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How competitive is law ?

I've recently received my IGCSE results and I have to say they weren't amazing but they weren't bad either. I would like to study law but I don't know if my grades will hinder my chances if it is a competitive application process
Heres my grades:
English Language: A*
English Literature: A*
French: A
Geography: A
Maths: B
Biology: B
Chemistry: C
Physics: C
Art: C
(edited 6 years ago)

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I think unis mostly look at A levels tbh, so as long as you do well in those, I don't think they'll mind too much about your GCSEs :h:
its very competitive to get a training contract (to be a trainee solicitor). to get to a decent Russell Group university you need ABB at A Level, for the best ones you will need A*AA. its far easier to to get on to an LLB course than to get a training contract.
Original post by woodchuck
its very competitive to get a training contract (to be a trainee solicitor). to get to a decent Russell Group university you need ABB at A Level, for the best ones you will need A*AA. its far easier to to get on to an LLB course than to get a training contract.


To get into the best one (Oxford) you only need AAA.

Merely getting a training contract anywhere is somewhat competitive. To get a training contract at a magic/silver circle law firm is very competitive.

If you aim to secure a pupillage, this is also very competitive.
Reply 4
Avatar for P_I_Z_Z_A
P_I_Z_Z_A
OP
12
Original post by JohnGreek
This. OP would benefit from taking a look at the offer rates of various courses in this list. The summary is that, other than Oxford and LSE (which have offer rates in the mid-high 10 percents), and Cambridge and UCL (which have offer rates in the low 20s), most prestigious unis in the UK have ridiculously high offer rates. Durham has 60%, Bristol had around 70% two years ago (even though it's likely to fall if they restrict places following their shift to an A*AA standard offer).

@P_I_Z_Z_A you're easily within reach of several RGs I can think of - Newcastle, Sheffield, Manchester, Liverpool. Perhaps do an aspirational application to Bristol, Nottingham, or QMUL.


Finally someone who recognises that Oxford is the best law school in the UK! (I don't even study there, but it simply is, Cantabs)

The difficulty with getting into Oxford is in getting the offer in the first place :wink: The AAA bit is just a bit of box-ticking that they use to ensure that they don't a) look easy to get into, and b) use to keep students on their toes.

Agreed with the rest, even though I'm not sure that I'd even want to consider working in a high street shop after graduation... Starvation-rate trainee salaries and low salary growth.

Thankyou! I'm so glad that my grades won't affect me getting in, I know they aren't the greatest but I have told myself that it's 'go time' from the minute we enter September. I just hope that I can pull my application up a few steps with good AS results ( aiming for at least AAAB) problem is I dont really know what A-Levels to take! What do you recommend? :smile:
(edited 6 years ago)
Original post by jessjanellbhons1

Merely getting a training contract anywhere is somewhat competitive.


There are about 15,000-16,000 law graduates each year. There are about 4,500-5,000 training contracts each year, which go to approximately 50% law grads and 50% grads of other subjects.

The smaller firms offering fewer TCs often have a higher number of applicants per place than MC firms.

In short, it is extremely competitive to find a training contract no matter which firm you are applying to, and there are thousands of law grads with 2:1s out there who will never get one.

To the OP, I'm not saying you shouldn't try - many applicants are more focused and do better at A'level than GCSE. But you need top A'level grades now, and probably to outperform the level that you performed at GCSE. That's not to say you won't get on to a degree course to study law - you probably will. But you will need top academics to proceed further after that.
Original post by Crumpet1
There are about 15,000-16,000 law graduates each year. There are about 4,500-5,000 training contracts each year, which go to approximately 50% law grads and 50% grads of other subjects.

The smaller firms offering fewer TCs often have a higher number of applicants per place than MC firms.

In short, it is extremely competitive to find a training contract no matter which firm you are applying to, and there are thousands of law grads with 2:1s out there who will never get one.

To the OP, I'm not saying you shouldn't try - many applicants are more focused and do better at A'level than GCSE. But you need top A'level grades now, and probably to outperform the level that you performed at GCSE. That's not to say you won't get on to a degree course to study law - you probably will. But you will need top academics to proceed further after that.


The majority of law students never even apply for vacation schemes never mind TCs.

Also the other poster's point was that it was competitive. You are seemingly not in disagreement, so I don't understand what you are arguing about.
Reply 7
Avatar for P_I_Z_Z_A
P_I_Z_Z_A
OP
12
well, I'm quickly learning that it is very competitive and ill probably not get in lol :s-smilie: Better start looking if my nearest strip club is hiring :biggrin::ahee::banana2:
Original post by Crumpet1
There are about 15,000-16,000 law graduates each year. There are about 4,500-5,000 training contracts each year, which go to approximately 50% law grads and 50% grads of other subjects.

The smaller firms offering fewer TCs often have a higher number of applicants per place than MC firms.

