Balancing applications and studies

[W5690]

Hello,

What are your tips for balancing your applications preparation and your studies effectively and reasonably? Both are time-consuming, which I completely understand, but I have found it challenging to make very good applications and get very good grades. My concern is to spend too much time on applications at the expenses of my studies and vice versa. There is so much uncertainty about applications. I am also wondering how many applications I 'should' make during a recruitment cycle without compromising my studies; I am fully aware of the fact that quality should be prioritised over quantity and the crucial importance of tailored and genuine applications.

@Jaysen @Amma Usman @Daniel Boden May I please ask whether you would be happy to share your thoughts on this?

Many thanks.

 

[Abbie Whitlock]

Hi!

This is a common challenge, and definitely something I struggled with last cycle as I was in my final year.

What helped me was treating my degree as the priority, and then fitting applications around it in a structured way. Strong grades are something that you carry with you long-term, whereas strong applications don't always lead to success (frustratingly!), so it is important not to let applications come at the expense of your academics. However, I found it useful to be quite intentional with applications rather than doing them reactively - for example, planning ahead and noting deadlines early, so that you are able to work consistently over a longer period of time (rather than cramming!). This means that you won't be trying to write multiple high-quality answers in the same week as deadlines or exams.

In terms of volume, you are absolutely right that quality often matters more than quantity. I do think it is quite individual to each person, but it is better to submit a smaller number of well-researched and tailored applications than a large number of rushed ones. The amount of applications that you are able to complete in a cycle will be unique to you (so try not to compare to others in the cycle), so I'd aim for what works best for you based on your capacity and other commitments.

Alongside that, I found it helpful to create a mini bank of answers and work experience entries, as this can make things more manageable. Of course, your application should be tailored, so I would never reuse the same "why this Firm" answer across firms as otherwise it won't be as strong. However, things such as "why commercial law" and your work experience entries will be relatively similar across all firms, so I found it useful to have this in one place.

I think it is also important to accept that the balance between the two won't be perfect every week. There will be periods where your studies need to take over, and others where applications take more focus - this is completely normal! The key is to ensure that you have an overall structure and routine to follow so that neither side consistently suffers and falls behind.

Overall, I think it is important to try to plan ahead as much as you can, and remember that it is a marathon rather than a sprint. Even setting aside an hour or so a day to write applications should be enough to ensure that you can get a good amount of high-quality applications in during the cycle, without your studies taking a hit!

Wishing you the best of luck - you've got this!