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Hi all,
I just finished my first semester at a T2 NYC law school with what I suspect are dead average grades. My fiancée just relocated to California, and I was looking into options to get into schools in California. Initially I was considering transfers, but given my grades and that I would be paying full sticker as a transfer, I was wondering if it would be worthwhile to de-enroll and re-apply as a 1L to schools out there?

I'm concerned about my current schools' alumni network in CA (practically non-existent) and also the overall cost. If I stay at my current school I'll be paying NYC CoL for the next 2.5 years, whereas if I were in CA then my fiancée would cover my CoL and I could likely get a good financial aid package from a T1/T2 school (slightly better than half/full, respectively, according to predictions). I checked with a few target schools in CA and they said that my previous enrollment would not negatively affect my re-application so long as I didn't get bad grades and so long as I wrote a decent character statement about why I'm re-enrolling.
Worth it? Are there other ways re-enrollment would negatively affect my future prospects?

Having a semester of grades on the record may make some schools less likely to take you (or at least less likely to take you on as a true 1L), but that's it.

But this whole situation is weird. Where do you actually want to work? Because if you wanted to work in California from the start, you made a dumb choice to go to NY. If you ultimately want to work in NY, you should not be going to a mediocre California school, because you won't be able to go back East.

If your fiancee's job means that you might have to relocate again on a whim, then you two need to discuss what that means for your career. T1/T2 law schools do not give you a very mobile JD. You cannot keep bouncing between law schools, and you especially cannot bounce around regions once you've graduated. This was something you probably should have discussed a year ago, but it definitely needs to be a topic of conversation now.

cavalier1138 wrote:Having a semester of grades on the record may make some schools less likely to take you (or at least less likely to take you on as a true 1L), but that's it.

But this whole situation is weird. Where do you actually want to work? Because if you wanted to work in California from the start, you made a dumb choice to go to NY. If you ultimately want to work in NY, you should not be going to a mediocre California school, because you won't be able to go back East.

If your fiancee's job means that you might have to relocate again on a whim, then you two need to discuss what that means for your career. T1/T2 law schools do not give you a very mobile JD. You cannot keep bouncing between law schools, and you especially cannot bounce around regions once you've graduated. This was something you probably should have discussed a year ago, but it definitely needs to be a topic of conversation now.

Agreed. You need to decide where you want to work and go to the school in that region because none of these schools gives you a portable JD outside of the area the school is in.

Are you sure you've thought the whole law school thing through? You're positive this is something you want to do with your life? All of this just sounds kind of half baked, IMO.

All feedback thus far appreciated.
To shed a little more light:
I applied to schools in NY last year since that's where we were located and was (at the time) content to stay there and practice in the NY market. While I probably should have lent more time thinking on where I wanted to live and practice before applying last cycle, my fiancée's relocation was partially warranted by her father's failing health, whom she moved closer to home to take care of (she grew up there). I myself lived in California for many years and will be glad to be leaving NYC for CA again, and would gladly live and practice there for the foreseeable future.

I'd prefer not to wait on transferring, and I'd prefer not to sit out until next cycle to do other meaningful work before re-applying. I've always wanted to do law school, I just don't think that my current choice of school was the right one and I'm trying to see if there's a way to cut my losses starting now.

eatglitter wrote:All feedback thus far appreciated.
To shed a little more light:
I applied to schools in NY last year since that's where we were located and was (at the time) content to stay there and practice in the NY market. While I probably should have lent more time thinking on where I wanted to live and practice before applying last cycle, my fiancée's relocation was partially warranted by her father's failing health, whom she moved closer to home to take care of (she grew up there). I myself lived in California for many years and will be glad to be leaving NYC for CA again, and would gladly live and practice there for the foreseeable future.

I'd prefer not to wait on transferring, and I'd prefer not to sit out until next cycle to do other meaningful work before re-applying. I've always wanted to do law school, I just don't think that my current choice of school was the right one and I'm trying to see if there's a way to cut my losses starting now.

