WUSTL c/o 2018 Applicants Forum

[storpappa]

WUSTL won't be WUSTL without our OP.

[chuckbass]

WUSTL will survive.

But yes, for those that don't know, I will be transferring to GULC in the fall. WUSTL is a great school and provided me with lots of opportunities and I had a great time during 1L. I didn't attend WUSTL planning to transfer, but after first semester grades came out I became interested in leaving. Despite knowing better, I was biglaw or bust, and realized that transferring would be my best bet for biglaw with good but not exceptional grades. I wouldn't advise most people to transfer up so slightly from WUSTL to GULC, but I'm actually transferring to GULC specifically for health reasons. If anyone has any questions about this feel free to post/PM.

[Hikikomorist]

WUSTL will survive.

But yes, for those that don't know, I will be transferring to GULC in the fall. WUSTL is a great school and provided me with lots of opportunities and I had a great time during 1L. I didn't attend WUSTL planning to transfer, but after first semester grades came out I became interested in leaving. Despite knowing better, I was biglaw or bust, and realized that transferring would be my best bet for biglaw with good but not exceptional grades. I wouldn't advise most people to transfer up so slightly from WUSTL to GULC, but I'm actually transferring to GULC specifically for health reasons. If anyone has any questions about this feel free to post/PM.

Best of luck!

[LawsRUs]

WUSTL will survive.

But yes, for those that don't know, I will be transferring to GULC in the fall. WUSTL is a great school and provided me with lots of opportunities and I had a great time during 1L. I didn't attend WUSTL planning to transfer, but after first semester grades came out I became interested in leaving. Despite knowing better, I was biglaw or bust, and realized that transferring would be my best bet for biglaw with good but not exceptional grades. I wouldn't advise most people to transfer up so slightly from WUSTL to GULC, but I'm actually transferring to GULC specifically for health reasons. If anyone has any questions about this feel free to post/PM.

Good luck over there, @scottidsntknow! My best wishes

[LadyProspero]

WUSTL will survive.

But yes, for those that don't know, I will be transferring to GULC in the fall. WUSTL is a great school and provided me with lots of opportunities and I had a great time during 1L. I didn't attend WUSTL planning to transfer, but after first semester grades came out I became interested in leaving. Despite knowing better, I was biglaw or bust, and realized that transferring would be my best bet for biglaw with good but not exceptional grades. I wouldn't advise most people to transfer up so slightly from WUSTL to GULC, but I'm actually transferring to GULC specifically for health reasons. If anyone has any questions about this feel free to post/PM.

Good luck at GULC Scotti! Thanks for all the help you gave in this thread!

[KMart]

WUSTL will survive.

But yes, for those that don't know, I will be transferring to GULC in the fall. WUSTL is a great school and provided me with lots of opportunities and I had a great time during 1L. I didn't attend WUSTL planning to transfer, but after first semester grades came out I became interested in leaving. Despite knowing better, I was biglaw or bust, and realized that transferring would be my best bet for biglaw with good but not exceptional grades. I wouldn't advise most people to transfer up so slightly from WUSTL to GULC, but I'm actually transferring to GULC specifically for health reasons. If anyone has any questions about this feel free to post/PM.

Best of luck. WUSTL certainly won't be the same, although GULC gained a hell of a human.

[tkim88]

+1

[legit]

Just curious, do you guys think that the "cream rises to the top" at Wash U?

If so, who (background and characteristics, not names) do you consider to be in the "cream" clique?

[chuckbass]

Just curious, do you guys think that the "cream rises to the top" at Wash U?

If so, who (background and characteristics, not names) do you consider to be in the "cream" clique?

ljl

[PeanutsNJam]

great first post

[Fiero85]

great first post

[chuckbass]

I consider the "cream" clique to be the ones that end up with biglaw/elite employment. It's a small school, so you will know what a lot of your classmates are doing. But, this is all nonsense because of the curve, and the smartest/best people don't always end up with the best results.

