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Got my first semester grades back. Around 3.2 in a mid-T14 school. Really disappointed and disillusioned after working so hard. Not sure if the grades will be going up or going down next semester.
I've scheduled office hours to talk about the exam. If I get some As and A- next semester, it's possible to get around 3.4.

Target market is NY. Possible to shoot for V50 firms? Or V100 firms? What else can I do to increase chances? Thanks!

BG: average background, top UG, decent UGPA, prestigious grad program (non-IP, quit after getting a terminal master) some WE in education/nonprofit, some non-subtantial legal experience. Not URM. Involved in some student orgs. on board, but 1Ls don't really do anything.

Excellent shot at most of V43-V50, although your chances at V47 are probably next to zero and V44 are like 30/70 at best. I wouldn't bother trying at any place V42 or better other than V22 where oddly enough I think you'd be a shoe in based on your around 3.2/Mid T14 profile. V31 is also worth a Hail Mary but don't get your hopes up.

(Just try your best to get the GPA up next semester and worry about OCI when OCI rolls around. And start mass mailing before OCI and apply to literally all of the firms)

I struck out in NYC at NU with similar GPA.

Ask professors if you can go over exams with them. Assess what you did wrong and hope that you can improve this semester. 3.2 is still close to that big median cluster. You can bring it up easily this semester. And work on networking throughout the summer through firm receptions in NYC. They're great opportunities to get on the firm's radar.

BigZuck knows what hes talking about here. Take his advice and run with it. At all costs, avoid V47.

BigZuck wrote:Excellent shot at most of V43-V50, although your chances at V47 are probably next to zero and V44 are like 30/70 at best. I wouldn't bother trying at any place V42 or better other than V22 where oddly enough I think you'd be a shoe in based on your around 3.2/Mid T14 profile. V31 is also worth a Hail Mary but don't get your hopes up.

(Just try your best to get the GPA up next semester and worry about OCI when OCI rolls around. And start mass mailing before OCI and apply to literally all of the firms)

Wait this doesn't make sense, doesn't vault rankings correlate perfectly with selectivity and prestige? How could OP possibly have a chance at a V22?

Yes it's possible. If you're a great interviewer it is likely.

1) Get your grades up. Figure out what went wrong and fix it.
2) Have a prestigious job before LS? That seems to help.
3) Go to a prestigious UG? That helps.
4) If none of the above (and even if 'yes' to the above) mass mail and interview like a crazy person.
And yes, at CCN I knew plenty of people that got a V50 job with sub-median grades.

Had a 3.15 after the first semester at one of MVP, did an SA for and working now for a V10 (K-JD, no fancy undergrad). Talk to your profs to go over your exam, figure out what you did wrong and kill the second semester. Apply broadly, even to cities you may not want to go if biglaw is your goal. NYC is no guarantee but if you can even get up to median, doors will open everywhere.

PeanutsNJam wrote:

BigZuck wrote:Excellent shot at most of V43-V50, although your chances at V47 are probably next to zero and V44 are like 30/70 at best. I wouldn't bother trying at any place V42 or better other than V22 where oddly enough I think you'd be a shoe in based on your around 3.2/Mid T14 profile. V31 is also worth a Hail Mary but don't get your hopes up.

(Just try your best to get the GPA up next semester and worry about OCI when OCI rolls around. And start mass mailing before OCI and apply to literally all of the firms)

Wait this doesn't make sense, doesn't vault rankings correlate perfectly with selectivity and prestige? How could OP possibly have a chance at a V22?

This is stupid and unnecessary.

It's fine to poke fun at arbitrary line drawings. For example, if someone had said "t18," the TLS crowd would surely be justified in going: "Haha, don't be stupid -- WUSTL is a regional, non-t14 school. You can't sit with us." Here, OP has used perfectly reasonable and well-settled shorthand for the type of employment she's trying to describe. So please answer her question or GTFO.

lawlorbust wrote:

PeanutsNJam wrote:

BigZuck wrote:Excellent shot at most of V43-V50, although your chances at V47 are probably next to zero and V44 are like 30/70 at best. I wouldn't bother trying at any place V42 or better other than V22 where oddly enough I think you'd be a shoe in based on your around 3.2/Mid T14 profile. V31 is also worth a Hail Mary but don't get your hopes up.

(Just try your best to get the GPA up next semester and worry about OCI when OCI rolls around. And start mass mailing before OCI and apply to literally all of the firms)

Wait this doesn't make sense, doesn't vault rankings correlate perfectly with selectivity and prestige? How could OP possibly have a chance at a V22?

This is stupid and unnecessary.

It's fine to poke fun at arbitrary line drawings. For example, if someone had said "t18," the TLS crowd would surely be justified in going: "Haha, don't be stupid -- WUSTL is a regional, non-t14 school. You can't sit with us." Here, OP has used perfectly reasonable and well-settled shorthand for the type of employment she's trying to describe. So please answer her question or GTFO.

