Fall 2015 OCI Results Forum

[Anonymous User]

School: T2
Market(s): LA
Approximate class rank: Top 10%
Law review/secondary journal: LR
Work experience: Two years working as a legal assistant.
IP background: Nope.
Anything else that might have an impact? URM
Screening Interviews: 25 (2 from mass mailing)
Callbacks received: 7 (3 from mass mailing)
Callbacks accepted: 7
Offers w/vault ranges: 1 (v50)
How many firms just didn't get back with you with a rejection/callback? 1 after a screening interview
Thank-you notes sent: Yes

[Anonymous User]

School Range: T2
Market(s): Boston, CT, NYC
Approximate class rank: top 20%.
Law review: No, Secondary
Work experience: A couples years of paralegal experience
IP background: None
Screening Interviews: 16 at OCI, 1 email
Callbacks received: 3
Callbacks accepted: 3
Offers w/vault ranges: 1
How many firms just didn't get back with you with a rejection/callback?: 3 post-screener
Thank-you notes sent: Sent selectively (I.e., firms I liked and lawyers I enjoyed interviewing with).

[Anonymous User]

School Range: CCN
Market(s): NY
Approximate class rank: top 5%
Law Review: Yes
Work Experience: No
IP Background: No
Screening Interviews: 25
Callbacks received: 19
Callbacks accepted: 11
Offers w/ vault ranges: 10 (All of V1-7)
How many firms just didn't get back: not sure, didn't keep track
Thank-you notes sent: No

[cron1834]

School Range: CCN
Market(s): NY
Approximate class rank: top 5%
Law Review: Yes
Work Experience: No
IP Background: No
Screening Interviews: 25
Callbacks received: 19
Callbacks accepted: 11
Offers w/ vault ranges: 10 (All of V1-7)
How many firms just didn't get back: not sure, didn't keep track
Thank-you notes sent: No

[Nekrowizard]

School Range: CCN
Market(s): NY
Approximate class rank: top 5%
Law Review: Yes
Work Experience: No
IP Background: No
Screening Interviews: 25
Callbacks received: 19
Callbacks accepted: 11
Offers w/ vault ranges: 10 (All of V1-7)
How many firms just didn't get back: not sure, didn't keep track
Thank-you notes sent: No

Thank you for enlightening future generations. Smh fam.

[Companion Cube]

This thread is going to be of very little use to the vast majority of students

[Mack.Hambleton]

School Range: CCN
Market(s): NY
Approximate class rank: top 5%
Law Review: Yes
Work Experience: No
IP Background: No
Screening Interviews: 25
Callbacks received: 19
Callbacks accepted: 11
Offers w/ vault ranges: 10 (All of V1-7)
How many firms just didn't get back: not sure, didn't keep track
Thank-you notes sent: No

didn't even get callbacks at 6 firms lmao end it

[crumb cake]

Imagine working for the first time in your life at a "V1-7."

[Glasseyes]

School Range: CCN
Market(s): NY
Approximate class rank: top 5%
Law Review: Yes
Work Experience: No
IP Background: No
Screening Interviews: 25
Callbacks received: 19
Callbacks accepted: 11
Offers w/ vault ranges: 10 (All of V1-7)
How many firms just didn't get back: not sure, didn't keep track
Thank-you notes sent: No

it would be cool if the other 3 offers were v8-10 but you thought they were too embarrassing to mention.

[Anonymous User]

I think success stories at the borderline are good for students. It helps students get motivated to hustle and potentially snag jobs from people who are more "qualified". For example multiple vanilla kids who were below median at my t25 got biglaw because they hustled correctly, worked on their interview skills, began networking now and were much more successful than students in the top 5%.

If anything this thread should point out: you aren't guaranteed a job even if you are top x% at x school. Stop being a dumb, go work on your interview skills, and get a haircut.