As for the cream rising to the top, you'll be at a school with people that are almost all equally capable. WUSTL draws T14 caliber students, and many of my classmates went to prestigious undergrads (I did not). There are some duds and some geniuses, but otherwise it's a wash. The people that rise to the top are those that figure out how to play the game and those that are just naturally good at taking law school exams, but you won't know if you're good at a 4 hour issue spotter until you take them and get grades.

[LET'S GET IT]

Just curious, do you guys think that the "cream rises to the top" at Wash U?

If so, who (background and characteristics, not names) do you consider to be in the "cream" clique?

Yeah I think so. All the people I know who did really well, like top 5%, are people you aren't surprised about their being there. They are all really smart and they all worked really hard. I think to do that well you have to be both of those things. You can do well lacking one of the other, but not really well, imo. Now, I don't know who all is top 5%, but of the ones I do know, they are all very smart and work very hard. You could probably be lacking in one of the two (either very smart or very hardworking) and make up for it to an extent with the other, but probably not to the extent that lands you in the top 5%.

And I can already hear people screaming that law school grading is random, but that's only maybe true in the middle of the curve. The 10% at either end I don't think is random at all and would be the same almost regardless of anything else.

[legit]

Thank you.

Not expecting a response from this, but I have been hearing a lot of intense advice from “elitists” and am worried about the law school gamble like everybody else.

[chuckbass]

Just curious, do you guys think that the "cream rises to the top" at Wash U?

If so, who (background and characteristics, not names) do you consider to be in the "cream" clique?

Yeah I think so. All the people I know who did really well, like top 5%, are people you aren't surprised about their being there. They are all really smart and they all worked really hard. I think to do that well you have to be both of those things. You can do well lacking one of the other, but not really well, imo. Now, I don't know who all is top 5%, but of the ones I do know, they are all very smart and work very hard. You could probably be lacking in one of the two (either very smart or very hardworking) and make up for it to an extent with the other, but probably not to the extent that lands you in the top 5%.

And I can already hear people screaming that law school grading is random, but that's only maybe true in the middle of the curve. The 10% at either end I don't think is random at all and would be the same almost regardless of anything else.

Yeah I don't think law school grading is random, moreso I think who has the skill of writing law school exams well can be random.

[LET'S GET IT]

Just curious, do you guys think that the "cream rises to the top" at Wash U?

If so, who (background and characteristics, not names) do you consider to be in the "cream" clique?

Yeah I think so. All the people I know who did really well, like top 5%, are people you aren't surprised about their being there. They are all really smart and they all worked really hard. I think to do that well you have to be both of those things. You can do well lacking one of the other, but not really well, imo. Now, I don't know who all is top 5%, but of the ones I do know, they are all very smart and work very hard. You could probably be lacking in one of the two (either very smart or very hardworking) and make up for it to an extent with the other, but probably not to the extent that lands you in the top 5%.

And I can already hear people screaming that law school grading is random, but that's only maybe true in the middle of the curve. The 10% at either end I don't think is random at all and would be the same almost regardless of anything else.

Yeah I don't think law school grading is random, moreso I think who has the skill of writing law school exams well can be random.

I agree. Being smart doesn't automatically translate into being good at law school, but it definitely helps.

[chuckbass]

Law school is a gamble though, and honestly I'd think long and hard about it depending on your goals at WUSTL. I loved the school and got my dream job, but you really should be content with the job prospects of a median WUSTL student if you go there.

[LadyProspero]

Law school is a gamble though, and honestly I'd think long and hard about it depending on your goals at WUSTL. I loved the school and got my dream job, but you really should be content with the job prospects of a median WUSTL student if you go there.

Scotti have you already done OCI? I thought OCI was usually later? Or did you land your job another way?

Either way though, congrats! It would feel great to have a job lined up coming out of 1L.

[chuckbass]

Law school is a gamble though, and honestly I'd think long and hard about it depending on your goals at WUSTL. I loved the school and got my dream job, but you really should be content with the job prospects of a median WUSTL student if you go there.

