T14 Transfer Application General Requirements, Info, and FAQ Forum

[sandwhich]

Also, it's ok to go to law school with the intent of transferring if you do well. My point was that you should be okay with graduating from wherever you matriculate because of the highly likely event that you don't do well enough to transfer. Typically, only the top of the class gets to transfer (to a T14), and the lower tier the school the higher in the class you need to be.

[Wolverine122]

So far as I have been told it, both by several TLSers who have transferred and a few biglaw attorneys who work on hiring committees, yes.

Thus, transferring makes sense in a limited number of circumstances. Basically 1) if you have personal circumstances arise that require you to be in a different region (i.e. a notorious RBG transfer) or 2) your career goals or geographic preferences change and your 1L school makes fulfillment of those goals very difficult (or I suppose a 3) where you're already paying a ton of money at a TTT so why not). What I've been told is basically that, if you don't have the grades to be considered for biglaw at your current school, transferring won't do you much, or any, good. You transfer to get additional access to firms or cities that wouldn't normally recruit your 1L school.

This is terrible advice, and simply not true. As a TTTT to T14 transfer, and having gone through OCI, I can confirm that very few firms care about your 1L law school. I had several V100, V50, and V20 offers, despite my T4 school in a different region that didn't even have OCI. In fact, one hiring partner acknowledged that I would have never got the interview or offer had I not transferred. Firms generally care about where you graduated from because that's what's listed on their website. Again, I know this from first hand experience as I have interviewed on campus and in the office for my firm. The most important factor once you've received an interview is that you're a normal, likable human being, not what school you attended during 1L.

[lhanvt13]

I think enough people have defended my post that I don't need to go into any more detail. But I will say, as has been said, everyone goes to law school with the intention of doing well. Just because you want to and, even if you want to more than someone else, doesn't mean you'll do better than that person.

+99999

[Nebby]

Thanks for making this thread, super helpful!

Thanks! Let me know if any other info would be helpful.

Will do! You might consider transforming it into a "TLS Transfer Cycle 2015 (Class of 2017)" thread for this year. Although, that is if you have the time/desire to mod it. I hear it can be time consuming.

I don't mind, I spend inordinate amounts of time on this website anyway.

You can copy my coding and enter in the new names.

[Nebby]

WRT to Columbia. Call about the faculty appraisals and see if they're necessary. I didn't do them last year, and if I recall it was because I called and they said they are unnecessary. Also, on their other checklist page, they aren't listed: http://web.law.columbia.edu/admissions/ ... -checklist

[cunninghat]

.

[sandwhich]

Really appreciate this thread, OP.

To clarify, out of HYS, only H requires either the UG or LS deans certification?
Do we know anything about Y yet? In terms of what they might require, and date the app will be released?

Also, do we know how much the "rolling" aspect of the application might hurt you? If we submit everything by mid-May (except grades), will that be still early enough? Or should we be trying to get everything done by end of April?

Thanks!

1) @ Nebby, I'll call CLS when I can.

2) I'll have to check on LSAC for YS's requirements

3) The 'rolling' aspect is hard to measure. I don't think it's going to make much of a difference really. However, ideally, you'd only want them waiting on your final grades.

[cunninghat]

.

[sandwhich]

Does anyone know whether it makes one iota of difference if your professors write "targeted" letters of recommendation for different schools, or can a general letter with "to whom this may concern" be more than satisfactory?

Thanks!

My inkling would be that it wouldn't make much difference at all. Maybe if you're already a strong candidate.

But ask in this thread, they will know. (Make sure you mention that it's a LoR for transfer)
http://www.top-law-schools.com/forums/v ... 3&t=197451