Recently Graduated UT Law Student taking questions Forum

[BasilHallward]

Thanks for the info Mojo. I've heard that Levinson is very unorthodox

[BVest]

Dumb question: is there a volunteer-hours requirement to receive summer funding through the school?

Do you mean TLF grants? Yes, 400 hours.

[cannibal ox]

Dumb question: is there a volunteer-hours requirement to receive summer funding through the school?

Do you mean TLF grants? Yes, 400 hours.

I believe the question was a result of this post, and is about an hour requirement before getting funding, not the requirement of hours worked during the summer. But correct me if I'm wrong, Hikiko.

[Hikikomorist]

Dumb question: is there a volunteer-hours requirement to receive summer funding through the school?

Do you mean TLF grants? Yes, 400 hours.

I believe the question was a result of this post, and is about an hour requirement before getting funding, not the requirement of hours worked during the summer. But correct me if I'm wrong, Hikiko.

You got it right. Sorry about my poor phrasing, BVest.

[BVest]

Ah, you mean like work you have to do on behalf of TLF in order to be eligible? Yeah, I don't think there's that.

[yankees12345!]

I'm trying to estimate my class rank after the first semester. Apparently UT does not make this easy, however. This information might be helpful for people seeking to understand their relative position in the class, which is a useful metric for estimating honors, summer placement, law review and clerkship prospects.

From what I've gathered, top 10% at graduation (order of the coif) is usually around 3.8, give or take a few hundredths of a point. However, this isn't a great measure for 1L rankings because there is some grade inflation over time, which at least raises the median at graduation above the 3.3 median first semester. It also seems that there are more data points in the middle of the curve than in a standard distribution, making the ends a little thinner than a typical gpa/rank calculator might use.

Please feel free to chime in and improve upon on this understanding. It is mostly pieced together from the sources listed below, which are posts where good people have preserved previously available NALP datasets.

That leads to my question, then, which is that a 3.84 should be solidly within the top ten percent at this point, right?

Sources
Recent Order of the Coif Numbers: http://www.top-law-schools.com/forums/v ... 5#p8756727
2014 Academic Awards Numbers: http://www.top-law-schools.com/forums/v ... 7&t=246461
Older, but Good Discussion: http://www.top-law-schools.com/forums/v ... p?t=176552

Post Script: I know we're not supposed to list or claim a specific class ranks on resumes, etc.

[BVest]

Class of 2016 after two semesters: 3.37 = 50%; 3.63 = 25%
Class of 2015 after four semesters: 3.40 = 50%; 3.64 = 25%
Class of 2015 final coif: 3.82
Class of 2015 Magna: >3.90

hth

[Fauken]

Hello! Thank you for answering questions!

I'm an EE a year away from graduating. Needless to say, I'm very interested in your opinion on the IP program at UT. Did you also know anyone who applied ED (in state)? Do you think it's wise? Does the admissions office forgive lower grade points from engineers (mine is a 3.2-3.3 I think)?

[vsp789]

Does anyone have any insight if a 3.4-3.6 GPA is good enough for biglaw? Had a couple of interviews already and just sent out my grades, just curious if my GPA will now kill my chances.

[WokeUpInACar]

Does anyone have any insight if a 3.4-3.6 GPA is good enough for biglaw? Had a couple of interviews already and just sent out my grades, just curious if my GPA will now kill my chances.

1L Biglaw? Very unlikely unless you are a minority or have major connections. For 2L summer? You're in fine but not great shape. Your grades won't kill you for most firms, but you'll have to be a decent interviewer.

[BigZuck]

Does anyone have any insight if a 3.4-3.6 GPA is good enough for biglaw? Had a couple of interviews already and just sent out my grades, just curious if my GPA will now kill my chances.

1L Biglaw? Very unlikely unless you are a minority or have major connections. For 2L summer? You're in fine but not great shape. Your grades won't kill you for most firms, but you'll have to be a decent interviewer.

Yeah I agree. I also think there's a pretty substantial difference between a 3.6 and a 3.4, at least with some firms. 3.5 seems to be pretty magical at some places.

[cannibal ox]

*cough*BakerBotts

[Poldy]

Once you get above the interview floor, how much does a higher GPA actually help? Does it become all about the interview after that or does GPA continue to play a big role?

[cannibal ox]

You're going to get a lot of anecdotal answers that won't be very helpful in the long-run. But something that can't be disputed is how important interviewing skills are, so do mock interviews, meet with CSO (Montoya I hear is the biglaw whisperer), practice with a friend, videotape yourself, or whatever else you can think of to tighten your interview skills. Once you're in the door, a 4.0 GPA won't save an inept interviewer, but a great interview will probably boost a low GPA candidate.

[vsp789]

*cough*BakerBotts

For a 1L? I really like them!

[sollos]

So, I saw UT has a Pro Bono pledge you can make. And the benchmarks they give are 10 hours your first year, and then 20 hours your second and third year.

As soon as I get down to Austin I'd want to start doing some pro bono hours, but can you actually start as a first semester 1L, or do you have to wait until second semester after you've taken a few classes to be useful?

[Hikikomorist]

So, I saw UT has a Pro Bono pledge you can make. And the benchmarks they give are 10 hours your first year, and then 20 hours your second and third year.

As soon as I get down to Austin I'd want to start doing some pro bono hours, but can you actually start as a first semester 1L, or do you have to wait until second semester after you've taken a few classes to be useful?

There are a bunch of first-semester 1L opportunities.

[BigZuck]

*cough*BakerBotts

For a 1L? I really like them!

Probably not for a 1L unless you have something else going for you (diverse, connections, hot girl, etc)

[vsp789]

*cough*BakerBotts

For a 1L? I really like them!

Probably not for a 1L unless you have something else going for you (diverse, connections, hot girl, etc)

first generation and a minority so fingers crossed

[Hikikomorist]

Is positive feedback from mock interviews legitimate, or are they just instructed not to offer criticism?

[cannibal ox]

I've heard of people getting criticized in mocks, though it usually comes with like 3 positive comments.

[BigZuck]

Weil is the only one I remember being helpful with the constructive criticism, the others were pretty fluffy

[Hikikomorist]

What's the best journal to join next year for free food:work ?

[cannibal ox]

You should join FedSoc.

[kangaroo430]

Hi, I've got two questions.

1. How do you like the no-ranking policy in UT? Will that hurt your employment/transfer prospects?

2. What kind of national placement power does UT Law have? I feel people have been underestimating it for some time.

Thanks in advance!