[pancakes3]

I think success stories at the borderline are good for students. It helps students get motivated to hustle and potentially snag jobs from people who are more "qualified". For example multiple vanilla kids who were below median at my t25 got biglaw because they hustled correctly, worked on their interview skills, began networking now and were much more successful than students in the top 5%.

If anything this thread should point out: you aren't guaranteed a job even if you are top x% at x school. Stop being a dumb, go work on your interview skills, and get a haircut.

- vanilla kids?
- success stories for sub-median kids are horror stories for top 5%'ers
- agree with the overall premise that OCI is no joke and even statistical Babe Ruths are at risk of striking out

[Anonymous User]

I think success stories at the borderline are good for students. It helps students get motivated to hustle and potentially snag jobs from people who are more "qualified". For example multiple vanilla kids who were below median at my t25 got biglaw because they hustled correctly, worked on their interview skills, began networking now and were much more successful than students in the top 5%.

If anything this thread should point out: you aren't guaranteed a job even if you are top x% at x school. Stop being a dumb, go work on your interview skills, and get a haircut.

- vanilla kids?
- success stories for sub-median kids are horror stories for top 5%'ers
- agree with the overall premise that OCI is no joke and even statistical Babe Ruths are at risk of striking out

Vanilla kids: People who have nothing really extra going for them, e.g. plain. (Not URM/IP/Sick Work Experience/Great undergrad etc . . . )

Horror stories for 5%ers are good.

[wolfie_m.]

.

[Anonymous User]

I'm using that as a plug for just general appearance things. Play the game for a month, get a job, and then do whatever you wish. I guarantee the student who looks like an all American good ol' boy will be interviewed differently from someone who has long shaggy hair and slouchs. An answer that would be kind of weird from the good ol' boy will probably be a death sentence for the other interviewee.

Beyond this month, your appearance doesn't matter that much. It's the idea of judging people when you first see them. Lawyers are people too they judge students immediately when they interview.

[Anonymous User]

How many are still looking for that first offer?

[Anonymous User]

I think success stories at the borderline are good for students. It helps students get motivated to hustle and potentially snag jobs from people who are more "qualified". For example multiple vanilla kids who were below median at my t25 got biglaw because they hustled correctly, worked on their interview skills, began networking now and were much more successful than students in the top 5%.

If anything this thread should point out: you aren't guaranteed a job even if you are top x% at x school. Stop being a dumb, go work on your interview skills, and get a haircut.

Yeah, this is overdoing it a bit, also at a t25 and there are no students below median who did better than top 5%ers, maybe some top quarter people who beat out the top, but that's the exception. Don't go to a t25 thinking networking and interview skills will make up for below median grades. Your sentiment was right, but this is too much.

[Anonymous User]

I think success stories at the borderline are good for students. It helps students get motivated to hustle and potentially snag jobs from people who are more "qualified". For example multiple vanilla kids who were below median at my t25 got biglaw because they hustled correctly, worked on their interview skills, began networking now and were much more successful than students in the top 5%.

If anything this thread should point out: you aren't guaranteed a job even if you are top x% at x school. Stop being a dumb, go work on your interview skills, and get a haircut.

Yeah, this is overdoing it a bit, also at a t25 and there are no students below median who did better than top 5%ers, maybe some top quarter people who beat out the top, but that's the exception. Don't go to a t25 thinking networking and interview skills will make up for below median grades. Your sentiment was right, but this is too much.

Theres at least 2 top 5%ers I know that are striking out, while a few below median kids got biglaw at my school.

I will note that these below median kids while they were K-JD without the "normal factors" are hella good at networking and in general social people. I know three of them and between all three they got 1 screener through OCI. Most of their CB's came from people they had met at alumni receptions, through other people, and people they randomly met. One dude apparently got an offer after getting a callback from some partner he met playing poker at the local casino.

[Anonymous User]

I think success stories at the borderline are good for students. It helps students get motivated to hustle and potentially snag jobs from people who are more "qualified". For example multiple vanilla kids who were below median at my t25 got biglaw because they hustled correctly, worked on their interview skills, began networking now and were much more successful than students in the top 5%.

