Job search answers from NYU 3L

[thorc954]

I would mention it during pre screening.  Try something like "despite significantly family emergencies my first semester causing me to miss 3 weeks of school, I still had the drive and determination to finish up the semester with a B average."  Or something like that.

Themanwithnoname: I kinda listened.  I decided that it was a long shot now.  Plus, with some downsizing in my firm, Im not sure if I will end up in DC or NY and if I wait two years to clerk, I will get the opportunity to explore the other city. 

[themanwithnoname]

ok, I think the best way to address it is not to think of the situation as "explaining away a bad grade" but telling the firm who you are in your cover letter: and a part of hwo you are is dealing with this personal problem and overcoming it. I don't think it would be a good idea to say "To explain my anomalous grades" but rather say. During semexter x, y happened, and it taught me about the difficult trade offs between work and life. Fortunately, by semester a, I was able to redouble my efforts on my schooling. I'm not sure if that's exactly the best phrasing, but the point is generally not to sound like you are making excuses. You are telling them what happened and how you learned from it and became a better prospective lawyer and a more mature person. I think if you are doing pre-screening letters it is worth doing.

[themanwithnoname]

I would mention it during pre screening.  Try something like "despite significantly family emergencies my first semester causing me to miss 3 weeks of school, I still had the drive and determination to finish up the semester with a B average."  Or something like that.

Themanwithnoname: I kinda listened.  I decided that it was a long shot now.  Plus, with some downsizing in my firm, Im not sure if I will end up in DC or NY and if I wait two years to clerk, I will get the opportunity to explore the other city. 

Well, waiting might be a good idea, I just think it sucks that career services offices tell people to apply in ohio and not bother sending apps to places they really want to be. It's not like you have a limited number of judges you can apply to.

[Astro]

ok, I think the best way to address it is not to think of the situation as "explaining away a bad grade" but telling the firm who you are in your cover letter: and a part of hwo you are is dealing with this personal problem and overcoming it. I don't think it would be a good idea to say "To explain my anomalous grades" but rather say. During semexter x, y happened, and it taught me about the difficult trade offs between work and life. Fortunately, by semester a, I was able to redouble my efforts on my schooling. I'm not sure if that's exactly the best phrasing, but the point is generally not to sound like you are making excuses. You are telling them what happened and how you learned from it and became a better prospective lawyer and a more mature person. I think if you are doing pre-screening letters it is worth doing.

Yeah, I think I'd agree with this.  It seems the most sensible way to approach it, and really is the only way you don't come off sounding like you're begging. 

Jolie's experience is a nice dose of reality for people, though. 

[Jolie Was Here]

ok, I think the best way to address it is not to think of the situation as "explaining away a bad grade" but telling the firm who you are in your cover letter: and a part of hwo you are is dealing with this personal problem and overcoming it. I don't think it would be a good idea to say "To explain my anomalous grades" but rather say. During semexter x, y happened, and it taught me about the difficult trade offs between work and life. Fortunately, by semester a, I was able to redouble my efforts on my schooling. I'm not sure if that's exactly the best phrasing, but the point is generally not to sound like you are making excuses. You are telling them what happened and how you learned from it and became a better prospective lawyer and a more mature person. I think if you are doing pre-screening letters it is worth doing.

Yeah, I think I'd agree with this.  It seems the most sensible way to approach it, and really is the only way you don't come off sounding like you're begging. 

Jolie's experience is a nice dose of reality for people, though. 

TY!  I have no idea of how useful it is for anyone else, but for me it's a nice dose of perspective that

1) even really smart people who come in vowing to work hard and do well can get sidelined by some out-of-the-blue set of circumstances (and it's sadly not that rare: I have two friends whose fathers died the same week that the *&^% hit the fan for me (Thanksgiving).  I also know someone who needed emergency surgery and missed 2 months of 1L.  Fortunately, the Calamity Jane *&^% seems to be confined to first year.)

2) otoh, a semester of really crappy grades is not necessarily the kiss of death (and this is not false modesty.  You'll just have to take it on faith that my 1st semester grades were L.O.W.)  Like Jules said, personality goes a long way.   

[thorc954]

[/quote]
Well, waiting might be a good idea, I just think it sucks that career services offices tell people to apply in ohio and not bother sending apps to places they really want to be. It's not like you have a limited number of judges you can apply to.
[/quote]

agreed.  If it was something I was die hard about id definitely do it now though, cause I mean, its my life not theres. That said, I should have transferred out last year and would have been in a better position.  You live you learn though.

you clerking?

[themanwithnoname]

applying to clerk this summer for 2009