Top Law Schools

I am looking into attending law school, but I'm not considering any schools outside of the T14. I would like to know if anyone knows where one would be able to access information on what the gpa cutoffs are for big law firms for each of the T14. If there is no way to access this information, I would be very appreciative of any informed guesses that anyone has as to the cutoffs for each of the T14. (note: I'm more interested in the lower T14s, as I have virtually no chance of getting into the top 8 ). (I am especially interested in Umich, Northwestern, Cornell, and GULC)

I'm also aware that different large firms have different cutoffs, so if anyone can either give me some sort of an average for each of the schools, or explicitly state how these cutoffs can vary by firm in each of the schools, that would be great. (For example: At Cornell, the cutoff at most firms would be at least 50th percentile, but there are some large firms that will go as low as 33rd percentile, and many others that will not go below 75th percentile).

All responses greatly appreciated. Thanks a lot!

I'm thinking the data I'm asking for might just be too specific. I'd really like any opinions that anyone has on the topic. What the general cutoff tends to be for lower T14s would be great info.

Thanks again

Y= Top 80
HS= Top 70
CCN= Top 50
BMVP= Top30
DNC=top20
G= Top15

giantsfan564789 wrote:I am looking into attending law school, but I'm not considering any schools outside of the T14. I would like to know if anyone knows where one would be able to access information on what the gpa cutoffs are for big law firms for each of the T14. If there is no way to access this information, I would be very appreciative of any informed guesses that anyone has as to the cutoffs for each of the T14. (note: I'm more interested in the lower T14s, as I have virtually no chance of getting into the top 8 ). (I am especially interested in Umich, Northwestern, Cornell, and GULC)

I'm also aware that different large firms have different cutoffs, so if anyone can either give me some sort of an average for each of the schools, or explicitly state how these cutoffs can vary by firm in each of the schools, that would be great. (For example: At Cornell, the cutoff at most firms would be at least 50th percentile, but there are some large firms that will go as low as 33rd percentile, and many others that will not go below 75th percentile).

All responses greatly appreciated. Thanks a lot!

Reealllly reallly broad. TTT 50-100 schools probably top 5-15%. Right outside of T14 like USC/UCLA you are probably okay in the top 1/3 and lower with compelling extras. Lower T14 I would imagine being at the median or above and you could still be competitive as long as it isn't a tiny market. Best I can do.

Desert Fox wrote:Y= Top 80
HS= Top 70
CCN= Top 50
BMVP= Top30
DNC=top20
G= Top15

If that's true, how does cornell somehow get over 50% of their students big law? Georgetown gets about 40% of their students big law. Doesn't seem right to me...

giantsfan564789 wrote:

Desert Fox wrote:Y= Top 80
HS= Top 70
CCN= Top 50
BMVP= Top30
DNC=top20
G= Top15

If that's true, why how cornell somehow get over 50% of their students big law? Georgetown gets about 40% of their students big law. Doesn't seem right to me...

Schools fudge the numbers.

Desert Fox wrote:

giantsfan564789 wrote:

Desert Fox wrote:Y= Top 80
HS= Top 70
CCN= Top 50
BMVP= Top30
DNC=top20
G= Top15

If that's true, why how cornell somehow get over 50% of their students big law? Georgetown gets about 40% of their students big law. Doesn't seem right to me...

Schools fudge the numbers.

Alright, I'm not going to argue, but I don't see how you could be right on this. Thanks for the opinion though. Would be great to hear from someone else.

Desert Fox wrote:

giantsfan564789 wrote:

Desert Fox wrote:Y= Top 80
HS= Top 70
CCN= Top 50
BMVP= Top30
DNC=top20
G= Top15

If that's true, why how cornell somehow get over 50% of their students big law? Georgetown gets about 40% of their students big law. Doesn't seem right to me...

Schools fudge the numbers.

If median at HLS or Columbia can get you V10, how is this correct? Law schools fudge numbers. but not to this extent.

trolling only works if people get that you're trolling

hichvichwoh wrote:trolling only works if people get that you're trolling

Quite the opposite.

hichvichwoh wrote:trolling only works if people get that you're trolling

You don't know what trolling is, do you?

Desert Fox wrote:Y= Top 80
HS= Top 70
CCN= Top 50
BMVP= Top30
DNC=top20
G= Top15

I think these numbers are pre-ITE. It's a lot harder out there now.