Scotti have you already done OCI? I thought OCI was usually later? Or did you land your job another way?

Either way though, congrats! It would feel great to have a job lined up coming out of 1L.

I'm a bit of an anomaly. I got a 1L SA for this summer, developed health problems which have kept me from working, but the firm has been great and made me a 2L offer early which I accepted.

[LadyProspero]

Law school is a gamble though, and honestly I'd think long and hard about it depending on your goals at WUSTL. I loved the school and got my dream job, but you really should be content with the job prospects of a median WUSTL student if you go there.

Scotti have you already done OCI? I thought OCI was usually later? Or did you land your job another way?

Either way though, congrats! It would feel great to have a job lined up coming out of 1L.

I'm a bit of an anomaly. I got a 1L SA for this summer, developed health problems which have kept me from working, but the firm has been great and made me a 2L offer early which I accepted.

That's awesome (that the firm offered and worked with you, not the health problems). Congrats on the great outcome!

[chuckbass]

Law school is a gamble though, and honestly I'd think long and hard about it depending on your goals at WUSTL. I loved the school and got my dream job, but you really should be content with the job prospects of a median WUSTL student if you go there.

Scotti have you already done OCI? I thought OCI was usually later? Or did you land your job another way?

Either way though, congrats! It would feel great to have a job lined up coming out of 1L.

I'm a bit of an anomaly. I got a 1L SA for this summer, developed health problems which have kept me from working, but the firm has been great and made me a 2L offer early which I accepted.

That's awesome (that the firm offered and worked with you, not the health problems). Congrats on the great outcome!

Thanks. Honestly I cared much more about the job than the health problems, so I'm happy. But again a lot of this was luck and I had good enough grades first semester to get the job. Tbf though I was surprised by how many people in my class got 1L SAs. There are quite a few spots at STL firms (if you have good grades and strong STL ties generally, otherwise there were a few diversity kids with little/no ties and not top grades that also got them), but also several friends that had both good grades and diversity got 1L SAs, usually in their home markets. No one from any school should expect to land a 1L SA, but if you are diverse and do well first semester, you really should try.

[RareExports]

If you had to estimate--what fraction of those who wanted a 1L SA were able to get one? Are these all/mostly to STL firms? And can it be done without diversity/STL ties?

ETA: Obviously it can be done. And I would imagine top 5% puts you in great running. I'm wondering more about 10%, 20%, 25%, etc.

[chuckbass]

If you had to estimate--what fraction of those who wanted a 1L SA were able to get one? Are these all/mostly to STL firms? And can it be done without diversity/STL ties?

ETA: Obviously it can be done. And obviously top 5% puts you in great running. I'm wondering more about 10%, 20%, 25%, etc.

At least 5% of the class ended up with one, probably closer to 10%. The people I know were generally top 10-20%, and maybe someone else can speak to what usually landed the STL firms, which was probably similar. I was only top 25% and got a 1L SA in a large east coast market where I had ties.

The STL spots aren't diversity specifically, but it definitely helps if you're an attractive girl, especially at one firm. In other markets though if you aren't diverse I don't think you really have a chance. I have multiple friends that had much better grades at T14s that ended up with nothing, because there really just aren't that many spots.

Again, 1L SAs are incredibly difficult to get and I'm worried that this paints a rosy picture.

[WheatThins]

Don't worry about 1L SAs. It's nice if it happens, but it doesnt't mean you're in trouble for a 2L SA. A lot of the diversity SAs don't give return offers as frequently, from what I can tell.

As for the cream rising thing, maybe - whatever. But you won't know if you're the cream or the grainy crap at the bottom of your mug until you take exams anyway.

[legit]

Not referring to money, what do you think the right tipping point is for a person shooting for elite employment to choose Wash U over better-ranked schools and ditch SLU?

As everybody knows, a kid ranked well at Wash U would have a better shot at big law than another kid ranked at the bottom of some T14 schools. In addition, a kid ranked well at SLU would have a better shot at Bryan Cave than another kid ranked at the bottom of Wash U.