TCLA Vacation Scheme Applications Discussion Thread 2025-26

[Vakil]

NO 😭😭

Will it have the numerical sections?!

 

[Sharkfin]

Will it have the numerical sections?!

Email said to have a calculator on hand so most likely :////

 

[Chelsea101]

For someone who cooked the vi beyond belief, very surprised to get mishcon sjt lol

 

[c.t.tc]

For someone who cooked the vi beyond belief, very surprised to get mishcon sjt lol

Me too I can't even remember what I said

 

[BealMcAlly]

MDR AMBERJACK INVITE I AM IN SHOCK.

That VI at the end, i completely glitched that I wrote myself off

 

[Lawlawland]

I'd really love some advice on how to navigate this process. This is my first cycle and I have no idea what to expect. HSF was my dream firm, I attended an open day and I felt like it was my strongest application so now i'm anticipating all round defeat. Their feedback being based on academic achievement and extracurricular performance hit me pretty hard. As I mentioned, I got a first in my first year law exams at Oxford. I interned with a major charity as a legal intern for 6 weeks, I also did a week in house. Throughout college I worked in hospitality. I volunteer for a legal clinic working with asylum seekers and I recently reached the semi-finals of a national moot, competing against students who had completed the bar course. I'm part of the drama society and i'm welfare officer for another club. I'm not from your typical oxford background, far from it. My mum didn't get any GCSEs and raised me alone. i'm super worried about not getting a graduate job as I won't have any support financially after I graduate and I really want to make money so I can move my mum out of social housing. I know the world doesn't owe me anything and this isn't supposed to be a sob story, but it's so hard feeling like this will be impossible and I feel like there's a lot of pressure on me!!! How many rejections should I expect without getting worried. I've done 11 applications... should i do more?

Hi Madison,
Brave of you share this, and I'm pretty sure most of the people here, including me, can resonate a lot with it.

We're all "high achievers" in textbook. Globally ranked University? Straight As? Triple Distinctions? Law? STEM? MBA? Government recognition for volunteering? Leadership roles in uni? You name it, we have it all... But why aren't we getting through the stringent application process?

I've beaten myself up for all of it so much. But then one day I realised... They aren't looking for a reason to choose you. They're looking for a reason TO NOT CHOOSE YOU. And the best thing you could do for yourself is to not let that determine your self worth. You've been all the amazing things that you are. But remember, you can be a right person at a wrong place. The rejection speaks less about your "qualification" or "worthiness" and says a lot about the firm's suitability for you.

I understand it's frustrating to not know what life holds for you down the line, especially when we're not financially loaded and all we have is our academic excellence and skillset, which is put to question when such rejections come through. I see you, I'm on the same terrain with you. But I want to tell you what I tell myself (and fail most times). Please be kind to yourself. You'll get through this, you've always been and you shall again!

As cliche as it sounds, rejection is redirections. Keep your hope alive. There ll always be a silver lining in things happen to you, which you may not realise until years later when the realisation comes through.

Sending you strength, warmth and courage! You'll be fine ♥️

 

[c.t.tc]

Actually diabolical that the MDR test has to be done between now and new year's

 

[Vakil]

I kind of feel if any of us get through to VS, we should be paid extra by Mishcon for being their test dummies

 

[Madison Pinewall]

Hi Madison,
Brave of you share this, and I'm pretty sure most of the people here, including me, can resonate a lot with it.

We're all "high achievers" in textbook. Globally ranked University? Straight As? Triple Distinctions? Law? STEM? MBA? Government recognition for volunteering? Leadership roles in uni? You name it, we have it all... But why aren't we getting through the stringent application process?

I've beaten myself up for all of it so much. But then one day I realised... They aren't looking for a reason to choose you. They're looking for a reason TO NOT CHOOSE YOU. And the best thing you could do for yourself is to not let that determine your self worth. You've been all the amazing things that you are. But remember, you can be a right person at a wrong place. The rejection speaks less about your "qualification" or "worthiness" and says a lot about the firm's suitability for you.

I understand it's frustrating to not know what life holds for you down the line, especially when we're not financially loaded and all we have is our academic excellence and skillset, which is put to question when such rejections come through. I see you, I'm on the same terrain with you. But I want to tell you what I tell myself (and fail most times). Please be kind to yourself. You'll get through this, you've always been and you shall again!

As cliche as it sounds, rejection is redirections. Keep your hope alive. There ll always be a silver lining in things happen to you, which you may not realise until years later when the realisation comes through.

Sending you strength, warmth and courage! You'll be fine ♥️

Thanks so much!! I think maybe if I accept the fact this process might take a few years maybe it'll be easier. I'm not sure what I could do in those years but i'm sure there must be more than what i'm imagining (going back to hospitality ?..)

Good luck this year!! I hope everything looks up for you too, it's nice to feel less alone!

 

[abc124]

Will it have the numerical sections?!

I think so 😭 I just scored a 1/9 in weil’s amberjack so I’m not ready to face it again 😭 I wonder if there’ll be a vi element again…

 

[yk1906]

Thanks so much!! I think maybe if I accept the fact this process might take a few years maybe it'll be easier. I'm not sure what I could do in those years but i'm sure there must be more than what i'm imagining (going back to hospitality ?..)

Good luck this year!! I hope everything looks up for you too, it's nice to feel less alone!

Consider sending out apps for banking/consulting roles just in case!

 

[user55998384]

I had a couple of 2.2's and I still made it to AC with them last year. So don't stress!! It's the overall quality of the application that matters

amazing thank you so much!!

 

[SamiyaJ]

So I was a guinea pig… made to suffer?! I better get brownie points aka SJT invite for doing it yesterday and providing honest feedback 😂

Mishcon brownie points received 😏😂

 

[LawAspirer]

mishcon SJT, happy bout it but I’m wondering if it wouldve been more efficient to give everyone an SJT first and then do the chatbot. Like this it feels like we’re test dummies and the SJT is THE filtering option

 

[AMullin]

Just got the Mishcon SJT invite as well and I BOMBED the VI part of the Chatbot thing.

I wonder if they have realised it wasn't a great assessment and invited everyone to do the SJT as well...? 🤔

 

[Madison Pinewall]

mishcon SJT, happy bout it but I’m wondering if it wouldve been more efficient to give everyone an SJT first and then do the chatbot. Like this it feels like we’re test dummies and the SJT is THE filtering option

in fairness i haven't had a test invite so i think they must have filtered with step 1 to an extent !

 

[jamieclarke]

Mishcon SJT invite for Spring

 

[manifestingthetc]

YAY i passed mishcon, onto the next stage!

 

[safari3]

Mishcon stating that outcomes following SJT will be announced in late January ughhhhh but happy to progress regardless

 

[SNA99]

Just completed the VI for Eversheds 😬 Not sure how I feel about how it went - is it usual to not get more than 1 chance at recording for other VI's people have done? Dreading waiting 4 weeks to hear how I did. Not sure if it's a good or bad thing that you can't rewatch your answers 😭.