If anything this thread should point out: you aren't guaranteed a job even if you are top x% at x school. Stop being a dumb, go work on your interview skills, and get a haircut.

Yeah, this is overdoing it a bit, also at a t25 and there are no students below median who did better than top 5%ers, maybe some top quarter people who beat out the top, but that's the exception. Don't go to a t25 thinking networking and interview skills will make up for below median grades. Your sentiment was right, but this is too much.

Theres at least 2 top 5%ers I know that are striking out, while a few below median kids got biglaw at my school.

I will note that these below median kids while they were K-JD without the "normal factors" are hella good at networking and in general social people. I know three of them and between all three they got 1 screener through OCI. Most of their CB's came from people they had met at alumni receptions, through other people, and people they randomly met. One dude apparently got an offer after getting a callback from some partner he met playing poker at the local casino.

I agree that below median people can get biglaw while top percentile people strike out, however, IMO the probability of below median student getting biglaw drops significantly outside of T13 (not really considering GT..). I am below median and got biglaw as a OCI walk-in (being able to speak another language/had relevant WE in the relevant field/had decent BS skills for interview/seriously impressed my interviewing attorney at spring mock interview, etc. definitely helped).

With that being said, I do not recommend people going to law school with the mentality that networking/hustle can save you if your grades are shitty. I lucked out and I am forever happy for all the effort i put in getting this job. If I can dial the clock back, I would spend way more time than I did on study, instead of going to networking event (assuming there is a time conflict of course).

[Anonymous User]

School Range: Lower T14 transfer from ttttttttt
Market(s): Originally PA and DE, then NYC via mass mail beginning early September
Approximate class rank: top 3 at previous school
Law review/secondary journal: Invitations at old school, secondary journal at new school
Work experience: K-JD but have some work experience in a semi-related field
IP background: No
Anything else that might have an impact?: nada
Screening Interviews: 13 via OCI, 2 via mass mailing
Callbacks received: 2 from OCI, 5 from mass mailing
Callbacks accepted: all
Offers w/vault ranges: 1 V10
How many firms just didn't get back with you with a rejection/callback? 1 post-screeener; verdict is still out on 5 post-CB's
Thank-you notes sent: Sometimes, rarely though

I will note a few things for future T3-T4 transfers that I learned from my experience: (1) If you want to go regional, don't underestimate the difficulty of getting into your regional market; the class sizes are small, the talent pool is saturated with grades just as good, if not better, than yours and from better schools. Give it your all, but to maximize your potential, bid strategically and mail major markets, NYC, Chi, LA, etc. I received a CB and eventual offer from a firm I mailed mid-September in a major market that I didn't even consider b/c I thought I was a lock in regional market, I was way wrong. (2) Use TLS, the advice and tips & mass mail any and every firm. If it weren't for mass mailing and the advice I found on this forum I'd be up the creek without a paddle right now, lucky I mailed roughly 200 firms, and from that came 1 offer. (3) After only 2 CB's from OCI and no offers by the end of September, I went from "maybe I shouldn't have transferred" to "maybe I should drop out" to "transferring was the best decision ever." Don't mail it in if you don't succeed initially, mail, mail, mail and when you're done mailing, find more firms to mail.

