T15 to T15 lateral transfer? Forum

[toothless]

I'm currently a 1L at UT, but I am thinking about transferring to UCLA. My 1st semester grades have not come out yet, but I would love to get some perspectives on my chances.. What top % do I need to be in?

Thanks!

[vanwinkle]

I'm currently a 1L at UT, but I am thinking about transferring to UCLA. My 1st semester grades have not come out yet, but I would love to get some perspectives on my chances.. What top % do I need to be in?

Thanks!

There's very little data on this because it happens so rarely. Truthfully, it happens so rarely because except in rare extreme cases, the disadvantages so outweigh the advantages that it's simply not worth considering. You'd be leaving behind all the connections and opportunities you've built up over 1L, starting over in a new place from scratch, and (assuming they even give you an acceptance, which wouldn't come until July) having to pack up and move and settle into a new part of the country in a very short period of time before 2L classes started.

Why are you seeking to transfer?

[toothless]

I'm currently a 1L at UT, but I am thinking about transferring to UCLA. My 1st semester grades have not come out yet, but I would love to get some perspectives on my chances.. What top % do I need to be in?

Thanks!

There's very little data on this because it happens so rarely. Truthfully, it happens so rarely because except in rare extreme cases, the disadvantages so outweigh the advantages that it's simply not worth considering. You'd be leaving behind all the connections and opportunities you've built up over 1L, starting over in a new place from scratch, and (assuming they even give you an acceptance, which wouldn't come until July) having to pack up and move and settle into a new part of the country in a very short period of time before 2L classes started.

Why are you seeking to transfer?

Yeah, I know this whole plan sounds silly. I'm from CA and am planning to go back after school. I love everything about UT, but I'm worried I might not get enough job opportunities through my school's OCI. I thought if I go to UCLA, at least I would be able to meet more recruiters from the firms in CA. No?

Thanks for your reply!

[vanwinkle]

Yeah, I know this whole plan sounds silly. I'm from CA and am planning to go back after school. I love everything about UT, but I'm worried I might not get enough job opportunities through my school's OCI. I thought if I go to UCLA, at least I would be able to meet more recruiters from the firms in CA. No?

Thanks for your reply!

Honestly, this is something you should've decided on before you started law school. At this point, if you transfer, you'll get to meet a lot of recruiters at UCLA who will look at you funny and wonder what the heck you were thinking going to UT if you were so dedicated to working in CA that you ended up wanting to go to a CA school. Every single recruiter will ask why you transferred, and for someone who made a move up (say from UT to Harvard or Stanford) it's an awkward question but one that can be answered because you're getting opportunities you had no chance at before. In your situation... there will be a presumption that if you got into UT you could've gone to UCLA in the first place, and it would be very difficult to answer in a way that doesn't make you come across as flighty, or indecisive, or unable to make long-term plans, etc.

And if your answer is that UCLA rejected you, that'll open the door for them to ask why, and then you'll be talking about whatever was wrong with your original application. The worst thing you can possibly do during an interview is make the limited time you have about what's wrong with you. But that's what you'd be doing there.

If you're already from CA then you'll have opportunities from UT anyway. Just spend the summer preparing to mass-mail every CA firm not coming to UT before OCI even starts. I'm not sure you'd be better off transferring even if you could.

[toothless]

Yeah, I know this whole plan sounds silly. I'm from CA and am planning to go back after school. I love everything about UT, but I'm worried I might not get enough job opportunities through my school's OCI. I thought if I go to UCLA, at least I would be able to meet more recruiters from the firms in CA. No?

Thanks for your reply!

Honestly, this is something you should've decided on before you started law school. At this point, if you transfer, you'll get to meet a lot of recruiters at UCLA who will look at you funny and wonder what the heck you were thinking going to UT if you were so dedicated to working in CA that you ended up wanting to go to a CA school. Every single recruiter will ask why you transferred, and for someone who made a move up (say from UT to Harvard or Stanford) it's an awkward question but one that can be answered because you're getting opportunities you had no chance at before. In your situation... there will be a presumption that if you got into UT you could've gone to UCLA in the first place, and it would be very difficult to answer in a way that doesn't make you come across as flighty, or indecisive, or unable to make long-term plans, etc.

And if your answer is that UCLA rejected you, that'll open the door for them to ask why, and then you'll be talking about whatever was wrong with your original application. The worst thing you can possibly do during an interview is make the limited time you have about what's wrong with you. But that's what you'd be doing there.

If you're already from CA then you'll have opportunities from UT anyway. Just spend the summer preparing to mass-mail every CA firm not coming to UT before OCI even starts. I'm not sure you'd be better off transferring even if you could.

Ouch. You got me in the right spot... haha. I agree with your opinion. Thanks for the valuable tips!

[UCLAtransfer]

Vanwinkle's comments/advice are spot on. If you can really dedicate yourself to making it happen, you will likely have as good of a chance at getting a good gig in LA out of UT as you would as a transfer to UCLA.

I don't know what your 1L summer plans are yet, or if you have them nailed down already, but if you can, try to find something in LA for this summer. While you already have ties to LA, it will be yet another data point showing that you are committed to returning/staying in LA long term. Also, start coming up with some compelling reasons as to why you chose to go UT (some great program, professor(s), a special area of interest you have, etc.). This will be immensely helpful in screening interviews, and can help avoid the negative implications that vanwinkle identified.

-Once you have a 1L summer gig nailed down, begin trying to make/work any connections you might have in LA- talk to your OCS office to see if there are UT alumni you might be able to email to ask advice/network.
-Start preparing your mass mailings early in the summer, and try to hit every big firm LA office a little before all the schools start OCI.
-Bid high on LA firms for UT's OCI. (But try to have some sort of secondary/backup market as well.)

[toothless]

Vanwinkle's comments/advice are spot on. If you can really dedicate yourself to making it happen, you will likely have as good of a chance at getting a good gig in LA out of UT as you would as a transfer to UCLA.

I don't know what your 1L summer plans are yet, or if you have them nailed down already, but if you can, try to find something in LA for this summer. While you already have ties to LA, it will be yet another data point showing that you are committed to returning/staying in LA long term. Also, start coming up with some compelling reasons as to why you chose to go UT (some great program, professor(s), a special area of interest you have, etc.). This will be immensely helpful in screening interviews, and can help avoid the negative implications that vanwinkle identified.

-Once you have a 1L summer gig nailed down, begin trying to make/work any connections you might have in LA- talk to your OCS office to see if there are UT alumni you might be able to email to ask advice/network.
-Start preparing your mass mailings early in the summer, and try to hit every big firm LA office a little before all the schools start OCI.
-Bid high on LA firms for UT's OCI. (But try to have some sort of secondary/backup market as well.)

Thanks!

I have not applied to many law firms yet because the grades are not out yet... and I am getting worried. Do you think I should start mass mailing anyway before the grades come out? Or will it be useless without grades? Is it too late anyways?

I didn't know that ties are that important when I applied to UT... Now I'm getting scared.

But in any case, thanks for the help

[UCLAtransfer]

Thanks!

I have not applied to many law firms yet because the grades are not out yet... and I am getting worried. Do you think I should start mass mailing anyway before the grades come out? Or will it be useless without grades? Is it too late anyways?

I didn't know that ties are that important when I applied to UT... Now I'm getting scared.

But in any case, thanks for the help

Were you planning on only applying to firms for this summer?

If so that is probably not a great idea unless you have some sort of solid fall back. I doubt it is much of an exaggeration to say that 90% of 1Ls do not work in firms their first summer, but rather end up working for judges, DAs, State Atty Generals, etc.