Top 3% at T3 - Question about influence of 'soft' factors Forum

[Incanate]

Hey all,

I got a 3.794 at Wayne State last semester. According to the career services people, that puts me in the top 3 or 4 out of a class of ~180 (we don't rank until the end of the year). I've looked over the guides here and I have a good idea about my chances concerning the hard facts - ie. GPA, class rank, school rank. But I'm here to ask about how some of the other non-law school factors could affect my chances of transferring. Ideally, I'm looking to transfer into the t7-14 and I know my best chances are probably at GULC due to the sheer size of its incoming transfer class and Michigan since it's relatively transfer friendly, I'm a MI resident and I did my UG there (though this probably doesn't matter). I was wondering if any of the following things about me would help my transfer chances:

-I am a Brazilian- and Lebanese-American
-I can speak Arabic, Portuguese and French fluently
-I grew up in Dubai, UAE and lived there until I started UG at Michigan
-I have summer work experience clerking at a small law firm in Dubai, Baker & McKenzie in Chicago and with in-house counsel for a corporation in Dubai.
-I have academic research experience

I have no idea how these factors could affect my transfer stock. Tell you the truth, I doubt they'll help me at all but I was wondering what you guys thought.

Also, any Wayne State transfers on these boards? Anyone know one? Where did you/they end up?

Thanks.

[A'nold]

Hey all,

I got a 3.794 at Wayne State last semester. According to the career services people, that puts me in the top 3 or 4 out of a class of ~180 (we don't rank until the end of the year). I've looked over the guides here and I have a good idea about my chances concerning the hard facts - ie. GPA, class rank, school rank. But I'm here to ask about how some of the other non-law school factors could affect my chances of transferring. Ideally, I'm looking to transfer into the t7-14 and I know my best chances are probably at GULC due to the sheer size of its incoming transfer class and Michigan since it's relatively transfer friendly, I'm a MI resident and I did my UG there (though this probably doesn't matter). I was wondering if any of the following things about me would help my transfer chances:

-I am a Brazilian- and Lebanese-American
-I can speak Arabic, Portuguese and French fluently
-I grew up in Dubai, UAE and lived there until I started UG at Michigan
-I have summer work experience clerking at a small law firm in Dubai, Baker & McKenzie in Chicago and with in-house counsel for a corporation in Dubai.
-I have academic research experience

I have no idea how these factors could affect my transfer stock. Tell you the truth, I doubt they'll help me at all but I was wondering what you guys thought.

Also, any Wayne State transfers on these boards? Anyone know one? Where did you/they end up?

Thanks.

We have basically the same numbers from "respectable" t3's....I'll be watching your cycle. *my eyes on op: *

[Incanate]

I've been lurking religiously for a while. Glad to be out of the shadows . We'll have to keep each other posted. Haven't done EA but that was because a) I was worried about how to approach professors for LORs and b) I absolutely HATE writing personal statements. I've never seen the point of those damned essays.

[Go State]

Michigan since it's relatively transfer friendly, I'm a MI resident and I did my UG there (though this probably doesn't matter).

You wouldn't believe how big of a plus being a MI resident and having done your UG here is. Out of the MSU/WSU transfers pretty much everyone, except myself, was a MI resident and/or did their UG here. Pull those grades up a bit next semester and write one hell of a personal statement & optional essay(s) and you'll get accepted. There were 3 WSU transfers this year.

[A'nold]

Michigan since it's relatively transfer friendly, I'm a MI resident and I did my UG there (though this probably doesn't matter).

You wouldn't believe how big of a plus being a MI resident and having done your UG here is. Out of the MSU/WSU transfers pretty much everyone, except myself, was a MI resident and/or did their UG here. Pull those grades up a bit next semester and write one hell of a personal statement & optional essay(s) and you'll get accepted. There were 3 WSU transfers this year.

Out-of-state t3 with "one hell of a 'why Mich'" essay have a chance?

[Go State]

Michigan since it's relatively transfer friendly, I'm a MI resident and I did my UG there (though this probably doesn't matter).

You wouldn't believe how big of a plus being a MI resident and having done your UG here is. Out of the MSU/WSU transfers pretty much everyone, except myself, was a MI resident and/or did their UG here. Pull those grades up a bit next semester and write one hell of a personal statement & optional essay(s) and you'll get accepted. There were 3 WSU transfers this year.

