What are your chances? Forum

[vanwinkle]

Currently at Boalt, looking to transfer to Columbia or NYU.
No rankings. First semester grades: two H's and one P. (Boalt's grading system is HH = top 10%; H = next 30%; and P = everyone else who doesn't fail)

My reasons for transferring are that my fiance is moving to NYC for his job; I want to practice corporate/transactional IP work in biotech (NYC is the place for this); and I want to continue my summer internship into the school year (helping to start up a patient rights program at a biotech/pharma company)

Being at a closely-ranked school and having solid personal reasons will help. Make sure you make your personal reasons clear in your app! Those reasons are why they'll seriously consider taking you.

Try to keep your grades up and raise them if possible. I suspect you'll do well, but this is more a hunch than anything. It's certainly worth the app fees to NYU and CLS. Good luck!

[scottschreiber]

T2 (80s) in the Midwest
3.571/4.0 First semester. Law school doesn't give specific ranks for 1st, but ~12% based on range. Weak in LRW, strong in other courses, if that matters.
I have a compelling reason, but one that wouldn't translate well on transfer apps: No Jewish girls available for courtship.

CCN
Northwestern
Fordham
Cardozo

[patrickd139]

T2 (80s) in the Midwest
3.571/4.0 First semester. Law school doesn't give specific ranks for 1st, but ~12% based on range. Weak in LRW, strong in other courses, if that matters.
I have a compelling reason, but one that wouldn't translate well on transfer apps: No Jewish girls available for courtship.

CCN
Northwestern
Fordham
Cardozo

I'll forego the snark about your "compelling" reason to transfer, and go straight to telling you that it's going to be between Fordham (which effectively locks you out of 2L biglaw SAs by discriminating against transfer students) and Cardozo (and why the hell would anyone transfer TO 'dozo?).

My advice: apply broadly among the lower T14 and hope for the best, but you're going to almost assuredly need at least top 10% grades, probably top 5% grades.

[Regionality]

T2 (80s) in the Midwest
3.571/4.0 First semester. Law school doesn't give specific ranks for 1st, but ~12% based on range. Weak in LRW, strong in other courses, if that matters.
I have a compelling reason, but one that wouldn't translate well on transfer apps: No Jewish girls available for courtship.

CCN
Northwestern
Fordham
Cardozo

I'll forego the snark about your "compelling" reason to transfer, and go straight to telling you that it's going to be between Fordham (which effectively locks you out of 2L biglaw SAs by discriminating against transfer students) and Cardozo (and why the hell would anyone transfer TO 'dozo?).

My advice: apply broadly among the lower T14 and hope for the best, but you're going to almost assuredly need at least top 10% grades, probably top 5% grades.

Yea...if you want Jewish girls go to Cardozo because you prob won't get in to a T14 unless you can break 10% barrier (I would think that top 12% might be good enough if you were already at a Tier 1 school...but who knows)

Also, does your school actually provide percentage point detail after the top 10%?

[dakatz]

You want to transfer in order to be around more Jewish women? I figured any law school in existence would have its fair share. I won't question the wisdom of your decision because each person is different: Some just don't like making decisions for themselves and thus need Jewish women to fill that void

[hawks2010]

school in the 50's, to 25% after first semester, but have gotten best grade on two of the midterms, so hoping to improve my rank.

where's the best i can go?

if i want to live/practice in chicago, where should i apply?

[lawloser22]

school in the 50's, to 25% after first semester, but have gotten best grade on two of the midterms, so hoping to improve my rank.

where's the best i can go?

if i want to live/practice in chicago, where should i apply?

By the "best", I'm assuming you mean highest ranked. Apply to WashU and UIUC. These are probably your targets. I would decide between the two by visiting them both. If you would consider ND better, apply there, but they don't appear to take as many transfers.

[hawks2010]

school in the 50's, to 25% after first semester, but have gotten best grade on two of the midterms, so hoping to improve my rank.

where's the best i can go?

if i want to live/practice in chicago, where should i apply?

By the "best", I'm assuming you mean highest ranked. Apply to WashU and UIUC. These are probably your targets. I would decide between the two by visiting them both. If you would consider ND better, apply there, but they don't appear to take as many transfers.

would that be sticking at around 25%?

[starchinkilt]

Hey all,

I go to a T2 school (80s) and got a 4.0 last semester. Still waiting for doctrinal grades this semester, but I snagged another A in Research and writing. I got into GULC EA and was also planning on applying to Columbia, NYU, Chicago, and Michigan. I figure they'll be reaches. Is it worth it to apply to HLS being from a T2 in the 80s?

[lawloser22]

school in the 50's, to 25% after first semester, but have gotten best grade on two of the midterms, so hoping to improve my rank.

where's the best i can go?

if i want to live/practice in chicago, where should i apply?

