Top Law Schools

So, my top choice school is USC, and since my gpa is pretty low I am expecting a ding letter.

Should I suck it up and go to school this year(whoever accepts me) and try to transfer to sc?

I've been out of school for awhile, so the only other thing I can see myself doing is taking the lsat again and hope to increase my score some.

Plus working and saving $ for school isn't that bad of an idea. I do want to hurry up and get my JD though, I'm not getting younger.

What exactly are your stats?

edit: so I see your gpa is 3.46, oh okay I see you got around a 166.

Well, I'll tell you this much. If you rise your score by only 2-3 points, you make yourself much more competitive in getting into your dream school (168-169).

It's really up to you, but I don't think you should go into law school thinking you will be able to transfer down.

I think the general consensus is not to go to a school unless you would be happy graduating from that school. Transferring is not easy. Anecdotally, I had a two friends that went to law school last year with the hopes of transferring to a better school this year and both were unsuccessful.

Don't attend a school if you wouldn't be happy hanging its piece of paper on your office wall. Transferring is far from a sure bet, there are just too many variables involved for you to have a guarantee at successfully doing it. If you can present a more competitive application next year, I'd suggest doing that.

nycparalegal wrote:What exactly are your stats?

edit: so I see your gpa is 3.46, oh okay I see you got around a 166.

Well, I'll tell you this much. If you rise your score by only 2-3 points, you make yourself much more competitive in getting into your dream school (168-169).

It's really up to you, but I don't think you should go into law school thinking you will be able to transfer down.

scary that you found my stats...

anyway. so from the responses, no one likes the transfer idea.

What other programs have you applied to? Where do you want to work? Depending on your priorities, you might have some decent alternatives to USC. You really have to consider the personal opportunity cost of waiting another year.

Devils advocate moment....

You may wait a whole year, reapply and still get denied.....

dsa1 wrote:

scary that you found my stats...

search function and/or review of members' posts is the TLS version of tarot cards

JOThompson wrote:What other programs have you applied to? Where do you want to work? Depending on your priorities, you might have some decent alternatives to USC. You really have to consider the personal opportunity cost of waiting another year.

I want to stay in los angeles and I'm not necessarily looking for big law 100+hr work week.

I really don't want to go to school out of CA, since the advice I have gotten is that I'd be networking in the city my school is in. Honestly, I don't know. No matter how many law students and lawyers I talk to, they all seem to have different opinions.

jetlagz28 wrote:Devils advocate moment....

You may wait a whole year, reapply and still get denied.....

that's when the slitting of the wrist come in.





(i kid)

dsa1 wrote:

JOThompson wrote:What other programs have you applied to? Where do you want to work? Depending on your priorities, you might have some decent alternatives to USC. You really have to consider the personal opportunity cost of waiting another year.

I want to stay in los angeles and I'm not necessarily looking for big law 100+hr work week.

I really don't want to go to school out of CA, since the advice I have gotten is that I'd be networking in the city my school is in. Honestly, I don't know. No matter how many law students and lawyers I talk to, they all seem to have different opinions.

Hm, I don't know if you'd consider Loyola with $$$ then?

How hard did you study for the LSAT? If you objectively think that you could somehow invest more time or improve your study habits, then it may be worth the risk of taking a year off and reapplying.

dsa1 wrote:

jetlagz28 wrote:Devils advocate moment....

You may wait a whole year, reapply and still get denied.....

that's when the slitting of the wrist come in.

Just remember, along the railroad tracks, not across.

As with the uncertainty of transferring, there is the uncertainty of being accepted next year. I would pick a school you are okay graduating from and take it from there. If you do great, then congrats on a transfer. If not, you're still 1 year closer to becoming a lawyer.

I agree with the previous post. You don't want to waste a year away. You may re-apply and still be dinged. I would look at some comparable schools in the area that you wouldn’t mind graduating from. I would still try to transfer in, but I wouldn't wait a whole year for a possibility and not a guarantee. Besides, LSAT is a measure of how you will do during law school. Having actual grades showing how you've done in law school so far may be the way to go.

Going to law school planning on transferring is a bad idea.
Not to mention, every transfer I know right now struck out at their new school's OCI. Employers are not keen on transfers right now.
Go to the school you would be ok with for 3 years