GPA trends

[rapunzel]

Curious if any 2l's or 3l's can say if they noticed that most people's grades/ranks went up down or stayed the same after the 1st year.  Did rank stay the same and gpa go up or down from what you hear on the grapevine at your school?

I hear that many who make law review are so busy that their grades suffer.

[dgatl]

since 1L grades are all that really matter, quite a few in the top 10% end up in the bottom half at graduation since 1) they already have jobs and 2) they don't care.

if you want to clerk, keep your grades high

[duma]

That is a good question. My goal from the start was to be in the top 20%. Considering my grades this term, I have to be in the top 5%. I am wondering what the probability is that I can keep the rank over the next few years. I don't think I can get the high score in all my classes every term...and what are the chances that I can get an A every term?
Who knows? I guess it comes down to the same thing that this semester did: hard work, and allot of luck.

[duma]

bump... can anyone else toss out their thoughts?

[futurejd20]

since 1L grades are all that really matter, quite a few in the top 10% end up in the bottom half at graduation since 1) they already have jobs and 2) they don't care.

if you want to clerk, keep your grades high

Can someone please elaborate on this? I had no idea 1L are the only grades that matter. What does he mean by people already have jobs set after 1L??

[zemog]

He is referring to big firms, who interview during the summer of your 1L, then you land a cushy summer job there, then you build such a great relationship that they hire you back every summer, and then when you graduate, they don't care about anything else, because you built up such a great relationship.  1L grades (and schools) open up the door to these firms and then it's networking after that.

since 1L grades are all that really matter, quite a few in the top 10% end up in the bottom half at graduation since 1) they already have jobs and 2) they don't care.

if you want to clerk, keep your grades high

Can someone please elaborate on this? I had no idea 1L are the only grades that matter. What does he mean by people already have jobs set after 1L??

[rapunzel]

Oddly enough first year grades are the ticket to big firm jobs.  The top 20 percent or so will be able to interview on campus with the larger firms in the area for a summer associateship which can lead to a full time offer of employment in the fall of the third year.  Then there are fun things like stipends for your bar course and money to live on for the summer.  Then come the incredibly long hours in document review.

Not necessarily the a perfect way to find all the best candidates, because grades can be screwy, but the way they do it.

[Burning Sands]

Its sad but true.  When you consider some professors don't give A's, then its kinda difficult to be in the top 20%

[rapunzel]

Yeah, and there can be variations by section.  My writing professor required an incredible amount of diligence to do well and therefore she said she would consider offering A pluses.  These are almost never awarded at my school.  (An A is a 3.75 and an A+ is the 4.0).  So no one really gets the benefit of that 4.0.  But I was able to earn one because my writing prof felt my class had worked harder than the other writing sections.  Some of my friends were extremely agitated because their prof simply would not give out A pluses.  So different profs can make a big difference when the competition is so tight.   

As to the law firms, they need a way to narrow down a qualified group of candidates, so this is the way they do it.  It definatley misses some great people.     

[giraffe205]

I think that first year grades are really important at all schools b/c everyone wants to have that impressive associate position at the most prestigous firm in town on their resume. However, I think that for the most part, the summer associate position for a 1L is just that. See most firms realize that 1Ls don't really know that much just yet. So it doesn't matter too much how great the relationship was b/c they will still choose someone that has a great cumulative GPA and has tailored his classes to the firm needs over someone who seemed like a good kid. Sure it doesn't hurt that you worked there, but I don't think that it's such the "in" that everyone makes it out to be.

Now, in the second year...that's a different story.

Well, as far as grade trends, most ppl at my school get more B+/A-/As as a 2L and 3L since the classes are small so the mandatory curve is no longer in effect.