TCLA Vacation Scheme Applications Discussion Thread 2025-26

[Harvey Specter - Presiding Partner]

The competitiveness here is by meant the grades recruitment too, you can't really compare each firm's difficulty level, unless they've publicly disclosed the acceptance rate, strict grades req, etc. I've seen that how the competition is getting fierce, firms hiked their salaries year by year to attract topdogs. Of course from view holistic approach, you can't really compare your GF with him if you only assumed from grades as the sole indicator, and if that means to your GF, DEI play part for her too to achieve gender equality, etc.

I got full rides (fellowship) and by no meant I'm not competitive, yes it was mediocre when I was a sophomore/penultimate bcs I had no work exp, that would be mediocre to apply for a grad job/selective internship. Sorry if my wording sounds too harsh as Ikr y'all in a state of vulnerable and distressed emotion. I've been through all that as I am a recent grad with a similar situation as yours now 😊🙄

Honestly lad it’s clear you’ve got a certain view on this subject and others have a diff view so we should all agree to disagree. Let’s not start riots on the forum and keep it civil. People aren’t in a ‘state of vulnerability and distress’ for expressing a view that differs to yours. It doesn’t cost much to be kind and empathetic.​

 

[Marble_Moth]

Hi guys, for the AG online assessment can anyone confirm if it is the same as it has been for previous years? ie similar to the TW online assessment? Thank you

 

[User2640]

Does anyone have any insights on Milbank's first stage assessment? Does it have any VI components, or is it purely SJT? Tysm

No VI components

 

[ChambersLoading]

Hi guys, if anyone has insights into the Milbank VI, please pm me! Happy to share insights on White & Case (VI & AC), Weil (VI), Freshfields (VI), Reed Smith (SJT & VI), and Gibson Dunn interviews☺️

 

[yk1906]

Hi guys, if anyone has insights into the Milbank VI, please pm me! Happy to share insights on White & Case (VI & AC), Weil (VI), Freshfields (VI), Reed Smith (SJT & VI), and Gibson Dunn interviews☺️

Milbank VI post stage 2? I thought the next stage is AC

 

[floral.tcla]

Joining the Weil amberjack hypetrain - I got 6,4,9,7 and waiting to hear back 🫡

 

[Disgruntled SQE Student]

Just want to contribute to the ongoing disagreement. Mitigating circumstances can often be real evidence as to a candidates overall potential, and can evidence that they are capable of more than they achieved. Academics are an incredibly poor metric of success in the legal world. Law firms use academic results as a filter because it can broadly be representative, increasingly those that have stricter academic requirements use it because they need to find a way to cope with the number of applicants. 2:1 across the board is harsh yes, but GR are very aware that a single 2:2 in your first year is very different to graduating with a high 2:1.

To say that low(er) paying firms attract a different standard of candidate would be categorically untrue. The legal industry generally is very competitive, and high quality candidates can be found everywhere thanks to everyones very different aspirations. Furthermore, a fellow applicant telling you whether your application is competitive or not comes with a hefty grain of salt. No one, aside from GR and those experienced in legal recruiting, can actually tell you if you truly are a competitive applicant or not because it is weighed against the pool of other applicants. Not meeting a strict grade requirement (stricter than is industry standard) categorically does not extinguish you from success at other firms.

Owing someones lack of success to their "lack of DEI or mitigating circumstances" is a great way to pigeon hole yourself into hating the system and not focusing on how you can improve your own standing as an applicant. Especially if your advice is "don't apply because you don't have XYZ". It reduces fellow applicants down to try and make yourself feel better. If you yourself don't feel confident in your application because you have a conceited and "world is against me" mentality does not mean you should push that onto other people. We have no idea the circumstances, challenges and adversity faced by anyone else and pushing a negative mentality doesn't help anyone.

 

[e_turbo2]

Weil PFO 🤪 (done test on Saturday)
Dechert WE invite! (spring)

 

[EfficientBag123]

Joining the Weil amberjack hypetrain - I got 6,4,9,7 and waiting to hear back 🫡

That should be sweet. I progressed to VI for bakers with 6,6,7,3😂. Best of luck

 

[EfficientBag123]

Weil PFO 🤪 (done test on Saturday)
Dechert WE invite! (spring)

Congrats! What’s WE stand for?

 

[radssss]

NGL sorry if this sounds brutal, but firms which pay lower obv won't attract calibre candidates (including stellar grades), unless you have undeniable mitigating circumstances that you can't hinder, eg, you went coma at Hospital ICU, etc. Also, if you aren't part of DEI, your chances are low. If I were you, I'd be realistic not apply to competitive firms like HSFK, though many firms mentioned they'll consider mediocre grades, oftentimes you'll be competing with highly skilled candidates. I don't mean it's impossible, but you must be super lucky if you ended up get it. In the end, you should utilise extra last minute time to build your profile esp if you're still a student, WYATB!

