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

[R1chardParker]

FYI, callback GPA info is up on Symplicity. Sad 40-45% response rate from Class of 2015. CSO to institute a pledge-to-fill-in-the-interview-tracker before OCI starts this year to offset Class of 2015's lack of school spirit.

And those stupid fucks have the nerve to criticize us.

2013 OCI response rate: "40-45%"

2012 OCI response rate: 45% (based on last year's pdf)

2011 OCI response rate: ??? Doesn't look like Career Services released the %, but presumably higher

2010 OCI response rate: 30% (based on last year's pdf)

Some general advice:

-Low GPA median firms go quickly
-Chicago firms go quickly
-All things equal, more interview slots and single office schedules gives you a better chance of getting an interview
-Make sure you know what practice areas are in what offices
-Make sure you know how big summer class sizes are in the offices you are bidding on. Simple stuff, but an office with 5 summers can be more picky than one with 40, even at the same GPA.
-You do not need the median callback GPA to get a callback. You do, however, need to be above the firm's GPA cutoff, which may not always = the minimum callback number. Asking around on this forum can be very helpful in this regard.
-There IS some noise year to year in the numbers, especially for firms giving fewer callbacks. If this years pdf doesn't list a GPA for a firm, go back and look at prior years.
-DC is hard if you want litigation. If you want corporate, don't even bother with DC.
-Its really hard to bid more than 2 markets. If you want to apply to more than 2 markets, think about focusing on 2 in OCI and mass mail other markets.
-Schedule your callbacks ASAP
-NEVER turndown a callback until you have an offer (and if you don't have an offer, keep mass mailing even if it seems inevitable that you will have an offer)
-Mass mail no matter what. Do you have an Aunt in SF? Great, mass mail. GF's family in Dallas? Great, mass mail. Want Chicago? Great, mass mail every firm not at OCI. People DO get offers from mass mailing.
-Want to go to a small, hometown market? Great, mass mail AND apply to a big market in OCI as a backup… and don't do it halfway. Research the firms, the practice areas, the city, etc.

[kennethellenparcell]

I filled mine out too for you guys - and it took forever. Have you guys seen that damn spreadsheet? It is not a great format, especially if you are trying to keep track of all the different data it asks for. People have asked the Career Office repeatedly to fix the way it collects this data to make it easier on people filling it out - so you guys will have more data to use. It has yet to be done.

[lhanvt13]

Seems like timing is key with interview slots filling up. Do transfers have a disadvantage in that regard?

-Low GPA median firms go quickly
-Chicago firms go quickly

[feralinfant]

Nobody. I made it up because it's my favorite part of Chicago (mostly south of that corner, though I do love Unabridged Books).

I lived at Melrose and Broadway for 1L. I really love that area. Great neighborhood feel and lots of good restaurants.

Lived in the neighborhood for the last year and am moving a few blocks away to Diversey and Broadway. Seriously love it.

Awesome. What price range should I be looking at?

if you're looking in lakeview i had a studio for around 900. this is probably the low end. i got shown awesome three bedroom the other week for $2200 (this is probably somewhat rare for the neighborhood). There's a wide range of prices possible in Lakeview though-some highrises off lakeshore and some older buildings as well etc. You're better off figuring out your price range and then looking for somethign you like in it. i would say that $900 for a studio is about as low as it gets in lakeview though.

padmapper and domu are good to get an idea. Yochicago is also a pretty solid resource for reading about chicago real estate too.

[Kikero]

Seems like timing is key with interview slots filling up. Do transfers have a disadvantage in that regard?

-Low GPA median firms go quickly
-Chicago firms go quickly

What do you mean? They run the lottery after everyone submits, timing doesn't play a role in getting interviews.

[lhanvt13]

Seems like timing is key with interview slots filling up. Do transfers have a disadvantage in that regard?

-Low GPA median firms go quickly
-Chicago firms go quickly

What do you mean? They run the lottery after everyone submits, timing doesn't play a role in getting interviews.

Ah I see. misunderstanding!
Thanks for the clear up.

[lhanvt13]

Awesome. What price range should I be looking at?

if you're looking in lakeview i had a studio for around 900. this is probably the low end. i got shown awesome three bedroom the other week for $2200 (this is probably somewhat rare for the neighborhood). There's a wide range of prices possible in Lakeview though-some highrises off lakeshore and some older buildings as well etc. You're better off figuring out your price range and then looking for somethign you like in it. i would say that $900 for a studio is about as low as it gets in lakeview though.

padmapper and domu are good to get an idea. Yochicago is also a pretty solid resource for reading about chicago real estate too.

Thanks so much for the advice! Should I be going to Chicago to actually look at the places or is checking them out through padmapper and domu good enough?