If you don't want to transfer, then you need to drop out now. If there's a way to not have your grades entered for the semester, that will be in your best interests. Again, you should be wary of any school that will admit you as a regular 1L with a recent semester of grades from another law school.

cavalier1138 wrote:

eatglitter wrote:All feedback thus far appreciated.
To shed a little more light:
I applied to schools in NY last year since that's where we were located and was (at the time) content to stay there and practice in the NY market. While I probably should have lent more time thinking on where I wanted to live and practice before applying last cycle, my fiancée's relocation was partially warranted by her father's failing health, whom she moved closer to home to take care of (she grew up there). I myself lived in California for many years and will be glad to be leaving NYC for CA again, and would gladly live and practice there for the foreseeable future.

I'd prefer not to wait on transferring, and I'd prefer not to sit out until next cycle to do other meaningful work before re-applying. I've always wanted to do law school, I just don't think that my current choice of school was the right one and I'm trying to see if there's a way to cut my losses starting now.

If you don't want to transfer, then you need to drop out now. If there's a way to not have your grades entered for the semester, that will be in your best interests. Again, you should be wary of any school that will admit you as a regular 1L with a recent semester of grades from another law school.

It sounds like you're saying that my chances would be better if I'd dropped out already--what's the rationale behind looking negatively upon someone after having already completed a semester with grades? I would think that it would reflect positively upon some aspect of sticktuitiveness, even if I'm not going back. Also, is there a reason why you said I should be wary of any school that would admit me?

eatglitter wrote: It sounds like you're saying that my chances would be better if I'd dropped out already--what's the rationale behind looking negatively upon someone after having already completed a semester with grades? I would think that it would reflect positively upon some aspect of sticktuitiveness, even if I'm not going back. Also, is there a reason why you said I should be wary of any school that would admit me?

I'm saying to be wary of any school that would admit you as a regular 1L rather than a transfer. By letting you in as a regular student immediately after finishing your first semester, they'd be deliberately messing up the curve and giving you a second bite at the apple. Your 1L grades are the most important grades you'll get; how would you feel if you knew that a student in your class got a mulligan?

But yes, at most schools, your chances of getting in are better as a fresh applicant than as an applicant with a semester of median grades from a mediocre school. Now, if it turns out you got great grades, then maybe tough it out and transfer to a better school in CA after the school year. But since you aren't aiming for a better school, I'd just cut out all the risk and drop out to avoid having the grades on your record.

eatglitter wrote:

cavalier1138 wrote:

eatglitter wrote:All feedback thus far appreciated.
To shed a little more light:
I applied to schools in NY last year since that's where we were located and was (at the time) content to stay there and practice in the NY market. While I probably should have lent more time thinking on where I wanted to live and practice before applying last cycle, my fiancée's relocation was partially warranted by her father's failing health, whom she moved closer to home to take care of (she grew up there). I myself lived in California for many years and will be glad to be leaving NYC for CA again, and would gladly live and practice there for the foreseeable future.

I'd prefer not to wait on transferring, and I'd prefer not to sit out until next cycle to do other meaningful work before re-applying. I've always wanted to do law school, I just don't think that my current choice of school was the right one and I'm trying to see if there's a way to cut my losses starting now.

If you don't want to transfer, then you need to drop out now. If there's a way to not have your grades entered for the semester, that will be in your best interests. Again, you should be wary of any school that will admit you as a regular 1L with a recent semester of grades from another law school.

It sounds like you're saying that my chances would be better if I'd dropped out already--what's the rationale behind looking negatively upon someone after having already completed a semester with grades? I would think that it would reflect positively upon some aspect of sticktuitiveness, even if I'm not going back. Also, is there a reason why you said I should be wary of any school that would admit me?

Trust what the schools tell you. It seems like dropping out and starting over is the best decision for you. You have a compelling reason for it. The schools in California told you that as long as you didn't bomb, you should be okay.