Top Law Schools

Let me interrupt the snickering by stating this is a serious post. After a tough first year b/c of some personal issues I was academically disqualified from a top law school. These two schools are basically the only ones giving me a second shot. So, now that I have my sh*t together, the idea is to kick ass and transfer. The problem is that I know nothing about these schools. I realize neither school is well respected, but would one school have an advantage over the other in terms of transfer viability? I'm also a little worried since Thomas Jefferson's staff has yet to answer a single phone call in either the admissions or the financial aid department despite repeated attempts for the last 3 days. Alternatively, Western State's administration seem very nice and eager to assist me.

As I say, I'm in a tough spot and I don't want to make a choice that will unnecessarily make the road ahead even tougher. I look forward to and will respond to legitimate advice only; flamers, I'd like to preemptively take this opportunity to tell you to go f*ck yourselves.

TJ is the better option. I've heard good things about the quality of student life there (i.e. better than Cal Western). Western State is a for profit school that is probably not going to receive full accreditation and may even lose provisional accreditation (already four years into second stint of provisional accreditation). Don't plan on transferring. Only select few can actually pull it off. Just because you once attended a higher ranked school doesn't mean you're any more likely to transfer to a high ranked school this time around.

Another factor: San Diego is infinitely better than Orange County in terms of quality of life.

Considering I've actually heard of TJ, I'd say go to that one. Good luck to you, you are far more tenacious than I am.

I appreciate the comments. I agree Dante; I definitely don't want to place all my bets on transferring, which is another important consideration. The school I choose may in fact be the school I end up graduating from, which makes my decision all the more important.

Neither are top law schools. I say you go with the one that has treated you the best. You cannot even get someone from TJ on the phone, to me that sounds like a terrible way to start a 3 year relationship. I say you go with Western State.

A further note on transferring, some schools explicitly state that they do NOT accept transfers from a school unless it has FULL accreditation. I don't know how "to the letter" this is followed and I don't know which schools participate in this.

Good point Zodiac. I'm wondering if maybe my transferral possibilities would be limited to Cali schools only if I attend Western State. I'll look this up.

I live in San Diego, and TJ actually seems to place ok in the city if that helps.

redawg wrote:I live in San Diego, and TJ actually seems to place ok in the city if that helps.

That does help red. Thanks.

Danteshek wrote:TJ is the better option. I've heard good things about the quality of student life there (i.e. better than Cal Western). Western State is a for profit school that is probably not going to receive full accreditation and may even lose provisional accreditation (already four years into second stint of provisional accreditation). Don't plan on transferring. Only select few can actually pull it off. Just because you once attended a higher ranked school doesn't mean you're any more likely to transfer to a high ranked school this time around.

Another factor: San Diego is infinitely better than Orange County in terms of quality of life.

Just posting as a follow up. Western State finally achieved full ABA accreditation in August 2009. See the following article in National Jurist: http://www.nationaljurist.com/content/f ... reditation

TJSL used to be the San Diego branch of Western State - they used to have 3 campuses (Irvine, Fullerton, and San Diego). The Irvine branch was closed and the San Diego branch changed its name to TJSL back in the 1990s.

That said, I think TJSL is the better choice. I know some faculty and some students there, and they are reputable.

Thomas Jefferson is will have a brand new building opening in the fall. its all the way down on the other side of downtown from the courthouse but is still in a pretty cool area. if that matters to you.