TCLA Vacation Scheme Applications Discussion Thread 2025-26

[Harvey Specter]

😭 was it tough? I'm not sure how to prepare for it hahah - is it like cappfinity again...

To me your scores seem pretty good! Well done on high verbal and numerical!

It said on the link it’s an amberjack test but yeh it’s baso an SJT. It had some maths questions and some text passages you have to extract certain information from. Then there are 4 video response questions (I’m doing them sep over zoom as an adjustment so will see how that goes). Overall it wasn’t too bad but then idk how I’ve done so there’s that to consider.​

 

[elle woods]

It said on the link it’s an amberjack test but yeh it’s baso an SJT. It had some maths questions and some text passages you have to extract certain information from. Then there are 4 video response questions (I’m doing them sep over zoom as an adjustment so will see how that goes). Overall it wasn’t too bad but then idk how I’ve done so there’s that to consider.​

😮 ooh okay thank you!! All the best with the zoom call!! At this point I'm just dying to get everything over with haha, but I legit just submitted my Weil app so let's see if I even get the test 🤣

 

[Lawlawland]

😔 looking at the amount of greyed out tabs (rejections) I have is actually lowkey depressing, I don't have many chances left...

on the bright side this means I can keep bothering CC next year if no TC this year

Elle, girl, I honestly like your vibe. I think we should be friends and trauma bond this application cycle 😂

 

[elle woods]

Elle, girl, I honestly like your vibe. I think we should be friends and trauma bond this application cycle 😂

haha thank you, you as well! yes absolutely 😂 nothing brings people closer than trauma bonding

 

[Kaz919]

Has anyone heard from Gibson post first-stage interview? When do they usually reply for second-stage/rejections?

 

[Bbhu19]

😔 looking at the amount of greyed out tabs (rejections) I have is actually lowkey depressing, I don't have many chances left...

on the bright side this means I can keep bothering CC next year if no TC this year

Do you mean rejections in general or your top choices?

 

[elle woods]

Do you mean rejections in general or your top choices?

I’m not too sure what you mean? I only applied to my top choices 😂 so I guess Uhm rejections in general?

 

[abc124]

Just completely bombed the SJT for Weil, I hate Amberjack so much, I keep doing worse instead of improving 😂 Does anyone know if any firms that are still open happen to use Cappfinity 😭

 

[WillKitchen]

How long do you typically spend on applications?

Back in the Spring, I was aiming to complete an application in a single day. Focus and complete. But as time goes on, I am drawing it out and sleeping on things several times before finalising the draft.

In terms of actually writing the answers (excluding research), it takes about one or two hours a day for 3-5 days. Lots of proofreading and firm research alongside the editing process. Tweak, step away, think, and come back.

I recently completed the Debevoise application, which asks for nearly 2000 words across 7 questions. That took longer because it was unusually long.

 

[Lawyergyal123!]

last year i applied to bakers at got 6,6,6,3 (in digital mindset) and didnt get an AC but they acc gave me personalised feedback and said it was just that digital mindset where i fell off.

I have just done it again this year and ive got 7,4 (applied intellect), 9,9. I fell like the 4 in applied intellect will mean i now just fall off the bench mark cuz it seemed from the feedback last year the benchmark is a min of 6 in each trait. Anyone know anything on this 😭😭😭.

I know ill end up finding out soon so no reason to stress and theres nothing i can do now but im soooo annoyed like i waited a whole year improved what they want and for some reason it is saying i lack emotional intelligence which is just not the case!

 

[A worried paralegal]

Anyone that did DLA AC yesterday PM me

What office was that AC?

 

[A worried paralegal]

last year i applied to bakers at got 6,6,6,3 (in digital mindset) and didnt get an AC but they acc gave me personalised feedback and said it was just that digital mindset where i fell off.

I have just done it again this year and ive got 7,4 (applied intellect), 9,9. I fell like the 4 in applied intellect will mean i now just fall off the bench mark cuz it seemed from the feedback last year the benchmark is a min of 6 in each trait. Anyone know anything on this 😭😭😭.

I know ill end up finding out soon so no reason to stress and theres nothing i can do now but im soooo annoyed like i waited a whole year improved what they want and for some reason it is saying i lack emotional intelligence which is just not the case!

Is that benchmark of 6 the same for all firms?

 

[A worried paralegal]

Does Macfarlanes read your application before Stage 2 assessment?

I don't think so

 

[Harvey Specter]

How long do you typically spend on applications? Say a typical 3 x 200 words/ cover letter application form?

I have spent two days on one application qs, but I hear people submitting a lot more within a smaller time frame!

I fear giving too much energy on one application form which might get rejected post test or something

If it’s a short form with 2-3 x 250 word questions then probably 2-3 days. I just sent off my Akin app which had 6 x 250 word questions and that took me at least a week. In terms of hours, It’s at least anywhere between 8-20. Some people can finish apps faster others slower. Certain apps can be as fast as 1-2 hours if they only ask for work history, grades and personal info (e.g., Weil, Freshfields, Milbank and Hogan Lovells).​

 

[Bbhu19]

I’m not too sure what you mean? I only applied to my top choices 😂 so I guess Uhm rejections in general?

Ok that makes sense I would say choose firms similar to your top choices or that have similar questions, psychometric test and use it to practice to better prefer for next cycle

 

[Lawyergyal123!]

Is that benchmark of 6 the same for all firms?

the 6 was just what i interpreted from the feedback call but is not confirmed at all.

 

[DavidJC]

Has anyone particularly responded to Mayer Brown's extra question about "anything not covered elsewhere in this form that is relevant to your application"? I've been mulling over whether to put anything in there but I have at best one extra-curricular item that's really more of a hobby rather than a society or anything like that, and I doubt I would fill the 300 words available anyway, so wondering if I should just do a relatively brief description of what I did, what I gained, how it relates to being a trainee etc. Not to mention the fact that the Work Exp section is limited to 150 words instead of 250 like most of the other AllHires forms

 

[TortillaTC]

the 6 was just what i interpreted from the feedback call but is not confirmed at all.

To second this, what’s the usual approach to Amberjack scores? Is having a 25/36 the usual minimum and if that’s met, individual pillar scores aren’t that important, or some firms have minimum per each pillar?

 

[Shaky_Pete]

Hi, just out curiosity, what was your total score for the amberjack test?

25 / 36

What a load of nonsense it is!

 

[elle woods]

Ok that makes sense I would say choose firms similar to your top choices or that have similar questions, psychometric test and use it to practice to better prefer for next cycle

That is true! Thanks for the tip! Not sure what other firms are open with cappfinity testing tho :0 maybe BCLP? But lowkey a bit put off by the whole essay we need to write 🤣