Grades Needed For Market Pay From Michigan???

[dontknowwheretogo]

Hey, I know its pretty bad out there in the job market.  I'm hoping maybe I can stop stressing out so much about grades, but I am just stressed out that I wont be able to get a job that justifies the tuition that I am paying when getting out of here.  I am a 1L...but what grades do I need to get so I can get a job that pays 135k +???   Doesn't need to be a prestigous law firm, just a decent salary so I'm not drowning in debt.  Wasn't worried before I came here, but now I'm pretty worried.  Anyways, any thoughts you guys have would be helpful! 

Thanks.  Any other perspectives that I'm not thinking of why I shouldn't stress out would be helpful.....

[,.,.,.;.,.,.]

I'm tempted to call flame, but the excess of exclamation points makes me think you're being sincere.

Michigan is a great school, and, though I don't know specifics, I would wager that median and above would get you market from there, even IN THIS ECONOMY.

[newmom]

That's a good question (for Mich and similarly ranked schools)

And how far below market could one of these grads really get (i.e. 60k?)?

[flyaway]

Yeah, this has been a weird OCI year.  But the vast majority of people have jobs lined up, at market pay or in public interest.  There's a file you can find online on the school website (students only) that will tell you the range of GPAs of people each firm has hired, though it won't contain this year's data yet.  There are certainly firms that go well below median.

[,.,.,.;.,.,.]

But that seems like the standard before the economy went south (you needed to be median or above).  So the same standard still persists?  What if I have work experience ....?   Are firms just grade whores?    This is not flame.  I am really worried (otherwise I wouldn't have taken the time to post here)

it's hard to say because we don't know what the economy will look like next fall when you go through OCI.  things will probably be worse than they were this year.  definitely worse than they were last year.  having said that, if median at umichigan doesn't get you market salary SOMEWHERE, we are looking at a dire economic situation indeed.

having said that, firms are to a large extent grade whores, but i think it varies and some places value work experience while others really don't.

WHY WILL THINGS BE WORSE?!  You're stressing me out.

[Bouzie]

I'm willing to go to almost any market - prefer Chicago, but willing to go to California, Texas, DC, Seattle.  I more than 3 years corporate work experience (not lawyer, just various positions).    Career services doesn't have any stats yet. 

Pick a market or two to which you have close ties.  If you're not from CA, TX, or WA interviewing for those markets is pretty much a waste of time.  DC also is pretty tough to get into without some valid reason for being there.

Stats from career services for this year aren't going to mean much.  The economy will be much different next year, either significantly better or significantly worse.  Also, I don't think looking for a specific grade cut off really makes much sense.  I know many people around the median who had multiple offers and many signicantly above the median with comparatively few.  Just do the best you can on exams, I promise you that you'll have plenty of time to worry and obsess about this stuff next June-November.


-UMich 2L

[flyaway]

Bouzie, I don't think that's true for Dallas and Houston as it is for smaller TX cities.

Smart bidding is a big part of OCI.  Just like applying for law schools, you need to bid on reaches, targets and safeties, which you figure out by looking at the document I mentioned.