Transfering into BC or BU Forum

[1L2b]

If UMiami and Northeastern U are my best options (for a myriad of reasons), which would ultimately give me the best chances of transferring into BC/BU after 1L? I know both are not strong schools in comparison, but within the small chance that I could transfer, which is better? Miami is higher ranked, but Northeastern is in the same market. However, Northeastern doesn't give class rank and thus arguably gives students less of a chance to distinguish oneself if one is capable of top __% rank.

I REALLY need help beacause I want to go into BC but can't afford to spend another year applying. I know it's difficult to transfer, I know I should pick a school from which I'd be happy to graduate (and I did)......so all I need to know is....

Northeastern or Miami?

[A'nold]

I would be wary of going to a school that doesn't give grades or rank its students if transferring is your goal. But, I will admit that I am not familiar with the way that whole thing works.

[bkthunder]

As I'm sure everyone on this board will tell you, don't plan to attend a school you wouldn't be comfortable graduating from. It looks like BC took 17 transfers and BU 6 last year - not very many. I wouldn't worry that Northeastern doesn't give rank because I have a feeling BC and BU are familiar with the grades of students there. I think because of the really low odds of transferring, your decision of which school to attend should be 99% based on how much you like that school.

[megaTTTron]

If UMiami and Northeastern U are my best options (for a myriad of reasons), which would ultimately give me the best chances of transferring into BC/BU after 1L? I know both are not strong schools in comparison, but within the small chance that I could transfer, which is better? Miami is higher ranked, but Northeastern is in the same market. However, Northeastern doesn't give class rank and thus arguably gives students less of a chance to distinguish oneself if one is capable of top __% rank.

I REALLY need help beacause I want to go into BC but can't afford to spend another year applying. I know it's difficult to transfer, I know I should pick a school from which I'd be happy to graduate (and I did)......so all I need to know is....

Northeastern or Miami?

If you want to work in Boston go to Northeastern. If you want to work in Florida go to Miami. If you're not sure and don't want to graduate from Northeastern or Miami do not go.

Seriously, if BC or BU is where you want to be work hard on the LSAT, which is easier to predict and control than your first year in law school.

Taking another year off and retaking the LSAT or getting more work experience, in your mind, is terrible, but I bet not getting into BU or BC next year as a transfer and having to stay at a school you don't like for 200K is worse.

Just please do not go to a school if you would be unhappy. I know it's not what you want to hear, but it's the truth.

[A'nold]

I'm not familiar w/ the area, but wouldn't Suffolk have been a nice happy medium choice? You get Boston if you don't do well enough to transfer and if you do well enough to transfer, you are right there anyway and firms would have good knowledge about your previous school for 2L OCI.

[patrickd139]

If UMiami and Northeastern U are my best options (for a myriad of reasons), which would ultimately give me the best chances of transferring into BC/BU after 1L? I know both are not strong schools in comparison, but within the small chance that I could transfer, which is better? Miami is higher ranked, but Northeastern is in the same market. However, Northeastern doesn't give class rank and thus arguably gives students less of a chance to distinguish oneself if one is capable of top __% rank.

I REALLY need help beacause I want to go into BC but can't afford to spend another year applying. I know it's difficult to transfer, I know I should pick a school from which I'd be happy to graduate (and I did)......so all I need to know is....

Northeastern or Miami?

If you want to work in Boston go to Northeastern. If you want to work in Florida go to Miami. If you're not sure and don't want to graduate from Northeastern or Miami do not go.

Seriously, if BC or BU is where you want to be work hard on the LSAT, which is easier to predict and control than your first year in law school.

Taking another year off and retaking the LSAT or getting more work experience, in your mind, is terrible, but I bet not getting into BU or BC next year as a transfer and having to stay at a school you don't like for 200K is worse.

Just please do not go to a school if you would be unhappy. I know it's not what you want to hear, but it's the truth.

HOF-quality post. OP, heed this.

[UCLAtransfer]

Previous posters are absolutely correct. You have a much better chance of getting into BC/BU by retaking the LSAT. This is true with every school, because YOU have control over how many questions you get right on the LSAT by studying and taking practice exams. With law school exams, you can know EVERYTHING and still end up median, depending on how well your peers do.

This makes banking on getting the grades to transfer a very risky proposition. If it has been said once, it has been said a million times, but every single person in your 1L class has always gotten good grades and is absolutely positive they will be in the 10%.

Transferring into BC/BU is an even riskier proposition. They accept so few transfers that you could end up #1 in your class from either school you mentioned and still might not get in. I know someone from 1L at my T2 who was from Boston, made it into the top 10%, and still couldn't get into BC/BU. He successfully transferred to UPenn.

Take heed of what everyone on here is saying. You will be so glad you took a year off to study for the LSAT and reapply next cycle.

[patrickd139]

Transferring into BC/BU is an even riskier proposition. They accept so few transfers that you could end up #1 in your class from either school you mentioned and still might not get in. I know someone from 1L at my T2 who was from Boston, made it into the top 10%, and still couldn't get into BC/BU. He successfully transferred to UPenn.

FTR, everything about UCLA's post is legit. That things like the bolded even happen, however, amazes me.

[A'nold]

I believe I had maxed out on the LSAT but knew I could do better in ls. I know people will always disagree w/ this, but there was just something about that test that I could not master. With my learning disabilities and being in a room full of people making noises and the severe time constraints just really limited my ability. I went to a school w/ full awareness that I could be graduating here and working in a small local DA's office and was fine w/ that and made peace w/ that idea. However, I really was hoping that transferring would be a possibility and worked hard to make it happen. I guess that is the point. You have to truly be willing to graduate from the school you choose to attend and work for the transfer, not bank on the transfer and use the school as a backup, although I will admit that my head said the former and my heart said the latter. Well, maybe I am like one example in many that actually planned on transferring from the get-go and might actually succeed in doing that. Could have been all luck, but I had a lot of outside reasons to think I could make it happen and was o.k. if it didn't. Sorry for the lengthy ramble but I do think there is just a point at which you cannot really improve on the LSAT. At that point, you have to either be willing to take the risk of graduating at a lower ranked school or just give up on ls, at least for awhile until you can afford a private tutor or something.

[vanwinkle]

If UMiami and Northeastern U are my best options (for a myriad of reasons), which would ultimately give me the best chances of transferring into BC/BU after 1L? I know both are not strong schools in comparison, but within the small chance that I could transfer, which is better? Miami is higher ranked, but Northeastern is in the same market. However, Northeastern doesn't give class rank and thus arguably gives students less of a chance to distinguish oneself if one is capable of top __% rank.

I REALLY need help beacause I want to go into BC but can't afford to spend another year applying. I know it's difficult to transfer, I know I should pick a school from which I'd be happy to graduate (and I did)......so all I need to know is....

Northeastern or Miami?

If you want to work in Boston go to Northeastern. If you want to work in Florida go to Miami. If you're not sure and don't want to graduate from Northeastern or Miami do not go.

Seriously, if BC or BU is where you want to be work hard on the LSAT, which is easier to predict and control than your first year in law school.

Taking another year off and retaking the LSAT or getting more work experience, in your mind, is terrible, but I bet not getting into BU or BC next year as a transfer and having to stay at a school you don't like for 200K is worse.

Just please do not go to a school if you would be unhappy. I know it's not what you want to hear, but it's the truth.

Above is credited, and said far better than I could have.