[Glasseyes]

School Range: Lower T14 transfer from ttttttttt
Market(s): Originally PA and DE, then NYC via mass mail beginning early September
Approximate class rank: top 3 at previous school
Law review/secondary journal: Invitations at old school, secondary journal at new school
Work experience: K-JD but have some work experience in a semi-related field
IP background: No
Anything else that might have an impact?: nada
Screening Interviews: 13 via OCI, 2 via mass mailing
Callbacks received: 2 from OCI, 5 from mass mailing
Callbacks accepted: all
Offers w/vault ranges: 1 V10
How many firms just didn't get back with you with a rejection/callback? 1 post-screeener; verdict is still out on 5 post-CB's
Thank-you notes sent: Sometimes, rarely though

I will note a few things for future T3-T4 transfers that I learned from my experience: (1) If you want to go regional, don't underestimate the difficulty of getting into your regional market; the class sizes are small, the talent pool is saturated with grades just as good, if not better, than yours and from better schools. Give it your all, but to maximize your potential, bid strategically and mail major markets, NYC, Chi, LA, etc. I received a CB and eventual offer from a firm I mailed mid-September in a major market that I didn't even consider b/c I thought I was a lock in regional market, I was way wrong. (2) Use TLS, the advice and tips & mass mail any and every firm. If it weren't for mass mailing and the advice I found on this forum I'd be up the creek without a paddle right now, lucky I mailed roughly 200 firms, and from that came 1 offer. (3) After only 2 CB's from OCI and no offers by the end of September, I went from "maybe I shouldn't have transferred" to "maybe I should drop out" to "transferring was the best decision ever." Don't mail it in if you don't succeed initially, mail, mail, mail and when you're done mailing, find more firms to mail.

Dang, congrats! Persistence paid off—that's a killer outcome!

[Lawdork]

On a similar note to haircuts affecting callbacks, I wonder how much height plays a role. Can we get height/weight stats too?

[Anonymous User]

5'5 330

[PourMeTea]

legal midget

[Anonymous User]

School Range: Lower T14
Market(s): Secondary, SF/SV, CHI
Approximate class rank: median
Law review/secondary journal: secondary journal
Work experience: 2 years, nothing special
IP background: No
Anything else that might have an impact?: nada
Screening Interviews: 26 via OCI, 10 via mass mailing
Callbacks received: 7 from OCI, 3 from mass mailing
Callbacks accepted: all 10
Offers w/vault ranges: 3 (1 secondary, one CHI v100, one SF/SV v100)
How many firms just didn't get back with you with a rejection/callback? 4 screeners were silent dings. 2 CBs still had me on a wait list at the time I accepted my offer.
Thank-you notes sent: Half the time for CBs.

[Anonymous User]

School Range: Lower T14 transfer from ttttttttt
Market(s): Originally PA and DE, then NYC via mass mail beginning early September
Approximate class rank: top 3 at previous school
Law review/secondary journal: Invitations at old school, secondary journal at new school
Work experience: K-JD but have some work experience in a semi-related field
IP background: No
Anything else that might have an impact?: nada
Screening Interviews: 13 via OCI, 2 via mass mailing
Callbacks received: 2 from OCI, 5 from mass mailing
Callbacks accepted: all
Offers w/vault ranges: 1 V10
How many firms just didn't get back with you with a rejection/callback? 1 post-screeener; verdict is still out on 5 post-CB's
Thank-you notes sent: Sometimes, rarely though

I will note a few things for future T3-T4 transfers that I learned from my experience: (1) If you want to go regional, don't underestimate the difficulty of getting into your regional market; the class sizes are small, the talent pool is saturated with grades just as good, if not better, than yours and from better schools. Give it your all, but to maximize your potential, bid strategically and mail major markets, NYC, Chi, LA, etc. I received a CB and eventual offer from a firm I mailed mid-September in a major market that I didn't even consider b/c I thought I was a lock in regional market, I was way wrong. (2) Use TLS, the advice and tips & mass mail any and every firm. If it weren't for mass mailing and the advice I found on this forum I'd be up the creek without a paddle right now, lucky I mailed roughly 200 firms, and from that came 1 offer. (3) After only 2 CB's from OCI and no offers by the end of September, I went from "maybe I shouldn't have transferred" to "maybe I should drop out" to "transferring was the best decision ever." Don't mail it in if you don't succeed initially, mail, mail, mail and when you're done mailing, find more firms to mail.

This is solid advice for future transfers...