WHAT ARE CONSIDERED “RESPECTABLE” GRADES IN THE LL.M. PROGRAM?
Academic performance in an LL.M. program is an integral component of hiring decisions and grading is based on a competitive bell-curve (wherein the vast majority of students receive grades in the mid-range, few students receive “below-average” and few students receive “outstanding” marks). The NYU degree alone will not get you a job. For the most part, large international law firms prefer grades above a B+ average. Students who are accepted to the LL.M. program are familiar with this grading curve prior to starting their LL.M. and this g.p.a. does not seem difficult to obtain. However, keep in mind that students who are accepted to NYU usually graduate in the top 25% of their first law school classes and, therefore, the level of competition increases. To achieve the abovementioned g.p.a., the student should expect to commit a great deal of time and effort to his or her studies.
