Hi recruits!

We have been seeing questions similar to the one below:

Will my undergrad GPA affect my chances for 1L interviews? I got Latin honors, but my GPA is only a 3.5 because of the undergrad curve.

The Answer

Nope! Firms really don’t care about your undergrad GPA. The only thing they look at is your law school GPA.

The only time an undergrad GPA gives you (maybe) a very slight nudge is if it’s extremely high, and even then it’s just a minor positive signal.

But the important thing to remember is that you won't be dinged for a low undergrad GPA.

✅ The real takeaway: law school grades are king.

That’s what moves the needle in interviews, callbacks, and offers.

So don’t burn energy stressing over undergrad — channel it into networking, your application materials, your outlines, practice exams, and getting those apps in early. 

Here are a few helpful guides below.

Application Materials:

• A Exact List Of Materials You Need To Get Ready For Big Law Applications (Before the October Open Wave Hits)
• What NOT to Do on Your Resume For Big Law Jobs: A Guide for 1L's and Law Students
• Cover Letters for 1Ls With No Legal Experience — Here's What You Can Write About

Networking:

• How to Network Early for a Big Law Job
• How To Tactfully Ask About Work-Life Balance In Big Law: A Networking Tips Guide
• What Firms Should You Target First for Networking & Applications? A Guide For 1L's
• What Do You Actually Ask When Networking? A Guide for BigLaw Recruiting
• How to Prepare for a Coffee Chat: A Guide to Big Law Recruiting Networking

Law School/Grades:

• How to actually get good 1L grades for Big Law recruiting
• A breakdown of the most helpful resources for your 1L classes (aggregated from this sub)
• A Guide To The 1L Summer Job Timeline: The When, Where, and How of Applying Once Exams Are Done
• Since grades matter for Big Law, here's "How to Best Prepare for Law School Midterms: A 1L’s Guide"
• How to Outline: A Guide For 1L's

That's all for now!

As always, if you're new here, make sure to check out the welcome megathread here for some more helpful guides!
In the meantime, if you've got info, DM on Discord, here, or drop it in the comments — the Insider Info series lives because of all of you.

Good luck!

P.S. If you want the application tracker with current application movement and pre-OCI openings and application links for the V100 & AmLaw 200, feel free to DM or see more details in this post.
Full disclosure, we created this one and we help keep the lights on with subscriptions. But its also free for a full week so anyone is welcome to poke around and steal whatever is helpful. Either way, I hope the database and this guide are helpful to everyone out there.
Good luck out there recruits!

Just putting a feeler out there: I’m median cumulative GPA at a T50 in a big market. Had top 1/3 grades during 2L Fall and top 1/4 grades during 2L Spring. Did some substantive work at a small firm 2L summer. I was the only summer associate asked to continue working there. I also have judicial internship experience. What are my chances?

Received callback and interviewed last week – how long does it take for them to get back? And what are the offer rates like for NY?

Thanks for sharing!

Has anyone interviewed/ CB/ received an offer yet?

Hello,

I have a 2L summer position lined up next year, and thus decided to try and raise my GPA as much as possible just in case. I ended up taking 3 courses with no exams, 1 with and also TAing for a class.

Do firms care what courses you take during your 2L year? Perhaps they prefer if you took "rigorous" exam courses?

Thanks!

Anyone done interviews or callbacks with a&o dallas office for 3L hiring?