Desert Fox wrote:Y= Top 80
HS= Top 70
CCN= Top 50
BMVP= Top30
DNC=top20
G= Top15

I actually think this is somewhat helpful. With perhaps the exception of Cornell, which I'd put a bit higher, these are where you'd want to be to feel confident about landing a biglaw job. Take Columbia: median and above you should feel pretty comfortable. Even is Columbia places closer to 75%, some non-negligible portion of the below median students might have other factors that OP can't count on.

IF those numbers are accurate, they're accurate as the cut-off which, if you are above, you can't MISS biglaw if you want it.

Im a 2L at MVP and I know several people below median that got biglaw. People in the Top 30% pretty much couldn't miss (though some of the particularly anti-social ones did have a tough time).

I think my estimations are more accurate. The other numbers posted are certainly not cutoffs, but are more of a guaranteed range.

That's what my V79 firm uses. FWIW

If you're top 25% at GULC, you're absolutely fine for Biglaw unless you've never talked to a real live person before. Top 40% is in solid shape, top 60% is in the game.

daleearnhardt123 wrote:IF those numbers are accurate, they're accurate as the cut-off which, if you are above, you can't MISS biglaw if you want it.

Im a 2L at MVP and I know several people below median that got biglaw. People in the Top 30% pretty much couldn't miss (though some of the particularly anti-social ones did have a tough time).

Seconding this from CCN, but I think it's still a little low. I don't know anybody who didn't get a summer offer out of OCI that was at or just below median, and actually come to think of it I only know 2 people who didn't get a Biglaw offer for next summer. And for those two, it was not surprising at all, unfortunately.

kckool7 wrote:If you're top 25% at GULC, you're absolutely fine for Biglaw unless you've never talked to a real live person before.

DF's figures account for this. He reasonably estimates that approximately 40% of GULC students have never talked to a real live person before. Thus, his 15% estimate is consistent with your estimate and subsequent qualification.

Very few firms are categorically ok with below median from anywhere. No one knows what median is at most schools though, so the cutoffs are shaky at best.

The information you are asking for is simply too broad and too specific for probably anybody on here to really answer. The only answers you are likely to get are just shots in the dark anyway. And while most of the big firms have some form of cutoff for various schools, there is always going to be variation because of work experience or other factors. Not trying to be an ass, but how is this information even important to you at this point as a 0L? Is this somehow going to affect your choice of law school? I imagine you'll still likely go--like most of us--to the best one you get into. It isn't likely to affect how you study in school either, as you will likely study as hard as possible. Bottom line is that as the ranking of the school goes down, the better you need to do.

Wouldn't this just roughly correlate with the biglaw + fedclerk - school funded employment percentages on LST for each school?

NLJs reports for placement in the NLJ 250 by school was based on data from 190 firms and shows UVA at 42.30% of the class (you could also figure that some of the clerks will be in the NLJ 250 following clerkship, but even without them 42% is higher than 30). So, I'm not sure about cutoffs, but 42% of UVA went into the NLJ 250 report. If you would like to see the report it is here: http://www.lawschooltransparency.com/20 ... tatistics/ . It may be true that the schools fudge their employment numbers, but when the data is collected directly from the firms there can be a bit more confidence.

RCO2012 wrote:NLJs reports for placement in the NLJ 250 by school was based on data from 190 firms and shows UVA at 42.30% of the class (you could also figure that some of the clerks will be in the NLJ 250 following clerkship, but even without them 42% is higher than 30). So, I'm not sure about cutoffs, but 42% of UVA went into the NLJ 250 report. If you would like to see the report it is here: http://www.lawschooltransparency.com/20 ... tatistics/ . It may be true that the schools fudge their employment numbers, but when the data is collected directly from the firms there can be a bit more confidence.

UVA also reports 10%+ to federal clerkships. so the # is essentially above 50%

daleearnhardt123 wrote:

RCO2012 wrote:NLJs reports for placement in the NLJ 250 by school was based on data from 190 firms and shows UVA at 42.30% of the class (you could also figure that some of the clerks will be in the NLJ 250 following clerkship, but even without them 42% is higher than 30). So, I'm not sure about cutoffs, but 42% of UVA went into the NLJ 250 report. If you would like to see the report it is here: http://www.lawschooltransparency.com/20 ... tatistics/ . It may be true that the schools fudge their employment numbers, but when the data is collected directly from the firms there can be a bit more confidence.

UVA also reports 10%+ to federal clerkships. so the # is essentially above 50%

Yes, if we assume (I think rightly so) that they proceed on to biglaw post clerkship.