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TCLA Vacation Scheme Applications Discussion Thread 2025-26
- Thread starter Ram Sabaratnam
- Start date
Hi! I have been kinda MIA on here recently (taking a break because I am so burnt out) but I wanted to respond to this because I completely get how you feel!Any pfos today from HSF? I got the pass email on 3 December. Hopefully no news is good news?
I have a 2:1 overall with a couple of 2:2 modules as well (with mitigating circumstances) so I’m worried but I had a scholarship at university for my degree (top Russell group) and one year of legal experience (silver circle firm) so I don’t know what to expect and it’s my dream firm.
Also, please can someone suggest me a few firms that are happy with a 2:1 overall and good work experience, are not too strict with grades?
With competition getting steeper, it's reasonable to worry whether you are good enough. But I want to reassure you that you have a competitive profile, and many firms will take a holistic assessment of your application and will certainly consider the mitigating circumstances!
Furthermore, your year of legal experience is actually a huge bonus! I have heard that with competition being so high, firms are valuing real experience (which is a bit ironic as it's so hard to get in the first place lol) so the fact you have some is amazing, especially in a commercial setting (makes life easier for them when they come to train you)!
I definitely wouldn't count yourself out, although I understand that this process is so draining and disheartening. Good luck with your applications!
Honestly, at the end of the day, no one really knows why anyone gets rejected at any stage except for the specific person/people who make the final decision to reject at that stage i.e. Grad Rec/Partners depending on the stage (as far as I'm aware)
I just completed a VI and now I wanna jump off a bridge. I tried to throw in some giggles in between cause I was crying internally 😭
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Honestly lad it’s clear you’ve got a certain view on this subject and others have a diff view so we should all agree to disagree. Let’s not start riots on the forum and keep it civil. People aren’t in a ‘state of vulnerability and distress’ for expressing a view that differs to yours. It doesn’t cost much to be kind and empathetic.
No VI componentsDoes anyone have any insights on Milbank's first stage assessment? Does it have any VI components, or is it purely SJT? Tysm
Hi guys, if anyone has insights into the Milbank VI, please pm me! Happy to share insights on White & Case (VI & AC), Weil (VI), Freshfields (VI), Reed Smith (SJT & VI), and Gibson Dunn interviews☺️
Milbank VI post stage 2? I thought the next stage is AC
Joining the Weil amberjack hypetrain - I got 6,4,9,7 and waiting to hear back 🫡
Just want to contribute to the ongoing disagreement. Mitigating circumstances can often be real evidence as to a candidates overall potential, and can evidence that they are capable of more than they achieved. Academics are an incredibly poor metric of success in the legal world. Law firms use academic results as a filter because it can broadly be representative, increasingly those that have stricter academic requirements use it because they need to find a way to cope with the number of applicants. 2:1 across the board is harsh yes, but GR are very aware that a single 2:2 in your first year is very different to graduating with a high 2:1.
To say that low(er) paying firms attract a different standard of candidate would be categorically untrue. The legal industry generally is very competitive, and high quality candidates can be found everywhere thanks to everyones very different aspirations. Furthermore, a fellow applicant telling you whether your application is competitive or not comes with a hefty grain of salt. No one, aside from GR and those experienced in legal recruiting, can actually tell you if you truly are a competitive applicant or not because it is weighed against the pool of other applicants. Not meeting a strict grade requirement (stricter than is industry standard) categorically does not extinguish you from success at other firms.
Owing someones lack of success to their "lack of DEI or mitigating circumstances" is a great way to pigeon hole yourself into hating the system and not focusing on how you can improve your own standing as an applicant. Especially if your advice is "don't apply because you don't have XYZ". It reduces fellow applicants down to try and make yourself feel better. If you yourself don't feel confident in your application because you have a conceited and "world is against me" mentality does not mean you should push that onto other people. We have no idea the circumstances, challenges and adversity faced by anyone else and pushing a negative mentality doesn't help anyone.
To say that low(er) paying firms attract a different standard of candidate would be categorically untrue. The legal industry generally is very competitive, and high quality candidates can be found everywhere thanks to everyones very different aspirations. Furthermore, a fellow applicant telling you whether your application is competitive or not comes with a hefty grain of salt. No one, aside from GR and those experienced in legal recruiting, can actually tell you if you truly are a competitive applicant or not because it is weighed against the pool of other applicants. Not meeting a strict grade requirement (stricter than is industry standard) categorically does not extinguish you from success at other firms.
Owing someones lack of success to their "lack of DEI or mitigating circumstances" is a great way to pigeon hole yourself into hating the system and not focusing on how you can improve your own standing as an applicant. Especially if your advice is "don't apply because you don't have XYZ". It reduces fellow applicants down to try and make yourself feel better. If you yourself don't feel confident in your application because you have a conceited and "world is against me" mentality does not mean you should push that onto other people. We have no idea the circumstances, challenges and adversity faced by anyone else and pushing a negative mentality doesn't help anyone.
That should be sweet. I progressed to VI for bakers with 6,6,7,3😂. Best of luck
Whilst, I really appreciate your advice on my chances of making it for HSF AC from your personal experience, I do not appreciate you saying not to apply to any competitive firms not only because I feel that’s unfair to me but unfair to a lot of candidates who have been applying since many cycles and one message like this can dishearten a lot of them
. A candidate is not “lucky” if they make it with average grades but it takes a lot of hard work, part time roles, work experience, street smartness, etc and maybe 10% luck to get a vac scheme or tc. I say this because that is how I got my legal work experience year at a top silver circle firm.Whilst, DEI is very important and should be considered (I am a female, ethnic minority) I do not think if a candidate doesn’t fall into the DEI bracket with average grades will have low chances.
I am building my profile every minute and getting work experience everyday as a recent graduate
Just to add to this, I have made it to MacFarlanes stage 2, fresh fields stage 2, Latham stage 2, eversheds Vi, kennedys test, Bclp ac (last year) with these same grades so don’t give up hope
. I wrote this message about HSF because I was very stressed and tired of this process like everyone else and wanted some info if someone has had grades like me and still progressed Edit - thank you everyone for your kind messages, I love this community❤️
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this is so relatable it couldve been written by me
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