In short, it is extremely competitive to find a training contract no matter which firm you are applying to, and there are thousands of law grads with 2:1s out there who will never get one.

To the OP, I'm not saying you shouldn't try - many applicants are more focused and do better at A'level than GCSE. But you need top A'level grades now, and probably to outperform the level that you performed at GCSE. That's not to say you won't get on to a degree course to study law - you probably will. But you will need top academics to proceed further after that.


Hey, do you know where these stats are from?

Cheers
(edited 6 years ago)
Original post by P_I_Z_Z_A
well, I'm quickly learning that it is very competitive and ill probably not get in lol :s-smilie: Better start looking if my nearest strip club is hiring :biggrin::ahee::banana2:


If your favourite thing is pizza, you're probably not going to have much luck there either.

No, it's handsomely competitive to get into a law degree -- not too bad though and you will get in somewhere half-decent. It's quite a bit more competitive to get into a TC -- quite a pain. If you fail, you can take the paralegal route or just work on a general scheme. At Aldi or HMRC or whatever.
(edited 6 years ago)
Original post by tehforum
Hey, do you know where these stats are from?

Cheers


Some random article that crossed my desk some time ago ... Law Society Gazette?
My GCSES were all C grades because I was going through a terrible time during secondary school and I didn't give a monkeys about my future. I got into a decent sixth form and bombed that too because I was still having problems. I pulled myself together, went to college, and pulled it back. Got A*AA and was readily accepted to study law this year :smile:. A level grades are what matter. Just make sure your personal statement holds up your grades.
Original post by Crumpet1
Some random article that crossed my desk some time ago ... Law Society Gazette?


Had a quick Google

https://www.legalcheek.com/2017/06/training-contract-numbers-continue-to-climb-as-new-stats-reveal-5-boost/

Again, I'd like to know a list of firms and the numbers of TCs offered by each so we can see which types of firm are flourishing/looking to expand
Original post by tehforum
Had a quick Google

https://www.legalcheek.com/2017/06/training-contract-numbers-continue-to-climb-as-new-stats-reveal-5-boost/
gaind like to know a list of firms and the numbers of TCs offered by each so we can see which types of firm are flourishing/looking to expand


Something like this?
http://www.chambersstudent.co.uk/law-firms/getting-a-training-contract/application-and-selection-criteria

That also sets out number of applications against number of training contracts, which confirms my recollection that it isn't accurate to suggest that MC and US firms are more 'competitive' TCs to get. It depends what the measure of 'competitive' is of course, but there are often fewer applicants per place for MC firms than for other firms which offer fewer TCs. Some of the MC firms don't seem to be giving full disclosure in this table, but I've seen statistics in the past so they're out there somewhere.
Original post by JohnGreek
It would be a bit more helpful if you could tell us the sort of unis you were applying to and got offers from (no specifics needed!), just so that we can put your achievements into context.

Congratulations either way


Surrey - Prompt, accepted as firm choice early this year
Exeter - Insurance
Kent - interview (I declined)

Oxford, trinity - Not a crumb, and not surprised
Original post by Rigmarole
Surrey - Prompt, accepted as firm choice early this year
Exeter - Insurance
Kent - interview (I declined)

Oxford, trinity - Not a crumb, and not surprised


Is Surrey the one that does a year of work experience? I think that's a brilliant idea, and must surely increase employability.
Original post by tehforum
Had a quick Google

https://www.legalcheek.com/2017/06/training-contract-numbers-continue-to-climb-as-new-stats-reveal-5-boost/

Again, I'd like to know a list of firms and the numbers of TCs offered by each so we can see which types of firm are flourishing/looking to expand


There are some Law Society figures.

http://www.lawsociety.org.uk/support-services/research-trends/documents/annual-statistics-report-2016-executive-summary/

One of the noticeable things is the big increase in the gap between acceptances to read law and law graduate numbers. There are a lot of drop outs.
Original post by Rigmarole
Surrey - Prompt, accepted as firm choice early this year
Exeter - Insurance
Kent - interview (I declined)

Oxford, trinity - Not a crumb, and not surprised


Don't Exeter ask for higher grades than Surrey?
Original post by nulli tertius
There are some Law Society figures.

http://www.lawsociety.org.uk/support-services/research-trends/documents/annual-statistics-report-2016-executive-summary/

One of the noticeable things is the big increase in the gap between acceptances to read law and law graduate numbers. There are a lot of drop outs.


That's insane.

Looks like 16k graduates, and 23k acceptances.

So 7/23 = 30% drop out rate?


wow
Original post by tehforum
That's insane.

Looks like 16k graduates, and 23k acceptances.

So 7/23 = 30% drop out rate?


wow


But a lot of that is people from low-ranking unis who typically have a low continuation rate anyway. Though there is a high number of people who continue at the uni but switch courses, rather than simply drop out.

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