2020-21 Vacation Scheme Applications Discussion

[tk166]

Wow I've just caught up with this and gone on a whole journey from university debates to Gordon Ramsay memes, I love this forum 🤩

Regarding the RG vs Non-RG universities debate, I was just wondering whether GR typically take subjects into account (beyond the law vs non-law level) as well? I ask because my particular course was so subjective that the highest mark lecturers gave out is 78. This was in a stepped marking system where you could only obtain marks such as 62, 65, 68, and so on. I remember being exasperated at university when seeing friends on courses like maths score consistent 80+ marks, due to the definite answers!

Secondly, again from a non-law perspective, my university did not allow non-law students to join the law society. This meant that, although it was a RG university and there were these opportunities on campus, they were much harder to access and be aware of if you were non-law. For me, that lack of access definitely delayed my decision to pursue law.

To add a different perspective, at Cambridge majority of STEM subjects but not humanities are graded on a curve, and that curve can be incredibly harsh with the bottom 10% of the year group being forced to get a third, and only top 15% get a first/following 35% getting a 2.1, this means that around half of the year group gets a 2.2 or a 3rd which I always found unfair since many humanities have their lowest ranked student get a 2.1/high 2.2.

I also would like to note that GR aren’t stupid, and they know that there are huge disparities among universities/courses so truly I don’t think academics are all that important in the final decision, and definitely not as important as work experience and written answers from my impression of the application process as I have gotten a 55 in a module and have progressed past the application stage multiple times.

 

[S87]

My two cents on the Uni saga and some people not so very nice posts.

This is a friendly, understanding and supportive forum. We rely on each other because we are in the same s@@t and we cheer for those who make it! Stop and end of the discussion!

I do not know how it works in this country because I studied in Europe, however my GDL and LPC did not go very well! I struggled with my English and I had an undiagnosed dyslexia. I was heartbroken when last year my doctor told me to my face, you must be a hell hard working young lady because your dyslexia is bad! I have 4A* levels and first class degree in my country but not in the UK so I have to suck it up!

Suck it up does not mean to give up: I am a good paralegal, I made it to the finals of the AS CAC2021, I have been working on my legal start-up, I have lost 32 kgs over the last 4 years. Be strategic and improve your CV because we are going to make it!

 

[S87]

I don't like to be that guy but for the people that were invited to complete the case study for Mishcon,when did you apply and receive/ do the VI?

Mishcon is like my last hope at this point, I've been rejected by the majority of firms and really am not holding out much hope for the two I haven't heard from 😖

I was rejected a couple of weeks ago. I hope you get better news

 

[layk]

Stephenson Harwood PFO :/

 

[Gracey94]

Mayer Brown rejection

 

[tkhkat]

I was able to book my slot in fine, is nothing showing when you click on the interview tab on the portal?
Maybe contact Ashurst GR to help you out.

Yes, nothing shows up when I click on the interview tab on the portal and it says that I don't have any interview invites. I will email them to ask, thank you so much! May I know what range of dates appeared on the interview portal when you selected your interview time slots? 😀

 

[tkhkat]

Drop them a friendly email, Nicola usually replies really fast and it’s definitely important for you to get it sorted on the server-side!

Thank you for the advice! Yes, I've emailed Ashurst's GR email. In the event that they don't respond by today, should I try to contact Nicola directly? I don't have her email, but I hope that they will respond soon nonetheless! 😀

 

[Legalregal]

I think oxbridge students work much harder and their assessments are marked against a higher standard of peers so getting higher marks is harder. Studying from a RG we did a handful of essays a semester compared with oxbridge weekly essays which is insane

Some more anecdotal evidence: my brother got a low 2:1 from oxford and took him years to get a training contract with firms citing his low 2:1 as a reason so he had to gain years of work experience to make up for it. I got a first from a much worse uni and have got a few ACs and interviews in my first cycle. Seems unfair as he is much smarter than me with a great record all the way back to gcse unlike me. So it seem like marks are more important to an extent. Maybe 65 oxbridge = 70+ RG/nonRG. Speculation ofc

 

[Samantha]

I was rejected a couple of weeks ago. I hope you get better news

Was this after the vi

 

[S87]

Was this after the vi

i wish..no mate PFO at the app stage! sweet and direct just the way I like it!