Out-of-state t3 with "one hell of a 'why Mich'" essay have a chance?

It can't hurt to apply, and anything is possible, but I wouldn't count on getting in. This year all the transfers were from t2s or better with the exception of the MSU/WSU students and 2 people from the local t4s. I think the idea of taking local students as transfers is that the school hopes that people will stick around and work at the MI firms because as it is only around 10% of all UM grads stay in Michigan, and if that number starts going down UM will start losing its alumni base in MI.

[A'nold]

Michigan since it's relatively transfer friendly, I'm a MI resident and I did my UG there (though this probably doesn't matter).

You wouldn't believe how big of a plus being a MI resident and having done your UG here is. Out of the MSU/WSU transfers pretty much everyone, except myself, was a MI resident and/or did their UG here. Pull those grades up a bit next semester and write one hell of a personal statement & optional essay(s) and you'll get accepted. There were 3 WSU transfers this year.

Out-of-state t3 with "one hell of a 'why Mich'" essay have a chance?

It can't hurt to apply, and anything is possible, but I wouldn't count on getting in. This year all the transfers were from t2s or better with the exception of the MSU/WSU students and 2 people from the local t4s. I think the idea of taking local students as transfers is that the school hopes that people will stick around and work at the MI firms because as it is only around 10% of all UM grads stay in Michigan, and if that number starts going down UM will start losing its alumni base in MI.

Crap. Oh well it was a long shot dream anyway.

[Incanate]

@ Go State: For now, I intend on staying in MI after I graduate. There are a few Big Law places in Detroit and my fiancee is from here and she has no intention of leaving. Do you think my draft stock would go up at all if they knew I was going to stay here after I'm done?

@ A'nold: Don't give up! You're at the top of your class for a reason. You're .1 or .15 away from being first in your class most likely. Since you're already near the summit, you know you're capable of doing very well. You're already in good shape - if you climb one or 2 spots, even better. You've still got a shot! Believe me, I know my only real chance of t14 is Mich. or maybe G.Town - but that doesn't mean I'm not gonna try for the others (not HYS - no chance there at all).

[A'nold]

@ Go State: For now, I intend on staying in MI after I graduate. There are a few Big Law places in Detroit and my fiancee is from here and she has no intention of leaving. Do you think my draft stock would go up at all if they knew I was going to stay here after I'm done?

@ A'nold: Don't give up! You're at the top of your class for a reason. You're .1 or .15 away from being first in your class most likely. Since you're already near the summit, you know you're capable of doing very well. You're already in good shape - if you climb one or 2 spots, even better. You've still got a shot! Believe me, I know my only real chance of t14 is Mich. or maybe G.Town - but that doesn't mean I'm not gonna try for the others (not HYS - no chance there at all).

Yeah, I feel yah. That's awesome that UM likes their in-state lower ranked schools though. You have an awesome shot!

[Renzo]

-I am a Brazilian- and Lebanese-American
-I can speak Arabic, Portuguese and French fluently

Is this you?
--ImageRemoved--

[Go State]

@ Go State: For now, I intend on staying in MI after I graduate. There are a few Big Law places in Detroit and my fiancee is from here and she has no intention of leaving. Do you think my draft stock would go up at all if they knew I was going to stay here after I'm done?

@ A'nold: Don't give up! You're at the top of your class for a reason. You're .1 or .15 away from being first in your class most likely. Since you're already near the summit, you know you're capable of doing very well. You're already in good shape - if you climb one or 2 spots, even better. You've still got a shot! Believe me, I know my only real chance of t14 is Mich. or maybe G.Town - but that doesn't mean I'm not gonna try for the others (not HYS - no chance there at all).

It's possible. It can't hurt to write about your career goals in your personal statement, including that you want to work for a large MI firm. However, I would write other things there as well -- i.e. stuff you can't get from WSU.

[Incanate]

@ Renzo: No, she's my cousin. We get free tickets to her concerts all the time.


@ Go State: My plan so far has been to write the best Personal Statements I can for the T14s I have the best chance of getting into. I've started doing research on the faculty at Michigan and reading about some of their research. I'm trying to see if my interests can align with some of the research done there - maybe give me more material to use on my PS.


On a side note - can anybody with transfer experience give me a few pointers on what to write in my PS? What worked for you guys?

