How important are extracurriculars?

[polarkoordinate7]

Hi everyone!
As most deadlines are in December or January and most firms recruit on a rolling basis, I have heard I should not leave my application until the last minute. I am a second year non law student.

However, at the moment my only extracurriculars are one sport, and I am a volunteer peer supporter. O I am currently waiting to hear back from pro bono volunteering and a part-time research internship I have applied for.

Otherwise, I think my CV looks good – I have attended a few open days, Barclays Legal Experience Week by Aspiring Solicitors. I was on a society committee last year, but I didn't really do anything impressive there. My work experience includes an internship over summer and customer-facing part-time jobs. I also speak 4 languages.

I was wondering if you would advise me to 1) apply now or 2) wait until I hear back from the pro bono/research internship I have applied for before applying, so that I can put that down on my application form and on my CV.

thanks in advance

 

[Abstruser]

I think you should apply ASAP!

I wouldn't say extracurriculars are super important in and of themselves. Its important to have solid experiences which demonstrate your interest in commercial law, which might come from work experience or extracurriculars (or both), depending on each person. It's a plus point to show that you're an all-rounder, but not absolutely essential IMO, and definitely not important enough to merit putting off an application! In any event you do seem to already have quite a well-rounded profile - sitting as a committee member, working part-time at uni and speaking 4 languages (!) is already quite impressive.

You seem to have a pretty solid CV and enough experiences to demonstrate an interest in commercial law, so I wouldn't wait to hear back from the pro bono/research positions, especially as they aren't immediately relevant to commercial law anyway.

So again - I think you should apply now, rather than wait.

All the best!

 

[polarkoordinate7]

I think you should apply ASAP!

I wouldn't say extracurriculars are super important in and of themselves. Its important to have solid experiences which demonstrate your interest in commercial law, which might come from work experience or extracurriculars (or both), depending on each person. It's a plus point to show that you're an all-rounder, but not absolutely essential IMO, and definitely not important enough to merit putting off an application! In any event you do seem to already have quite a well-rounded profile - sitting as a committee member, working part-time at uni and speaking 4 languages (!) is already quite impressive.

You seem to have a pretty solid CV and enough experiences to demonstrate an interest in commercial law, so I wouldn't wait to hear back from the pro bono/research positions, especially as they aren't immediately relevant to commercial law anyway.

So again - I think you should apply now, rather than wait.

All the best!

Thanks for your input I was just unsure cause the application form asks for 300 words on extra-curriculars and positions of responsibility and I feel like I don't really have much to say right now, and my part-time job was during Sixth form and not during uni

 

[Jessica Booker]

Extra curriculars are not just about what you are doing now. It’s also what you have done in the past.

Less weight will be put on them if you are keeping busy through other means (part time work/family responsibilities).

Sounds like you have more than enough though