Below Median OCI 2015 Forum

[Anonymous User]

For those of you lower-T14 below median getting CBs...are they NYC/DC CBs or secondary markets?

NYC for me

DC from a non-HYS school and below median will be tough

[crumb cake]

.

[Anonymous User]

For those of you lower-T14 below median getting CBs...are they NYC/DC CBs or secondary markets?

Secondary markets, but I didn't bid NYC/DC/Chi.

[Anonymous User]

NYC and Chi-town here. Didn't look at any firms in DC

[Anonymous User]

For those of you lower-T14 below median getting CBs...are they NYC/DC CBs or secondary markets?

I had 2 DC call backs. I'm from T7-14 with 3.1.

[Anonymous User]

For me it was mostly NYC and regional firms though a couple DC as well. Just keep hustling everyone!

[Anonymous User]

Also, crumb cake I got one screener through mass mailing in my home market and that is it. Just send out as many as you can

[Anonymous User]

Seeing everyone get cbs while I'm sitting here at 0 is the most depressing thing in the world

[Anonymous User]

Seeing everyone get cbs while I'm sitting here at 0 is the most depressing thing in the world

+1. First time I am actually thinking about dropping out.

[Anonymous User]

^ Sorry guys. Have you gotten dings yet? Cuz if not then you're not out of the running! just keep hustling--it's not too late to get in contact with alumni and set up lunches, which can lead to recommendations for interviews, etc. And mass mail as much as you can

[Anonymous User]

^ Sorry guys. Have you gotten dings yet? Cuz if not then you're not out of the running! just keep hustling--it's not too late to get in contact with alumni and set up lunches, which can lead to recommendations for interviews, etc. And mass mail as much as you can

+1000. It ain't over until the fat lady dings.

[Anonymous User]

Mass-mailing is what I'm spending my days now doing. 25 screeners so far with 3 dings.

I'm not normally a praying kind of person but I guess it's worth a shot now.

[Anonymous User]

And the dings keep coming from OCI and MM.

[Anonymous User]

Anyone successfully navigate the grades discussion or do you avoid it like the plague?

[Anonymous User]

ding ding ding

[Anonymous User]

Have not bought up grades. Still got 9 screeners. Avoid like plague.

[Anonymous User]

You can talk about law school being a learning experience, kind of skirt about how it began a little slow.

[Anonymous User]

So I'm a 3.1 at lower t14. Went to a callback where a junior associate interviewer from a TTT actually took the time to calculate my GPA before I arrived (we're not allowed to post our self-calculated GPAs on our resumes). She drilled me on my grades and asked if I would hire someone with my transcript. I fumbled through and stuttered all over the place.

[Anonymous User]

GPA .1 below median at T14, just got a V20 offer through mass mailing. Keep hustling folks. I was getting really disheartened at the lack of responses to my mailings and my inability to convert screeners to callbacks. You only need one offer.

I haven't brought up the subject of grades, and only one interviewer so far has vaguely alluded to it (and that was with a firm that typically hires GPAs about .3 above mine from my school). The "would you hire you" question is tough, and probably would have led to me stumbling over myself if I were asked on the spot. I'm not a great interviewer, but I think the best answer is "Yes, because [desirable non-grades characteristics x, y, z]. I wouldn't try to come up with excuses for poor grades, but focus on everything else that makes you desirable to the firm. I don't necessarily mean to sell yourself really hard; don't underestimate simply being nice, professional, and showing a genuine interest in the work your interviewers do. At the firm that offered me, probably more than half of the interviews were spent discussing my interviewers' practice groups and career paths.

[Anonymous User]

So I'm a 3.1 at lower t14. Went to a callback where a junior associate interviewer from a TTT actually took the time to calculate my GPA before I arrived (we're not allowed to post our self-calculated GPAs on our resumes). She drilled me on my grades and asked if I would hire someone with my transcript. I fumbled through and stuttered all over the place.

Wtf that's so shitty. My cbs have been conversations and have barely even touched upon the law. But anyway one person on a cb shouldn't break you. Like another poster said--if something like that happens focus on other qualities that show you'll be a good associate. That's really TTT of the interviewer though

[Anonymous User]

GPA .1 below median at T14, just got a V20 offer through mass mailing. Keep hustling folks. I was getting really disheartened at the lack of responses to my mailings and my inability to convert screeners to callbacks. You only need one offer.

I haven't brought up the subject of grades, and only one interviewer so far has vaguely alluded to it (and that was with a firm that typically hires GPAs about .3 above mine from my school). The "would you hire you" question is tough, and probably would have led to me stumbling over myself if I were asked on the spot. I'm not a great interviewer, but I think the best answer is "Yes, because [desirable non-grades characteristics x, y, z]. I wouldn't try to come up with excuses for poor grades, but focus on everything else that makes you desirable to the firm. I don't necessarily mean to sell yourself really hard; don't underestimate simply being nice, professional, and showing a genuine interest in the work your interviewers do. At the firm that offered me, probably more than half of the interviews were spent discussing my interviewers' practice groups and career paths.

Congrats! This seems to be the right way to go about it

[Anonymous User]

To the v20 anon: how did you get interest through MM? Alumni emailing? Informational interviews?

[Anonymous User]

Lower t14 with multiple offers after 10-15 screeners (2 secondary markets). I haven't had a single person ask me anything about grades, being K/JD, or why no journal. I think the key for me has been how much I've had to talk about. Focus in on your positives--key work exp., why X market, why X firm, personal story. TCR is avoid the grade discussion altogether. If grades do come up, I'm not sure there is a one size fits all approach.

[Anonymous User]

V20 anon from above: Just standard mass mail. I used a pretty general cover letter indicating interest and 1L experience in corporate practice. I included writing sample and transcript, but didn't list GPA on my resume. Sorry I can't be more help, I guess I just got lucky I caught someone's attention.

[Anonymous User]

.25 below median at mvp, 36 screeners, 3 cbs one dc(market), secondary market (not home though), and one in home market, only 4 dings from 2.5 weeks of interviewing, and waiting on 29 others, no ny and several southern markets that just move slowly in general. I've gotten feedback from my interviewers personally that I am "normal" the outgoing and friendly fit that people look for. so I'm feeling really good.