Networking can narrow the access gap, but it does not fully replace every advantage of a target-school pipeline. You still need a strong application and a route into the firm's recruiting process.

Direct relationships are most useful when they create information, credibility, and referrals rather than simply increasing message volume.

Build a focused list of alumni, office contacts, recruiters, and relevant practice members. Pair that outreach with excellent resume and case preparation.

Track whether conversations are producing concrete next steps. If not, refine targeting and message quality rather than only increasing outreach.

What helped me was saying the assumption out loud in one sentence and then moving on. It made the reasoning easier to follow.