Is 7 screeners likely to lead to an offer? Forum

[Anonymous User]

I know no one can predict this with any accuracy, but please ease my mind. I have 7 screeners and 4 alternates under a purely pre-select system. T25 school, just outside top 1/3 with law review. Pretty confident that I interview well, and I’m just hoping for one offer. I know it only takes one screener, but should 7 give me a decent shot to get one offer?

[UnfrozenCaveman]

Yes. Unless they don't.

In all seriousness, striking out is a possibility if you aren't prepared, don't interview well, have a bad day, are poorly matched, etc. Pre-select is a good indicator though.

[RaceJudicata]

Depends on how strong of an interviewer you are. Also, from preselect schools, firms are likely only hiring one maybe two candidates (or zero) from your school. (I went to non-t14/totally preselect oci school, and that was my experience).

So, unfortunately, I do not think 7 screeners is likely (on a pure probability basis) to lead to an offer. But up to you to crush the interviews — and call backs.

[Lawman1865]

I know no one can predict this with any accuracy, but please ease my mind. I have 7 screeners and 4 alternates under a purely pre-select system. T25 school, just outside top 1/3 with law review. Pretty confident that I interview well, and I’m just hoping for one offer. I know it only takes one screener, but should 7 give me a decent shot to get one offer?

The only thing you can do is make each one count. Pre-select is good, so you should have confidence that it's not just random, but coming from a T25, depending on how strategically you put your bids in (hopefully targeting realistic firms), you have probably a "decent" shot. Just focus on being yourself, asking good questions, and having a freaking phenomenal answer for each thing you did on your resume, and then the rest is up to them. Remember that you have to turn those into callbacks and if you can get 1-3 callbacks (which will take some good interviewing in your case), then you can start talking about good odds for offers.

Good luck. I would suggest in your case not just doing screeners and then crossing your fingers. Check out the threads on TLS about mass-mailing and being proactive in your search for a job/2L gig search. Don't wait until late September/October to send out emails and set up phone calls/coffee meetings with any attorney you/your family knows. Those can turn into interviews/offers as well and at this point you want to boost your odds as much as possible.

[VirginiaFan]

Above is correct. Stop reading tea leaves, start mass mailing. You can't be selective until you have an offer. Mail every major firm in every city you have plausible connections to, plus NYC.

[2013]

Having a school that is pre-select doesn’t mean that firms aren’t willing to hire a lot of people from your school. I think BU and BC are both preselect only and Ropes gives offers to like 10% of each school.

[oblig.lawl.ref]

Above is correct. Stop reading tea leaves, start mass mailing. You can't be selective until you have an offer. Mail every major firm in every city you have plausible connections to, plus NYC.

[Anonymous User]

I had 7 screeners as a 1L and 11 as a 2L at a t30 and wiffed on them all. I managed to get a spot at two firms though through pre oci and mass mailing and then nailing the callbacks.

Screeners are hard when the firms in question might only take one or none from your school. You can interview well, but you have to be the best they see that day. Therefore, I advise going all out for the screener, don't play it safe, sell yourself as much as possible and try to find any connection possible with the interviewer. Its better to bomb a screener and come off as trying to hard than playing it safe. I played all mine safe and it didn't work, at least for screeners.

Then, once you get a callback, just be normal. And you'll nail it.

Good luck!

[gregfootball2001]

Above is correct. Stop reading tea leaves, start mass mailing. You can't be selective until you have an offer. Mail every major firm in every city you have plausible connections to, plus NYC.

[Anonymous User]

The minimum # of screeners OCS recommends at HLS for candidates in your position (good grades and LR) is 15. More if you are targeting DC/CA.

Sorry friend, but I wouldn't feel secure about only seven interviews.

[Anonymous User]

I have more than twice as many screeners at a top 20, slightly better grades but no LR, also already have a CB set up. Still don't feel confident. I think you'd have to be crazy to be confident at this point in the process, sorry

[Anonymous User]

7 is no guarantee. for reference, i attended a T20, decent grades, 22 screeners (50%+ Biglaw, including a bunch of firms in lower 75% of V100), 9 CBs, 0 offers. maybe my interview skills were defective even though career center said i was solid. had to hustle hard to get a midlaw offer in the spring semester. my advice, mass email and network as well, never know what can happen.

[Anonymous User]

I had 12 screener and 4 callbacks and still struck out. T25 urm around 35 percentile. It sucked. It's honestly a crap shoot. Just be genuine, have a good reason why the firm is a good fit, and practice interviewing. Whatever happens, it doesnt mean you aren't biglaw quality. I'm starting at a v5 after one year so as long as you have the hustle you can get there. Good luck.

[anon3030]

No but you have a shot. As said above, 1-2 of the firms interviewing probably' won't hire anyone. And 1-2 will just hire the kid with the best grades and being a good interviewee won't matter. Just take each one serious and mass apply to all firms.

[baseballfan660]

I know no one can predict this with any accuracy, but please ease my mind. I have 7 screeners and 4 alternates under a purely pre-select system. T25 school, just outside top 1/3 with law review. Pretty confident that I interview well, and I’m just hoping for one offer. I know it only takes one screener, but should 7 give me a decent shot to get one offer?

Can’t really say. I’ve known people with less who have had offers and people with more who didn’t get an offer

[baseballfan660]

Oops I’m the user above I didn’t mean to post anonymously