[382piccadilly]

Awesome. What price range should I be looking at?

if you're looking in lakeview i had a studio for around 900. this is probably the low end. i got shown awesome three bedroom the other week for $2200 (this is probably somewhat rare for the neighborhood). There's a wide range of prices possible in Lakeview though-some highrises off lakeshore and some older buildings as well etc. You're better off figuring out your price range and then looking for somethign you like in it. i would say that $900 for a studio is about as low as it gets in lakeview though.

padmapper and domu are good to get an idea. Yochicago is also a pretty solid resource for reading about chicago real estate too.

Thanks so much for the advice! Should I be going to Chicago to actually look at the places or is checking them out through padmapper and domu good enough?

It depends what you're looking for in an apartment. If you have certain requirements like lots of natural light, quiet neighborhood, spacious closets etc then it would be worth it to make a trip out because photos on the websites can be insanely deceptive. If its truly inconvenient, I'd find a good realtor (they're free in Chicago) who would be willing to take videos of the units for you.

Also, this is probably obvious to most people (wasn't for me) but look closely at your commute on google maps. It might just seem like half a mile to the closest el or bus stop but think about if you would want to walk that in the snow/horrific wind/humidity etc

[rinkrat19]

Do people wear leis at graduation like in undergrad? Or is that a best coast thing?

Anyone?

[Kikero]

No one wore them at my undergrad.

[franklyscarlet]

I've never heard of that in my life. Must be an other coast thing.

[Cobretti]

I've never heard of that in my life. Must be an otherbest coast thing.

guys would wear kukui nut necklaces instead of leis though.

[bjsesq]

I just wore socks and nothing else.

[Flips88]

There were literally 2 people at graduation wearing leis and it was because one of the girls was from Hawaii and the other was her best friend.

What's your weird fascination with needing to know, Rink?

[rinkrat19]

There were literally 2 people at graduation wearing leis and it was because one of the girls was from Hawaii and the other was her best friend.

What's your weird fascination with needing to know, Rink?

Oh, I was at a friend's CC graduation in Washington and a fair number of people had on leis so I was remembering my UG graduation in Oregon where even more did. Then I was thinking (hey, commencement ceremonies are boring as shit) that it would be cool to have a florist make a custom lei made from something PNW-y, and what would that be... And I came up up with douglas fir sprigs and rhododendrons. (Oregon state tree and Washington state flower. )
But if midwestern grads are boring and don't do the lei thing, I'd feel dumb being the only person wearing one.
Or maybe I'd wear one anyway and just own the weirdness.

[bananasplit19]

wear one anyway and just own the weirdness.

TITCR. Represent the left coast proudly. And you'll smell great, too

[lhanvt13]

Anyone take any courses with Kellogg before? How restrictive are they?
Also, I'm looking at the Business Enterprise Concentration on the NU Law website (http://www.law.northwestern.edu/academi ... /business/) and was wondering how difficult it is to apply for this concentration? Is there an application process at all or do we just... do it? Can transfers get concentrations?

Thanks everyone!

[M458]

Anyone take any courses with Kellogg before? How restrictive are they?
Also, I'm looking at the Business Enterprise Concentration on the NU Law website (http://www.law.northwestern.edu/academi ... /business/) and was wondering how difficult it is to apply for this concentration? Is there an application process at all or do we just... do it? Can transfers get concentrations?

Thanks everyone!

From everything I've heard, the concentrations are pretty much a joke (except perhaps for the Law and Social Policy one). I doubt it's difficult to apply for it, but the impression I've gotten is that it will add little to nothing to your resume.

[lhanvt13]

Anyone take any courses with Kellogg before? How restrictive are they?
Also, I'm looking at the Business Enterprise Concentration on the NU Law website (http://www.law.northwestern.edu/academi ... /business/) and was wondering how difficult it is to apply for this concentration? Is there an application process at all or do we just... do it? Can transfers get concentrations?

Thanks everyone!

From everything I've heard, the concentrations are pretty much a joke (except perhaps for the Law and Social Policy one). I doubt it's difficult to apply for it, but the impression I've gotten is that it will add little to nothing to your resume.

Interesting... Thanks for the info!

ETA:
Is the Practical Issues in Business Law Seminar any good? How hard is it to get in? I feel like this is the one small advantage that the concentration would get if the Seminar is useful and difficult to get in.

Due to limited enrollment, students in the concentration will be given preference in course selection for the Practical Issues in Business Law Seminar.

Also, How is the Entrepreneurship Law Center?

[suzige]

we have concentrations???

[Holly Golightly]

we have concentrations???

I found them to be a useless waste of energy.

[Georgia Avenue]

lol concentrations

[lhanvt13]

welp, no more concentration for me.

[Micdiddy]

Fall class schedule is up on Caesar.

[M458]

Fall class schedule is up on Caesar.

Hoping it's just tentative and there are still more classes they'll put up.