Interview at prestigious firms with low grades - pointless? Forum

[Anonymous User]

Hi all,

So I am a little bit below median at an upper t14. Non-URM. I had a 1L SA and got an offer.

At OCI coming up, I have interviews scheduled with some of the most prestigious firms, think Cravath, S&C, etc... My 1L firm was great, good work, friendly people, but not super prestigious, think major market V50 or whatever. The only firms that i would really consider taking over it are firms that are either likely to open up a significantly better career down the road, offer above market pay, or are at the top of my particular practice group. Hence, the reason I scheduled interviews with these super top firms.

But, given my below average GPA, even if I have a strong resume, is there any point to these interviews? Will they look at my transcript and laugh? I have something like a B/B+ average, maybe 3.18 or so.

I think I am normally a decent to strong interviewer (based on previous successes during 1L and many mock interviews). But, should I approach these interviews any differently, given that they normally hire like top 25%, which I certainly am not? Should I prepare myself to just be laughed out of the room?

[Druid]

What else are you gonna do? Take your shot in the dark.

[Anonymous User]

What else are you gonna do? Take your shot in the dark.

idk try some ballsy ass high-risk high-reward interview tactic? just wondering if anyone had some advice or maybe if anyone had actually pulled a CB out of an interview like this before...

[mephistopheles]

dirty jokes can really hit

[Anonymous User]

What else are you gonna do? Take your shot in the dark.

idk try some ballsy ass high-risk high-reward interview tactic? just wondering if anyone had some advice or maybe if anyone had actually pulled a CB out of an interview like this before...

I am median at lower t-14, just added a few way out of my league firms at open sign up. Going to go balls to the wall at these interviews to stand out

[yngblkgifted]

Worst case scenario is that you have a V50 lined up for the summer. I think you knew this and just wanted to hear it.

[84651846190]

Worst case scenario is that you have a V50 lined up for the summer. I think you knew this and just wanted to hear it.

This. I hate these kinds of threads. Why are there so many of them on TLS all the time?

[baal hadad]

Dont bother

Interviewing for jobs you want is stupid

[Druid]

Worst case scenario is that you have a V50 lined up for the summer. I think you knew this and just wanted to hear it.

This. I hate these kinds of threads. Why are there so many of them on TLS all the time?

Because the K-JD snowflakes need to be coddled and told that it's going to be okay while simultaneously getting blown.

[Anonymous User]

I mean, I agree with all of you... But people with much better grades are pretty much passing on these at my school, like interview slots just sit open
If there's literally 0 chance of it working, I'll save my energy for other interviews that I would still prefer..

[Chrstgtr]

With the firms you are talking about you'll have very few interviews to worry about and won't have the stress of a full blown OCI schedule. Not that much for you to lose by trying.

[Druid]

I mean, I agree with all of you... But people with much better grades are pretty much passing on these at my school, like interview slots just sit open
If there's literally 0 chance of it working, I'll save my energy for other interviews that I would still prefer..

Sharpening interview skills is never a bad thing.

[Anonymous User]

I had grades outside of appropriate range for v5 coming from CCN (around median). Non-URM.

I ended up with three v5s on my schedule. I had two callbacks. One offer.

I did not treat these interviews differently - just happened to connect with people.

[Kronk]

None of them will call you back. If you were smart (e.g. ~3.75GPA) you would have been more reasonable in your bidding.

[jbagelboy]

I had grades outside of appropriate range for v5 coming from CCN (around median). Non-URM.

I ended up with three v5s on my schedule. I had two callbacks. One offer.

I did not treat these interviews differently - just happened to connect with people.

I agree interview is important & congrats on your offer, but Skadden NY will pull from median at CCN anyway so it's not so unexpected. S&C and Cravath are a different story. This debate has been flushed out on other threads but suffice to say once you have the interviews, just act professional and like you want the job. Worst case scenario it's 20 min of your life wasted; I wasted 20 min watching a rerun of its always sunny yesterday.

[baal hadad]

With the firms you are talking about you'll have very few interviews to worry about and won't have the stress of a full blown OCI schedule. Not that much for you to lose by trying.

Do you have a physical disorder where it makes you exhausted to talk to people or something?

[SLS_AMG]

I had grades outside of appropriate range for v5 coming from CCN (around median). Non-URM.

I ended up with three v5s on my schedule. I had two callbacks. One offer.

I did not treat these interviews differently - just happened to connect with people.

I agree interview is important & congrats on your offer, but Skadden NY will pull from median at CCN anyway so it's not so unexpected. S&C and Cravath are a different story. This debate has been flushed out on other threads but suffice to say once you have the interviews, just act professional and like you want the job. Worst case scenario it's 20 min of your life wasted; I wasted 20 min watching a rerun of its always sunny yesterday.

This. Skadden may be a "V5," but it really isn't that selective at all. Cravath and S&C are extremely selective, and S&C in particular are just straight up grade snobs. S&C legitimately doesn't care if you're the most likeable person in the world; if you don't meet their lofty grade cut-offs, you don't have a chance. Best of luck though.

[Anonymous User]

I agree interview is important & congrats on your offer, but Skadden NY will pull from median at CCN anyway so it's not so unexpected. S&C and Cravath are a different story.

Skadden, Cravath, and S&C respectively gave 4, 1, and 1 offer(s) to sub-Stone CLS students. That hardly constitutes a strong willingness to take median students on the part of Skadden, or appreciably lower selectivity.

[Anonymous User]

I agree interview is important & congrats on your offer, but Skadden NY will pull from median at CCN anyway so it's not so unexpected. S&C and Cravath are a different story.

Skadden, Cravath, and S&C respectively gave 4, 1, and 1 offer(s) to sub-Stone CLS students. That hardly constitutes a strong willingness to take median students on the part of Skadden, or appreciably lower selectivity.

and they gave 5/24 the year before (and the gap between stone and median is pretty small)

Skadden does and will hire median students at CLS. That's not a bad thing/a reason to be defensive about it.

[Anonymous User]

I'm not defensive. You're just giving people at median hope, where there is actually very little justification.

[Anonymous User]

I'm not defensive. You're just giving people at median hope, where there is actually very little justification.

There is entirely justification. Skadden will hire students from at/near median. I don't know how else you would be justified. The 20% they hire below Stone is significant.

[jbagelboy]

I'm not defensive. You're just giving people at median hope, where there is actually very little justification.

No, we're not. The Anon (either you or another) who suggested via their own anecdotal offer that with OP's grades they stood a chance at "V5" gave unjustified hope. I was clarifying and mediating expectations by making an entirely justified distinction between the likely erroneous anecdote (where median offer is plausible) and the firms cited by OP. This is tangential and hairsplitting anyway since all agree on the basic advise.

[twenty 8]

My suggestion is to take your median score (and your experience as an SA) and secure a position at a firm in your hometown or home state (assuming you like where you’re from). I wouldn’t consider moving for a little more $ or for the enticement of prestige.

[mephistopheles]

twenty 8 has spoken, I think we're all done here