This is definitely a tendency at firms like Skadden or to some extent, maybe even all firms. Sometimes application answers don’t get much attention or their flaws are overlooked because a candidate is so impressive that grad rec just doesn’t care (tbf I wouldn’t care about your alternative career choice if you graduated top of your cohort in Cambridge law either…) - but based on my personal experience, this is not the rule and tailoring answers still matters a lot in general. I’ve gone through a whole cycle of applying to 30+ firms with untailored, generic answers and barely progressed post application stage, while this year I have a strategy, understand how firms are different, submit extremely tailored application, and already see success.
This said, firms are soo random sometimes, I’ve made it to interview with SC and US firms with applications that were retrospectively, mid at best, probably cause the person reading mine saw something that other firms didn’t. Or that specific firm was looking for my kind of profile more than other firms. Or it was pure luck. The point is we can never know for sure but as long as you try your best and put in the effort you know you have to, and you have a clear strategy and idea of where you want to work, you’ll succeed! (Provided that you meet minimum academic criteria)
