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CCN Need Basic Bid Advice
Posted: Mon Jun 10, 2013 8:33 am
by Anonymous User
Hey guys,
I was hoping I could get some basic bid tips based on my situation:
I'm a white latino going to CCN, very prestigious foreign UG.
I had a 3.4 1st semester but ended up w/ a 3.1 2nd semester, giving me an avg of 3.26, which is just barely below median at my school.
I speak Spanish fluently and 2 other languages intermediately, and am working abroad at an IO this summer in an area with one of those languages (forgive my vagueness, I just don't want to give too much specific info).
I guess my basic questions are:
1) How fucked am I, given my shitty 2nd semester GPA? Do firms care at all about the distribution between semesters or is it purely the avg.
2) Should I be aiming for firms that gave CB's with median #'s? Or lower given that I am below median?
3) Should I even bother applying to magic circle firms or similarly international oriented US firms?
Any other info or help you guys could provide would be much appreciated, thanks!
Re: CCN Need Basic Bid Advice
Posted: Mon Jun 10, 2013 10:02 am
by Bronck
Lol, this post doesn't really mask your school when CLS hasn't gotten grades back (or very few) and Chicago is on another scale.
Regardless, firms only care about your average GPA.
I haven't done much research into bidding yet, so others will be more qualified to answer the latter two. My guess is yes, bid firms that gave CBs to students with median numbers, and yes apply to the magic circle firms if they extend CBs to people with your grades.
Re: CCN Need Basic Bid Advice
Posted: Mon Jun 10, 2013 11:04 am
by Anonymous User
It would help to know what languages you speak. For instance, if the language is Portuguese, Japanese, Chinese, you will outperform your GPA and should target firms with Brazil/China/Japan practices. If the language is French, not so much. How are your interviewing skills? Being a good interviewer can really make a difference in general but in particular I think for the purposes of distinguishing yourself from everyone in the mushy middle.
Anyway, I went to your school and knew many, many people who did OK with a GPA close to yours. Bid high on the V30 firms, but throw a bid at places like Skadden and anyone with a significant Lat Am practice, i.e. Baker McKenzie, Sheppard Mullin, Shearman,
clifford chance, etc. Also, USE the resources at OCS. They will work with you over the summer to put together a good list. Take everything they say with a grain of salt; they will suggest a VERY conservative strategy for you because their job is for you to get a job, not for you to get the best job you can.
Finally, I think it helps to have decided on corp or lit at least for the purposes of interviews, because you can talk more concretely about why you went to law school and all those other questions they're going to ask you in the interview. you can always change your mind later.
Re: CCN Need Basic Bid Advice
Posted: Mon Jun 10, 2013 11:48 am
by thesealocust
Great advice above. You have a good shot at landing some offers with that school + GPA combo - the more research you do on firms, and the more practice/polish you put into your interviews, the more you'll stand out from the crowd.
Re: CCN Need Basic Bid Advice
Posted: Mon Jun 10, 2013 3:36 pm
by dixiecupdrinking
Anonymous User wrote:It would help to know what languages you speak. For instance, if the language is Portuguese, Japanese, Chinese, you will outperform your GPA and should target firms with Brazil/China/Japan practices. If the language is French, not so much. How are your interviewing skills? Being a good interviewer can really make a difference in general but in particular I think for the purposes of distinguishing yourself from everyone in the mushy middle.
Anyway, I went to your school and knew many, many people who did OK with a GPA close to yours. Bid high on the V30 firms, but throw a bid at places like Skadden and anyone with a significant Lat Am practice, i.e. Baker McKenzie, Sheppard Mullin, Shearman, Clifford Chance, etc. Also, USE the resources at OCS. They will work with you over the summer to put together a good list. Take everything they say with a grain of salt; they will suggest a VERY conservative strategy for you because their job is for you to get a job, not for you to get the best job you can.
Finally, I think it helps to have decided on corp or lit at least for the purposes of interviews, because you can talk more concretely about why you went to law school and all those other questions they're going to ask you in the interview. you can always change your mind later.
I agree with all of this advice. Especially OCS. They are very helpful so you should use them.
Also with respect to corporate/litigation... my impression (as someone who is not multilingual, for what that's worth) is that corporate is where your language skills may be useful. Can't really think of why it would be desirable in litigation, I guess with the exception of maybe some international arbitration kinda stuff, but meh. So keep that in mind when preparing your spiel.
Re: CCN Need Basic Bid Advice
Posted: Mon Jun 10, 2013 11:23 pm
by AntipodeanPhil
Anonymous User wrote:very prestigious foreign UG.
So, Oxford or Cambridge.
Are you a US citizen or permanent resident? If not, you might be best to bid a little more conservatively. Internationals at my school (T6) think this makes a significant difference.
Re: CCN Need Basic Bid Advice
Posted: Mon Jun 10, 2013 11:29 pm
by IAFG
You're below median. I'd be prepping a massmail campaign. Striking out is a real risk.
Re: CCN Need Basic Bid Advice
Posted: Tue Jun 11, 2013 4:17 am
by Anonymous User
AntipodeanPhil wrote:Anonymous User wrote:very prestigious foreign UG.
So, Oxford or Cambridge.
Are you a US citizen or permanent resident? If not, you might be best to bid a little more conservatively. Internationals at my school (T6) think this makes a significant difference.
haha I wish, not either of those.
Thanks for the advice everyone, I will certainly prep mass-mailings as well.
Re: CCN Need Basic Bid Advice
Posted: Tue Jun 11, 2013 7:06 am
by Anonymous User
OCS sent me a list of firms to mass mail. Get in touch with one of the counselors and ask for some suggestions. In the end I did not need the mass mailing but I went with the "do everything possible" route. GL!