WUSTL Class of 2019 Applicants Forum

[RZ5646]

I thought it was Wussel, like Russel with a W.

I still can't find that t shirt link...

[nicola16]

I thought it was Wussel, like Russel with a W.

I still can't find that t shirt link...

The t-shirt link is in the email called "Next Steps for WashULaw." Search your email for that subject line, or "applylaw@wustl.edu."

[LET'S GET IT]

I haven't met any human beings who actually say "Woostl" (WUSTL). Everybody says Wash U, no matter where you're from. Plenty people type WUSTL.

Also I know for a fact at least 2 people got stl biglaw 1L SA with 0 ties, so it's doable. Both slightly diverse (minority race, but not URM). Pretty sure there are/will be more. You can get biglaw from this school (in any region so long as you have sufficient ties), but you need good grades (top 25%). The advantage of Michigan, or any other T14 (except maybe GULC), is that you can get biglaw with mediocre grades.

A 1L diversity position is different. Getting that is far from a job, whereas a 2L SA is pretty close to getting a job at most firms. A 1L diversity SA is not close to being assured of getting an offer. So that's not the same thing.

Also this isn't applying to law school we are talking about. So being non URM isn't a thing. Being Indian, for instance, won't help you much with getting into law school. It can be a big help in getting a firm job because of all the diversity fairs and all the firms having diversity programs.

Yes, biglaw is very doable with the right grades, but I'll say again, if you aren't from STL, it probably won't be here.

[gtrs09]

I haven't met any human beings who actually say "Woostl" (WUSTL). Everybody says Wash U, no matter where you're from. Plenty people type WUSTL.

Also I know for a fact at least 2 people got stl biglaw 1L SA with 0 ties, so it's doable. Both slightly diverse (minority race, but not URM). Pretty sure there are/will be more. You can get biglaw from this school (in any region so long as you have sufficient ties), but you need good grades (top 25%). The advantage of Michigan, or any other T14 (except maybe GULC), is that you can get biglaw with mediocre grades.

When I called to ask for a fee waiver, the person in admissions who answered said "Woostl."

[RZ5646]

I thought it was Wussel, like Russel with a W.

I still can't find that t shirt link...

The t-shirt link is in the email called "Next Steps for WashULaw." Search your email for that subject line, or "applylaw@wustl.edu."

I didn't get an email like that.

[PeanutsNJam]

I haven't met any human beings who actually say "Woostl" (WUSTL). Everybody says Wash U, no matter where you're from. Plenty people type WUSTL.

Also I know for a fact at least 2 people got stl biglaw 1L SA with 0 ties, so it's doable. Both slightly diverse (minority race, but not URM). Pretty sure there are/will be more. You can get biglaw from this school (in any region so long as you have sufficient ties), but you need good grades (top 25%). The advantage of Michigan, or any other T14 (except maybe GULC), is that you can get biglaw with mediocre grades.

A 1L diversity position is different. Getting that is far from a job, whereas a 2L SA is pretty close to getting a job at most firms. A 1L diversity SA is not close to being assured of getting an offer. So that's not the same thing.

Also this isn't applying to law school we are talking about. So being non URM isn't a thing.

Yes, biglaw is very doable with the right grades, but I'll say again, if you aren't from STL, it probably won't be here.

At the firms I did callbacks at, they all boast of 1L -> 2L retention. Diversity SAs are also treated the same way as regular SAs; you're all in the same pool. If you get a 1L SA, and you don't muck it up, you can go on to do a 2L SA, which leads to a job. Diversity SAs are also paid ~2.3k/week, so I don't know why a firm would take a 1L SA and give them hella money with no intention of retaining that person.

However, even if that were not the case, I'm pretty sure 1L diversity SAs are harder to get than a regular old 2L SAs at the same firm. If you can do the former, you can do the latter, assuming no precipitous drop in grades.

Being a URM is also a bigger boost than being a non-URM diverse (Asian, Veteran, LGBT, etc) for hiring in general, not just diversity hires.

[LET'S GET IT]

I haven't met any human beings who actually say "Woostl" (WUSTL). Everybody says Wash U, no matter where you're from. Plenty people type WUSTL.

Also I know for a fact at least 2 people got stl biglaw 1L SA with 0 ties, so it's doable. Both slightly diverse (minority race, but not URM). Pretty sure there are/will be more. You can get biglaw from this school (in any region so long as you have sufficient ties), but you need good grades (top 25%). The advantage of Michigan, or any other T14 (except maybe GULC), is that you can get biglaw with mediocre grades.

A 1L diversity position is different. Getting that is far from a job, whereas a 2L SA is pretty close to getting a job at most firms. A 1L diversity SA is not close to being assured of getting an offer. So that's not the same thing.

Also this isn't applying to law school we are talking about. So being non URM isn't a thing.

Yes, biglaw is very doable with the right grades, but I'll say again, if you aren't from STL, it probably won't be here.

At the firms I did callbacks at, they all boast of 1L -> 2L retention. Diversity SAs are also treated the same way as regular SAs; you're all in the same pool. If you get a 1L SA, and you don't muck it up, you can go on to do a 2L SA, which leads to a job.

However, even if that were not the case, I'm pretty sure 1L diversity SAs are harder to get than a regular old 2L SAs at the same firm. If you can do the former, you can do the latter, assuming no precipitous drop in grades.

Being a URM is also a bigger boost than being a non-URM diverse (Asian, Veteran, LGBT, etc).

The distinction isn't between getting an SA through a diversity program or not, the distinction is between a 1L SA and a 2L SA. Some firms simply don't look at 1L SA programs as feeders for post grad jobs, whereas they all pretty much do for 2L SA programs. I don't know how to find data on offer rates for 1L SA compared to 2L SA, but I feel very confident that it's much lower.

