Figured out w/in 3 weeks I want to transfer: timeline? Forum

[things fall apart]

I came to a T3 reluctantly because I got 80% tuition off and it has a very low COL. However from my experiences when I was younger being reinforced now, the people are not people I would like to grow up around and would like to consider myself in a community with. Although STL is not unbearable and I could stay here, I would very much like to return to big city, usa where I've been for the past few years.

I had an idea coming in I would try and transfer though I figure out moving up to T2 or T1 is a complete anomaly, I do hope some one can lay out a timeline for me.

I have looked at the transfer board but this place gets more traffic so I figure it can't hurt.

In general when should I be doing everything I need to do outside the classroom? How should I go about getting recs, what dates are important along the way, etc?

I realize it is extremely early but I'd rather get an idea now so I can go at school and this process in a learned way.

[kaiser]

There is nothing outside of the classroom you have to do during 1st semester in order to line up a transfer. First semester, all you have to do is get top grades. I'm not sure what type of school you are shooting for, but coming from a T3, you will have to be around the top 5% of your class to make a transfer realistic, though you could be a bit lower if you just want to move up to a T2 school (though I would argue that such a transfer isn't worth it).

The point is, you will know by January (when grades come out) whether a transfer is realistic. So my advice is to reach this hurdle first. You could be the smartest kid in the class, but if you have a bad day, get an odd question, miss one big issue, etc. it all goes down the drain. So come back at the beginning of second semester, and if transferring is still a possibility (i.e. you were damn near tops in your class) then we can talk about what outside steps to take. First semester, there is only grades.

[Aberzombie1892]

Don't worry about transferring until after 1L grades.

If you truly don't want to be there, drop out now and retake the LSAT -->>> I'm dead serious.

You still should be able to get a sizable refund of any tuition you have paid.

Yeah you are out a year.
Yeah you have a lease.
Solve those problems by finding a job for that year while you study to retake the LSAT.

[shock259]

Do 2 things for now:

1) Kill your first semester
2) Maybe go to some office hours to get friendly with professors.

That is all I would worry about for this semester. Once you get your first semester grades, you will have a better idea if it is realistic to transfer (and to where). And then you can start putting together your app.

Check out Arrow's transfer guide.

[SilverE2]

Dude...you've been a TLS member for 2 AND A HALF YEARS and you still decided to ignore the common advice: DO NOT ATTEND A SCHOOL YOU WILL NOT BE HAPPY ATTENDING WITH THE AIM OF TRANSFERRING.

Maybe you should take the advice now? Drop out and retake, you probably won't get the grades required to transfer.

[Grizz]

Also, Things Fall Apart was a crappy book.

[things fall apart]

Dude...you've been a TLS member for 2 AND A HALF YEARS and you still decided to ignore the common advice: DO NOT ATTEND A SCHOOL YOU WILL NOT BE HAPPY ATTENDING WITH THE AIM OF TRANSFERRING.

Maybe you should take the advice now? Drop out and retake, you probably won't get the grades required to transfer.

I actually decided to take the past year off and reapply. Got into a few additional schools but had a different perception on debt while out in real world. Also got invited to apply for a scholarship (at my attending LS) which would've made tuition about 100% free and a put you on the fast track for a SA position with midlaw with offices in cities I would like to potentially move to.

So while I do appreciate everyone elses help SilverE you can

[071816]

Also, Things Fall Apart was a crappy book.

But a great fucking album.

[thrillerjesus]

I went TTT to T14 this past year, so it's entirely possible. Read Arrow's guide, it's quite accurate. The process is not complicated. You need to kill it this year. If you have any classes with visiting profs, use them for your LOR as they will have no loyalty whatsoever to your current school and so you get to avoid the awkwardness otherwise inherent in asking for an LOR to transfer. Don't worry about having a special bond or anything, it doesn't matter as long as the prof knows who you are. I really think the LOR is just used to make sure you're not a psycho.

As for timeline, if you're shooting for anywhere with an early admission policy (there's only a handful that I know of), you should have everything ready to go as soon as you get your fall grades. All other apps should go out ON THE DAY THE SCHOOL WILL FIRST ACCEPT THEM. This is usually 4/1, 5/1, or 6/1, depending on the school. Yeah, you might not have grades yet. Doesn't matter. Admissions are rolling, and you want your name in the pile ASAP.

Good luck, and feel free to pm me if you have specific questions.

[minnesotasam]

Also, Things Fall Apart was a crappy book.

But a great fucking album.

bingo

[crazyblink653]

only things you can do are kill your classes and get to know one or two professors who can right recommendations for you. i know the conventional wisdom on TLS seems to be that top 5% at a T3 will get you into a school that actually make sense transferring to (read: T10), but every transfer I know from a T3->T10 was top 1-2%. your margin of error is VERY small. if you're serious about transferring, just study all the time. it's the only way you can maximize your chances of coming out the LS exam crapshoot on the right side of the curve.

also, this was implied by my response, but i'll make it more explicit: don't transfer anywhere outside the T10. it just won't be worth it. i know people at T20s who are in the top 10% w/LR who are struggling to find jobs right now. it would be even worse for a transfer, i would imagine.