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Another transferring thread but please offer any advice....

I attend an east coast T25-30 school that I am not happy with for both academically and personal reasons. After applying to transfer I was accepted at a school in my hometown (midwest), where I went to undergrad, and where I hope to work after school. The cost would be the same with in-state tuition but the new school is higher ranked (eight spots).

At my previous school I made the moot court team and a secondary journal. I am currently interning with a judge for the summer in the city where I was recently accepted. I asked him what he thought and he cautioned me against transferring because I would no longer be on a journal. This really concerns me.

It seems like transferring is really popular, do I have anything to worry about as far as a stigma on transfers?

Is it a big deal that I am giving up a journal? I don't have an awesome GPA so I don't feel I am losing anything in that regard...

Any help would be great!

Is it impossible for you to join a journal at your new school? If you haven't already, I'd contact them and see what their policy is on transfers/journals.

Either way, if the journal is the only thing holding you back from transferring somewhere better-ranked/in the area where you want to work/where you will be happier, I'd just go for it. I'd suggest sticking it out if the new school cost a lot more or something, but they're the same price, and it seems like you don't have much to lose.

I'm not sure about the journal. At the school I've been accepted to everyone is placed on a journal (via write on) or a moot court. So no one is left off.

Price is the same so there really is no sticking point there. I guess I've pretty much made up my mind but just wanted to see if anyone had any advice to offer.