Michigan Law School C/O 2019 Applicants (2015-16) Forum

[180kickflip]

Out of genuine curiosity and a healthy dose of skepticism, how many of those are there exactly?

If by those you meant students paying full price, see above. Incidentally, Michigan has generally offered a large portion of the class money, but not a ton of money. If by those you meant clerkships, then there are between 20 and 30 federal clerkships currently listed as available on OSCAR that start between March and July in 2017 (many judges, including a majority of the most highly selective ones, have already hired for 2017). Most judges try to have their clerks on a fall start schedule as that allows them to have recent graduates start after they take the bar in July, but sometimes things happen that knock judges off that schedule. Obviously, you still have to compete against people who have graduated from law school in past years, but you avoid competing against other students in your class year. I also know summer starters who are going to work at their firms for several months and will then move on to clerking in the fall (after they put $50,000 in their pocket). When I was looking at Michigan three years ago, I thought there might be a bias against summer starters for some reason. There's absolutely not. In fact, while firms won't care or really notice if you're a summer starter or a fall starter, many former summer starters have a particularly strong loyalty to summer starters.

I should've been more clear - I meant clerkships that might be starting in the spring instead of summer/fall.

I am unfortunately one of those students looking at the possibility of full price, so..I need to at least make sure it's a *decent* outlook.

Tell them that for a $10,000 a year scholarship, you'll accept the offer. Depending somewhat on your background and goals, the job prospects have been very strong for the classes of 2016 and 2017. Prior to the class of 2016, the law school was on an archaic grading curve and it was hurting us against peer schools. They fixed that. The class size has also become very manageable relative to demand, and so the combination of a recovering economy and fewer graduate has meant the demand has been there for the 2016 and 2017 classes in a way that was lacking in the past. If you're ok firm work for a few years, then the debt is reasonable.

Hey. Could you (or anyone else with insight) explain the schools current grading curve and how it is different from what they were on before? Thanks a ton!!

[CTT]

Were you to peruse top law schools thoroughly, you would eventually come across the actual numbers. I'm not going to post those, but here's the deal.

Almost all law schools use a curve. Traditionally, these were very harsh. A generation ago, Many law schools forced an average 2.5 GPA. As time passed, the top law schools made their curves easier and a few began eliminating traditional letter grades all together. In 2013, recognizing that our GPA curve was below peer schools, the faculty increased the mean GPA by about a tenth. That may not sound like a ton, but when so many of your students finish their first year at roughly average, firms that were unaware of the relative curves were systematically favoring students from other T14 law schools without realizing it. Like I said, they fixed it.

B+'s are now roughly the median and average grade in curved classes. All mandatory 1L classes except the legal skills classes and most upper level doctrinal classes are required to follow the curve. The legal research class is graded on a pass / honors system, with 20 percent getting honors. It does not affect GPA. The law school also has a policy of allowing two non-1L classes to be retroactively passed. So if you go crazy and decide to take commercial transactions, there's a magic button that allows you to turn your B- into a non-GPA-effecting P.

[Toodle-loo]

Hi all.

Long time lurker here coming out of the woods to ask opinions. I was reading the UMich c/o 2018 forum and noticed that a lot of people were really concerned with Michigan's jobs stats released last March, to the extent that some people withdrew immediately and some appeared to eat their deposits and attend elsewhere or reapply next cycle.

I haven't seen as much concern on this thread or the Michigan law c/o 2019 thread (where I'll be cross-posting this question), but I'm curious if you all share this concern or think it's unfounded.

(CTT I've read several of your recent posts and you seem to articulate that it's not at all a worry - do you have any additional thoughts on the issue?)

[texasrangersjb]

Rejected today by Michigan via status checker. <25% GPA, <25% LSAT. Good luck everyone.

[Nagster5]

Rejected via status checker: <<<25 GPA, >>75 LSAT

[thirdlegpooper]

Rejected today by Michigan via status checker. <25% GPA, <25% LSAT. Good luck everyone.

Rejected via status checker: <<<25 GPA, >>75 LSAT

when did you go complete?

[Nagster5]

Rejected today by Michigan via status checker. <25% GPA, <25% LSAT. Good luck everyone.

Rejected via status checker: <<<25 GPA, >>75 LSAT

when did you go complete?

1/11

[MrR10]

Rejected today by Michigan via status checker. <25% GPA, <25% LSAT. Good luck everyone.

Rejected via status checker: <<<25 GPA, >>75 LSAT

when did you go complete?

1/11

Wow, I went complete around 1/4 and still haven't heard anything :/

[BirdLawExpert]

Rejected today by Michigan via status checker. <25% GPA, <25% LSAT. Good luck everyone.

Rejected via status checker: <<<25 GPA, >>75 LSAT

when did you go complete?

