TCLA Vacation Scheme Applications Discussion Thread 2021-22 (#1)

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Asil Ahmad

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  • Mar 29, 2020
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    Does anyone know if Travers Smith has a word count for the application questions about activities and interests and the question about the position of responsibility. Also if it does not have a word count how many words should I write for both questions.
     

    Rob93

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    Dec 29, 2020
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    Does anyone know if Travers Smith has a word count for the application questions about activities and interests and the question about the position of responsibility. Also if it does not have a word count how many words should I write for both questions.
    No word count for anything on TS app. My approach has been to pilfer what I wrote for similar questions on apps with 250/300 w/c and pad them out a little with some choice reflections on hard graft or playing well with others or whatever applies. Reckon anything 200-400 is fine, but past ~300 I'd be extra critical of whether every word counts (obviously this applies irrespective of length). Remember that the style in which you communicate your experiences is being assessed and brevity is the soul of wit etc.
     

    Rob93

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    What do people think the average amount of applications and ac’s people attend is?
    I don't think that's really quantifiable in a useful way. Average apps is probably like 10-20 per cycle, but I've done as few as 3 in my first cycle and have seen people do like 40 (built different). I know someone who did I think 3 - to the Magic Triangle PE firms - got 1 interview and nabbed the TC. That's probably an outlier but there's something to be said for intensity of focus.

    Conversion from app to AC alone is variable but anecdotally I'd say that like 2 progressions per 10 apps is a pretty impressive conversion rate - Jessica or other TCLA staff might have a more nuanced view on this. 1 or nil per 10 is, unfortunately (not least for me) quite common, but there will also be candidates with golden profiles and a winning application strategy that have much higher conversion rates so it's v hard to generalise
     

    Asil Ahmad

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    No word count for anything on TS app. My approach has been to pilfer what I wrote for similar questions on apps with 250/300 w/c and pad them out a little with some choice reflections on hard graft or playing well with others or whatever applies. Reckon anything 200-400 is fine, but past ~300 I'd be extra critical of whether every word counts (obviously this applies irrespective of length). Remember that the style in which you communicate your experiences is being assessed and brevity is the soul of wit etc.
    Thank you very much for this I was thinking 250 words for each question.
     
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    LEL

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    I don't think that's really quantifiable in a useful way. Average apps is probably like 10-20 per cycle, but I've done as few as 3 in my first cycle and have seen people do like 40 (built different). I know someone who did I think 3 - to the Magic Triangle PE firms - got 1 interview and nabbed the TC. That's probably an outlier but there's something to be said for intensity of focus.

    Conversion from app to AC alone is variable but anecdotally I'd say that like 2 progressions per 10 apps is a pretty impressive conversion rate - Jessica or other TCLA staff might have a more nuanced view on this. 1 or nil per 10 is, unfortunately (not least for me) quite common, but there will also be candidates with golden profiles and a winning application strategy that have much higher conversion rates so it's v hard to generalise
    Which are the Magic Triangle PE firms? First time hearing this term!
     
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    Rob93

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    Which are the Magic Triangle PE firms? First time hearing this term!
    That's cause I made it up just now, but - Latham, Kirkland, Weil

    Ofc there are other outfits both UK and American with serious PE offerings but those three have a particular stature at the top of the market for corporate PE work (cf. ex. Travers which dominates mid market, Ropes where biotech/biopharm sector focus looms large, Fried Frank which is more fund-side)
     

    YJ

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    Jan 16, 2021
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    What do people think the average amount of applications and ac’s people attend is?
    This is my first cycle, I have only applied to 4, so far I have heard back from two (AC) and one of these AC has been successful! Still waiting to hear back from the other two post-app. I decided early on to focus on a few firms, ones that I have had a lot of interaction with and can spend a couple weeks on each app, rather than just racing through lots of applications in a few days that end up being quite generic. It is all preference though, I am a slow worker in general but it is all about finding the line between quality and quantity.
     

    Plato

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    Dec 17, 2021
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    I think it means magic circle law firms but I might be wrong here.
    I don't think that's really quantifiable in a useful way. Average apps is probably like 10-20 per cycle, but I've done as few as 3 in my first cycle and have seen people do like 40 (built different). I know someone who did I think 3 - to the Magic Triangle PE firms - got 1 interview and nabbed the TC. That's probably an outlier but there's something to be said for intensity of focus.

    Conversion from app to AC alone is variable but anecdotally I'd say that like 2 progressions per 10 apps is a pretty impressive conversion rate - Jessica or other TCLA staff might have a more nuanced view on this. 1 or nil per 10 is, unfortunately (not least for me) quite common, but there will also be candidates with golden profiles and a winning application strategy that have much higher conversion rates so it's v hard to generalise
    wow, that's super interesting. Quite disheartening, also.
     
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    Miki3999

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  • Jun 2, 2019
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    wow, that's super interesting. Quite disheartening, also.
    I do 8 apps max (because I want to have some life as well) and sometimes I get 6 progressions and sometimes I get zero. I remember in my first cycle I sent an app to SM (my first app ever) and got to the AC, I thought at that time that I was the God's kid, but well, I wasn't :D. What I find v v good is that some firms ditched the dull written app questions and now rely on CAPP coupled with VIs, which I think are much more personal, less dull, and give you more chances to show how good you are. Anyone can research the firm, but not everyone can answer questions about the firm under pressure.
     

    thirdtimelucky

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  • Nov 12, 2019
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    wow, that's super interesting. Quite disheartening, also.
    In my first round I applied to 5 firms, progressed to 1 AC and 1 VI. Last year, I applied to 10 firms and only got to VI at one firm. This year I‘ve applied to 16 firms and have an AC invite and a VI and I’m waiting on 8 firms post app. It really just depends on how much time you have, your confidence in yourself (it’s made it so much easier to sell myself) and sheer luck!
     
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