How grade selective is Skadden NYC? Forum

[Anonymous User]

Word is, they're less grade selective than the rest of the V10. At my school, ~median usually has a good shot at some of the other V10 firms (e.g., CSM, DPW, KE).

Is Skadden doable from bottom quarter/third (if very difficult)? Or is that just fanciful?

[Anonymous User]

You're gonna have to be more specific about your school's rank so that the forum can provide better advice

[Anonymous User]

T6

[Anonymous User]

Word is, they're less grade selective than the rest of the V10. At my school, ~median usually has a good shot at some of the other V10 firms (e.g., CSM, DPW, KE).

Is Skadden doable from bottom quarter/third (if very difficult)? Or is that just fanciful?

At Duke, top third is in a good spot to get it. So I assume for T6 schools it's easier than that.

[Anonymous User]

I know that at NYU, they occasionally dip to median for the right candidate (3L here)

[oblig.lawl.ref]

I think bottom quarter is a bit fanciful. Bottom 3rd might be too. I think like others have said they might dip a little below median for the right candidate but honestly I think they're more likely to go after top 10-15% from outside the top 15-17 schools rather than so far below median at NYU or Columbia. Skadden isn't as selective as CSM or even DPW maybe but they are still selective.

[Anonymous User]

Would right below median at PDV have a shot (within less than .05 of median)? Considering prior work experience, good interviewer, etc?

[oblig.lawl.ref]

I'm gonna assume you're a duke student. Eh maybe a shot but not a strong one. Mass mail, don't waste a high bid on it I would think. If you can pick up a bid and have the space sure. I wouldn't hold my breath.

[Anonymous User]

Would right below median at PDV have a shot (within less than .05 of median)? Considering prior work experience, good interviewer, etc?

Probably not, unfortunately

[Anonymous User]

Would right below median at PDV have a shot (within less than .05 of median)? Considering prior work experience, good interviewer, etc?

Probably not, unfortunately

I appreciate it. I have a few callbacks already at similarly ranked firms (V5-8) so its cool. Just happen to have a pretty unique resume. Not heartbroken one way or the other. Just curious.

[Anonymous User]

The thing with Skadden at my school is that every year you'll hear of someone below median winding up at a Skadden office. For us, we had 3.0 at CCNP get Skadden Chicago. But I think Skadden is more willing to make egregious exceptions, and most people still need great grades for it (and great interviewing skills). I think despite having more exceptions, you basically still need to have the same GPA that you would need for Simpson/Kirkland NYC/Latham NYC/Gibson NYC. The main difference is that you'll never hear of a 3.0/3.1 student at Kirkland NYC, but every few years or so you'll hear about one at Skadden.

In the end none of this should make a difference. Don't count on being the below median student at Skadden, its pretty unlikely. It's like saying you're going to be top 10% at your T3/T4 and make biglaw

[Anonymous User]

I know that at NYU, they occasionally dip to median for the right candidate (3L here)

How below and what makes for the "right" candidate?

[Anonymous User]

I can only speak for SLS, but at SLS they're not grade selective in the least. You can be in the bottom of the class and get an offer. I'm sure that's not quite true outside of HYS, but I think they're one of the less grade selective firms of the V25ish.

[Anonymous User]

When we say median, are we talking 3.2? Do people with 3.2 median GPA from non-T14 tier 1 schools get biglaw?

[Anonymous User]

When we say median, are we talking 3.2? Do people with 3.2 median GPA from non-T14 tier 1 schools get biglaw?

No they don't (the vast, vast majority of the time). If they did, why would anyone ever say T-14 or bust?


Edit: anon with the longer post about skadden recruiting at CCNP

[Nebby]

T6

This and have a pulse

[Anonymous User]

I know that at NYU, they occasionally dip to median for the right candidate (3L here)

How below and what makes for the "right" candidate?

I know of a few kids at median here (perhaps a bit below, but not much) in the Skadden NYC office. While it's a small sample size, they're all a bit older (27-29), good WE/softs, etc. But like a lot of firms, sometimes interviewers just *like* a candidate, and that can be enough.

[GreenEggs]

The way people talk about Skadden, I had thought it was much closer to CSM than DPW in terms of selectivity, interesting to hear that's not the case.

[Wild Card]

NYU classifies them among the firms for which you need to rank top 15 percent.

[Anonymous User]

T6

This and have a pulse

It's a reach for most median students at NYU/CLS. I know a couple friends who got it at around or right above median but they had other things going for them (e.g. notable work experience). It's not as grade-selective as Cravath or S&C but it is still selective, even at CLS.

