Jessica Booker
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Graduate Recruitment
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Forum Team
- Aug 1, 2019
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To stress a couple of points first.Hi Jessica!
I hope you’re well.
If possible, I would really appreciate if I could ask for your thoughts on my first year grades and my plans for the year ahead.
I had 2 mitigating circumstances in first year (one was relating to my health and another was due to the health of a family member).
My grades have been a mixed bunch - a high 2:1 for contract (68), a low 2:1 for property, and a 55 for constitutional law. I’m yet to receive my fourth module result which I expect to not be great.. perhaps another 55.
Overall, I’m on a low 2:1, not including the pending module which I’m feeling pretty hopeless about. Worst case scenario is that I end up with a 2:2.
What are your thoughts on plans to do some vac scheme applications in second year in either scenario? I would not focus on MC (just one maybe) and instead I’m leaning towards big UK firms, and perhaps international/US ones. Not sure if this is relevant but I’m from a RG, non oxbridge university.
I’m committed to working hard for the next few years (even though I did in first year to no avail!) so I am definitely striving to pick myself up academically.
Thank you! Really appreciate it.
The MC firms are not necessarily more selective than many U.K./US firms. In some cases, they are probably more open minded to applicants given how many they have to recruit - especially when compared to say a US firm that is likely to be recruiting less than 10% of the TC places a MC firm is.
Secondly, given the circumstances and the complexity of having two sets, you should aim to get a reference from your personal tutor at university to verify they knew about the circumstances and to vouch for your potential to perform to a higher level. This can be a very powerful way to mitigate your lower grades on an application and verify your extenuating circumstances.
I also stress that ill health in relatives needs to be fairly direct (eg parent/sibling/someone you live with) or one where you are responsible for their care.
You can apply now, but you may find that you have more success if you apply at the end of next year once you have grades that show your potential. You may want to put effort into really connecting with a select number of firms and building more of a connection with them to 1) see whether they would take onboard the mitigating circumstances and 2) to impress them enough for them to look past your grades/lack of clear grade potential. Being more selective will also allow you to focus on your academics too - which will be important. Getting your grades to a consistent 2.1 level has to be the priority.