Top Law Schools

Am I bottom 10%?

Obviously working my ass off to get my GPA up before OCI, but curious where I fall.

Thanks.

You're anonymous. Name the specific school

nothingtosee wrote:You're anonymous. Name the specific school

Michigan

Given Michigan's new median, yeah you're probably right at bottom 10-15%

I had a 3.0 at Michigan after my first semester, as did a friend of mine. Based on our experiences, a lot depends on what your individual grades are.

If you got straight Bs, you're better off than if you got a C+ and two B+'s. Reasoning being: few consider a "B" to be objectively bad, while many do consider a "C+" to be objectively bad. Therefore if you manage to raise your grades this semester, you may be able to salvage your transcript if you're in the former scenario. But if you'er in the latter scenario, no amount of good grades will erase the one objectively bad mark on your transcript.

Anonymous User wrote:I had a 3.0 at Michigan after my first semester, as did a friend of mine. Based on our experiences, a lot depends on what your individual grades are.

If you got straight Bs, you're better off than if you got a C+ and two B+'s. Reasoning being: few consider a "B" to be objectively bad, while many do consider a "C+" to be objectively bad. Therefore if you manage to raise your grades this semester, you may be able to salvage your transcript if you're in the former scenario. But if you'er in the latter scenario, no amount of good grades will erase the one objectively bad mark on your transcript.

I think this is true. I transferred to a CCN, and got mostly B's, some B+, one A-, and one B-. But when you glance at the transcript, you mostly just see a bunch of B's and B+. I was told that they are scanning for C-level grades in many cases. Had a guy glance over my transcript, and be like "ok, looks like you did pretty well there". And I"m thinking to myself "uh, I'm probably close to bottom 1/3 but ok, sure". So theres a certain level of optics involved.

This document may be helpful (it's behind the UMich log-in): http://www.law.umich.edu/careers/typeso ... ug2014.pdf.

Anonymous User wrote:I had a 3.0 at Michigan after my first semester, as did a friend of mine. Based on our experiences, a lot depends on what your individual grades are.

If you got straight Bs, you're better off than if you got a C+ and two B+'s. Reasoning being: few consider a "B" to be objectively bad, while many do consider a "C+" to be objectively bad. Therefore if you manage to raise your grades this semester, you may be able to salvage your transcript if you're in the former scenario. But if you'er in the latter scenario, no amount of good grades will erase the one objectively bad mark on your transcript.

currently have straight B's

how'd OCI go for you?

THough that would be after two years of upper level classes which have a different curve

Anonymous User wrote:

Anonymous User wrote:I had a 3.0 at Michigan after my first semester, as did a friend of mine. Based on our experiences, a lot depends on what your individual grades are.

If you got straight Bs, you're better off than if you got a C+ and two B+'s. Reasoning being: few consider a "B" to be objectively bad, while many do consider a "C+" to be objectively bad. Therefore if you manage to raise your grades this semester, you may be able to salvage your transcript if you're in the former scenario. But if you'er in the latter scenario, no amount of good grades will erase the one objectively bad mark on your transcript.

currently have straight B's

how'd OCI go for you?

OCI went OK for me. I was in your situation, but improved second semester. It was tougher for my friend with the C+ (although they got biglaw too). So you'll be fine as long as you don't get straight Bs again.

Make sure you improve, but don't worry too much. Just don't have too lofty of expectations.

Anonymous User wrote:

Anonymous User wrote:I had a 3.0 at Michigan after my first semester, as did a friend of mine. Based on our experiences, a lot depends on what your individual grades are.

If you got straight Bs, you're better off than if you got a C+ and two B+'s. Reasoning being: few consider a "B" to be objectively bad, while many do consider a "C+" to be objectively bad. Therefore if you manage to raise your grades this semester, you may be able to salvage your transcript if you're in the former scenario. But if you'er in the latter scenario, no amount of good grades will erase the one objectively bad mark on your transcript.

I think this is true. I transferred to a CCN, and got mostly B's, some B+, one A-, and one B-. But when you glance at the transcript, you mostly just see a bunch of B's and B+. I was told that they are scanning for C-level grades in many cases. Had a guy glance over my transcript, and be like "ok, looks like you did pretty well there". And I"m thinking to myself "uh, I'm probably close to bottom 1/3 but ok, sure". So theres a certain level of optics involved.

IDK if I buy the above, but it's a basic concept in neuroscience that humans are reflexively attracted to differences rather than similarities in patterns. If most of the grades are B's then >99% of people will focus on the C's and A's. But this is just what they'd do immediately. I'm sure they read it closer at some point.

Anonymous User wrote:

Anonymous User wrote:I had a 3.0 at Michigan after my first semester, as did a friend of mine. Based on our experiences, a lot depends on what your individual grades are.

If you got straight Bs, you're better off than if you got a C+ and two B+'s. Reasoning being: few consider a "B" to be objectively bad, while many do consider a "C+" to be objectively bad. Therefore if you manage to raise your grades this semester, you may be able to salvage your transcript if you're in the former scenario. But if you'er in the latter scenario, no amount of good grades will erase the one objectively bad mark on your transcript.

currently have straight B's

how'd OCI go for you?

Those grades were post-transfer. I went into OCI with just my 1L grades from my T25 school (which were very strong). So I can't really say the effect it had on hiring. Though I did show them at one point during a lateral interview and thats where I got the whole "oh ok, looks like you did fine at the new school" comment. Keep in mind though that 1L grades will always be weighed more heavily than 2L/3L grades (both recruiters and hiring partners confirmed this to me).

Anonymous User wrote:

Anonymous User wrote:

Anonymous User wrote:I had a 3.0 at Michigan after my first semester, as did a friend of mine. Based on our experiences, a lot depends on what your individual grades are.

If you got straight Bs, you're better off than if you got a C+ and two B+'s. Reasoning being: few consider a "B" to be objectively bad, while many do consider a "C+" to be objectively bad. Therefore if you manage to raise your grades this semester, you may be able to salvage your transcript if you're in the former scenario. But if you'er in the latter scenario, no amount of good grades will erase the one objectively bad mark on your transcript.

currently have straight B's

how'd OCI go for you?

Those grades were post-transfer. I went into OCI with just my 1L grades from my T25 school (which were very strong). So I can't really say the effect it had on hiring. Though I did show them at one point during a lateral interview and thats where I got the whole "oh ok, looks like you did fine at the new school" comment. Keep in mind though that 1L grades will always be weighed more heavily than 2L/3L grades (both recruiters and hiring partners confirmed this to me).

Straight B's during 2L is way different than in 1L. Ranking-wise, straight Bs in 2L is a lot lower class percentile than straight Bs during 1L. But from an OCI perspective, it's irrelevant. It doesn't really tell OP anything about his chances next fall (where most T14 students will be getting their first job)

OP, you're probably around the bottom 10-15%. If you can get above median this semester and sneak into the 3.2 range (cumulative), you should be in the middle half of the class and in decent shape for OCI.

Good luck!

I had 3.01 1L GPA at another T14. Still, I had 3 offers from BigLaw after OCI. It happens.