TRANSFER or STAY Forum

[bigred87]

Hey everyone who read this...I'm currently facing a dilemma as to whether I should transfer law schools. What are your thoughts.

I'm T1% a #60 law school, $23k scholarship, 2 Deans awards, Law Review invitation and Dean's List.

I'm not really crazy over the city, and would love to be back in NY, where I am originally from, or DC. Got into GW (which I'm not considering) and waiting on GULC and NYU.

My dilemma is whether to give up all this to go a better school, which may give me greater career prospects in the long-run, and be present in a bigger legal market. Also, been told that I have a good shot at big law summer associate positions if I stay, though the hiring numbers are pretty dismal in the past few years, and my career office has made that clear.
Thoughts?!?! Would love some of your feedback...PLEASE HELP!

[iheartlaw]

I think if you get NYU you should take it. But that's just me. I'm willing to take on the debt for a JD from NYU. GULC is a different story though. I think it is a great school, but biglaw has been declining even at GULC. That's not to say you can't get it, I'm sure you can. Have you thought about applying to more schools? T1% is really impressive. If you stay at your current school, I would try to leverage even more scholarship money.

In the end- it is up to you to decide what's best for you. No one can tell you one way or another will be better for you, because nobody really knows. But if you are wiling to take on debt, and you want the prestige that comes with a NYU J.D. then I think you should go for it. Best of luck. And i have had people say this to me before, but relax. Wait for the acceptances and then freak out

[reasonable_man]

If you want to live and work in NY and are lucky enough to get accepted at NYU, take it and never look back.

Congrats on the grades. Very impressive.

[jlockhart6]

With these numbers if you are interested in NY I would also be applying to CLS, they have a larger transfer class. Well done on first year's performance. Good luck with your apps!

[Danteshek]

Have you indicated to GW that you will not attend?

[XxSpyKEx]

Apply to HYS as well. With your grades and school you'd be crazy not to toss up an application at those schools (worst case scenario you're out the $250 it costs to apply to all of them, best case you're into a top 3 law school).

[bigred87]

So far I've been accepted a Gtown...I'm not sure why everyone thinks that Georgetown is not worth it.

Honestly, I think the school I'm at right now is not worth it, especially since the dean is being stingy and isn't offering me a full ride. I am told that t-14 schools follow you for the rest of you life and do carrry weight beyond your first job, and also that certain doors will open automatically b/c of a school like georgetown or NYU. (other doors are closed forever--one attorney told me at the school i'm currently at, for a judicial clerkship for example, I can only expect to get one if there happens to be an alum of my school who's a judge and hires our grads, while GTown or NYU, the name speaks for itself).

[arstech]

the dean is being stingy and isn't offering me a full ride

Oh, entitlement. How I <3 thee.

[blurbz]

If you want to live and work in NY and are lucky enough to get accepted at NYU, take it and never look back.

Congrats on the grades. Very impressive.

+1

the dean is being stingy and isn't offering me a full ride

Oh, entitlement. How I <3 thee.

+1

[Sell Manilla]

Sounds like you've made up your mind to transfer at this point, and would go to Gtown if it was your best option, so I agree with the above suggestions to send out more apps.

[XxSpyKEx]

So far I've been accepted a Gtown...I'm not sure why everyone thinks that Georgetown is not worth it.

Honestly, I think the school I'm at right now is not worth it, especially since the dean is being stingy and isn't offering me a full ride. I am told that t-14 schools follow you for the rest of you life and do carrry weight beyond your first job, and also that certain doors will open automatically b/c of a school like georgetown or NYU. (other doors are closed forever--one attorney told me at the school i'm currently at, for a judicial clerkship for example, I can only expect to get one if there happens to be an alum of my school who's a judge and hires our grads, while GTown or NYU, the name speaks for itself).

I don't know about for the rest of your life. It will help you get a clerkship a few years out, but it's not like a law firm is going to make you a partner because of the school you went to, as oppose to your work performance. After 4-5 years it really won't matter because it's going to be more about what you did for those 4-5 years rather than where you went to school. E.g. a fortune 100 company isn't going to just bring in as an in-house attorney because you went to X school, as oppose because you worked at Y large law firm and handled similar types of large transactions. To take this one step further, say you go to some 3 person shitlaw personal injury firm and stay there for a few years, you aren't going to be able to go work for the US DoJ because you went to NYU. I think the way the t14 really helps is getting that first job because being at Wachtell for a few years will open doors. In that way the t14 does open doors, but by getting you that first job, which leads to more lucrative work that would not be a very likely not be a possibility leaving some TTT law school.

The reason people think GULC is not worth it is because it costs a shitload of money, particularly as a transfer when you are paying sticker, and your odds of getting that lucrative first job aren't all that great right now.