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Hi all,

I've been considering a transfer from my T-13 (Cornell) for quite sometime. Though I go back and forth on this, today was pretty much the last straw and there is no way I'm coming back here next year (PM me if you're super curious about the details, but just assume some pretty compelling reasons). Anyways, I'm looking to make a move basically anywhere in the T13 (sorry, gtown). I'm currently in the top 10%, but who knows how that is going to be affected by the next two weeks. I think I'll be applying to HYSCCNBP, just to be sure that I get in somewhere . . .

My question is: when I go through OCI at my new school (school X), will a firm that normally recruits at Cornell (i.e. not Wachtell) view me (1) as a typical transfer student at school X (i.e. somewhere around median) OR (2) in the context of my Cornell grades since they are familiar with Cornell's curve/past applicants, etc?

Basically, I'm interested in knowing whether or not I'll perform similarly at, say, Penn's OCI as I would at Cornell's OCI. I know that there are relatively few data on this, but I'm interested to hear input.

Depends on the firm. As a matter of principle, however, top 10% at Cornell should make you competitive at almost any big firm, regardless of whether you transfer. Moreover, I would not trade in those grades at Cornell for a spot at Berkeley or Penn.

The advantage of transferring to a T6 is that some elite firms tend to have more spots allotted for those schools than for Cornell, giving you a better shot at them.

Stanislaw Carter wrote:Depends on the firm. As a matter of principle, however, top 10% at Cornell should make you competitive at almost any big firm, regardless of whether you transfer. Moreover, I would not trade in those grades at Cornell for a spot at Berkeley or Penn.

The advantage of transferring to a T6 is that some elite firms tend to have more spots allotted for those schools than for Cornell, giving you a better shot at them.

Thanks for the input. I really wish I didn't have to give up my grades, but I literally can't take it anymore. Also, those are just first semester grades, soooo . . . yeah, we'll see.

You'll be treated the same except if you have some whiny reason for transfering in which case. . . DING!

However, top 10% at cornell, you have to realize, gives you better prospects than a transfer at any school but Yale and maybe H. There isn't more than a handful of firms in the country you can't crack.

FWIW, career services has the resume on file (as a modelresume) of a kid with Cornell law review (so I'm assuming a kid like you) who transfered to Penn. They did real well at OCI. I'll see if I can dig it up.

Edit: Fuck, they removed the name. Can't e-stalk them anymore. https://goat.law.upenn.edu/cpp/Document ... tudent.pdf

koalatriste wrote:

Stanislaw Carter wrote:Depends on the firm. As a matter of principle, however, top 10% at Cornell should make you competitive at almost any big firm, regardless of whether you transfer. Moreover, I would not trade in those grades at Cornell for a spot at Berkeley or Penn.

The advantage of transferring to a T6 is that some elite firms tend to have more spots allotted for those schools than for Cornell, giving you a better shot at them.

Thanks for the input. I really wish I didn't have to give up my grades, but I literally can't take it anymore. Also, those are just first semester grades, soooo . . . yeah, we'll see.

I'm not saying not to transfer. If you have the grades and you feel like Cornell isn't a good fit, go for it. That said, with top 10% grades and possibly LR in hand, there are some schools I just wouldn't leave Cornell for. And aside from that, I'm just saying that it doesn't matter whether firms view you as in the top 10% at Cornell or at the top 10% at your new school, since either is good enough for 99% of the firms out there. If anything, you'll have a higher chance at more elite firms since they tend to allot more slots for students from certain top schools.

You'll be treated the same except if you have some whiny reason for transfering in which case. . . DING!

As long as you don't throw your old school under the bus and you don't say your reason was rankings-oriented, it won't matter.

Veyron wrote:You'll be treated the same except if you have some whiny reason for transfering in which case. . . DING!

However, top 10% at cornell, you have to realize, gives you better prospects than a transfer at any school but Yale and maybe H. There isn't more than a handful of firms in the country you can't crack.