By the "best", I'm assuming you mean highest ranked. Apply to WashU and UIUC. These are probably your targets. I would decide between the two by visiting them both. If you would consider ND better, apply there, but they don't appear to take as many transfers.

would that be sticking at around 25%?

Traditionally, yes (though may depend on your specific school), though obviously grade increase would certainly help quite a bit. AFAIK there's a huge drop-off in what it takes to get into WashU as a transfer as compared to those schools ranked above it. Top 20-25% should get you WashU and below, but you'll need to rise to top 10-15% to break that barrier.

Hey all,

I go to a T2 school (80s) and got a 4.0 last semester. Still waiting for doctrinal grades this semester, but I snagged another A in Research and writing. I got into GULC EA and was also planning on applying to Columbia, NYU, Chicago, and Michigan. I figure they'll be reaches. Is it worth it to apply to HLS being from a T2 in the 80s?

All of those sound like good bets. I think HLS would be worthwhile if you end up anywhere in the top 1%. You'd have a good shot only if #1 (which a 4.0 may be). As noted by vanwinkle, work experience may help.

[mrosmith]

TTT when I started now TTTT after newest rankings.

Top 12%
3.65

Michigan
Wake Forest (Fiance got a Job at Duke)
Duke ''
UNC ''
Chicago
IIT-Kent
William and Mary
Wisconsin
Minnesota

[lawloser22]

TTT when I started now TTTT after newest rankings.

Top 12%
3.65

Michigan 20%
Wake Forest (Fiance got a Job at Duke) 60%
Duke 20%
UNC 55%
Chicago 15%
IIT-Kent 80%
William and Mary 50%
Wisconsin 60%
Minnesota 55%

^ + slight boost in the state your school is in (5%ish)

[hawks2010]

school in the 50's, to 25% after first semester, but have gotten best grade on two of the midterms, so hoping to improve my rank.

where's the best i can go?

if i want to live/practice in chicago, where should i apply?

By the "best", I'm assuming you mean highest ranked. Apply to WashU and UIUC. These are probably your targets. I would decide between the two by visiting them both. If you would consider ND better, apply there, but they don't appear to take as many transfers.

UIUC and IU-B? Thoughts?

[lawloser22]

school in the 50's, to 25% after first semester, but have gotten best grade on two of the midterms, so hoping to improve my rank.

where's the best i can go?

if i want to live/practice in chicago, where should i apply?

By the "best", I'm assuming you mean highest ranked. Apply to WashU and UIUC. These are probably your targets. I would decide between the two by visiting them both. If you would consider ND better, apply there, but they don't appear to take as many transfers.

UIUC and IU-B? Thoughts?

I think IU-B will be easier to get into, but UIUC will give you a better shot at the Chicago market. As far as whether or not I would go? Yes, if you're not in the region you want to work then you absolutely should go.

[hawks2010]

school in the 50's, to 25% after first semester, but have gotten best grade on two of the midterms, so hoping to improve my rank.

where's the best i can go?

if i want to live/practice in chicago, where should i apply?

By the "best", I'm assuming you mean highest ranked. Apply to WashU and UIUC. These are probably your targets. I would decide between the two by visiting them both. If you would consider ND better, apply there, but they don't appear to take as many transfers.

UIUC and IU-B? Thoughts?

I think IU-B will be easier to get into, but UIUC will give you a better shot at the Chicago market. As far as whether or not I would go? Yes, if you're not in the region you want to work then you absolutely should go.

Would I be better of doing Kent or Loyola? Speaking of, easier time getting into those schools, correct?

[lawloser22]

Would I be better of doing Kent or Loyola? Speaking of, easier time getting into those schools, correct?

Better off than where you are, yes. Better off than UIUC/IU-B, no. Easier to get into, yes - should have no problem.

[VinceIrons]

I got a 3.75 at a school ranked in the 80s last semester, and from what I've gathered, that easily puts me in top 10%, possibly even top 5%. Assuming my gpa/rank stays the same, any idea what the highest rank place I have a shot at is? Broad question for sure, but I want to get on apps as soon as finals are over, and I'd like to have some idea of what's worth pursuing, and what I might want to let go of.

[lawloser22]

I got a 3.75 at a school ranked in the 80s last semester, and from what I've gathered, that easily puts me in top 10%, possibly even top 5%. Assuming my gpa/rank stays the same, any idea what the highest rank place I have a shot at is? Broad question for sure, but I want to get on apps as soon as finals are over, and I'd like to have some idea of what's worth pursuing, and what I might want to let go of.

I think you might have a shot at Columbia on down if top 5%. If top 10%, Georgetown's your best bet. I think it'd be worth applying to CCN, especially since you don't know your rank or how it will change this semester (you may well end up in the top 2-3%).

