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I'm still waiting to hear back from a couple more schools, but based on the decisions I've received thus far, I'm deciding between Loyola and Chicago-Kent. I'm hoping to be in Boston for the remainder of law school, and to work there after graduation. I've been waitlisted at a couple schools just outside the top 20. I'm in with money that covers about 1/2 tuition at Kent, and a few thousand more than that at Loyola. I intend to study civil rights and criminal law, with an eye towards litigation after graduation.

Fully understanding that I also want to be picking a school that I might end up at for 3 years if the transfer application cycle doesn't go my way, what school makes the most sense to launch a transfer application from? Are there any particular variables that I should weigh heavily in thinking about this, given what I hope to do?

Any insight would be appreciated--thanks!

Neither of those schools are good for Boston?

Wait, so you want to practice on the east coast yet are deciding between two regional schools from Chicago? but why?

guybourdin wrote:Neither of those schools are good for Boston?

I understand - I don't mean to ask which of these schools are better for transferring to a school in Boston specifically, but rather which is the better deal, and which, if any, provides the foundation for a strong transfer application in general.

Sorry if it was unclear!

There's literally like 10 schools that are similarly rankedd to Loyola and Kent that could've gotten you into Boston better than those two Chicago schools can...

Thomas Hagan, ESQ. wrote:There's literally like 10 schools that are similarly rankedd to Loyola and Kent that could've gotten you into Boston better than those two Chicago schools can...

Which schools come to mind?

You shouldn't matriculate at a law school you wouldn't be happy graduating from.

Looking at the last 509, 241 people matriculated at Chicago-Kent and only 7 transferred out. https://www.kentlaw.iit.edu/Documents/D ... t_2016.pdf

At Loyola Chicago 248 people matriculated and 24 transferred out.
http://www.luc.edu/media/lucedu/law/Std ... losure.pdf

You might get lucky but you really can't count on having the grades necessary to transfer.

Maybe start with Northeastern?

tww1999 wrote:

Thomas Hagan, ESQ. wrote:There's literally like 10 schools that are similarly rankedd to Loyola and Kent that could've gotten you into Boston better than those two Chicago schools can...

Which schools come to mind?

Boston's a faily insular market, so you sould try to go to school there/near to network. Assuming that when you said you got waitlisted at schools outside the T20, Im going to assume you mean BU and BC.

Other than that there's also:
Northeastern, UConn, UNH.

Wasn't aware that New England, Western NE, and UMass Dartmouth were actully unranked, so they're probably not great choices but they still will probably get you into the Massachusetts market better than Loyola and Kent.

tww1999 wrote:

Thomas Hagan, ESQ. wrote:There's literally like 10 schools that are similarly rankedd to Loyola and Kent that could've gotten you into Boston better than those two Chicago schools can...

Which schools come to mind?

If you didn't get into Northeastern, you should retake for Northeastern. From there, you can try to transfer to BU/BC if you want to, but in the likely event you are unable to, you're graduating from a school in Boston (and, seemingly, a better school than Loyola or Kent).

probably neither. if i had to pick one it'd be Loyola but if i were in your shoes, with your goals, i wouldn't be going to either.

If you want to end up in Boston, neither. I actually can't figure out why you would apply to local Chicago schools in the first place if you knew you wanted to work in Boston.

cavalier1138 wrote:If you want to end up in Boston, neither. I actually can't figure out why you would apply to local Chicago schools in the first place if you knew you wanted to work in Boston.

Not to mention that as a transfer (assuming that happens) there would be no money vs. the possibility of money for three years with a direct application.

Transferring in law schools is not like undergrad. It can be very difficult. You can't count on it.

If you want to be in Boston you should go to school there.

I know when applying people apply lots of different places.

why are you even matriculating if you don't wanna stay there?

Retake. Come on now.

at this point really either. its a probably a coinflip (based on your scholarship) of whether youll do well enough to get the grades to transfer to boston. and if you dont make it to boston its gonna be a pain in the ass trying to get a job in boston (though ive had friends from these schools go to nyc/boston).

neither school is doing you any favors for making your career path easy, so it really doesnt matter which one you pick if youre cool working in chicago if thats what it comes to. both are regarded as fine in chicago though some of the old school catholics in the city may prefer loyola.