Law applicants 2015
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Original post by Hospetite
Good luck! I hope they take you given all the experience you have... I did very bad on my Lnat 
but I still got my grades and background info is completely unusual and I managed to get into Birmingham. Wish you the best. 
but I still got my grades and background info is completely unusual and I managed to get into Birmingham. Wish you the best. Thank you so much!! I hope so too. I applied for law at Australian National University and they offered me a place so if I don't get a place at either universities then I'll head over to Australia I guess!!
I'm happy to hear that you are now at Birmingham and that you are enjoying school. Hopefully we will be schoolmates in the near future.
And I got 22 on LNAT, I think it's pretty average.
(edited 8 years ago)
Original post by CheekyChappie
Even though it's lower in the tables than uea??? Thanks for the response
Rankings are quite irrelevant - especially the Guardian tables, which are rubbish.
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Original post by oli19919
Don't worry, it is probably a waste of time doing law unless you're at a top uni anyway
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What do you consider a top uni for law?
Woulf queen mary and bermingham be considered top
I see bermingham in clearing,
What grades would they accept?
What grades would they accept?
Original post by abdulmilad
What do you consider a top uni for law?
Woulf queen mary and bermingham be considered top
Woulf queen mary and bermingham be considered top
They have good law schools. But top universities, I reckon, would be Oxbridge. But I don't think it's a waste of time doing law if you're not doing it at top universities.
Original post by abdulmilad
I see bermingham in clearing,
What grades would they accept?
What grades would they accept?
If I'm not wrong, it's AAA but I heard there are people getting in with AAB. Good luck!
Hey everyone,
So it's one month until A Level results day, and I just wondered - how are you all feeling about it?
Personally, I've given up with feelings. They've taken on a kind of roller-coaster I cannot be bothered with.
It's like at the same time I'm happy that I've finished A levels, but absolutely devastated that it's all finished and I can't fix it.
So it's one month until A Level results day, and I just wondered - how are you all feeling about it?
Personally, I've given up with feelings. They've taken on a kind of roller-coaster I cannot be bothered with.
It's like at the same time I'm happy that I've finished A levels, but absolutely devastated that it's all finished and I can't fix it.
Original post by LucasADNorth
Hey everyone,
So it's one month until A Level results day, and I just wondered - how are you all feeling about it?
Personally, I've given up with feelings. They've taken on a kind of roller-coaster I cannot be bothered with.
It's like at the same time I'm happy that I've finished A levels, but absolutely devastated that it's all finished and I can't fix it.
So it's one month until A Level results day, and I just wondered - how are you all feeling about it?
Personally, I've given up with feelings. They've taken on a kind of roller-coaster I cannot be bothered with.
It's like at the same time I'm happy that I've finished A levels, but absolutely devastated that it's all finished and I can't fix it.
I'm feeling similar really, I don't know what to expect so I'm trying not to think about it... I sort of never want to know...
Original post by incandescentstar
Thank you so much!! I hope so too. I applied for law at Australian National University and they offered me a place so if I don't get a place at either universities then I'll head over to Australia I guess!!
I'm happy to hear that you are now at Birmingham and that you are enjoying school. Hopefully we will be schoolmates in the near future.
And I got 22 on LNAT, I think it's pretty average.
I'm happy to hear that you are now at Birmingham and that you are enjoying school. Hopefully we will be schoolmates in the near future.
And I got 22 on LNAT, I think it's pretty average.
Australia!! That sounds very cool!
I got 17 on my Lnat
haha! So 22 is good! Let's keep hopes up!Original post by abdulmilad
What do you consider a top uni for law?
Woulf queen mary and bermingham be considered top
Woulf queen mary and bermingham be considered top
Guys! The whole ranking talk is nonsense to be honest. At the end of the day, man becomes what man accepts to become depending on how far he's willing to go.
I've had teacher with first degree from both Oxford and Cambridge who today earn nothing more than my teachers from the so called rubbish unis in the UK. I've seen people come from a very bad reputated uni and make their way up the social ladder whilst I've also seen some come from rich or well ranked uni and homeless jobless today.
It is true that given the way the world is going everyone wants to go to a 'good' uni but at the end of the day, it's up to you to make your life.
I was given an interview at Oxford. I got rejected and I'm now studying law at Birmingham. Whether I was in Oxford or here, only me can decide what direction I want to take. A university's 'good' reputation realistically only gives you the pride and prestige humans like.
At the end of the day, it is still law I am studying and I am not any less intelligent than those in Oxbridge. If a student from there and I both to a job interview and I perform better than them and have a higher degree qualification than them, a logical employer wouldn't just give the Oxbridge student the job because he came from there despite the fact that I am more able than him to do the job well.
