Top Law Schools

If you simply wanted to attend a school with the best combination of academic quality, cost of attendance, and private sector job placement, which option would you choose? For simplicity's sake, no particular legal market or specialization is preferred.

How does the state of the economy affect your choice? Other thoughts?

Thanks, TLS.

No opinion w/o knowing how you did first semester. Top 25% very different from top 15% very different from top 10% very different from top 5% very different from top 1% once you actually consider transferring.

At least T20%...not good enough to grade-on to LR, though. Let's assume you're T15% after 1L. School is currently 30-40.

mistergoft wrote:This thread is of interest to me.

U....C...L...A!!

sanpiero wrote:At least T20%...not good enough to grade-on to LR, though. Let's assume you're T15% after 1L. School is currently 30-40.

if you're not top shelf at your school (law review), get out if you can. But chances are that if you're not good enough to make law review, you're not good enough to make a meaningful transfer.

Danteshek wrote:

sanpiero wrote:At least T20%...not good enough to grade-on to LR, though. Let's assume you're T15% after 1L. School is currently 30-40.

if you're not top shelf at your school (law review), get out if you can. But chances are that if you're not good enough to make law review, you're not good enough to make a meaningful transfer.

What would you consider a meaningful transfer?

Top 15% should get you to schools like GULC, UCLA, and Vandy, no?

I'd probably make the transfer. Top 10% with a grade onto LR would make things more interesting I'd say.

At a minimum, the school that is ranked the highest in the market you are targeting.

A'nold wrote:Top 15% should get you to schools like GULC, UCLA, and Vandy, no?

That's a tough one. Judging from the data on TApps, these schools could easily go either way in such a scenario. I think it would come down to my softs, PS, LORs, and summer job vis-a-vis those of other applicants.

A'nold wrote:I'd probably make the transfer. Top 10% with a grade onto LR would make things more interesting I'd say.

I know it's a long shot but that's what I'm hoping for. Of the schools I could conceivably be admitted to w a great showing during finals and write-on, I think NU is my best option (though I only have 1-2 yrs. WE). That's what I'm shooting for. Isn't this time of year AWESOME? No pressure at all.

sanpiero wrote:

A'nold wrote:Top 15% should get you to schools like GULC, UCLA, and Vandy, no?

That's a tough one. Judging from the data on TApps, these schools could easily go either way in such a scenario. I think it would come down to my softs, PS, LORs, and summer job vis-a-vis those of other applicants.

A'nold wrote:I'd probably make the transfer. Top 10% with a grade onto LR would make things more interesting I'd say.

I know it's a long shot but that's what I'm hoping for. Of the schools I could conceivably be admitted to w a great showing during finals and write-on, I think NU is my best option (though I only have 1-2 yrs. WE). That's what I'm shooting for. Isn't this time of year AWESOME? No pressure at all.

Yeah man, I'm just chillin' and not freaking out at all..... Stupid TLS addiction and fear keeping me away from outlining.

About NU- do you think they care a lot about the quality of your WE prior to ls if you have great grades at ls and are a non-trad? Don't you think you could talk that up a little at least and that it would set you apart from a straight-from-UG transfer applicant?

I think an applicant to NU w any WE has a significant advantage over those without. As for quality of WE, I'm not sure how this would factor in. I'm sure considerable experience with a Fortune 100 or in banking/securities/economics would give you at least a slight advantage. Unfortunately, I have neither.

BTW - What's all this talk about transfers striking out at NU OCI? A little scary. This makes me think my approach should be at least T10 or bust.

There were transfers at UoC that struck out of OCI. I was almost one of them--2 callbacks, got lucky with 1 offer, after several weeks on a waiting list.

Abandon all hope, all ye who enter here.

Edit: Then again, other transfers are going to Cadwalader, at least one is going to Kirkland-Chicago (the top Chicago destination, etc. It's just hard to guess. To the best of my knowledge, none of us made the Wachtell cut, or Cravath for that matter.

ToTransferOrNot wrote:There were transfers at UoC that struck out of OCI. I was almost one of them--2 callbacks, got lucky with 1 offer, after several weeks on a waiting list.

Abandon all hope, all ye who enter here.

Edit: Then again, other transfers are going to Cadwalader, at least one is going to Kirkland-Chicago (the top Chicago destination, etc. It's just hard to guess. To the best of my knowledge, none of us made the Wachtell cut, or Cravath for that matter.

Approx. what percentage of transfers struck out at OCI? Just curious. Do you think this number was higher at NU?

The % at UoC was low--though it may be skewed a bit in that several people got biglaw gigs from sources other than OCI. I don't know for sure, all I have is anecdotal information. It was an odd year for transfer students everywhere, frankly.

Absolutely no idea how transfers in to Northwestern did.

Bump for anyone that might have info on how NU and Chicago transfers did at 2009 OCI