Top Law Schools

[I mis-posted this in another forum, but I think this is the right/better place.]

I am applying to transfer. I’ll probably end up somewhere in the top 15-25% at a T30 school. I have lots of academic reasons for wanting to transfer. I also feel strongly that the match between me and my law school is not good for me. I am not doing my best and am unhappy because of the mismatch. It is not about law or law school, both of which I enjoy. For example, I have been active in activities and I am an officer on e-boards for next year.

Is it good or bad to include an addendum with the transfer apps explaining the match being wrong? I think it is good because it shows I am not just trying to transferring up like most applicants. The professors I’ve talked to think I should stay if I make law review, but I haven’t told them I’m unhappy here in case I have to stay. I don’t want to trash my law school. Just to explain why it isn’t good for me. It is a little hard to explain without being negative on the school. I’ll deal with that when I sit down to write. It is obvious that transferring down is not a good idea. The problem is there is only way down and way up from where I am. I don’t quite have the grades to make the up part work for sure. Lateral transfers are not really an option because I sort of need to stay in the city I am in. To clarify, I am primarily trying to transfer up because down and lateral don't make much sense for me.

I dont think this is neccessary. It may even make you seem strange. You are transfering so it is implied that you want to leave your current law school and go to another.

toobusy wrote:[I mis-posted this in another forum, but I think this is the right/better place.]

I am applying to transfer. I’ll probably end up somewhere in the top 15-25% at a T30 school. I have lots of academic reasons for wanting to transfer. I also feel strongly that the match between me and my law school is not good for me. I am not doing my best and am unhappy because of the mismatch. It is not about law or law school, both of which I enjoy. For example, I have been active in activities and I am an officer on e-boards for next year.

Is it good or bad to include an addendum with the transfer apps explaining the match being wrong? I think it is good because it shows I am not just trying to transferring up like most applicants. The professors I’ve talked to think I should stay if I make law review, but I haven’t told them I’m unhappy here in case I have to stay. I don’t want to trash my law school. Just to explain why it isn’t good for me. It is a little hard to explain without being negative on the school. I’ll deal with that when I sit down to write. It is obvious that transferring down is not a good idea. The problem is there is only way down and way up from where I am. I don’t quite have the grades to make the up part work for sure. Lateral transfers are not really an option because I sort of need to stay in the city I am in. To clarify, I am primarily trying to transfer up because down and lateral don't make much sense for me.

Hard to say without knowing more. But as a general rule I would avoid coming off too harsh or like a whiner. Another problem is that the problems you perceive at your school are also going to be at your destintion school to some extent or another. Do professors not give a crap about you ? Well, chances are professors at a higher ranked school are going to care even less. Douchebag classmates? They tend to get worse as you go on up the rankings.

My advice (without knowing specifics) is to spin it as a positve. Do not so much trash your current school as talk-up your hopeful transfer school. The result will be the same.

Feynman wrote: Hard to say without knowing more. But as a general rule I would avoid coming off too harsh or like a whiner. Another problem is that the problems you perceive at your school are also going to be at your destintion school to some extent or another. Do professors not give a crap about you ? Well, chances are professors at a higher ranked school are going to care even less. Douchebag classmates? They tend to get worse as you go on up the rankings.

My advice (without knowing specifics) is to spin it as a positve. Do not so much trash your current school as talk-up your hopeful transfer school. The result will be the same.

All law schools don't have identical characteristics. While all problems might be present at each to some extent, the balance will be different. The issues you mention are not the reasons for the mismatch.

I think the trickiest part is maintaining a positive spin without any whining aspects.

jarofsoup wrote:I dont think this is neccessary. It may even make you seem strange. You are transfering so it is implied that you want to leave your current law school and go to another.

I think the vast majority of people are transferring because they did well so why not trade up. Why not distinguish one's self if there is a reason? We can't all pick the best law school for ourselves in the first go round. Is that strange or honest?

Well, if you are an URM and everyone at your school is an offensive racist neocon, then maybe you might want to mention that. But, you must be very subtle in how you word it.

(P.S. This is exactly the scenario that popped in my head after reading your question about being a right "match".)