I know many think going to a top uni gives you better chances to get a job but I say that's not true. Birmingham is in the Russel group and our law school is considered one of the best but that doesn't mean that everyone in here will get better jobs than those who studied in Westminster.
Life is what you make it. You can walk your up from nothing. Equally, you can walk your down from everything!
Original post by incandescentstar
They have good law schools. But top universities, I reckon, would be Oxbridge. But I don't think it's a waste of time doing law if you're not doing it at top universities.
If I'm not wrong, it's AAA but I heard there are people getting in with AAB. Good luck!
If I'm not wrong, it's AAA but I heard there are people getting in with AAB. Good luck!
I really hope the person that said it's a waste of time doing law in a 'low' uni is simply joking!
And... I started uni at Birmingham in September 2014. The entry requirement was AAA for Law.
Original post by Hospetite
Australia!! That sounds very cool!
I got 17 on my Lnat haha! So 22 is good! Let's keep hopes up!
I got 17 on my Lnat
haha! So 22 is good! Let's keep hopes up!I actually got an offer from both Bristol and Birmingham! Now I'm not sure which offer I should take seeing that I actually like both universities (liking Birmingham a little more). Bristol wants me to take the IELTS though.
The person who said it is still doing his GCSEs so don't listen to him guys; surprised he isn't banned already.
Original post by Hospetite
.
K. But these are just a few summaries of the educational backgrounds of recent pupils at a couple of top chambers I've looked at. Even at lower levels, I think the bar is still pretty Oxbridge dominated.
One Essex Court (commercial law):
1. Classics at Yale.
2. Chemistry at Durham; MSci and PhD at Oxford.
3. History at Balliol, Oxford. Ranked 2nd in year.
4. Law at Oxford. BCL at Oxford. Tutor at Merton, Oxford.
Brick Court (mixture of public/commercial):
1. Law at Oxford (ranked 2nd in year). LLM at New York University, then taught at Oxford.
2. Law at Cambridge (ranked 1st in year). LLM at Harvard.
3. Law at Cambridge. LLM at Cambridge (Starred First, ranked first in year). LLM at Harvard.
Blackstone (mixture of public/human rights/commercial):
1. Cambridge. Kennedy scholar at Harvard.
2. Oxford.
3. Oxford (top of year).
4. Law at Oxford, LLM at Harvard.
Original post by bored565
K. But these are just a few summaries of the educational backgrounds of recent pupils at a couple of top chambers I've looked at. Even at lower levels, I think the bar is still pretty Oxbridge dominated.
And then you have people at MC firms from Reading and Keele, a load of people in Mansfield's chambers from Keele. And regionally, a whole lot of people who did not study at Oxbridge.
Original post by callum_law
And then you have people at MC firms from Reading and Keele, a load of people in Mansfield's chambers from Keele. And regionally, a whole lot of people who did not study at Oxbridge.
Naturally - a good 70% of people at the bar didn't go to Oxbridge. But there's a very stark divide between the upper and lower ends of things. 77% of new tenants at the largest 30 chambers by revenue went to Oxbridge either as under- or postgraduates, and for 13 out of those 30 that figure rises to 100% (see below). So if you want to practise at a top set in London, there's strong evidence that Oxbridge is something of a necessity and you probably won't get away without it.
http://www.legalcheek.com/2015/01/research-77-rookie-tenants-top-30-chambers-went-oxbridge/
Mayhaps Law with German at Edinburgh.
As my insurance
As my insurance
Original post by bored565
Naturally - a good 70% of people at the bar didn't go to Oxbridge. But there's a very stark divide between the upper and lower ends of things. 77% of new tenants at the largest 30 chambers by revenue went to Oxbridge either as under- or postgraduates, and for 13 out of those 30 that figure rises to 100% (see below). So if you want to practise at a top set in London, there's strong evidence that Oxbridge is something of a necessity and you probably won't get away without it.
http://www.legalcheek.com/2015/01/research-77-rookie-tenants-top-30-chambers-went-oxbridge/
http://www.legalcheek.com/2015/01/research-77-rookie-tenants-top-30-chambers-went-oxbridge/
I am having trouble with the words you're using. Necessity. As the link provided points out, some of the top 30 chambers have 'rookie tenants' who did not go to Oxbridge. To say it's a necessity is hyperbolic, although I agree with you that you are more likely to get into a top set with an Oxbridge education than without. And not even an Oxbridge education will guarantee it; you'll need a first from Oxbridge or you will have trouble.