Whilst, I really appreciate your advice on my chances of making it for HSF AC from your personal experience, I do not appreciate you saying not to apply to any competitive firms not only because I feel that’s unfair to me but unfair to a lot of candidates who have been applying since many cycles and one message like this can dishearten a lot of them . A candidate is not “lucky” if they make it with average grades but it takes a lot of hard work, part time roles, work experience, street smartness, etc and maybe 10% luck to get a vac scheme or tc. I say this because that is how I got my legal work experience year at a top silver circle firm.
Whilst, DEI is very important and should be considered (I am a female, ethnic minority) I do not think if a candidate doesn’t fall into the DEI bracket with average grades will have low chances.
I am building my profile every minute and getting work experience everyday as a recent graduate

Just to add to this, I have made it to MacFarlanes stage 2, fresh fields stage 2, Latham stage 2, eversheds Vi, kennedys test, Bclp ac (last year) with these same grades so don’t give up hope . I wrote this message about HSF because I was very stressed and tired of this process like everyone else and wanted some info if someone has had grades like me and still progressed

Edit - thank you everyone for your kind messages, I love this community❤️

 

[BobThebIlly]

I just completed a VI and now I wanna jump off a bridge. I tried to throw in some giggles in between cause I was crying internally 😭

this is so relatable it couldve been written by me

 

[Deleted member 43292]

friend got HSF AC today 🎉

 

[Maria56]

friend got HSF AC today 🎉
(I'm still salty at HSF Kramer)

Is that for spring or summer?

 

[ChambersLoading]

Milbank VI post stage 2? I thought the next stage is AC

Wait im so confused I just did Stage 1 and I thought there is a VI in Stage 2? Is there not...? When is the VI then?😭

 

[yk1906]

Wait im so confused I just did Stage 1 and I thought there is a VI in Stage 2? Is there not...? When is the VI then?😭

Congrats on stage 2! It’s a WG (I’ve done it so I know), I’m pretty sure there’s no VI afterwards. Next stage would be an AC

 

[applicant457]

friend got HSF AC today 🎉
(I'm still salty at HSF Kramer)

Congrats to them! hopefully that means that many people that haven't heard yet will get ACs! They've sent out so many PFOs already surely no news is good news until now?

 

[Disgruntled SQE Student]

Whilst, I really appreciate your advice on my chances of making it for HSF AC from your personal experience, I do not appreciate you saying not to apply to any competitive firms not only because I feel that’s unfair to me but unfair to a lot of candidates who have been applying since many cycles and one message like this can dishearten a lot of them . A candidate is not “lucky” if they make it with average grades but it takes a lot of hard work, part time roles, work experience, street smartness, etc and maybe 10% luck to get a vac scheme or tc. I say this because that is how I got my legal work experience year at a top silver circle firm.
Whilst, DEI is very important and should be considered (I am a female, ethnic minority) I do not think if a candidate doesn’t fall into the DEI bracket with average grades will have low chances.
I am building my profile every minute and getting work experience everyday as a recent graduate

Just to add to this, I have made it to MacFarlanes stage 2, fresh fields stage 2, Latham stage 2, eversheds Vi, kennedys test, Bclp ac (last year) with these same grades so don’t give up hope . I wrote this message about HSF because I was very stressed and tired of this process like everyone else and wanted some info if someone has had grades like me and still progressed

You're exactly right. I applied to HSFK for the third time now with mit circumstances and a couple 2:2. Equally I have quite a bit of experience in the DR space, I'd dare say quite a bit more targeted experience than most applicants. Does that mean I won't be successful, absolutely not. Is my candidate profile diminished because I underperformed previously, don't fall into any DEI categories and aren't "filling a equality quota", no! Making it to AC is much more of a luck thing than people realise. Don't be disheartened by what you think is a firm making a character judgment of you. We have no idea why we are unsuccessful, we can only work on bolstering our applicant profile and improving on metrics we think are important. There is no set recipe for success.

Don't take this persons rainy cloud mentality to heart. You are in the race until you either cross the finish line or you give up.

 

[Deleted member 43292]

Is that for spring or summer?

I'm actually not sure sorry! But they are a BA so maybe they get first notice or smth

 

[e_turbo2]

Congrats on the Dechert written exercise!!! Can I ask when did you submit your app to them?​

3rd sept