Cravath and Undergrad Transcripts Forum

[Internationalist]

Cravath asks interviewees to bring an undergrad transcript with them to screeners.

Anyone know how much weight they give to undergrad grades in selecting candidates?

[Anonymous User]

No idea. But to relate my experience, I got a callback from them (around top 10 percent from a t14) and I had a sub 3.3 GPA from a shit undergrad with a shit major.

[Anonymous User]

I think it is a historical quirk. The cravath system was developed back when you could become a lawyer without having gone to undergrad. This is a head nod to the fact that csm insisted on your having gone to undergrad when other firms did not. I do not think it accounts for a lot.

It may vary based on which law school you are applying from.

Eta: had an offer with a less than impressive undergrad transcript. I was a splitter.

[Anonymous User]

Cravath hiring partner at CLS EIP panel said that they use the UG transcript to see if there are any positive or negative trends in grades from UG to end of 1L.

[Anonymous User]

Can't say with certainty, but I think it may have killed me. I interviewed with them at one of the consortia they do, was top 5% at my school, had a good interview, and didn't get a callback. My undergrad transcript has a couple of Cs.

[Anonymous User]

To tell the truth, and this may sound childish (because it is), that's the main reason I bid them for 3L OCI (ETA: that and the paltry selection of 3L OCI firms). As a SUPER splitter with lots of WE (2.2 UGPA from the mid-90's) who has also performed to my potential in LS (5% at T20) I was offended that they required UG transcripts to be submitted with bids. So I bid as a way of saying "screw you for asking for it; you'll have to look at mine now."

They didn't pre-select me but I did get a lotto. But I also got a clerkship after our bid deadline and dropped out of OCI before the alternate slots were filled, so don't worry about me taking one of their slots.

[Mal Reynolds]

To tell the truth, and this may sound childish (because it is), that's the main reason I bid them for 3L OCI (ETA: that and the paltry selection of 3L OCI firms). As a SUPER splitter with lots of WE (2.2 UGPA from the mid-90's) who has also performed to my potential in LS (5% at T20) I was offended that they required UG transcripts to be submitted with bids. So I bid as a way of saying "screw you for asking for it; you'll have to look at mine now."

They didn't pre-select me but I did get a lotto. But I also got a clerkship after our bid deadline and dropped out of OCI before the alternate slots were filled, so don't worry about me taking one of their slots.

This was a great story.

[Anonymous User]

I had a sub-3.5 UGPA and got an offer from Cravath. Was my only V10 offer.

[Anonymous User]

Piling on the anecdotes--I had a sub 3.3 but like top 20-15%ish at a T10. Not going into specifics they seemed interested in me until they got my UG transcript. It looks like they're all over the place on this.

[Anonymous User]

I had a sub-3.5 UGPA and got an offer from Cravath. Was my only V10 offer.

Law school stats please?

[pertristis]

Piling on the anecdotes--I had a sub 3.3 but like top 20-15%ish at a T10. Not going into specifics they seemed interested in me until they got my UG transcript. It looks like they're all over the place on this.

Nearly same story. ~3.4 in undergrad, including more than one F, numerous of Cs, a truckload of Ws, blah blah, and then the last two years, a parade of As. Top ~6–7% at UVA.

The OGI interviewer looked at my undergrad transcript with the same sort of horror as if I nailed his daughter on the table in front of us. Needless to say, I didn't get a callback.

[emkay625]

I had a 3.2 from a large public undergrad (and not Cal or Mich or UVA or anything like that). I got a CB.

Law school stats: around top 10% at Texas.

[Old Gregg]

To tell the truth, and this may sound childish (because it is), that's the main reason I bid them for 3L OCI (ETA: that and the paltry selection of 3L OCI firms). As a SUPER splitter with lots of WE (2.2 UGPA from the mid-90's) who has also performed to my potential in LS (5% at T20) I was offended that they required UG transcripts to be submitted with bids. So I bid as a way of saying "screw you for asking for it; you'll have to look at mine now."

They didn't pre-select me but I did get a lotto. But I also got a clerkship after our bid deadline and dropped out of OCI before the alternate slots were filled, so don't worry about me taking one of their slots.

This was a great story.

[Anonymous User]

Do any other firms require undergrad transcripts?

[Anonymous User]

I had a sub-3.5 UGPA and got an offer from Cravath. Was my only V10 offer.

Law school stats please?

Columbia ~top 25%.

[Anonymous User]

Do any other firms require undergrad transcripts?

really just those where you are doing IP that I know of.

[jd20132013]

To tell the truth, and this may sound childish (because it is), that's the main reason I bid them for 3L OCI (ETA: that and the paltry selection of 3L OCI firms). As a SUPER splitter with lots of WE (2.2 UGPA from the mid-90's) who has also performed to my potential in LS (5% at T20) I was offended that they required UG transcripts to be submitted with bids. So I bid as a way of saying "screw you for asking for it; you'll have to look at mine now."

They didn't pre-select me but I did get a lotto. But I also got a clerkship after our bid deadline and dropped out of OCI before the alternate slots were filled, so don't worry about me taking one of their slots.

Thanks for the info bro.

[Anonymous User]

I think they do look at it and take the grades into consideration. A buddy of mine from a T2 top 5% or so got an offer, but during his interview and before extending him an offer they mentioned they had some concerns about his UG transcript. He got the offer but still was a little bothered by that part of the convo being that he graduated from college 7 years ago.

I understand asking for it if you are K-JD. But if more than 5 years have passed since undergrad I think it's a pretty useless exercise.