2020-21 Vacation Scheme Applications Discussion

[Daniel Boden]

Just got an offer for my dream masters - so looks like I will be back here regardless of what happens after my VS (doubt they would give a 2024 offer).
See you all then and best of luck to you all! 🤗

Huge congrats!! Where and what will you be studying if you don't mind sharing? If you can't defer your offer (which would surprise me tbh) your GIFs and memes will be more than welcome on here next cycle

 

[lilli]

Has anyone heard from / has any info about when Irwin Mitchell (London) might get back to us lol still waiting, applied early November 😅

 

[djqb]

If a firm doesn't have a separate section for specifying extracurricular activities in their application form, would it be advisable to mention extracurricular activities (such as university societies and volunteering positions) in the work experience section?

@Jessica Booker would really appreciate your advice on this. Thank you as always!

 

[Celestie]

Huge congrats!! Where and what will you be studying if you don't mind sharing? If you can't defer your offer (which would surprise me tbh) your GIFs and memes will be more than welcome on here next cycle

Thank you!! Cambridge. Need to make some tough decisions now though!

 

[Alex3107]

Thank you!! Cambridge. Need to make some tough decisions now though!

Cambridge student here! Lmk if you need any help/info or just wanna chat about the uni and the city! Will be here next year if you wanna see a friendly face around!!

 

[Celestie]

I would just like to say thank you for all the lovely replies/reactions. I look forward to hearing how you all get on. 🤗

 

[Celestie]

Cambridge student here! Lmk if you need any help/info or just wanna chat about the uni and the city! Will be here next year if you wanna see a friendly face around!!

Ohhhhh! Thank you ever so much! please pop me a dm?

 

[sberry1992]

Passed the Fox Williams test! Onto the next (as yet undisclosed) stage!

I am so happy to also be through! I read it wrong on my initial reading on the email and assumed we had been successful in getting through to the vac scheme but a re-read has confirmed that there is one more stage to go . What do you think it will be? A video interview?

 

[djqb]

If a firm doesn't have a separate section for specifying extracurricular activities in their application form, would it be advisable to mention extracurricular activities (such as university societies and volunteering positions) in the work experience section?

@Jessica Booker would really appreciate your advice on this. Thank you as always!

Would appreciate anybody else's advice on this as well 🙏

 

[Jessica Booker]

I understand your response and that advice on this must be difficult, but I can't really afford to 'wait'. I will apply to as many firms as I can next application cycle in the hopes of securing a TC, as I haven't had much success so far while at uni.

Why can’t you wait?

 

[Jessica Booker]

Thank you!! Cambridge. Need to make some tough decisions now though!

I’m confident if you performed well on your scheme and got an offer, the firm would allow you to defer given the prestigious nature of the uni you would do the LLM at.

 

[Jessica Booker]

So my offer was from a direct TC application. Fortunately, there's no such wording precluding Vac Schemes etc so you're right

I am well happy with the TC Offer I have and I'm sure I'll have a great two years at least there. However, I didn't apply to firms and go through their app process on a whim, I did 10~ applications to firms I was genuinely interested in so I guess I want to make the most of opportunities that are offered to me

Be mindful to check both offers - some vac schemes will have a condition the other way around (eg you can’t have accepted a TC).

 

[Jessica Booker]

@Jessica Booker I recently completed the VI for a firm (my first choice) and I'm wondering if I should let them know about my change in employment. I mentioned in my application that I had secured a new position but now I'm doing it full-time (and it's far better than the job I had when I submitted my application).

I don't know if it would make a difference or not to let them know I've actually started?

No - only do this if you have a face to face interview.

 

[Celestie]

I’m confident if you performed well on your scheme and got an offer, the firm would allow you to defer given the prestigious nature of the uni you would do the LLM at.

Ahh thing is - I am non law and got a non law offer! But maybe they still would?

 

[Veep9]

I am so happy to also be through! I read it wrong on my initial reading on the email and assumed we had been successful in getting through to the vac scheme but a re-read has confirmed that there is one more stage to go . What do you think it will be? A video interview?

I spoke with someone who said it was a live video interview (as opposed to a prerecorded one) last year.

The email is weirdly drafted. I read it again and I have just realised that I don’t meet their requirements - I will not have completed my LPC by September 2021. So that’s another awkward email and wait to look forward to

edit: I just checked my application form and I have applied for the training contract beginning 2022 so it wasn’t like I miscommunicated something. I guess it should not be a problem?

 

[M1999]

Ahh thing is - I am non law and got a non law offer! But maybe they still would?

There have been a few people I knew at university who deferred their TC to simply have a gap year. Honestly with the fact that a lot of people want to start earlier they might be happy with the open space

 

[HorsesForCoursesNeighNeighNeigh]

Has anyone else heard literally nothing from MoFo since applying? And it looks like you can't edit/withdraw either? They're ruining my application spreadsheet and it's getting to me 😖 making all my colour coding look like crap!

 

[Jessica Booker]

Ahh thing is - I am non law and got a non law offer! But maybe they still would?

Yes - still maybe. A year isn’t really a long time from a firm’s perspective

 

[G P]

Why can’t you wait?

What would I do in the meantime? I feel like it would be a waste of time to wait and see if a firm will accept me for a TC, and that I should start the next stage of my education/training right away. I also feel that my applications will be much stronger once I have started the GDL. It can be quite difficult to articulate the 'why law' question when you're a non-law student, and I'll have a much greater idea of what areas interest me once I've actually studied it! The feedback I have had from a couple of firms this cycle is to apply again next year showing how the GDL has changed me as a candidate, developed my interest in law etc. Hence why I think I need to do study first and apply for TCs alongside

 

[Jessica Booker]

What would I do in the meantime? I feel like it would be a waste of time to wait and see if a firm will accept me for a TC, and that I should start the next stage of my education/training right away. I also feel that my applications will be much stronger once I have started the GDL. It can be quite difficult to articulate the 'why law' question when you're a non-law student, and I'll have a much greater idea of what areas interest me once I've actually studied it! The feedback I have had from a couple of firms this cycle is to apply again next year showing how the GDL has changed me as a candidate, developed my interest in law etc. Hence why I think I need to do study first and apply for TCs alongside

What couldn’t you do in the meantime? Travel/work/study....

It sounds like you are pretty convinced to do the GDL and so that sounds like the right thing to do. Just be mindful that beyond it giving your knowledge that could help pass the SQE, the qualification itself could be a waste of time.

Signing up to the GDL or SQE doesn’t really make applications stronger in articulating “why law though”.