I am planning to apply to NRF again for SVS, as I was rejected for WVS post VI. Is it ok to use the same cover letter again or should it be changed? Not much has changed in terms of my motivations since I last applied!
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TCLA Vacation Scheme Applications Discussion Thread 2025-26
- Thread starter Ram Sabaratnam
- Start date
'Which other firms have you applied to?'
How honest should you be in answering this question, esp if youve applied to a range of firms - PE-focused US firms, full-service silver circle firms, etc. etc.if the firm that you subsequently accept a tc from finds out that you had applied to places which you did not disclose when answering this question at interviews, would that be a problem? thx.
Hi I personally never disclosed the full list but usually mentionned firms who had similarities. This was not a problem to obtain a VS (they never asked again) so I don't think it would be an issue for a TC either.
I was rejected by other firms having got higher so I’m guessing I haven’t met the benchmark
I imagine that in cases where it’s SJT + VI, the VI carries more weight in determining the outcome of an application (unless the SJT scores are quite low, which these are not)
hi! does anyone have any tips on scenario based interviews and how to make sure you hit all key points and stand out in your answers - also on how to best prep for these! thank you so much !!!
mate i got 6/4/6/6 youre genuinely chilling - don't know many people who get above 24 anyway
I second this! Would love any insight. Also i know they want us to have the cameras on during the assessment, should we also not have anything on our screens?
Hey!
I would say that it's probably a good idea to try and revise elements of your cover letter, even if it was successful the first time round! The NRF website states: "If you reapply, we strongly advise rewriting your application."
Of course, your main motivations won't have changed since you last applied but try and see if you can include some more updated examples, both from your own experiences, and recent updates at the firm. There's no need to necessarily rewrite the whole cover letter, but I would take the time to go through it and see where you can refine elements or expand.
I hope that helps, and best of luck with the application!
Hello!
I think there are two ways of approaching this, and it'll depend on whether you have applied for similar firms or a wide range of firms. I would definitely be honest about the firms you have applied for! The most important part to this answer is that you can explain your approach to the application process, and what has driven you to apply to the firms you have mentioned. For instance, in my last cycle, I completed vacation schemes at a private client firm, a maritime-heavy firm, and a finance focused firm - however, I could explain my reasoning for my decisions in applying to these firms and why they were varied.
If you have applied to a variety of different firms, this is totally fine as long as you can explain your reasoning for doing this - such as wanting to try different areas of law so that you can find what interests you the most and where you perform the best. Similarly, if you are stating that you have applied to firms that are similar, it's important that you explain why you are interested in the common areas and where that motivation has come from.
In relation to your last point, I can't imagine that would be a problem as it is unlikely that they would find out (unless you received a TC offer from the other firm) and there are data protection laws in place that would prevent that information being discussed.
I hope that helps!
Hey!
I would try to remain positive - I have scored lower than this in a few SJTs/VIs and still been progressed! In fact, I scored 6766 in the SJT for the firm I eventually secured my TC with, so I wouldn't automatically assume a rejection
Thanks so much. I appreciate it can seem a little short sighted but this firm had zero questions this year so the first instance they had a chance to discriminate between candidates properly was in the SJT, hence my worries that I won’t have a tailored answer to help me either. But this has reassured me lots!Hey!
I would try to remain positive - I have scored lower than this in a few SJTs/VIs and still been progressed! In fact, I scored 6766 in the SJT for the firm I eventually secured my TC with, so I wouldn't automatically assume a rejection
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