post 1L:3.08 GPA at CCN. Options for biglaw? Forum

[Anonymous User]

So I didn't do too great my first year, obviously. I'm still not sure what I want to do long-term, but would like to try out a firm job for 2L summer and could see myself doing a latin american practice, as I speak both Portuguese and Spanish (lived in Brazil for 2 years, have family there, etc.).

Where (rankings-wise) do you suggest I should bid for OCI/EIP this summer in terms of getting a firm job? And how far would the language/culture boost help me in terms of making up for the paltry grades for firms that have a latin american practice?

I could really use the advice, since I'm none too happy with these grades and just may start to panic.

Thanks guys.

[booboo]

Maybe include where you are in relation to median, I think it will give the other posters a better idea on how to approximate your chances.

[imchuckbass58]

Maybe include where you are in relation to median, I think it will give the other posters a better idea on how to approximate your chances.

Assuming OP is at CLS or NYU (since Chicago doesn't have normal GPAs), 3.08 is below median. Median is in the 3.25-3.3 range at CLS, and slightly higher at NYU. Probably bottom third, but probably not at the very bottom of the class.

OP, your best bet is large, less-selective NYC offices (schulte, akin gump, cadwalader, dechert, paul hastings, proskauer, stroock, vinson and elkins, etc.).

[kapital98]

All three schools have weird grading schemes. Columbia doesn't release GPA but distinguishes if students are in top 33%. Chicago has a nominal score (median = 177). NYU has a grade curve of ~3.3 with pretty much almost everyone getting B's if they do not recieve a B+ or higher.

My [purely speculative] guess is the poster is between 60-75% in the class. That's almost no shot at biglaw unless you have an amazing personality and great networking skills.

[kapital98]

Maybe include where you are in relation to median, I think it will give the other posters a better idea on how to approximate your chances.

Assuming OP is at CLS or NYU (since Chicago doesn't have normal GPAs), 3.08 is below median. Median is in the 3.25-3.3 range at CLS, and slightly higher at NYU. Probably bottom third, but probably not at the very bottom of the class.

OP, your best bet is large, less-selective NYC offices (schulte, akin gump, cadwalader, dechert, paul hastings, proskauer, stroock, vinson and elkins, etc.).

You beat me to it!

[seriouslyinformative]

That's almost no shot at biglaw unless you have an amazing personality and great networking skills.

The personality is going to be key. I know people with even lower grades who were piling on the offers because they had amazing interviewing skills. Time to start the hustle.

[seriouslyinformative]

While Akin and V&E have decently sized NYC offices, their summer classes are teeny.

[imchuckbass58]

While Akin and V&E have decently sized NYC offices, their summer classes are teeny.

Yeah those probably aren't the best examples. I was going off of CLS EIP statistics from last year - they gave lots of offers.

My [purely speculative] guess is the poster is between 60-75% in the class. That's almost no shot at biglaw unless you have an amazing personality and great networking skills.

I wouldn't say "almost not shot." My year (c/o 2012) close to 80% of people who did EIP got a job (and, a not insignificant number of people near the top of the class don't do EIP because they're PI/academia oriented). So I wouldn't say almost no shot, but it is far from assured.