Northwestern 1L/2L/3L/Grads Taking Questions and Challenges Forum

[crumpetsandtea]

Totally doable is an overstatement. They exist, but it's pretty rare. I know people with amazing grades who got zero traction for 1L SA's. Try for it, but don't expect it.

I guess I'm biased because I know a surprising number of people in my extended friends group who have 1L SAs (I can think of like, 5 or 6 off the top of my head). Take what I say with a grain of salt and DEFINITELY don't consider it a given. I am 100% sure that the people I know who have SAs worked their asses off for 1) their grades and 2) their interviews/callbacks/offers. Like I said, you definitely need to be willing to hustle.

Also, it's possible a lot of my friends were diversity hires, but I do know for a fact at least one of them was around-median.

[franklyscarlet]

1L SA's are only "totally doable" if you have a 3.9+ and/or are a diversity hire. Sorry.

quick note on this- If you're diverse, hit up those diversity SA's like crazy. Watch for Audra 2.0 (who's taking her place?)'s emails and apply to everything. There's a lot of them and they give you a good shot at an SA.

Crumps, I'm with you on that- I think there were more 1L SA's than usual this year. I'm not sure if our class just hustled like crazy or if it's permanent at all, but there's definitely more than I expected.

[09042014]

1L SA's are only "totally doable" if you have a 3.9+ and/or are a diversity hire. Sorry.

Even most 3.9+ don't cut it.

I'd say diversity hire, Great grades + from small market that actually does 1L SA, or patent prosecution creds.

[Georgia Avenue]

Yeah, I wasn't trying to be a dick when I said that. If you're diverse you should be spamming 1L SA's nonstop.

[franklyscarlet]

Yeah, I wasn't trying to be a dick when I said that. If you're diverse you should be spamming 1L SA's nonstop.

Don't worry, you didn't sound like a dick I know I ignored a ton of those emails and had to scramble to apply to a lot of them/ missed some deadlines, so the earlier 0Ls start thinking about it the better.

[Flips88]

1L SAs are also doable for people with good grades and ties to a secondary market where you can get midlaw SAs.

E: semi-scooped by DF

[crumpetsandtea]

quick note on this- If you're diverse, hit up those diversity SA's like crazy. Watch for Audra 2.0 (who's taking her place?)'s emails and apply to everything. There's a lot of them and they give you a good shot at an SA.

Crumps, I'm with you on that- I think there were more 1L SA's than usual this year. I'm not sure if our class just hustled like crazy or if it's permanent at all, but there's definitely more than I expected.

Yup, +1 to all of this. I guess I just have a lot of diverse friends. Now that I think about it, all of the people I can think of are either asian/female or hispanic/female. So, yeah, diversity hires. I do think most of them that I know of went to Chicago firms though (could be wrong here, but at least 3-4 of them are).

[TexasAggie13]

Thanks so much for the insight! I am currently making my decision between Northwestern and The University of Chicago and I am leaning pretty heavily towards Northwestern at this point. I appreciate all of the comments!

[KremeCheez]

Might be best addressed by California transplants...but...
Burritos? You know, like reeeeaaaal burritos? 2200 calorie burritos? I stand a 50-50 chance of finishing this thing (and I EAT) burritos?
Do these even exist in Chicagoland?
This is quickly becoming a major concern of mine...

Edit: I don't always TLS buzzed, but when I do, its usually about burritos...

[bk1]

c/o 2013 got around 20% (ish? my memory is foggy) 1L SAs.

[bk1]

Even most 3.9+ don't cut it.

I'd say diversity hire, Great grades + from small market that actually does 1L SA, or patent prosecution creds.

I'd also guess (though I can't know for sure) that, at least for diversity 1L SAs, shitty undergrad grades can tank you.

[crumpetsandtea]

Might be best addressed by California transplants...but...
Burritos? You know, like reeeeaaaal burritos? 2200 calorie burritos? I stand a 50-50 chance of finishing this thing (and I EAT) burritos?
Do these even exist in Chicagoland?
This is quickly becoming a major concern of mine...

Edit: I don't always TLS buzzed, but when I do, its usually about burritos...

I'm from California but I'm not gonna lie, I have yet to find an adequate substitute ):

[bk1]

Might be best addressed by California transplants...but...
Burritos? You know, like reeeeaaaal burritos? 2200 calorie burritos? I stand a 50-50 chance of finishing this thing (and I EAT) burritos?
Do these even exist in Chicagoland?
This is quickly becoming a major concern of mine...

Edit: I don't always TLS buzzed, but when I do, its usually about burritos...

I'm from California but I'm not gonna lie, I have yet to find an adequate substitute ):

All ethnic food, on average, is much worse than CA.

[Flips88]

What kinda burritos are you talking about? Provide a picture example

[rinkrat19]

Might be best addressed by California transplants...but...
Burritos? You know, like reeeeaaaal burritos? 2200 calorie burritos? I stand a 50-50 chance of finishing this thing (and I EAT) burritos?
Do these even exist in Chicagoland?
This is quickly becoming a major concern of mine...

Edit: I don't always TLS buzzed, but when I do, its usually about burritos...

I'm from California but I'm not gonna lie, I have yet to find an adequate substitute ):

All ethnic food, on average, is much worse than CA.

Italian being the exception.

[bk1]

Italian being the exception.

Italians are white.

[dolfan0516]

I thought it was super difficult to get a 1L SA, but I have about 6 or so close friends that got one this year. Some are not diverse at all and don't have amazing pre-law school work experience either. I think they got them by a combination of skill, luck, and killing their interview. It seems to be a lot more common among my friends than I ever expected

[Georgia Avenue]

No idea if it's the real thing, but Angela's at Clark & Wrightwood has the "California burrito" which is basically a burrito the size of a newborn with french fries inside, and it's really goddamn good.

[rinkrat19]

Add me to the list of people surprised with how many people got 1L SAs. But then, I am in the gunner section.

[rinkrat19]

No idea if it's the real thing, but Angela's at Clark & Wrightwood has the "California burrito" which is basically a burrito the size of a newborn with french fries inside, and it's really goddamn good.

Yeah, no. I'm sure it's tasty, but that's not real.

[Flips88]

The average per year is something like 18-20% last I heard, which would put it at 50 or more people getting them. Obviously 1 in 5 people isn't a ton, but it's certainly not like only 10 people get them or something that rare.

[rinkrat19]

The average per year is something like 18-20% last I heard, which would put it at 50 or more people getting them. Obviously 1 in 5 people isn't a ton, but it's certainly not like only 10 people get them or something that rare.

Ah, well that number sounds pretty realistic. I guess we were thinking of them like unicorns.

[Georgia Avenue]

Anyone have an outline for Admin with Speta?

Or a good one for admin in general would be cool.

[KremeCheez]

What kinda burritos are you talking about? Provide a picture example

This was seemingly an easy task...but alas, I have failed. I might not have enough posts to allow me to do so...?

[rinkrat19]

What kinda burritos are you talking about? Provide a picture example

This was seemingly an easy task...but alas, I have failed. I might not have enough posts to allow me to do so...?

You have to have 100 posts and your account has to be two weeks old.

A burrito pretty much looks like a burrito. You can't usually tell from the tortilla whether it came from Chipotle or the sketchy Mexican food truck by the AM/PM.