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Hello,

Looking for some advice on transfer options. I am in the top 10% of my class at a bottom T14 school. I am not at the very top of my class - I'd guess I'm around the top 7% or so. I'm considering transferring for a number of professional and personal reasons.

First, what have been typical results for people applying to transfer with my numbers from a bottom T14 school to Columbia, NYU, Chicago, and Harvard? Do I have a shot at one of these schools?

Second, would transferring to Columbia, NYU, or Chicago actually be valuable in the short and long run? What if I make law review at my original school? Would it still be worth it? Ultimate goal would be BigLaw on the West Coast (although for personal reasons, I can't be far away from the East Coast for the next couple of years, so I won't be applying to Stanford or Berkeley). How will firms at OCI and job fairs view my 1L grades within the context of a new school? Will transferring help me, hurt me, or not affect me at all in fall recruiting?

Obviously, I haven't been through fall recruiting yet, but I gather that my school does not place very well on the West Coast.

Any advice or opinions would be much appreciated.

I've never transferred and can't speak very well to your questions, but had one for you --

Do you think you will be happier at a different school? Will you like your professors, classes and fellow students more? Will it feel like a better fit? Will it be a better intellectual experience? Will you be prouder to be an alumnus of the place?

I strongly feel you should answer these questions before deciding whether to try to transfer.

Without having much to go on, I'd think you stand a decent shot at all the schools you listed. Personally though, I wouldn't trade top 10% + law review at a lower T14 for anything outside of YHS. I think a primary concern would be that getting on law review at your transfer school would be either impossible or highly unlikely and put you at a huge disadvantage for clerkships compared to law review at your old lower T14.

If you just want Biglaw, I don't see why you'd leave your current school. You're all set.

If you aspire to jobs that you can't get from your current school, then of course try to move up. But top 10% at a lower T14...I would only leave for T6. And I think you've got a slight chance at HYS and a good shot at CCN.

I'd stay at your current school except for HYS.

TheBigMediocre wrote:I'd stay at your current school except for HYS.

TCR