Top Law Schools

Any splitters who actually got 1L SAs when the firm requested undergrad transcripts? 1L at T14, did well first semester, but my undergrad transcript is shit. I have a C+ and an F on there. So far I've limited the 1L SA search to firms who don't ask for an undergrad transcript.

Forgive me if I'm guilty of reading the tea leaves here. Just feel like it's almost offensive to send apps to firms with a shit UG GPA thinking I have a shot.

Do firms ask for an UG transcript? I applied to quite literally hundreds of firms, and not a single one--even at call back/offer stage--asked for an UG transcript.

ETA: they care a hell of a lot more about your 1L grades. No sense limiting your apps even if they do ask for transcript. Miss all the shots you don't take..

RaceJudicata wrote:Do firms ask for an UG transcript? I applied to quite literally hundreds of firms, and not a single one--even at call back/offer stage--asked for an UG transcript.

ETA: they care a hell of a lot more about your 1L grades. No sense limiting your apps even if they do ask for transcript. Miss all the shots you don't take..

I know quite a few firms in secondary markets do (looking at you, Texas. Looking ESPECIALLY AT YOU, Baker Botts. Thanks for taking tons of 1L SAs and crushing my hopes and dreams). To give a little bit of contrarian advice, OP, I was in a similar situation as you and didn't apply to firms that wanted UG transcripts. My reading of that requirement was that if the firm is quirky/conservative enough to ask about UG grades, it will absolutely look (read: laugh) at mine. So I didn't bother. Honestly though, 1) there's tons of firms that don't ask, and 2) chances at getting a 1L SA are low generally, even with really good grades, so it shouldn't bum you out that you're missing out on those that do. Just throw out as many apps as you can.

RaceJudicata wrote:Do firms ask for an UG transcript? I applied to quite literally hundreds of firms, and not a single one--even at call back/offer stage--asked for an UG transcript.

ETA: they care a hell of a lot more about your 1L grades. No sense limiting your apps even if they do ask for transcript. Miss all the shots you don't take..

Many V100 firms (particularly those with formal diversity fellowships) want both 1L grades and UG transcripts.

OP, I had a verrrrrrrrrry similar UG transcript to yours (a non-punitive F and a few C's) and a stellar law school record. However, I only applied to 1L SAs that didn't ask for UG transcripts. Later on, I only applied to judges (for clerkships) who didn't ask for UG transcripts. It worked out in both scenarios, but I still regret limiting myself.

Listen to the advice on this thread; you're going to miss 100% of the shots you don't take. There's literally no reason to limit yourself.

Also, some patent law firms will want UG transcripts for patent prosecution (which is logical, I suppose, since they want the candidate to have a strong background in STEM potentially). Those firms will care and if you are applying to them, they will ask you about why you scored low on some classes.

E: I recall mass mailing - and one firm stopped replying to me after I sent my UG transcript. Locke Lord Chicago asked me about my undergrad grade in science courses and I had to explain the grade trends for courses that were like 4 years ago.

I had a 2.5 and I just sent in law school transcripts and excluded undergraduate transcripts to firms that asked for undergraduate transcripts.

I got interviews from some of these firms and the undergrad transcripts never came up.

Anonymous User wrote:I had a 2.5 and I just sent in law school transcripts and excluded undergraduate transcripts to firms that asked for undergraduate transcripts.

I got interviews from some of these firms and the undergrad transcripts never came up.

I'm sure that worked in your situation but honestly it's hard not to send it when they explicitly ask you for them in an email.

KunAgnis wrote:

Anonymous User wrote:I had a 2.5 and I just sent in law school transcripts and excluded undergraduate transcripts to firms that asked for undergraduate transcripts.

I got interviews from some of these firms and the undergrad transcripts never came up.

I'm sure that worked in your situation but honestly it's hard not to send it when they explicitly ask you for them in an email.

OP here. Yeah, I have to agree with KunAgnis, don't want to come off as unable to follow instructions. That being said, I will take the advice in this thread and just apply everywhere.

What's weird is that for some firms, particular offices (Hogan DC/NY) don't ask for UG transcripts and others (Hogan LA/SF) do. I wonder why, but guess it doesn't matter.

Anonymous User wrote:

KunAgnis wrote:

Anonymous User wrote:I had a 2.5 and I just sent in law school transcripts and excluded undergraduate transcripts to firms that asked for undergraduate transcripts.

I got interviews from some of these firms and the undergrad transcripts never came up.

I'm sure that worked in your situation but honestly it's hard not to send it when they explicitly ask you for them in an email.

OP here. Yeah, I have to agree with KunAgnis, don't want to come off as unable to follow instructions. That being said, I will take the advice in this thread and just apply everywhere.

What's weird is that for some firms, particular offices (Hogan DC/NY) don't ask for UG transcripts and others (Hogan LA/SF) do. I wonder why, but guess it doesn't matter.

If you are still applying now, just mass mail with everything but the undergrad transcript.