Duke Law OCI 2015 (C/O 2017) Forum

[Anonymous User]

I hope they're a bit lower. I was told by CSO that you're likely fine GPA-wise if you're between the 25th and median, and that you should still bid on firms where you're just below the 25th. If you're close enough GPA-wise, your interviewing skills need to shine.

Any ideas whatsoever as to what GPA corresponds to class rank? Top 3rd, quarter, etc?

Sorry if this is obvious, but by 25th you mean the top 75% right? Or maybe I'm uninformed, but I'm not sure why grades just below the top 25% would prevent someone from bidding.

[Anonymous User]

the way i read it was, for example, if a firm had:

75% - 3.75
median - 3.65
25% - 3.55

cso told this person that you are fine grade-wise if you are above a 3.55, even if you are below the median of 3.65. similarly, you should still bid on firms with the above data, if you have a 3.53 or 3.50, because you would be just below their 25%, at which point your interview skills would need to carry you the rest of the way.

i could be misreading as well, though.

[Anonymous User]

the general consensus last year was that top 1/3 was ~ a 3.45.

source: am a soon to be 3L

The poster above me is correct on how to use the gpa numbers. However, don't just bid firms that you are between the 25-median. You need to have as many as you can where you are above the firm median

[Anonymous User]

My GPA isn't above any 25% on that PDF. Heard that a decent amount of below median kids did well at OCI last year, so here's hoping.

[Anonymous User]

what market are you looking in?

[Anonymous User]

the way i read it was, for example, if a firm had:

75% - 3.75
median - 3.65
25% - 3.55

cso told this person that you are fine grade-wise if you are above a 3.55, even if you are below the median of 3.65. similarly, you should still bid on firms with the above data, if you have a 3.53 or 3.50, because you would be just below their 25%, at which point your interview skills would need to carry you the rest of the way.

i could be misreading as well, though.

I am "this person," and yes, that is exactly what I was referring to. And I'm probably going to have a mix of above medians, between median-25th, and a handful below 25th or 10th percentile. I'm just curious how much other factors- law review, moot court, work experience, etc.- boost someone, especially someone below 25th.

[Anonymous User]

I am "this person," and yes, that is exactly what I was referring to. And I'm probably going to have a mix of above medians, between median-25th, and a handful below 25th or 10th percentile. I'm just curious how much other factors- law review, moot court, work experience, etc.- boost someone, especially someone below 25th.

Softs can give enough of a boost to get those 25% of those students offers. Not trying to be snarky, but that's the only accurate way to answer this question without totally baseless speculation.

Even an answer from a recruiter would be anecdotal and specific to their firm, or even merely that attorney alone.

-O.G.G.

[J9ofDiamonds]

My GPA isn't above any 25% on that PDF. Heard that a decent amount of below median kids did well at OCI last year, so here's hoping.

pm me if you want

[Anonymous User]

Based off of last year, it looked like journal acceptances started trickling in around July 12 or so. Anyone have any different information from a rising 3L who is on a journal?

It sure would be nice to have one of those "soft" plusses like be on a journal considering some of these gpa cutoffs look intimidating.

[Anonymous User]

You mean based off last year's class thread?

-O.G.G.

[testest9191]

You mean based off last year's class thread?

-O.G.G.

Yeah, I think that's what it looked like. Somewhere around July 12-14 people started talking about exclusive journal offers coming in.

Edit: But it would be helpful if anyone has talked to the rising 3Ls who are grading our casenotes. Might have actual info for this year instead of just guesses from last year.

[Anonymous User]

Anonymous User wrote:
You mean based off last year's class thread?

-O.G.G.

Yeah, I think that's what it looked like. Somewhere around July 12-14 people started talking about exclusive journal offers coming in.

Edit: But it would be helpful if anyone has talked to the rising 3Ls who are grading our casenotes. Might have actual info for this year instead of just guesses from last year.

Agreed. Apparently some NYU 1Ls heard abour journal yesterday, and it was supposed to be sometime mid-July. So who knows.

[Anonymous User]

I'm just posting to claim a handle.

-Repairman-man-man-man

[Anonymous User]

FWIW, we were required to turn in our grades for journal write-on on June 25th. I have no idea how long it takes them to sort who ends up on what journal.

[Anonymous User]

^ thanks for the info. That's at least a good reference point. You guys found out about decisions last year in mid-July, right?

[Anonymous User]

^ It was July 11th-12th (some were slower on calling people)

[Anonymous User]

Also, I'm sure you guys read the email, but bidding on two different offices of the same firm only counts as 1 bid.

[FluffMonster]

FWIW, we were required to turn in our grades for journal write-on on June 25th. I have no idea how long it takes them to sort who ends up on what journal.

Say wuu? Did I miss the memo or something?

[Anonymous User]

FWIW, we were required to turn in our grades for journal write-on on June 25th. I have no idea how long it takes them to sort who ends up on what journal.

Say wuu? Did I miss the memo or something?

As in, the rising 3Ls had to submit their grading of our case-notes on June 25th.

-Repairman-man-man-man

[Anonymous User]

Also, I'm sure you guys read the email, but bidding on two different offices of the same firm only counts as 1 bid.

Saw that, but I'm a little confused. Does anybody have any insight as to the best strategy for this? If you wanted to bid on a firms offices in, say, NY and LA, but the firm says that they don't allow multiple interviews, how does that work? This also influences strategy regarding the bids/interviews ratio for each firm's office.

[Anonymous User]

FWIW, we were required to turn in our grades for journal write-on on June 25th. I have no idea how long it takes them to sort who ends up on what journal.

Say wuu? Did I miss the memo or something?

Not our grades--anon is a 2L and is referring to the grades they gave the write-ons.

[FluffMonster]

FWIW, we were required to turn in our grades for journal write-on on June 25th. I have no idea how long it takes them to sort who ends up on what journal.

Say wuu? Did I miss the memo or something?

Not our grades--anon is a 2L and is referring to the grades they gave the write-ons.

Yeah--ignore. me. Long day.

[Anonymous User]

Anyone else just get a mini-heart attack from that email? Looks like it will be within the next week for journal results.

I know some people at other law schools (NYU, Columbia) would get called at random times without warning to be notified about journals, but it seems like Duke is trying to be more structured with notifications.

[Anonymous User]

+1 to the mini-heart attack.

Do all exclusive journals notify via phone call or just DLJ?

[Anonymous User]

all journal results come in by email, DLJ included. (DLJ will send out calls later but by that time, everyone knows what journal they're on. no one gets a surprise call to find out they're on law review)