[Renzo]

@ Renzo: No, she's my cousin. We get free tickets to her concerts all the time?

You're fucking with me, and that's not cool.

[Incanate]

Yes, I am. She's Columbian anyway. It would be cool if she was my cousin though - I could use a free concert right about now. Anything free really............

[Renzo]

Yes, I am. She's Columbian anyway. It would be cool if she was my cousin though - I could use a free concert right about now. Anything free really............

I know she's Columbian, but how many Spanish/French/English/Portuguese speaking half-Lebanese people can there be in all of South America? Yeah, a friggin lot... but still.

Oh, wait, you never mentioned Spanish. That should have given it all away.

[Snuffie]

--ImageRemoved--

Woah. Who is this?

[Renzo]

--ImageRemoved--

Woah. Who is this?

According to this, a pseudo-porn star

[A'nold]

LOL, I had never seen that video before, believe it or not. She is definitely hot and actually a really freaking good dancer, but have you noticed that she's a little thick around the midsection? She has some J-Lo going on there. It's like if she gained anymore weight she wouldn't be hot anymore. That girl has to work out like 24 hours a day to keep that figure.

[Renzo]

LOL, I had never seen that video before, believe it or not. She is definitely hot and actually a really freaking good dancer, but have you noticed that she's a little thick around the midsection? She has some J-Lo going on there. It's like if she gained anymore weight she wouldn't be hot anymore. That girl has to work out like 24 hours a day to keep that figure.

Dude, you have lost your goddamn mind. She used to a little thicker, and she was even hotter (if that's possible).

[A'nold]

LOL, I had never seen that video before, believe it or not. She is definitely hot and actually a really freaking good dancer, but have you noticed that she's a little thick around the midsection? She has some J-Lo going on there. It's like if she gained anymore weight she wouldn't be hot anymore. That girl has to work out like 24 hours a day to keep that figure.

Dude, you have lost your goddamn mind. She used to a little thicker, and she was even hotter (if that's possible).

I like the skinny, slender, long look, not really the short and stockier (curvier) look. I'm pretty much talking about hips and butt here, not stomach. But I do like a more narrow stomach than a wider one, regardless if both are fit.

For example, I think Jessica Alba/Keira Knightely >>>>> Shakira, Jessica Beil, Beyonce.

[UCLAtransfer]

On a side note - can anybody with transfer experience give me a few pointers on what to write in my PS? What worked for you guys?

I definitely invested a lot of time in my PS. I didn't use anything from my original PS, and spent a lot of time making sure I presented a truly compelling story as to why I wanted to transfer to each school. Obviously, some of it remained the same for different schools (how great I did first year, the classes I got CALI awards in, etc.), but I really personalized them as much as possible. I think that a PS for transferring should be more about why you want to transfer and why you would be a good fit at that school, etc., rather than a PS for admission the first time around, where it was about differentiating yourself or giving them a glimpse of something they wouldn't see elsewhere in your materials.

From what I remember, I had a intro paragraph or so about how my first year of law school reaffirmed my belief that law school and being an attorney were the best thing in the world for me. Then I talked about how great I did first year, and what areas of law I was most interested in (focusing on things that I knew each school was strong in). Last, I tied it all together and wrote a couple paragraphs explaining why X school was the perfect fit for me: location (family ties), networking (strong network of attys I know in the area), programs (named a specific program they are known for), an area of scholarship I am interested in (named a professor or two that are well known in academia from that school), etc.

[apper123]

From what I remember, I had a intro paragraph or so about how my first year of law school reaffirmed my belief that law school and being an attorney were the best thing in the world for me. Then I talked about how great I did first year, and what areas of law I was most interested in (focusing on things that I knew each school was strong in). Last, I tied it all together and wrote a couple paragraphs explaining why X school was the perfect fit for me: location (family ties), networking (strong network of attys I know in the area), programs (named a specific program they are known for), an area of scholarship I am interested in (named a professor or two that are well known in academia from that school), etc.

this is pretty much EXACTLY (even down to what was contained in each paragraph and what order you presented the info in) what i wrote in my PS

[A'nold]

I didn't add anything about specific professors.

[Lawl Shcool]

My PS is pretty much the same as above too.

[Incanate]

Thanks for the PS advice everyone. I'm gonna be spending a good chunk of my spring break week fleshing it out.