PT, FT, or Transfer? Forum

[Anonymous User]

Hopefully the mods will agree this is acceptable for anonymous, since I am including grades & my salary info in this poll. I am:

-PT student attending a T2 which places well regionally, for a T2.
-Due to ITE, kept my job and doing school PT, so total debt would be about $45k
-Top 2% after Fall
-Current job pays $55k

Assume I would like biglaw, preferrably in my current market. Would also like Art. III clerkship. If I transfer or go FT, I will have to max out on the loans, so debt will be about $80k instead at current school, or about 140k in T14. I will graduate a year sooner, but if I strike out at OCI, I assume I will be screwed. If I stay PT, it kind of makes it tough to do OCI/ 2L SA. I know some of the T14 don't accept PT, but enough do that I should have a shot somewhere if grades stay.

[A'nold]

Wow.

To all of you posters who post about "dilemmas": THIS is actually a tough decision, not whether or not you should take this v10 or possibly go to the v15 that might be a better fit but a "huge" prestige bump.

OP: I guess it really depends on your career goals and debt tolerance. I'd also say it depends on what t14 you could get into and what school you are currently attending. Finally, it would also depend on what you do for a living right now. Good luck op.

[Anonymous User]

OP here: Thanks, A'nold. It really is a tough call. I am in a position where it feels like I am on the fence, too. Every time I crunch the numbers, I feel like if I made $40k, I would quit, and if I made $70k, it would be an easier call to play it safe and keep my job, but I'm stuck in the middle.

I know it would help if I named my school, but I'd rather stay anonymous. As far as where I could transfer to, from what I have heard it's nearly impossible to get any higher than Columbia as a PT, and even for that I'd have to jump through some hoops to get enough credits by their deadline, but it's doable. So let's say for argument's sake I get into CLS.

The reason I would lean towards staying FT at my current school is that while a transfer would increase my overall chances at BigLaw with nationwide firms coming to OCI and all, I think it wouldn't really increase my chances much for BigLaw in my current market, which is my top preference. However, if I can't get BigLaw, my next choice is government work, which almost makes me lean towards T14 if I can get it as the safer option in case I strike out. Reason I say safer is that if I can get a good LRAP and I strike out with BigLaw, that would be huge, since my current school has little to offer in terms of a LRAP.

[A'nold]

OP here: Thanks, A'nold. It really is a tough call. I am in a position where it feels like I am on the fence, too. Every time I crunch the numbers, I feel like if I made $40k, I would quit, and if I made $70k, it would be an easier call to play it safe and keep my job, but I'm stuck in the middle.

I know it would help if I named my school, but I'd rather stay anonymous. As far as where I could transfer to, from what I have heard it's nearly impossible to get any higher than Columbia as a PT, and even for that I'd have to jump through some hoops to get enough credits by their deadline, but it's doable. So let's say for argument's sake I get into CLS.

The reason I would lean towards staying FT at my current school is that while a transfer would increase my overall chances at BigLaw with nationwide firms coming to OCI and all, I think it wouldn't really increase my chances much for BigLaw in my current market, which is my top preference. However, if I can't get BigLaw, my next choice is government work, which almost makes me lean towards T14 if I can get it as the safer option in case I strike out. Reason I say safer is that if I can get a good LRAP and I strike out with BigLaw, that would be huge, since my current school has little to offer in terms of a LRAP.

See, that's another consideration. If you are Biglaw or gov. or bust, there really is no reason not to go to a t14 because of the Federal IBR. If you are top 2% in the market you want to work, I do see how staying and going full time might be the best option. But then again, it would be helpful to know at least your school's region.