DOJ Honors 2014 Forum

[Anonymous User]

Hopefully no news means more slots still available. Keep hope alive!

[Anonymous User]

I'm applying to DHS/IRS/and DOT as well as DOJ anyone have any idea how many spots other agencies hire can't seem to find a number anywhere?

I'm a current DOT Honors Attorney. There were nine selected out of about 2800 applications, I believe around 100 people were interviewed. Class size should be the same this time around.

When you say 100 people were interviewed do you mean first round/OCI or callbacks in DC?

I'd like to second this question

100 people were called back for interviews in DC. I don't know the number of people interviewed in the first round. I've heard that there will be less call backs this year, although not sure of the exact number, and there will also be eight people hired, instead of the usual nine.

[Anonymous User]

Well I just submitted my application after working on it for three weeks. It's not very comforting that I think I have a better chance of winning the lottery than getting the 1 Civil Rights Division spot.

[Anonymous User]

I'm a current DOT Honors Attorney. There were nine selected out of about 2800 applications, I believe around 100 people were interviewed. Class size should be the same this time around.

When you say 100 people were interviewed do you mean first round/OCI or callbacks in DC?

I'd like to second this question

100 people were called back for interviews in DC. I don't know the number of people interviewed in the first round. I've heard that there will be less call backs this year, although not sure of the exact number, and there will also be eight people hired, instead of the usual nine.

Thanks for this info. I interviewed with DoT through OCI and was told they would notify about callbacks in late September. Good luck to anyone else waiting/interested in DoT.

[Anonymous User]

T15
top half
moot court board, no journal
interned at DEA 1L summer (ranking that 1st)
interned at local USAO during 2L
interned at major fed agency doing litigation intensive work 2L summer
pre work experience in white collar/lit heavy consulting firm
no clerkships right now, but still waiting

what is the 200 character essay section supposed to look like? like a personal statement? there are 2 so i am assuming the first one is more like a cover letter and the second is more like a personal statement? ugh i shoulda done this earlier but i felt like i was drowning in other apps...

[crysmissmichelle]

what is the 200 character essay section supposed to look like? like a personal statement? there are 2 so i am assuming the first one is more like a cover letter and the second is more like a personal statement? ugh i shoulda done this earlier but i felt like i was drowning in other apps...

I treated them like standalone essays and addressed the question as exactly as possible. As an aside, if you indent on that section, the spaces count against your total character count, whereas, if you just double space between paragraphs it does not.

[Anonymous User]

Does anyone know if spaces between words count as "characters" for the essays?

[Anonymous User]

They do.

[Anonymous User]

T14 top 5%
Law review managing board and moot court
DOJ summer intern
Federal clerkship
going for civil for one of the tiny divisions and i'm about 1000% sure there's no way i'll get it since i'm apparently competing for 1 spot along with about 2000 people

i'm also putting down criminal which seems a little silly because i doubt they'll dip down into second-choicers but i've gotta give it a shot

and these essays are legitimately awful

[Anonymous User]

I think the whole ranking thing is insane, since I would club my mother for any slot anywhere in DOJ. Just because a component is listed as a second choice should not be a major factor.

[Anonymous User]

Sure, but there's not much you can do about it since the application requires you to rank. You can try explaining in your essay (about why DOJ/which component) that you're ranking only because the application requires it and you'd love to be in any of the components. Of course, that's more convincing if there's something that ties the three components together (like they all do something related to criminal stuff - Crim, DEA, BOP, that kind of thing) but you can give it a shot.

[Anonymous User]

That's actually a great suggestion, thanks for the help. Trying to show why several components have what I'm looking for is at least a (small) way of lessening the impact of not ranking a component first. Thanks and good luck!

[Anonymous User]

so are ppl only single-spacing between sentences instead of the usual double? trying to save up on characters here although the whole app is futile...

[Anonymous User]

Yea, single spaced. I even went back and changed the wording a few times to buy a few extra letters haha. Would you characterize these applications as more ridiculous or hopeless

[Anonymous User]

Application submitted. Best of luck to everyone!

[Anonymous User]

Seconded. Best of luck, and let's keep this updated when info starts to roll in.

[Anonymous User]

I must compliment DOJ: this year's application was much easier to read and navigate. IMHO.

[Anonymous User]

Submitted!! Whew!

[Anonymous User]

Submitted with one minute to spare. My second essay was a total shitshow. Welp.

[Anonymous User]

Checking the application status page obsessively...Deja Vu all over again

[crysmissmichelle]

Checking the application status page obsessively...Deja Vu all over again

How long did it take for status to change last year (once the application period closed)?

[Anonymous User]

Last year the deadline was Sept. 4 and the first person to post here that their application had been referred to components was on Sept. 17.

[crysmissmichelle]

Last year the deadline was Sept. 4 and the first person to post here that their application had been referred to components was on Sept. 17.

Thanks! I'm poring over last year's thread as I get time. . .getting my hopes up

[Anonymous User]

Last year the deadline was Sept. 4 and the first person to post here that their application had been referred to components was on Sept. 17.

Thanks! I'm poring over last year's thread as I get time. . .getting my hopes up

Really? Looking at last year's thread was super depressing for me, seeing how long it took for people to hear back, and seeing how many really well-qualified applicants didn't get positions. So my advice for people who are easily discouraged by that is to not look.

[Anonymous User]

I know a 3L dude who got an interview (so he probably had pretty good credentials) and when he got there, the interviewers just straight-up told him, "We're probably only going to hire clerks this year." I'm assuming the interviewers were just speaking for their component, but it's still a depressing story. This was around 2009-2011.