FWIW, career services has the resume on file (as a modelresume) of a kid with Cornell law review (so I'm assuming a kid like you) who transfered to Penn. They did real well at OCI. I'll see if I can dig it up.

Edit: Fuck, they removed the name. Can't e-stalk them anymore. https://goat.law.upenn.edu/cpp/Document ... tudent.pdf

awesome! also, koala likes Penn's shout-out to animal solidarity with the "goat" system.

edit: does this require a Penn log-in or am I just technically dysfunctional?

I suspect you'd be in the running to be accepted at HYS. Wouldn't transfer for anything below CCN in your situation.

koalatriste wrote:

Veyron wrote:You'll be treated the same except if you have some whiny reason for transfering in which case. . . DING!

However, top 10% at cornell, you have to realize, gives you better prospects than a transfer at any school but Yale and maybe H. There isn't more than a handful of firms in the country you can't crack.

FWIW, career services has the resume on file (as a modelresume) of a kid with Cornell law review (so I'm assuming a kid like you) who transfered to Penn. They did real well at OCI. I'll see if I can dig it up.

Edit: Fuck, they removed the name. Can't e-stalk them anymore. https://goat.law.upenn.edu/cpp/Document ... tudent.pdf

awesome! also, koala likes Penn's shout-out to animal solidarity with the "goat" system.

edit: does this require a Penn log-in or am I just technically dysfunctional?

I don't think it does, bit I could be wrong. We log on for 7 days at a time, so its kinda hard to tell if we are "logged on" when we access things.

Seems kind of useless without the firms...

Stanislaw Carter wrote:Seems kind of useless without the firms...

It is, although I guess it tells you what kind of transfer from Cornell has a good shot at being admitted. Guy wanted it anyway. What can you do?

koalatriste wrote:I'm currently in the top 10%, but who knows how that is going to be affected by the next two weeks.

Where do you realistically see yourself in two weeks from now? As a 1L, that top 10% could shift close to median if you're having a rough go this semester, which changes things. It sounds like whatever is going to happen in the next two weeks and the urgency that you feel you need to leave are connected. Kinda impacts the quality of advice we can give you on transferring if you're holding anything out.

Yeah, who knows how things will go. My need to leave is not connected to expected performance, but I will definitely check back in June/July when grades and transfer decisions are out.

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koalatriste wrote:Yeah, who knows how things will go. My need to leave is not connected to expected performance, but I will definitely check back in June/July when grades and transfer decisions are out.

I would think anywhere in HYSCCN (maybe MVPB) would be worth it to you. I know everyone is going to tell you to tough it out, but if you're really that miserable, it'll eventually effect your performance in classes, groups, interviews, etc. You don't want to get into OCI with a constant scowl on your face.

Everything I've ever heard from transfers is that OCI tends to respect their grades at the previous school. You're forfeiting the class rank and probably journal, but I don't think it'll impede you too much in OCI.

If you strike out at OCI, then it might hurt you quite a bit. Losing a year of top 10% grades is forfeiting a lot of value.

You also need to develop a more legitimate reason that "the weather was too cold." Ideally try to transfer somewhere you have some kind of family connection or something along that lines.

Anyways, I'm looking to make a move basically anywhere in the T13 (sorry, gtown).

Funny how times change. Back when I was applying to law school (2006) it was Cornell that was considered the "fake" T14.

Transferring up and transferring laterally are two different things. If you move up you can explain it in terms of stronger degree, better job placement, etc. That alone is enough to justify it to a lot of employers, as long as it's a true upward move. Laterals or small moves need another justification because you can't rely on the standard "better job prospects" type response.

That said, I think you'll be pretty strong for CLS and have a shot at HLS with your school/grades. Those would be upward moves, and if you're looking for NYC then CLS additionally helps because you can say you transferred to "the best school in New York" (as long as your interviewing partner isn't a Cornell grad!). You'll likely be fine at those schools, and you have sufficient chance of getting in.