[Anonymous User]

I can only speak for SLS, but at SLS they're not grade selective in the least. You can be in the bottom of the class and get an offer. I'm sure that's not quite true outside of HYS, but I think they're one of the less grade selective firms of the V25ish.

I know you said you're only speaking for SLS, but how generalizable is what you said to, e.g., HLS?
I'd think that part of the reason why Skadden NYC is not at all selective among SLS kids is that, as an East Coast firm/office, it can't be too picky if it wants to yield any SLS SAs, especially because SLS kids self-select into CA (and out of NYC-centric firms like Skadden).

[SLS_AMG]

The way people talk about Skadden, I had thought it was much closer to CSM than DPW in terms of selectivity, interesting to hear that's not the case.

I don't think it's close to either CSM or DPW in terms of selectivity. CSM and DPW are much closer to each other in terms of grade selectivity than Skadden is to either.

I think, among the V5, Wachtell is obviously the most selective grade-wise, followed by S&C, which is followed relatively closely by CSM and DPW. Skadden is a ways behind those four. S&C is probably the least selective of the five outside of grades, however.

This is all based on my own observations, anecdotal evidence, and my knowledge of friends who ended up at these firms and their relative class ranks. I think it's pretty safe to say, however, that WLRK is the most selective V5 and Skadden is the least selective. For the other three it may just depend on school.

[Anonymous User]

I can only speak for SLS, but at SLS they're not grade selective in the least. You can be in the bottom of the class and get an offer. I'm sure that's not quite true outside of HYS, but I think they're one of the less grade selective firms of the V25ish.

I know you said you're only speaking for SLS, but how generalizable is what you said to, e.g., HLS?
I'd think that part of the reason why Skadden NYC is not at all selective among SLS kids is that, as an East Coast firm/office, it can't be too picky if it wants to yield any SLS SAs, especially because SLS kids self-select into CA (and out of NYC-centric firms like Skadden).

My experience with HLS classmates is that Skadden NYC is not grade selective at all for HLS either. My experience closely mirrors the above poster (WLRK > S&C > CSM/DPW), although I think S&C is pretty much an auto-offer with the right grades (6H+), while CSM/DPW will dip lower in grades but are more selective regarding fit.

[Anonymous User]

I can only speak for SLS, but at SLS they're not grade selective in the least. You can be in the bottom of the class and get an offer. I'm sure that's not quite true outside of HYS, but I think they're one of the less grade selective firms of the V25ish.

I know you said you're only speaking for SLS, but how generalizable is what you said to, e.g., HLS?
I'd think that part of the reason why Skadden NYC is not at all selective among SLS kids is that, as an East Coast firm/office, it can't be too picky if it wants to yield any SLS SAs, especially because SLS kids self-select into CA (and out of NYC-centric firms like Skadden).

My experience with HLS classmates is that Skadden NYC is not grade selective at all for HLS either. My experience closely mirrors the above poster (WLRK > S&C > CSM/DPW), although I think S&C is pretty much an auto-offer with the right grades (6H+), while CSM/DPW will dip lower in grades but are more selective regarding fit.

Well by "not grade selective at all," do you mean bottom of the barrel HYS kids can walk right on in (provided they "fit"), or "merely" not to the same degree as its V5 "peers"?

[Anonymous User]

I can only speak for SLS, but at SLS they're not grade selective in the least. You can be in the bottom of the class and get an offer. I'm sure that's not quite true outside of HYS, but I think they're one of the less grade selective firms of the V25ish.

I know you said you're only speaking for SLS, but how generalizable is what you said to, e.g., HLS?
I'd think that part of the reason why Skadden NYC is not at all selective among SLS kids is that, as an East Coast firm/office, it can't be too picky if it wants to yield any SLS SAs, especially because SLS kids self-select into CA (and out of NYC-centric firms like Skadden).

My experience with HLS classmates is that Skadden NYC is not grade selective at all for HLS either. My experience closely mirrors the above poster (WLRK > S&C > CSM/DPW), although I think S&C is pretty much an auto-offer with the right grades (6H+), while CSM/DPW will dip lower in grades but are more selective regarding fit.

Well by "not grade selective at all," do you mean bottom of the barrel HYS kids can walk right on in (provided they "fit"), or "merely" not to the same degree as its V5 "peers"?

If you have 10LPs, I'm pretty confident they won't take you. They made 98 OFFERS firmwide to HLS students last year (1/5-1/6 of the class). That's my primary basis for saying that they are not grade selective at all. Does that mean they take "bottom of the barrel HYS kids"? Probably not.