[dakatz]

Well, now I have a big problem in that, of my 3 first semester profs, there were 2 I was hoping could write me recs (since I did well in their classes and am relatively close with them). But one politely declined (it was nothing personal or anything like that, that prof just doesn't do rec letters). So now I'm left entirely scrambling on this. Not close to any other professors, and my other first semester prof was for a class I didn't do well in. I can't believe that I can now only apply to schools that take 1 rec, instead of requiring 2. Wipes my 2 main choices right off the table. I'm not close at all with any 2nd semester prof, plus they have no clue what my grade would be. I figured that I would go down in a hail of gunfire upon getting a rejection letter from my main choices. At least there would have been closure to it. Now, I can't even apply and will be asking myself "what if".

[keg411]

Well, now I have a big problem in that, of my 3 first semester profs, there were 2 I was hoping could write me recs (since I did well in their classes and am relatively close with them). But one politely declined (it was nothing personal or anything like that, that prof just doesn't do rec letters). So now I'm left entirely scrambling on this. Not close to any other professors, and my other first semester prof was for a class I didn't do well in. I can't believe that I can now only apply to schools that take 1 rec, instead of requiring 2. Wipes my 2 main choices right off the table. I'm not close at all with any 2nd semester prof, plus they have no clue what my grade would be. I figured that I would go down in a hail of gunfire upon getting a rejection letter from my main choices. At least there would have been closure to it. Now, I can't even apply and will be asking myself "what if".

Get the rec from your first semester prof and then once you have second semester grades, get the other one from a second semester prof (doesn't matter if you were close to them or not; if you did well, I can't see it being a problem). I'm pretty sure the only school that requires two LOR's that has an early app date is Berkeley.

[dakatz]

Well, now I have a big problem in that, of my 3 first semester profs, there were 2 I was hoping could write me recs (since I did well in their classes and am relatively close with them). But one politely declined (it was nothing personal or anything like that, that prof just doesn't do rec letters). So now I'm left entirely scrambling on this. Not close to any other professors, and my other first semester prof was for a class I didn't do well in. I can't believe that I can now only apply to schools that take 1 rec, instead of requiring 2. Wipes my 2 main choices right off the table. I'm not close at all with any 2nd semester prof, plus they have no clue what my grade would be. I figured that I would go down in a hail of gunfire upon getting a rejection letter from my main choices. At least there would have been closure to it. Now, I can't even apply and will be asking myself "what if".

Get the rec from your first semester prof and then once you have second semester grades, get the other one from a second semester prof (doesn't matter if you were close to them or not; if you did well, I can't see it being a problem). I'm pretty sure the only school that requires two LOR's that has an early app date is Berkeley.

Yeah, I'm gonna try and get in touch with the other 1st semester prof. As for 2nd semester, I don't think we get our grades until mid-June, so I would be fighting just to hit the deadline. Really is a shame since this was my closest and favorite prof who declined.

[Chiglaw]

Midwest T2

3.9
Top 2%

Would like to stay in the Midwest if possible. Already applied ED to Chicago (which would be a dream come true) but also considering Northwestern and Michigan. Thoughts on chances with those three and with the rest of the t14?

[Zazelmaf]

Tier Four: 87,88,96,95,78 Midterm (pretty sure I got an A/B+ on the 78 test for the final)
Curve: 80

Considering: NYC schools or drop out and become a street bum.

[Coolgrnmen]

Well, now I have a big problem in that, of my 3 first semester profs, there were 2 I was hoping could write me recs (since I did well in their classes and am relatively close with them). But one politely declined (it was nothing personal or anything like that, that prof just doesn't do rec letters). So now I'm left entirely scrambling on this. Not close to any other professors, and my other first semester prof was for a class I didn't do well in. I can't believe that I can now only apply to schools that take 1 rec, instead of requiring 2. Wipes my 2 main choices right off the table. I'm not close at all with any 2nd semester prof, plus they have no clue what my grade would be. I figured that I would go down in a hail of gunfire upon getting a rejection letter from my main choices. At least there would have been closure to it. Now, I can't even apply and will be asking myself "what if".

All the schools I've seen that require 2 LoRs only require "at least one" to be from a faculty member at the law school. Worse comes to worse, ask an undergrad prof to revise an old LoR...or maybe an old employer if you worked prior to law school.

[lawloser22]

Midwest T2

3.9
Top 2%

Would like to stay in the Midwest if possible. Already applied ED to Chicago (which would be a dream come true) but also considering Northwestern and Michigan. Thoughts on chances with those three and with the rest of the t14?

If you maintain your current rank you should have a great shot at all 3 (50% at Chicago, 60% at NW/Mich). If your T2 is in Chicago and everyone ranked above you doesn't apply to transfer, you'll probably get into them all.

Tier Four: 87,88,96,95,78 Midterm (pretty sure I got an A/B+ on the 78 test for the final)
Curve: 80

Considering: NYC schools or drop out and become a street bum.

Can you convert that into a rank or estimated rank for me? Top 1% at a T4 may be able to transfer into C or N, particularly if it's a T4 in NY. I'm guessing 90% shot at 'dozo.