Are 1L Grades Really That Important In Law School?

Are 1L Grades Really That Important In Law School?

You’ve heard it time and time again. Your 1L grades largely define your law school and career opportunities at least until you graduate. On-campus interviews (“OCI”), summer associate positions, and accessibility to certain classes all seem related to 1L grades. As a current or future 1L you might be thinking, “well, are 1L grades really that important?” In a word: Yes! This article focuses on the importance of 1L grades and how they can impact your law school experience.

Are 1L Grades Really That Important In Law School?

Top 1L Grades Allow You To Transfer

We know that transferring law schools is probably not the first thing you were thinking of. Stick with us for a second. Transferring law schools after your 1L year is actually more common than you think. Maybe you realize that a different school is a better fit for you. Perhaps you still have your heart set on that dream law school you were rejected from. Or maybe life circumstances will force you to relocate. Whatever the reason, 1L grades are the only thing that will get you through the door of that new school. Realistically, what else do they have to consider you on? How well you perform as a 1L will indicate to a potential transfer school that you mean business.

Side note: transfer applications will still include your LSAT performance and undergrad transcripts. However, the main point in analyzing both of those things is to predict your 1L success. Now that you have your first year under your belt, the decision to admit a transfer student will be based very heavily on law school grades. So, again, your 1L grades are really important!

1L Summer Internships

As a 1L you will almost always be excluded from the OCI process, which is heavily geared towards 2Ls and 3Ls. That means you will generally have to source your own 1L summer internship. If you plan on getting a paid internship at a law firm or in-house, 1L grades are your key to entry. Most, if not all, top tier 1L summer internships require you to submit your 1L grades. That means if you’re not exactly proud of the performance you displayed, you can likely kiss those opportunities goodbye. Similar to how schools view potential incoming students, what else should employers use to hire you after the first year?

OCI Invitations

As a rising 2L, you will likely get caught up in the OCI pandemonium that sweeps through around the first semester (or sometimes the preceding summer). If you want to be an attractive prospect to OCI participants, you’ll want to display strong 1L grades. Many high-level OCI positions are only available to the top third or higher of the class. As a first semester 2L, that ranking will be based on your 1L grades. In short, to even have access to certain OCI opportunities you need great 1L grades. These top OCI positions are usually offered by well-known law firms and can lead to full employment offers upon graduation!

Law Journals

Again, as a 1L you won’t be eligible to participate in any of your law school’s law journals. That doesn’t mean you aren’t taking part in an audition for them during your 1L year. Getting accepted onto a great journal, like Law Review for example, means you need the 1L grades to support you. While some journals are “write-on only,” most of the journals that everyone wants to see on a resumé do look at 1L grades.

Scholarships

Yes, even 1L grades factor into any scholarships you might be receiving from your law school. Most, if not all scholarships, are conditional on “sufficient” academic performance. Basically, you need to perform well in order for the school to keep footing any portion of the bill. The worst part is that many students who receive scholarships from law schools aren’t aware of the strings attached. As a result, many students endure the stress and anxiety of having to figure out alternative financial support.

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