Advice Regarding OCI (Average GPA/1L BigLaw) Forum

[EWoods123]

Hello Everyone,

I wanted to have ya'll's advice on the OCI/2L job hunting process. My stats are the following:

1. 3.2 GPA/ Top 33% of my Class
2. Split my 1L summer between a BigLaw and a mid sized firm
3. URM and Female
4. T100 school
5. Worked at a big finance corporation
6. Good undergraduate grades
7. TBD moot court/Journal membership
8. Do not have a preference in terms of location
9. Multiple honors/awards attained during undergraduate and law school

My first semester grades were below par. However, I worked really hard my second semester and my grades improved drastically. In addition, I placed on my school's oral argument competition. The firms I am working for this summer suggested that I go through the OCI process, and I will be doing that. (Should I be worried?) I am also attending a few diversity career fairs to spread out my risks. I would like to think I am decent at interviewing but I cannot predict how will I fare out at OCIs because it sounds like a different beast.

Will my experiences balance out my somewhat low GPA? What other job hunting strategies should I utilize if OCI and the job fair does not lead to positive results?

Thanks in advance!

[Mullens]

Hello Everyone,

I wanted to have ya'll's advice on the OCI/2L job hunting process. My stats are the following:

1. 3.2 GPA/ Top 33% of my Class
2. Split my 1L summer between a BigLaw and a mid sized firm
3. URM and Female
4. T100 school
5. Worked at a big finance corporation
6. Good undergraduate grades
7. TBD moot court/Journal membership
8. Do not have a preference in terms of location
9. Multiple honors/awards attained during undergraduate and law school

My first semester grades were below par. However, I worked really hard my second semester and my grades improved drastically. In addition, I placed on my school's oral argument competition. The firms I am working for this summer suggested that I go through the OCI process, and I will be doing that. (Should I be worried?) I am also attending a few diversity career fairs to spread out my risks. I would like to think I am decent at interviewing but I cannot predict how will I fare out at OCIs because it sounds like a different beast.

Will my experiences balance out my somewhat low GPA? What other job hunting strategies should I utilize if OCI and the job fair does not lead to positive results?

Thanks in advance!

What percentage of people does your school normally place in biglaw?

[snowball2]

Your URM status will balance out the GPA. The rest of your stats don't matter as much. Set up an appointment with Career Planning, or whatever your school calls it.

[EWoods123]

Hello Everyone,

I wanted to have ya'll's advice on the OCI/2L job hunting process. My stats are the following:

1. 3.2 GPA/ Top 33% of my Class
2. Split my 1L summer between a BigLaw and a mid sized firm
3. URM and Female
4. T100 school
5. Worked at a big finance corporation
6. Good undergraduate grades
7. TBD moot court/Journal membership
8. Do not have a preference in terms of location
9. Multiple honors/awards attained during undergraduate and law school

My first semester grades were below par. However, I worked really hard my second semester and my grades improved drastically. In addition, I placed on my school's oral argument competition. The firms I am working for this summer suggested that I go through the OCI process, and I will be doing that. (Should I be worried?) I am also attending a few diversity career fairs to spread out my risks. I would like to think I am decent at interviewing but I cannot predict how will I fare out at OCIs because it sounds like a different beast.

Will my experiences balance out my somewhat low GPA? What other job hunting strategies should I utilize if OCI and the job fair does not lead to positive results?

Thanks in advance!

What percentage of people does your school normally place in biglaw?

My school has a placement rate (BigLaw + Mid-Size Firms) of 15%-20% at best, depending on the year.

[Anonymous User]

Hello Everyone,

I wanted to have ya'll's advice on the OCI/2L job hunting process. My stats are the following:

1. 3.2 GPA/ Top 33% of my Class
2. Split my 1L summer between a BigLaw and a mid sized firm
3. URM and Female
4. T100 school
5. Worked at a big finance corporation
6. Good undergraduate grades
7. TBD moot court/Journal membership
8. Do not have a preference in terms of location
9. Multiple honors/awards attained during undergraduate and law school

My first semester grades were below par. However, I worked really hard my second semester and my grades improved drastically. In addition, I placed on my school's oral argument competition. The firms I am working for this summer suggested that I go through the OCI process, and I will be doing that. (Should I be worried?) I am also attending a few diversity career fairs to spread out my risks. I would like to think I am decent at interviewing but I cannot predict how will I fare out at OCIs because it sounds like a different beast.

Will my experiences balance out my somewhat low GPA? What other job hunting strategies should I utilize if OCI and the job fair does not lead to positive results?

Thanks in advance!

What percentage of people does your school normally place in biglaw?

My school has a placement rate (BigLaw + Mid-Size Firms) of 15%-20% at best, depending on the year.

Bump

[SmokeytheBear]

Will my experiences balance out my somewhat low GPA? What other job hunting strategies should I utilize if OCI and the job fair does not lead to positive results?

If I understand correctly, these are your two questions.

The first question was already answered above--it will balance it out a bit.

The answer to the second question--mass mail. There's no magic to it. Though if you spent your 1L summer at least partially at biglaw, I would suspect they'll take you back for your 2L summer.

[Barrred]

The firms I am working for this summer suggested that I go through the OCI process, and I will be doing that. (Should I be worried?)

No. This is good advice. Firms often dont make offer decisions until after the OCI bid deadline (or even after OCI itself), so its a no brainer to still participate in OCI, even if it is just as a backup. It is shady when firms encourage their 1L summers not to participate in OCI, even though the firm hasn't made a decision on whether they will give them an offer to come back for 2L summer. Do OCI and give it your all, then make your 2L summer decision based on what options are presented to you at the end of the OCI process, including any return offers from your 1L firms.