State of Reeling With Fall Grades Coming In
Dear 1L, Hi. I hope you are ok. Everyone seems to be in some state of reeling right now, with fall grades coming in.
If you did not get the grades you’d hoped for, there is nothing wrong with you, and you are not some sort of screw up.
—> What happened is you got screwed by the curve.
I do not fully understand why law schools grade this way, or why the curve at one law school can be so dramatically different from that at another.
But those debates are for another day.
Right now is a time for frustration, and also some shock, for sure.
But you know, and I know, that you are an excellent student.
You got into law school because of good grades!!
The problem is that so did everyone else.
👉 There is a RAZOR THIN distinction between one grade and the one above it, and also the one below.
So it’s OK to be disillusioned and feel a bit taken aback by your transcript.
Most of you will be.
🌦️ But when you are ready to come out of the funk, here is some GOOD NEWS:
🔹 While it’s obviously nice to get top grades to smooth some short-term paths, at the end of the day, it’s what you choose to do now—AFTER those grades—that will define your future path.
—> Don’t wait another day to get started.
—Only 10% can be in the top 10%.
—Half of you will be below median.
—But ALL of you are going to become lawyers.
🔹 First semester grades mean nothing about how excellent a lawyer you will be. You all have the ability to become an excellent lawyer, if you choose to be.
—> Try to focus on getting the TRAINING you need to become that excellent lawyer.
—> And you need to get over yourself and NETWORK!
You can drive your future. Get out there and seize it!
All that said, back to the moment.
⬇️
First semester grades were not what you hoped for.
Get mad.
Yell.
Hate the system.
But do it quickly. And then,
GET ON WITH IT.
Let’s move on like gangbusters into the spring!
I am cheering for you from the sidelines—always.
Fondly,
💌 Amanda
#Dear1L
P.S. I am around if you want to vent. I read and respond to all my emails from law students. Amanda@Dear1L .com.
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🗳️ What is the curve at your law school anyway? I’ll be writing more about & would love to share your perspective.