Huge 2L GPA drop Forum

[Anonymous User]

I'm at a T14 school and will be summering at NY biglaw. I don't know what happened but I screwed up and got a A B B B in 2L fall semester. That's a 0.4 drop in my GPA from 1L. I definitely plan on pulling my grades back up this semester, but I'm worried this might affect my chances at a full-time offer at the end of summer. Am I in trouble? Any insights would be greatly appreciated.

[Anonymous User]

No. One thing to consider is that it can be challenging to regain a type of work ethic once you lose it, and you shouldn't let those habits follow you into the summer, but nobody cares about your drop.

[Anonymous User]

FWIW, I am in an almost identical situation. After reviewing much of TLS and most of the internet, the general consensus I gain is 1) don't allow the drop to happen again 2) some firms (baker botts?), not most, do look at grades and will no offer 3) do the best work you can this coming summer because work product>>>>grade drop 4) if another firm who does not typically look at grades ends up no offering, they are using the grades as an excuse for some other problem (i.e. work product is bad; firm is in financial trouble; you threw up on the managing partner at a cocktail party; etc). Best you can do is not to worry (or at least do like me and pretend you're not worrying), and put your best foot forward this semester and summer. Good luck!

[Anonymous User]

I worked at a firm this summer that doesn't care about grade drops according to posts on TLS. One of the other summers who had a similar grade drop to the OP was told at their midsummer review that the grade drop could impact their offer. They also told her that she might receive an offer contingent on raising her grades during 3L. She doesn't go to a T14 though, she goes to a T25. In the end she got an offer that wasn't contingent on anything I think but she was nervous about it all summer.

[Anonymous User]

Anybody else have thoughts on this?

[stretchedtoothin]

Anybody else have thoughts on this?

Yeah, just raise your grades and try to do good work. You're either going to be no-offered because of your grade drop or you're not. You're probably fine assuming your grades don't tank even more, but who really knows.

If I told you that you'll be fine, you'd be a fucking idiot to just dick off this semester.

If I told you that you're definitely going to be no-offered, what are you going to do, drop out of school?

These threads are so pointless

[Anonymous User]

It's possible the girl wasn't well liked or had a bad review that caused them to have less confidence in her. I might be wrong, but my belief is that if you knock each thing out of the park your grades won't seriously factor into any discussion.

I don't think it's pointless. If they knew the grades didn't matter then they would not work as hard, and devote time to other things. If you are dehydrated you will buy a water bottle whether it's $1 or $100, but you would prefer to pay $1.

[Anonymous User]

I dropped from a 3.343 to a 3.337 this semester. Will my wife leave me, and if so, is there anything I can do to make her stay?

[JWalker]

I know someone who went from a 3.5 during 1L and then around a 3.0 in his first semester of 2L (for the semester, not cumulative). His firm didn't care one bit, so don't sweat it.

[Anonymous User]

BUMP. Just finished my finals and I'm really worry about how my grades turned out. My GPA dropped last semester too and I'm wondering whether my V20 NY/DC firm will no offer me because of this. What's the current state of the Big Law community in terms of no-offering due to grades?

thanks.

[sparkytrainer]

BUMP. Just finished my finals and I'm really worry about how my grades turned out. My GPA dropped last semester too and I'm wondering whether my V20 NY/DC firm will no offer me because of this. What's the current state of the Big Law community in terms of no-offering due to grades?

thanks.

Well no offers and cold offers have gone up considerably the past few years, but no one can say because of X specifically. A bad GPA drop might just be the reason for a no/cold offer, or it might not. They aren't going to tell you if it was.

A bad gpa drop could hurt, so just focus on doing your best work this summer and being sociable at ALL the events.

[Anonymous User]

What about having an Incomplete/blank grade for something? I am guessing that is also not a big deal, but anyone have any experience with this? FWIW it is for independent research and will be graded in the Fall.

[Anonymous User]

BUMP. Just finished my finals and I'm really worry about how my grades turned out. My GPA dropped last semester too and I'm wondering whether my V20 NY/DC firm will no offer me because of this. What's the current state of the Big Law community in terms of no-offering due to grades?

thanks.

Well no offers and cold offers have gone up considerably the past few years, but no one can say because of X specifically. A bad GPA drop might just be the reason for a no/cold offer, or it might not. They aren't going to tell you if it was.