Right, right. The OP would be happy to work at King and Spalding but not Wilkie. You got it!

The OP is too vague to really offer helpful advice. And there is nothing "well-settled" about V50. Its as amorphous and pointless as "T50" to describe law schools.

Not much to say to the OP other than try and do better next semester. If the OP wants to get more specific once two semesters are in the books then TLS will be more than happy to help formulate a bid strategy for OCI.

BigZuck wrote:

lawlorbust wrote:

PeanutsNJam wrote:

BigZuck wrote:Excellent shot at most of V43-V50, although your chances at V47 are probably next to zero and V44 are like 30/70 at best. I wouldn't bother trying at any place V42 or better other than V22 where oddly enough I think you'd be a shoe in based on your around 3.2/Mid T14 profile. V31 is also worth a Hail Mary but don't get your hopes up.

(Just try your best to get the GPA up next semester and worry about OCI when OCI rolls around. And start mass mailing before OCI and apply to literally all of the firms)

Wait this doesn't make sense, doesn't vault rankings correlate perfectly with selectivity and prestige? How could OP possibly have a chance at a V22?

This is stupid and unnecessary.

It's fine to poke fun at arbitrary line drawings. For example, if someone had said "t18," the TLS crowd would surely be justified in going: "Haha, don't be stupid -- WUSTL is a regional, non-t14 school. You can't sit with us." Here, OP has used perfectly reasonable and well-settled shorthand for the type of employment she's trying to describe. So please answer her question or GTFO.

Right, right. The OP would be happy to work at King and Spalding but not Wilkie. You got it!

The OP is too vague to really offer helpful advice. And there is nothing "well-settled" about V50. Its as amorphous and pointless as "T50" to describe law schools.

Not much to say to the OP other than try and do better next semester. If the OP wants to get more specific once two semesters are in the books then TLS will be more than happy to help formulate a bid strategy for OCI.

"Waa waa waa! How dare the OP limit himself to V100 firms!! As if he'll refuse to work at Finnegan or Mannatt!!!!"

You're obviously missing the point (deliberately or not). But I'm sure that combination of pedantry and vacuousness is de rigeur at your t9!

Go to H/Y and work at Sullivan or find another career.

.

lawlorbust wrote:

PeanutsNJam wrote:

BigZuck wrote:Excellent shot at most of V43-V50, although your chances at V47 are probably next to zero and V44 are like 30/70 at best. I wouldn't bother trying at any place V42 or better other than V22 where oddly enough I think you'd be a shoe in based on your around 3.2/Mid T14 profile. V31 is also worth a Hail Mary but don't get your hopes up.

(Just try your best to get the GPA up next semester and worry about OCI when OCI rolls around. And start mass mailing before OCI and apply to literally all of the firms)

Wait this doesn't make sense, doesn't vault rankings correlate perfectly with selectivity and prestige? How could OP possibly have a chance at a V22?

This is stupid and unnecessary.

It's fine to poke fun at arbitrary line drawings. For example, if someone had said "t18," the TLS crowd would surely be justified in going: "Haha, don't be stupid -- WUSTL is a regional, non-t14 school. You can't sit with us." Here, OP has used perfectly reasonable and well-settled shorthand for the type of employment she's trying to describe. So please answer her question or GTFO.

mods how can you let this egregious wustl trolling stand

lawlorbust wrote:

PeanutsNJam wrote:

BigZuck wrote:Excellent shot at most of V43-V50, although your chances at V47 are probably next to zero and V44 are like 30/70 at best. I wouldn't bother trying at any place V42 or better other than V22 where oddly enough I think you'd be a shoe in based on your around 3.2/Mid T14 profile. V31 is also worth a Hail Mary but don't get your hopes up.

(Just try your best to get the GPA up next semester and worry about OCI when OCI rolls around. And start mass mailing before OCI and apply to literally all of the firms)

Wait this doesn't make sense, doesn't vault rankings correlate perfectly with selectivity and prestige? How could OP possibly have a chance at a V22?

This is stupid and unnecessary.

It's fine to poke fun at arbitrary line drawings. For example, if someone had said "t18," the TLS crowd would surely be justified in going: "Haha, don't be stupid -- WUSTL is a regional, non-t14 school. You can't sit with us." Here, OP has used perfectly reasonable and well-settled shorthand for the type of employment she's trying to describe. So please answer her question or GTFO.

Updated. Added some unidentifiable background. Thanks for your info!

You're an average candidate at a school where literal buttloads of people get big law. I'm sure you'll be able to get some sort of generic big law offer especially if you are within the unwashed median masses and you interview ok. Just focus on trying to get the grades up. And come this summer, stop reading tea leaves and start mass mailing