Yes 1L SAs are harder to get because many firms don't do them or only take one maybe (and it's usually diversity), but just because they are harder to get doesn't mean they are better. Telling people from NYC, LA, etc. that they can come to WUSTL with the goal of biglaw in STL and expect to have a legit shot at it is pretty misleading. You said yourself you know of two people in a class of 200+.

[PeanutsNJam]

I wasn't saying they have a legit shot at it, but I believe that if you have grades competitive for NYC, and you are great in interviews, you can overcome the no-ties hurdle in St. Louis. It's far from a guarantee, but my only point is that the ties hurdle can be overcome with other factors such as diversity, work experience, leadership experience, IP, etc. A lot of circumstantial factors play in. If you're from Omaha, and went to University of Iowa for undergrad, then people here would be willing to entertain the idea that you prefer St. Louis. If you grew up in NYC, went to a NYC undergrad, and worked in NYC for 3 years before law school, then no, you're not getting Stl biglaw.

They don't have a "legit shot" because their odds of being in the top 20% are 20%.

[Joscellin]

Also I know for a fact at least 2 people got stl biglaw 1L SA with 0 ties, so it's doable. Both slightly diverse (minority race, but not URM). Pretty sure there are/will be more. You can get biglaw from this school (in any region so long as you have sufficient ties), but you need good grades (top 25%). The advantage of Michigan, or any other T14 (except maybe GULC), is that you can get biglaw with mediocre grades.

You can't downplay the role of diversity in 1L employment relative to biglaw in Saint Louis. I'm aware of no non-diverse (read: white male) 1L without ties who landed a SA thusfar. A large part of that is most likely the lack of actual spots, though. Of the *very* limited 1L SA slots, the lions share are earmarked for diversity. From what I've been able to piece together, there appear to be about 5-10 spots that aren't, and those will be very ties-sensitive. That's not necessarily a problem, just something that people should be aware of.

Biglaw is certainly possible from here, given the grades. But don't count on staying local without ties, and be aware that you'll be playing second fiddle to other schools in any other market you return to. Don't count on grades to make up for lack of ties/diversity. They may get you in the door, but that's all they'll do.

***Disclaimer: this is relative to 1L summer employment. I suspect 2L employment is at least slightly different***

[agent_hibachi]

WL via email tonight

[Shootin]

Does anyone know when they start looking at WL? And whether it moves much in general?

[lnblair]

WL via email tonight

When did you apply?

[agent_hibachi]

WL via email tonight

When did you apply?

Applied 11/25. No interview request. 25% > LSAT and GPA > 50%

[lnblair]

WL via email tonight

When did you apply?

Applied 11/25. No interview request. 25% > LSAT and GPA > 50%

Thanks! and good luck, I hear they are pretty quick after April 1st to contact WL

[Lucyfur]

Accepted 12/31 and STILL no word on scholarships. Going to try requesting a t-shirt and see what that gets me

[getacluenancydrew]

0L from St. Louis here with a not-at-all-serious suggestion for overcoming STL firms' skepticism of outsiders: Stop calling the school WUSTL and start saying Wash. U. That's the local shorthand and anything else is a dead giveaway that you aren't from here. Also, you might want to start thinking about which high school you want to lie and say you attended. I'd suggest MICDS.

I'd go with Burroughs instead of MICDS...

[GreatBraffsby]

I thought it was Wussel, like Russel with a W.

I still can't find that t shirt link...

The t-shirt link is in the email called "Next Steps for WashULaw." Search your email for that subject line, or "applylaw@wustl.edu."

So I sent an email to that link and did not get a response. Is that typical? Should I still be expecting a shirt?

[ltbenn]

I thought it was Wussel, like Russel with a W.

I still can't find that t shirt link...

The t-shirt link is in the email called "Next Steps for WashULaw." Search your email for that subject line, or "applylaw@wustl.edu."

So I sent an email to that link and did not get a response. Is that typical? Should I still be expecting a shirt?

I got a response about 5 days after I requested a shirt saying they'd send it the next week - so in theory I should be getting it any day now... (not holding my breath, tbh)

[BirdLawExpert]

I thought it was Wussel, like Russel with a W.

I still can't find that t shirt link...

The t-shirt link is in the email called "Next Steps for WashULaw." Search your email for that subject line, or "applylaw@wustl.edu."

So I sent an email to that link and did not get a response. Is that typical? Should I still be expecting a shirt?

I got a response about 5 days after I requested a shirt saying they'd send it the next week - so in theory I should be getting it any day now... (not holding my breath, tbh)

Yeah, I sent it a few weeks ago and got a near-immediate response. Still haven't gotten anything in the mail.

[sadie T.]

Anyone who interviewed care to share how long it took to hear after?

[RZ5646]

Anyone who interviewed care to share how long it took to hear after?

Literally the next day, and then scholarship info the day after that. But other people waited weeks for a response, so there's no way to say for sure when you'll hear back.

[The_Lorax]

Anyone who interviewed care to share how long it took to hear after?

Next day for me, scholarship a couple days after. Then a week after that they sent an updated scholarship offer

[sadie T.]

Anyone who interviewed care to share how long it took to hear after?

Literally the next day, and then scholarship info the day after that. But other people waited weeks for a response, so there's no way to say for sure when you'll hear back.

Here's to hopin'.

[tuesdayninja]

Anyone who interviewed care to share how long it took to hear after?

I interviewed on a 2/11 and heard back on 2/15. Still waiting to hear back on scholly.

[tsujimoto74]

Anyone who interviewed care to share how long it took to hear after?

I interviewed about a month before I actually submitted my application (shout out to my 2nd LOR writer for that lol), so take it for what it's worth, but after I got my app in, I heard back within a few days. Scholy info about a week and a half later.