A bad gpa drop could hurt, so just focus on doing your best work this summer and being sociable at ALL the events.

What would you say is a bad GPA drop?

[Monochromatic Oeuvre]

BUMP. Just finished my finals and I'm really worry about how my grades turned out. My GPA dropped last semester too and I'm wondering whether my V20 NY/DC firm will no offer me because of this. What's the current state of the Big Law community in terms of no-offering due to grades?

thanks.

Well no offers and cold offers have gone up considerably the past few years, but no one can say because of X specifically. A bad GPA drop might just be the reason for a no/cold offer, or it might not. They aren't going to tell you if it was.

A bad gpa drop could hurt, so just focus on doing your best work this summer and being sociable at ALL the events.

This isn't true. There are enough real reasons to be afraid of Biglaw not to resort to fake ones.

[cannonball]

Non-NYC, but my firm sent out offers without seeing our 2nd semester 2L grades. Try not to stress too much about it.

[Anonymous User]

What about having an Incomplete/blank grade for something? I am guessing that is also not a big deal, but anyone have any experience with this? FWIW it is for independent research and will be graded in the Fall.

No one will care.

[Anonymous User]

I mean I keep hearing conflicting info. On one hand, people say your grades can be used as the pretext for getting no-offered, on the other, people say no one cares.

[Anonymous User]

Any current attorneys willing to shed light on the importance of grades in evaluating summer associates? Has the market changed?

[Anonymous User]

Any current attorneys willing to shed light on the importance of grades in evaluating summer associates? Has the market changed?

I mean you can go online and read how summer associate positions are down 25% across the board

[Anonymous User]

Any current attorneys willing to shed light on the importance of grades in evaluating summer associates? Has the market changed?

I mean you can go online and read how summer associate positions are down 25% across the board

That doesn't equate to a change in offers given to SAs.

[Anonymous User]

Any current attorneys willing to shed light on the importance of grades in evaluating summer associates? Has the market changed?

I mean you can go online and read how summer associate positions are down 25% across the board

That doesn't equate to a change in offers given to SAs.

No, but it explains the reports of more cold offers and no offers than the past few years. Go read last summer's offer thread (if its still around) and there were a lot more reported cold offers than before.

One theory is that firms recognized they had too many mouths to feed, so more cold offers were given, and then the number was readjusted with smaller classes during this last recruiting year.

[Anonymous User]

Any current attorneys willing to shed light on the importance of grades in evaluating summer associates? Has the market changed?

I mean you can go online and read how summer associate positions are down 25% across the board

That doesn't equate to a change in offers given to SAs.

No, but it explains the reports of more cold offers and no offers than the past few years. Go read last summer's offer thread (if its still around) and there were a lot more reported cold offers than before.

One theory is that firms recognized they had too many mouths to feed, so more cold offers were given, and then the number was readjusted with smaller classes during this last recruiting year.

What does that have to do with a GPA drop impacting your chance of getting an offer. Seems like what you're referring to is a simple case of supply and demand.

[Anonymous User]

Any current attorneys willing to shed light on the importance of grades in evaluating summer associates? Has the market changed?

I mean you can go online and read how summer associate positions are down 25% across the board

That doesn't equate to a change in offers given to SAs.

No, but it explains the reports of more cold offers and no offers than the past few years. Go read last summer's offer thread (if its still around) and there were a lot more reported cold offers than before.

One theory is that firms recognized they had too many mouths to feed, so more cold offers were given, and then the number was readjusted with smaller classes during this last recruiting year.

What does that have to do with a GPA drop impacting your chance of getting an offer. Seems like what you're referring to is a simple case of supply and demand.

Yes what it means is that demand is down, but OP would be at risk with a GPA drop because that might provide the reason for choosing OP over others all things considered for a cold/no offer.

[nixy]

But the point is that if firms adjusted by hiring smaller classes this last recruiting period, they've corrected for the over-offering, and won't need to cold-offer/no-offer more people this year.

[Anonymous User]

But the point is that if firms adjusted by hiring smaller classes this last recruiting period, they've corrected for the over-offering, and won't need to cold-offer/no-offer more people this year.

EXACTLY!