2020-21 Vacation Scheme Applications Discussion

[FM302989]

BNBR?

be nice, be respectful

 

[JohanGRK]

BNBR?

Be Nice Be Respectful

I used Quora before it was cool

 

[LS12]

There were no prizes at my university for my course. I could've got 100% in every single assessment and never would've been awarded a prize. In contrast, I know a course where over half of the students were awarded a prize of some kind.

Ah I didn’t realise, I’m sorry, my opinion was misinformed

 

[sabma]

When a firm rejects you on the basis of generic tests (I'm looking at you linklaters):
View attachment 2725

Omg I HATE the way Linklaters does its assessments. I'm sure they know way more than me as their grad rec obviously don't take these decisions lightly and would've done extensive research into the merits but as a candidate it is so frustrating

 

[HorsesForCoursesNeighNeighNeigh]

Should I assume that for virtual vac schemes you don't get the usual corporate loot? Am running short on decent pens 😁

 

[LegalNim]

Ah I didn’t realise, I’m sorry, my opinion was misinformed

Can we make this quote a meme? It's something everyone needs to say more.

 

[LS12]

Can we make this quote a meme? It's something everyone needs to say more.

It depends, can I add it to my cv if we do🤣

 

[Jessica Booker]

be nice, be respectful

You can tell who is the oldest person in this forum...

@JohanGRK - we generally don’t appreciate the aggressive/chippy posts. But people are entitled to those opinions, their tone and also the ability to hide behind the anonymity.

If it gets personal or aggressive we may intervene, but fortunately that is very rare.

 

[Jessica Booker]

Should I assume that for virtual vac schemes you don't get the usual corporate loot? Am running short on decent pens 😁

Try relying on career fair merch for 16 years... I had to buy pens and notepads for the first time in forever this winter.

 

[Daniel Boden]

Should I assume that for virtual vac schemes you don't get the usual corporate loot? Am running short on decent pens 😁

I can't speak for every firm obviously but Gibson Dunn sent us two boxes with loads of materials/stationary/ firm 'stash'/ office supplies you name it to all the vac scheme candidates which was a really nice touch I thought, so maybe you will get the "corporate loot"!

I also got sent two big crates of beer from my vac scheme supervisor but I think I was an exception...

 

[Penelope]

It's fairly easy to prove that Oxford only gives out a handful of grades over 70 to a given cohort whereas e.g. Liverpool gives out more 75s+. It's just how marking systems work! For example, Bristol will only give students a 68 (as a high 2.1) or a 72 (as a low First), but, as far as I know, exact 70s are simply not awarded. By contrast, The 'low' First at Oxford, LSE, UCL, etc will be a 70, and the 72 will a 'mid' or 'high' First. It's a small difference (2 marks!) but it should be acknowledged. This is all very much verifiable either way - FOI requests can be done, the results of many of them are public...

Fully agree with your point about Firsts. Some people seem surprised when they discover than the universities that give out >20% Firsts for their straight law courses are arguably the most prestigious ones (Cambridge, Oxford, LSE, UCL, KCL, Durham, Warwick). I still have that Excel file knocking about somewhere... might be worth attaching.

The people who are hard done by seem to be people at reputable unis that award a low % of Firsts (Bristol, Nottingham) and people who claim that they would've gotten a First had they only done an easier course or studied at what they claim is a less rigorous uni. But will the difference between a high 2.1 and low First be a serious enough handicap to be worth discussing? Probably for Slaughters and the likes of Davis Polk and Cleary, probably not for everyone else! (and Davis Polk and Cleary hire >50% of their intakes from Oxbridge)

I've only discussed this with one grad rec person other than you and their opinion was that, even if University A gives out 78s to its best performers and University B gives out 72s, both candidates have comfortably exceeded the threshold for academics and will be assessed on the rest of their app. Most firms simply do not seem to care about this kind of minute 'is my First better than yours' because academics ultimately aren't that big a part of one's application and a high First is overkill for most firms! It should be telling that the top sets at the commercial/chancery bar look equally towards prizes and scholarships because the First is simply not enough to tell top talent apart from each other.

Really interesting discussion!
Not sure where you heard this about Bristol, I’m a Bristol grad and definitely received a few exact 70s (and 69/71)

 

[LS12]

I can't speak for every firm obviously but Gibson Dunn sent us two boxes with loads of materials/stationary/ firm 'stash'/ office supplies you name it to all the vac scheme candidates which was a really nice touch I thought.

I also got sent two big crates of beer from my vac scheme supervisor but think I was an exception...

me noting down ‘Gibson Dunn’ as my top firm to apply for next cycle

 

[Daniel Boden]

me noting down ‘Gibson Dunn’ as my top firm to apply for next cycle

As reasons for applying go, the quality of the people who work there is a big big reason for me too which I'm sure is what you're getting at

 

[manchunited]

Does anyone have Ashurst AC advice? ☺️

 

[LS12]

As reasons for applying go, the quality of the people who work there is a big big reason for me too which I'm sure is what you're getting at

Yes - my application will read ‘I was impressed to hear from incoming trainee Daniel Boden that not only is the culture Beerilliant but the firm truly invests in their trainees, equipping them with skills, experience and stationary’

 

[Daniel Boden]

Yes - my application will read ‘I was impressed to hear from incoming trainee Daniel Biden that not only is the culture Beerilliant but the firm truly invests in their trainees, equipping them with skills, experience and stationary’

Hahaha these are the comments this thread and forum are made for - excellent work from you 😂😂😂

 

[whisperingrock]

Does anyone have Ashurst AC advice? ☺️

I'll DM you

 

[LS12]

Hahaha these are the comments this thread and forum are made for - excellent work from you 😂😂😂

Can I put this on my cv?🤣

 

[Celestie]

Ngl Gordon Ramsey scares me

 

[Matt_96]

Really interesting discussion!
Not sure where you heard this about Bristol, I’m a Bristol grad and definitely received a few exact 70s (and 69/71)

Really? What modules were these for? I am a Bristol law grad and everything I did was rounded up or down to their specified grade boundaries whether or not you wanted it.