-

[thorc954]

Well firms are going to ask why you want to go to Boston, but that will only be after you get an interview.  Unless the firm you worked as a paralegal has said they will hook you up.... The short answer is "no, it will not count for much."

I disagree with 2Lman which is rare on this board anyway.  I think that your ties to Boston will come into play a lot sooner.  The CDO says to work them into your cover letter to let them know that you are actually serious about working in the city.  I mean, after you get them to respect you as an applicant, you are in effect like everyone else.  The paralegal thing wont help at all though, so I agree with that comment as so many people have been paralegals before law school.  Dont stress the job stuff yet, trust me though, there are too many other stresses that will come up and you have plenty of time to worry at that point.  All you can do is put in a lot of work and hope for the best.  No point in agonizing.

[thorc954]

Thanks!  I guess I'm just uber-concerned but I guess nothing is guaranteed unless you go to Harvard or Yale, so I'm suspecting I need to relax?

yea, nothing is guaranteed, surprisingly even then as Im sure there are one or two people from HYS that dont get the jobs of their dreams

If you get into BC, that will be a tough call.  I doubt GW is better at placement in Boston.  You never know though, Ill keep my fingers crossed for you.  I got off a few waitlists my year.  Follow ups are key. 

If you end up at GW, there are worse things in the world.  It really is an amazing city to go to school in and I really believe if you put the effort in you can do almost anything from here (teaching/some clerkships are tough, but thats really the only thing foreclosed to us, and even that can be surpassed with killer grades and a decent resume).

[1LMan]

GW definitely surpasses BC if you are getting half tuition at GW and nothing at BC.  I actually am not sure how that even played out, considering GW is higher on the rankings.  Then again, we likely have a much larger class.

Even if you went to BC, you would still have to get good grades to get Biglaw.  That's how it is in any big city.

[1LMan]

Right, I agree that BC has a better brand name in Boston (well maybe, BU definitely so, not sure about BC).  However, BIGLAW is still only going to recruit from the top 1/3 at BC.  There is simply no need to pull those outside of it ON AVERAGE.

[1LMan]

There is no set GPA for top 1/3, however, it will vary based on the particular school's curve and how students do in accordance with it.

Also, at GW, a 3.0 would be bottom half of the class.  GW is on roughly a 3.25 median.  That means half the class is above and half below.

[thorc954]

Oh also is anyone in the Hispanic Student Organization?  I'd really like to meet and socialize with some fellow Hispanics while I'm down there since I will be away from my friends and family.

I have some friends in the organization and they all seem to be very close.  There are some great people in it.  I speak spanish, but only when I am drunk, and only in a limited context, so basically I am useless.

The curve here is at a 3.2 I believe.  So, a 3.0 is probably top 60% maybe top 70% of the class which is kind of bad.  I would say a 3.4 is probably top 35%.  I know that top 15% hovers around a 3.7 (a little lower after the first year).

[thorc954]

yea, 3.0 shouldnt be a problem.  i wouldnt worry about losing the money.  however, keep in mind there is an element of randomness in law school grades. 

[1LMan]

Yeah, if you get below a 3.0 at GW you will have bigger problems on your plate.  No worries, it won't happen.

Thorc, I thought 3.25 was the median, is it 3.2?

[1LMan]

No, they aren't complete slackers I don't think.  You will see, law school is strange.  Studying hard doesn't mean you are going to get good grades.

Also, everybody at GW is intelligent.  It's not like undergrad where if you work hard you get an "A."  That simply isn't the way it is in law school. You are on a forced curve, something very different from the majority of undergraduate programs.

[thorc954]

Yeah, if you get below a 3.0 at GW you will have bigger problems on your plate.  No worries, it won't happen.

Thorc, I thought 3.25 was the median, is it 3.2?

yea, i dont know, i thought it was around a 3.2, it might be higher though.  you might be right.  Either way, I cry if I get below a 3.7, lol.