1/11

Wow, I went complete around 1/4 and still haven't heard anything :/

Complete in November, radio silence since then. Though it seems that I may have at least survived one round of dings.

[Nagster5]

Complete in November, radio silence since then. Though it seems that I may have at least survived one round of dings.

That's how I feel about HLS right now, I was very surprised to miss the first red vetting. They have me hoping for a WL now, pretty confident that's the only place that would pull me away from UVA right now, that public school GI boost is too good.

[MrR10]

Complete in November, radio silence since then. Though it seems that I may have at least survived one round of dings.

That's how I feel about HLS right now, I was very surprised to miss the first red vetting. They have me hoping for a WL now, pretty confident that's the only place that would pull me away from UVA right now, that public school GI boost is too good.

The dings may not be over yet, unfortunately, but if we survive it certainly is a step in the right direction.

Good luck with HLS! UVA is also a terrific school.

[gryffinclaw]

Ouch, first rejection from Michigan today via status checker...didn't have my heart set on going there, but this probably means I'm effectively barred from the T-10, huh? GPA and LSAT both between 25% and median. Good luck to everyone waiting.

[lolRCscrewyou]

Rejected today by Michigan via status checker. <25% GPA, <25% LSAT. Good luck everyone.

Rejected via status checker: <<<25 GPA, >>75 LSAT

when did you go complete?

1/11

Wow, I went complete around 1/4 and still haven't heard anything :/

Complete 11/20 lolololololol
I mean no news is good news, but it can drive a person crazy hearing nothing but silence!

[CJRpnw]

I promised myself I'd wait a full month from acceptance to inquire about scholarship info if I don't hear... I just really want to start planning my school visits!

[texasrangersjb]

Rejected today by Michigan via status checker. <25% GPA, <25% LSAT. Good luck everyone.

Rejected via status checker: <<<25 GPA, >>75 LSAT

when did you go complete?

12/18. They received it like 20 days before the complete date though.

[herewego321]

Went complete on 1/20 does anyone know how much longer I would have to wait???


V annoyed i havent heard back yet as I applied two months ago and have heard nothing!

[gamerish]

Went complete on 1/20 does anyone know how much longer I would have to wait???


V annoyed i havent heard back yet as I applied two months ago and have heard nothing!

Some people have been waiting much longer. No one knows when it's going to happen until it happens.

[earthabides]

Went complete on 1/20 does anyone know how much longer I would have to wait???


V annoyed i havent heard back yet as I applied two months ago and have heard nothing!

Could be awhile. I've been waiting since October and I'm above LSAT 75th and almost at GPA 75th

[herewego321]

Went complete on 1/20 does anyone know how much longer I would have to wait???


V annoyed i havent heard back yet as I applied two months ago and have heard nothing!

Could be awhile. I've been waiting since October and I'm above LSAT 75th and almost at GPA 75th

Its like really weird why it is taking so long...they sent me a personalized letter in September...I thought I would hear back sooner since Berkeley and UVA were so fast.

[BirdLawExpert]

Went complete on 1/20 does anyone know how much longer I would have to wait???


V annoyed i havent heard back yet as I applied two months ago and have heard nothing!

Some people have been waiting much longer. No one knows when it's going to happen until it happens.

[squirtlesquad14]

Has anyone who applied early in the cycle and got that really weird "we haven't forgotten about you, don't worry this isn't a decision email, we'll just make it really long so you think it is, but really please just wait even longer" email received a decision yet?

[omarkh]

Has anyone who applied early in the cycle and got that really weird "we haven't forgotten about you, don't worry this isn't a decision email, we'll just make it really long so you think it is, but really please just wait even longer" email received a decision yet?

Nope, not yet. I wanna say I applied in mid November and got the email a few weeks ago.

[sbenj]

Has anyone who applied early in the cycle and got that really weird "we haven't forgotten about you, don't worry this isn't a decision email, we'll just make it really long so you think it is, but really please just wait even longer" email received a decision yet?

Nope, not yet. I wanna say I applied in mid November and got the email a few weeks ago.

+1 The anticipation is killing me!

[squirtlesquad14]

Has anyone who applied early in the cycle and got that really weird "we haven't forgotten about you, don't worry this isn't a decision email, we'll just make it really long so you think it is, but really please just wait even longer" email received a decision yet?

Nope, not yet. I wanna say I applied in mid November and got the email a few weeks ago.

+1 The anticipation is killing me!

Fingers crossed! The wait can't actually kill us....right?

[BirdLawExpert]

Has anyone who applied early in the cycle and got that really weird "we haven't forgotten about you, don't worry this isn't a decision email, we'll just make it really long so you think it is, but really please just wait even longer" email received a decision yet?

Nope, not yet. I wanna say I applied in mid November and got the email a few weeks ago.

+1 The anticipation is killing me!

Fingers crossed! The wait can't actually kill us....right?