Affect of undergraduate grades on IP positions Forum

[Anonymous User]

I went to a school with a harsh curve in Electrical Engineering, so it seems that my undergraduate grades are bad to the typical person. I graduated around a 2.8. However, my transcript was decent enough to get into good graduate programs. In graduate school I received a decent GPA. Afterwards, I worked as an electrical engineer for several years in a high-tech industry. I've presented at conferences, advanced to a senior position, etc.

However, I've struck out so far in terms of OCI at my first-tier school. One firm told me that they don't hire anyone with a sub-3.0 GPA in an undergrad program. I was shocked since I'm 29... and being judged on what I did when I was 18-22! Is this common? Anyone else experience something like this in an employment context (obviously we're judged on undergraduate grades in law school admissions)?

[Wavelet]

What's a "decent" grad school GPA? Graduate school is curved very leniently, so unless it's >3.6, it's not going to impress most people in patent prosecution. What was your law school GPA (most patent litigation positions care very little about engineering GPA compared to law school GPA)? Are you really sure it's just your undergrad GPA bringing you down?

Edit: Granted your WE should mitigate the engineering GPA a lot, but only for patent prosecution firms. WE is only marginally helpful for getting a patent lit job--indeed, too much of it could hurt. Have you tried targeting a bunch of prosecution boutiques?

[Anonymous User]

What's a "decent" grad school GPA? Graduate school is curved very leniently, so unless it's >3.6, it's not going to impress most people in patent prosecution. What was your law school GPA (most patent litigation positions care very little about engineering GPA compared to law school GPA)? Are you really sure it's just your undergrad GPA bringing you down?

I'm top 1/3 in my law school and I'm looking for patent prosecution. My grad school GPA was about a 3.5. I don't think it will impress people, but shouldn't be a barrier. My graduate school did not have much of a generous curve. The classes were averaged to Bs whereas my undergrad the classes tended to be averaged to Cs. Even so, I graduated from grad school such a long time ago and have done so much since then.

One thing that I've noticed is that when I email a firm and they ask for undergrad/grad transcripts, I never hear from them again. The ones that don't ask seem to be much more interested.

[LawSchoolWannaBe]

Where are EE classes curved for a C average? That sounds terrible! I thought the 2.5-3.0 curve at my UG was awful.

[Anonymous User]

I went to a school with a harsh curve in Electrical Engineering, so it seems that my undergraduate grades are bad to the typical person. I graduated around a 2.8. However, my transcript was decent enough to get into good graduate programs. In graduate school I received a decent GPA. Afterwards, I worked as an electrical engineer for several years in a high-tech industry. I've presented at conferences, advanced to a senior position, etc.

However, I've struck out so far in terms of OCI at my first-tier school. One firm told me that they don't hire anyone with a sub-3.0 GPA in an undergrad program. I was shocked since I'm 29... and being judged on what I did when I was 18-22! Is this common? Anyone else experience something like this in an employment context (obviously we're judged on undergraduate grades in law school admissions)?

I'm in a very similar situation as you as far as biography - though I have two offers. I'm kind of surprised though- no one asked to see my undergrad transcripts during the process at all. Or rather, some firms did, but not the two that I got offers from, and these are V50 firms in NYC with fairly well respected IP practices. And upon receiving the offer, they mentioned they want official law school transcripts, but didn't mention UG at all. All in all it seems like they dont' care, as long as you have the degree.

Like the other guy said - you haven't mentioned your law school GPA - how is it? That weights MUCH more heavily. And did you do the Loyola Patent Fair? Or just your school's OCI?

[Anonymous User]

I went to a school with a harsh curve in Electrical Engineering, so it seems that my undergraduate grades are bad to the typical person. I graduated around a 2.8. However, my transcript was decent enough to get into good graduate programs. In graduate school I received a decent GPA. Afterwards, I worked as an electrical engineer for several years in a high-tech industry. I've presented at conferences, advanced to a senior position, etc.

However, I've struck out so far in terms of OCI at my first-tier school. One firm told me that they don't hire anyone with a sub-3.0 GPA in an undergrad program. I was shocked since I'm 29... and being judged on what I did when I was 18-22! Is this common? Anyone else experience something like this in an employment context (obviously we're judged on undergraduate grades in law school admissions)?

I'm in a very similar situation as you as far as biography - though I have two offers. I'm kind of surprised though- no one asked to see my undergrad transcripts during the process at all. Or rather, some firms did, but not the two that I got offers from, and these are V50 firms in NYC with fairly well respected IP practices. And upon receiving the offer, they mentioned they want official law school transcripts, but didn't mention UG at all. All in all it seems like they dont' care, as long as you have the degree.

Like the other guy said - you haven't mentioned your law school GPA - how is it? That weights MUCH more heavily. And did you do the Loyola Patent Fair? Or just your school's OCI?

My grades are in the top third. I didn't do the Loyola Fair, just the school's OCI and contacting firms on my own.

[Anonymous User]

My grades are in the top third. I didn't do the Loyola Fair, just the school's OCI and contacting firms on my own.

Not to make you feel bad, but missing Loyola was a mistake in your situation. Why didn't you go?