Top Law Schools

Hi TLS!

My fiancé is being transfered to the Houston area, and I would like to move with him, since we know it will be a permanent move. I am at a T3/4 school right now, and I did decent on finals. Keep in mind, all you awesome people that got 4.0s (congrats to you btw), that I had really bad test anxiety and completely freaked out, so I had more word/fact vomit instead of application (my favorite comment from a professor was "Yes, Ms. Pearl, I already know this, as do you, let's skip to the application). That is something I am working on this semester, as well as trying to relieve my anxiety. That being said, I did decent (we didn't rank, but I think top 45% or better when I did my own calculations), and I fully expect to do better this semester.

So, having researched the Houston area, there are only two schools that I'm considering: UH and South Texas. Now, I completely understand that UH full time is a LONG SHOT unless I get a 4.0 this semester, and maybe not even then, so I don't need anyone to tell me that. My main questions are what do you think the possibilities are for me to transfer into STCL? and Is there a possibility to transfer into the part-time program at UH and then transfer into part time after a semester?

Thanks so much for all your help! Please keep the comments helpful and constructive (aka no mean comments regarding what you think about my grades or anything like that)

Probably out at both. You might as well drop out, not like you're really fit to practice law if you couldn't get into a decently ranked school anyway.

Lokomani wrote:Probably out at both. You might as well drop out, not like you're really fit to practice law if you couldn't get into a decently ranked school anyway.

I knew as soon as I asked for people to play nice that some n00b would think its funny to say something ugly and try to rile me up. Thankfully, I'm not one to get upset easily, especially when the statement is so ridiculous.

South Texas should be almost a lateral move...so assuming you do better next semester and make it in to the top 1/3, you should have a shot. I don't think you really have any shot at UH, a second-tier school, unless you can manage to break top 15%.

Work your butt off and apply to South Texas. Good luck.

You should definitely apply to both sine they're both schools you'd like to attend. However, UH is very much a longshot. Try to learn as much as you can about why you got the grades you did and what you need to improve for this semester, and raise your GPA as much as possible. With luck you'll at least get into South Texas.

Lokomani wrote:Probably out at both. You might as well drop out, not like you're really fit to practice law if you couldn't get into a decently ranked school anyway.

I hate you.

Thanks so much for your replies! That's about what I expected in regards to UH, but hey, here's to wishful thinking!

Actually, the OP will probably be able transfer to one of those schools, become a judge & preside over the divorce trial of the impolite poster.

Unless changed within the last two years, OP has a much better chance of transferring into Houston than into South Texas because Houston only requires top half of the current class to be eligible to transfer in while South Texas requires top 10%.

I tend to agree that UH is more of a longshot, but it's definitely still worth applying. You have a pretty compelling reason to seek a transfer there, which can only help if you are able to convey that effectively in your app. Also, I'm convinced that it generally doesn't take quite the same level of grades to transfer into a T2 school since they likely aren't getting as flooded with apps as T1, T30, and especially T14 schools are. However, to have a more realistic shot at UH you are probably gonna have to bring that rank up a decent amount this semester.

As vanwinkle suggested, it would definitely be a good idea to go talk to your profs in order to get some exam feedback and try to sharpen your exam-taking skills between now and spring finals.

Good luck!

UCLAtransfer wrote:I tend to agree that UH is more of a longshot, but it's definitely still worth applying. You have a pretty compelling reason to seek a transfer there, which can only help if you are able to convey that effectively in your app. Also, I'm convinced that it generally doesn't take quite the same level of grades to transfer into a T2 school since they likely aren't getting as flooded with apps as T1, T30, and especially T14 schools are. However, to have a more realistic shot at UH you are probably gonna have to bring that rank up a decent amount this semester.

As vanwinkle suggested, it would definitely be a good idea to go talk to your profs in order to get some exam feedback and try to sharpen your exam-taking skills between now and spring finals.

Good luck!

+1. Your best attribute is your truly compelling (fiance is being transferred there) reason to transfer to UH. People sometimes underestimate the weight of this. One adcom I spoke to said, in the past, this is what transfer admissions used to be all about in the past (much less so than moving up in the USNWR rankings). This particular adcom opined that many transfers at the lower schools are still based on this reason.

What I'm trying to say is that, if you can raise your grades up to the top 25% range, I see no reason why you shouldn't land at least one, probably both of those schools. If you can't raise your grades, and are willing to pay full tuition for 2 years to graduate at a T2, you still have a good shot. This is especially true if the reason your fiance is "being transferred" is beyond his control. You need to communicate this to the max to the adcoms through your application. Put this information in your personal statement, in the application (if there's a place for it), tell the adcoms when you talk to them on the phone that this is the reason you're interested in transferring, etc.

Talk to professors about how to improve your exam scores (even just a little bit), lower your shoulder and really crack down this semester and I (personally) think you have a good shot at transferring. It won't be easy, but probably worth it in your situation. Good luck!

Thanks again everyone for all your advice! I really appreciate it, and I have a plan of action now