 

[Samantha]

I don't like to be that guy but for the people that were invited to complete the case study for Mishcon,when did you apply and receive/ do the VI?

Mishcon is like my last hope at this point, I've been rejected by the majority of firms and really am not holding out much hope for the two I haven't heard from 😖

I don’t think anyone has been rejected post vi but if it’s makes you feel better I did the VI in mid December and have not heard back either

 

[Jooooopp7]

Mayer brown rejection after tests - they said I didn't pass the testing stage but I got two above averages and the rest average scores? were they expecting more above averages? or potentially my mix of strengths was not what they were looking for? (resilience, collaboration, social adaptability) - I don't know if anyone would be willing to share their experiences to see where I went wrong!

 

[Lily721]

Mayer brown rejection after tests - they said I didn't pass the testing stage but I got two above averages and the rest average scores? were they expecting more above averages? or potentially my mix of strengths was not what they were looking for? (resilience, collaboration, social adaptability) - I don't know if anyone would be willing to share their experiences to see where I went wrong!

I think they consider you results in conjunction with your application. So even if you get all above average, if they are not completely happy with your application, you might not be progressed.

 

[cmaj]

Was a law society through the Students' Union? If so, they can't prevent you joining. I'm a non-law student and joined my law society, the faculty kicked off and wouldn't let me, but if it's an SU society then the faculty have no say in it. I ended up on the committee too. I was also a campus ambassador because, even though they stated they wanted a law students, I applied anyway and explained my motivations for choosing my degree over a law degree to pursue a career in law and they liked me.

You are so brave!!!!! Pretty sure it was through the faculty and that's how it was allowed. Part of the opposition's argument for keeping non-law students out was that additional funding could be sourced from alumni, rather than new members. Either way, I don't think I would've been confident enough to force my way into somewhere where I didn't wasn't wanted so I just waited until post-university to learn more about the law.

 

[Ricky]

Mayer brown rejection after tests - they said I didn't pass the testing stage but I got two above averages and the rest average scores? were they expecting more above averages? or potentially my mix of strengths was not what they were looking for? (resilience, collaboration, social adaptability) - I don't know if anyone would be willing to share their experiences to see where I went wrong!

I got 4 average and one below average so I guess it would have been the SST part of the test.

 

[LegalNim]

You are so brave!!!!! Pretty sure it was through the faculty and that's how it was allowed. Part of the opposition's argument for keeping non-law students out was that additional funding could be sourced from alumni, rather than new members. Either way, I don't think I would've been confident enough to force my way into somewhere where I didn't wasn't wanted so I just waited until post-university to learn more about the law.

I wouldn't say "brave", just stubborn. I don't take no for an answer to be honest. And, I wasn't unwanted, the other students liked me and we got on well, they elected me to the committee. Quite frankly, the Head of the Faculty was new and no one knew him when he started saying I wasn't allowed in - people largely just ignored him and it made him look like a petty bully.
I can't really see why alumni would withhold funding just because they allow non-law students in? Seems like a strange logic.

 

[E.A]

Mayer brown rejection after tests - they said I didn't pass the testing stage but I got two above averages and the rest average scores? were they expecting more above averages? or potentially my mix of strengths was not what they were looking for? (resilience, collaboration, social adaptability) - I don't know if anyone would be willing to share their experiences to see where I went wrong!

this is a little strange - I have passed to AC with having below average... not sure how they review the test results tbh

 

[E.A]

on the Mayer Brown note, many waiting to hear back post telephone interview? Aware they have started the ACs

 

[MzM]

Anyone else still waiting for Morgan Lewis post phone interview? Have a weird feeling emails might be coming today?

 

[Imababysolicitor]

on the Mayer Brown note, many waiting to hear back post telephone interview? Aware they have started the ACs

I still am waiting!