PT Class Rankings Forum

[rdcws000]

Can someone tell me how part time class rankings are handled?

Pardon the ignorance but I am not completely sure how the rankings work even for FT students.

I am assuming that rankings are done by graduation year class. For instance this years entering class will be class of 2013, and ranked as such during 1L, 2L, and 3L. I assume members of the class of 2013 rankings and that of 2012 rankings are never compared or combined. True?

So, with those 2 assumptions I am trying to figure out how PT students fit into this picture. For my first year I imagine I am lumped in with the FT 1Ls, but since I'm going to graduate with next years entering 1L class, at what point am I switched from class of 2013 to class of 2014?

[Connelly]

I can only speak for my schools, but I imagine it's not much different elsewhere.

A PT student receives their first ranking at my school at the end of their second year of study. This is because it is not until then that they will have completed their "first year" courses. So if a PT student enters school during the fall of this year, they will receive their 1L ranking in May/June of 2012 (after two years of study). This ranking will only be based on the grades from their 1L courses. Most PT students will have taken several other classes by that point as well, but they will not count towards their ranking at that time. The PT students will be ranked against other PT students and FT students that started a year after they did.

At my school, it takes 90 credit hours to graduate. 1L's are ranked on 30 hours of 1L coursework. For example, I have 45 hours at this point (the end of my second year of PT study), but I will be receiving a ranking based only on 30 of those hours.

As for "class of" purposes, I have always been considered "class of 2012," as that was my planned graduation date when I started in 2008. It's less about when you will graduate (because that can vary from 3.5-5 years for PT students) and more about when you have completed your first year's worth of work.

[rdcws000]

Thanks, very helpful.

So, after being ranked for your first year (after your second calendar year) are you ranked again before graduation?

At the end of your third calendar year during which you should have completed your 2nd year of classes, do you get ranked for your 2L year?

[Connelly]

At the end of your third calendar year during which you should have completed your 2nd year of classes, do you get ranked for your 2L year?

We do, yes. By that time, the FT students we will be ranked against will have completed about 60 hours. I can't remember if we are only ranked on our first 60 hours or on everything we've taken up until that point (which could be 70+ hours). I think we're ranked on everything.

[happy187]

thanks for the info on this thread. PT starting in the fall, here. I am hoping that the majority of my questions get answered in orientations, the only thing I am curious is how OCI and PT work. Obviously, PT have a disadvantage with not being able to participate in SA, but I want to find out if this eliminates the PT from participating in the OCI process.

[nahgems]

Our school does ranking slightly differently. People are ranking in three groups:

Those that started the previous August (1L full time, 1L part time)
Those that are graduating in May (3L full time, 4L part time)
Everyone else (2L full time, 2L part time, 3L part time)

We are ranked after every semester.

[high0034]

thanks for the info on this thread. PT starting in the fall, here. I am hoping that the majority of my questions get answered in orientations, the only thing I am curious is how OCI and PT work. Obviously, PT have a disadvantage with not being able to participate in SA, but I want to find out if this eliminates the PT from participating in the OCI process.

I was curious about this as well and went ahead and emailed the 15 largest firms in my market (Twin Cities) asking how they viewed PT students with respect OCI and SA jobs. I received 11 responses, all of which stated PT students were not viewed any differently other than they would not be eligible for SA positions until the summer before their final (4L) year, and of course had to be willing to take a leave from their regular job to participate in SA programs. One went as far as to say they prefer to hire PT students who work full time and finish in the upper portion of their class over FT students with comparable academic achievements. I am not saying that is the norm by any means, but I received consistent responses indicating that they will consider PT at least on equal terms with FT students.

[happy187]

that is encouraging news, of course as stated every market/firm is probably different.