance at big law, but such is life. The full ride helps mitigate fears against such possibilities. Certainly, never go to a T2 without full or close to full ride.

[BigZuck]

Anon here...

This is not the place for such conversation, as my post was meant for future non top LSAT scorers who still want to be lawyers and not for arguing, so this will be my last word on the subject, and you can call me delusional or an idiot or whatever, that's fine.

I'm not advocating choosing my school over a T14. But many of us, myself included, couldn't get into a T14 (and I took the LSAT 3x fwiw). I wanted to be a lawyer anyway, and almost didn't go to my school--even though I got a full ride--because I came on TLS and read many people saying things like "you won't get biglaw even if you do well at a T2" or "don't go to law school unless you get a T14 you'll regret it when you're jobless in 5 yrs."

Well, I went anyway, mostly because I knew I wouldn't have an insurmountable amount of debt (just living expenses) even if I didn't do well. But I did do well, and had tons of opportunities, and saw that all the top students did too (and again, "top" stretches farther than you would think). So it is possible, even if not probable. And yea, I could have done poorly and would have no chance at big law, but such is life. The full ride helps mitigate fears against such possibilities. Certainly, never go to a T2 without full or close to full ride.

I question whether you read any people on TLS saying those things, let alone "many people."

but yeah dude your main point is both dumb and potentially damaging. I'm all for data and anecdotes and stuff but come on.

[Anonymous User]

I like how this is supposed to be a backpedal but you're actually just digging yourself deeper into your idiot-hole.

Chill out. He's just trying to provide information, which is what the whole point of this thread is about. Frankly, it was surprising to me that top 10% at a T2 school in NYC could still get biglaw.

I am top 20% at T2 in NYC. 6+ callbacks, didn't go to 2 of them and have an offer at V40. Usually if you have great interview skills top 15% should land you something.