It'd be interesting to see the statistics regarding undergrad and postgrad, and to see if many people who studied at Northumbria and then went onto a BCL at Oxford are numerous.
Original post by callum_law
I am having trouble with the words you're using. Necessity. As the link provided points out, some of the top 30 chambers have 'rookie tenants' who did not go to Oxbridge. To say it's a necessity is hyperbolic, although I agree with you that you are more likely to get into a top set with an Oxbridge education than without. And not even an Oxbridge education will guarantee it; you'll need a first from Oxbridge or you will have trouble.
It'd be interesting to see the statistics regarding undergrad and postgrad, and to see if many people who studied at Northumbria and then went onto a BCL at Oxford are numerous.
It'd be interesting to see the statistics regarding undergrad and postgrad, and to see if many people who studied at Northumbria and then went onto a BCL at Oxford are numerous.
In context, the exact quote you're referring to is 'there's strong evidence that Oxbridge is something of a necessity and you probably won't get away without it'. That's not the same thing as saying it's a necessity, and I don't see anything wrong with that claim on the basis that almost 80% of those 'rookie tenants' went to Oxbridge at some point.
But yeah, I agree the undergrad/postgrad split would be interesting to see in numbers.
Original post by bored565
In context, the exact quote you're referring to is 'there's strong evidence that Oxbridge is something of a necessity and you probably won't get away without it'. That's not the same thing as saying it's a necessity, and I don't see anything wrong with that claim on the basis that almost 80% of those 'rookie tenants' went to Oxbridge at some point.
But yeah, I agree the undergrad/postgrad split would be interesting to see in numbers.
But yeah, I agree the undergrad/postgrad split would be interesting to see in numbers.
Even with the extension 'something of', I do find it slightly misleading. People are perfectly able to gain tenancy in decent sets and it is unfair if people begin to think they have no chance because of terms such as necessity which are prominent in this discussion. They will find it difficult, without a doubt, but all hope is not lost.
And of course, this is not considering chambers which are not top 30, of which there are many and they make up the majority of the chambers in England and Wales. Unlike what your linked article says, if you've not got a first from Oxbridge, it's not necessary to give up the dream of being a barrister and instead settle for being a solicitor. There are plenty more employment opportunities at the bar outside of the top 30 commercial sets in London, and you may still even get into one of those sets.
As an aspiring barrister, who has completed their LL.B. and the Bar Professional Training Course, I would say that the Bar is fiercely competitive for young up-and-coming lawyers - and will only become more so.
However, I would echo the sentiments that Oxbridge is not the be-all and end-all when it comes to becoming a successful barrister - you do not have to feel like it's "solicitor or nothing". That being said, academic excellence is still quite key. I myself received four A-grades at A Level and then received First Class Honours for my degree at a RG University. In my first year of applying for a pupillage (the 'trainee' stage of becoming a barrister for those unaware) I received 6 first-round interviews and 3 final-round interviews at top London sets, many of which were identified above as being exclusively or, at the very least, heavily Oxbridge. Now, to put that in to perspective, many people undertake an LLB, a Master's perhaps, and the BPTC and spend year after year applying for pupillage (sometimes making upwards of 20 applications a year) and are invited to 0 interviews.
Tl;dr: If you're quite bright - but more importantly dedicated and ambitious - there is no reason why you cannot succeed at the Bar - be it regional or in London.
EDIT: That being said it does require some extensive thought and consideration - aiming for the Bar is a massive commitment (i.e. financially of over £20,000) with no guarantee of success.
However, I would echo the sentiments that Oxbridge is not the be-all and end-all when it comes to becoming a successful barrister - you do not have to feel like it's "solicitor or nothing". That being said, academic excellence is still quite key. I myself received four A-grades at A Level and then received First Class Honours for my degree at a RG University. In my first year of applying for a pupillage (the 'trainee' stage of becoming a barrister for those unaware) I received 6 first-round interviews and 3 final-round interviews at top London sets, many of which were identified above as being exclusively or, at the very least, heavily Oxbridge. Now, to put that in to perspective, many people undertake an LLB, a Master's perhaps, and the BPTC and spend year after year applying for pupillage (sometimes making upwards of 20 applications a year) and are invited to 0 interviews.
Tl;dr: If you're quite bright - but more importantly dedicated and ambitious - there is no reason why you cannot succeed at the Bar - be it regional or in London.
EDIT: That being said it does require some extensive thought and consideration - aiming for the Bar is a massive commitment (i.e. financially of over £20,000) with no guarantee of success.
(edited 8 years ago)
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