Top Law Schools

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If you make law review & receive at least a 50% scholarship, then Yale, Harvard & Stanford are important considerations only if seeking to work outside of California & the nearby region. Relationships with law professors can be valuable if seeking to work in SoCal & why should you leave a great situation that is only likely to get better ?

somethingdemure wrote:I've heard the top few students are offered a scholarship of about half tuition (although I don't know for sure), so assume that staying at UCLA means half tuition scholly + law review.

This doesn't seem generous at all, considering some people get more upon entry. If this is all you can get I'd definitely transfer up especially given your interest in academia.

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Congrats. You have over a 4.0 cum GPA 1st year at UCLA and aren't already a scholly student? I find that fairly surprising. I know that stats going into law school don't necessarily guarantee or bar a particular outcome, but I suspect that in the vast majority of cases the very top of each law school class was already ahead of the curve coming into the school (and thus on at least some scholly). Were you a massive splitter going in (really high LSAT etc)? Just curious.

I would go for Stanford if I were you. You want CA so I think Stanford is the right choice if you get in. H or Y should also be good options though, especially since you already have the connection to CA of having lived there IMO. Good luck.

Congrats on an amazing year!

Why don't you talk to Eugene Volokh? He stayed at UCLA and things worked out well for him. And although Kozinski usually doesn't hire from UCLA, he does sometimes (it is his alma mater after all). I'm sure if you get a couple good recs, you'll be at least competitive for a clerkship with Koz, and that will put you in a better position than most Yale students.

If you transfer to Yale, you have to start from scratch again. Much of the feeder hiring occurs in the second semester of 2L year, so you'll have one semester to rise to the top again and get good recommendations. And you'll also have to write onto law review, which is no guarantee. Honestly I'd estimate that your chances at SCOTUS are stronger if you stay at UCLA than if you transfer, and the potential scholarship doesn't hurt either. But talk to your professors--especially those who have clerked--as they'll be able to offer better advice than anyone here.

somethingdemure wrote:

drdolittle wrote:

somethingdemure wrote:I've heard the top few students are offered a scholarship of about half tuition (although I don't know for sure), so assume that staying at UCLA means half tuition scholly + law review.

This doesn't seem generous at all, considering some people get more upon entry. If this is all you can get I'd definitely transfer up especially given your interest in academia.

Right, we'll see what happens in terms of money, I've heard conflicting stories as to what UCLA offers 2Ls. I know it's pretty rare for top schools to incentivize top students to stay because transferring generally isn't the best idea for top 1-2% at a T14. Not sure if the same applies for UCLA.

I don't think the question's about you having problems landing jobs being ranked so high. Certainly around LA, and probably all over, you'll do great. But if you do have or develop any interest in academia, going to YHS should make that path much easier. Unless you love UCLA and the area, I don't think the deal you describe makes the school worth it, but of course this is a personal decision. If I were you, I'd apply to a few of those top schools. You can always decide to stay put.

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Cavalier wrote:Why don't you talk to Eugene Volokh? He stayed at UCLA and things worked out well for him. And although Kozinski usually doesn't hire from UCLA, he does sometimes (it is his alma mater after all). I'm sure if you get a couple good recs, you'll be at least competitive for a clerkship with Koz, and that will put you in a better position than most Yale students.

If you transfer to Yale, you have to start from scratch again. Much of the feeder hiring occurs in the second semester of 2L year, so you'll have one semester to rise to the top again and get good recommendations. And you'll also have to write onto law review, which is no guarantee. Honestly I'd estimate that your chances at SCOTUS are stronger if you stay at UCLA than if you transfer, and the potential scholarship doesn't hurt either. But talk to your professors--especially those who have clerked--as they'll be able to offer better advice than anyone here.

TBF, Volokh's a very unique individual, not representative of top students' potential anywhere, much less UCLA.

Talking to faculty about this is good advice, just keep in mind that their opinions will not be entirely unbiased and I imagine they'll want you to stay (even if they themselves went to a school ranked higher than UCLA, at a time when rank had less impact).

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You should absolutely stay. Any firms that you might want that doesn't come to your OCI (which I doubt there are many/any since you want LA) you can mail and they will definitely want to talk to you b/c of your grades. And with those grades, you're likely to get some good recs (if not right now, then put yourself out there!) and you'll have a great shot at clerkships. HYS students don't get all the clerkships, contrary to common TLS prestige-whoring wisdom. Those schools give everyone a great shot at clerkships coming in, but if ANYONE is going to get a clerkship from UCLA, it's you. Look at your school's past data on people going to clerkships. You'll get one if you keep your grades up and get good recs. And you still have a shot at academia if your grades are good as well. But if you're considering that down the line, your ability to get that kind of position later on will be MUCH more dependent on how much you publish and your reputation in relevant circles than on where you went to school (as long as it wasn't TTTT and as long as your grades where you went were good, but you've got those covered).

Stanford might be the only one potentially worth going to because of its CA location. But if you haven't already applied, you're out of luck (SLS deadline was June 15). If you go to the East Coast from UCLA you'll have a really hard time convincing LA firms that you want to work in LA. That's even true for Stanford (NorCal v. SoCal). If you didn't want LA I'd probably give you different advice, but as is, there is absolutely no good reason to transfer.

Congrats, now stay where you're at and reap the benefits!

would you mind writing a guide to 1L? Average numbers coming in and a ridiculously successful 1L year........ congrats!

I would transfer. Sure you have every opportunity available to you right now but you're not getting any money. The jump from UCLA to HYS is big enough where it makes sense most of the time, unlike a jump from a T6 to HYS. After you get your first job your GPA won't matter anyways and you'll be UCLA + LR... I'd rather be considered median at HYS than UCLA+LR.

I want to add that this is under the assumption that UCLA does not give you money. If they do, it is much much closer but I would probably still go unless they offered something close to full tuition.

Hey bro, I think you should stay. Make sure you get a scholly from UCLA and enjoy the socal weather/women. I hope to see you there in the Fall and bask in your awesomeness!

Congrats!

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stylishlaw wrote:I would transfer. Sure you have every opportunity available to you right now but you're not getting any money. The jump from UCLA to HYS is big enough where it makes sense most of the time, unlike a jump from a T6 to HYS. After you get your first job your GPA won't matter anyways and you'll be UCLA + LR... I'd rather be considered median at HYS than UCLA+LR.

I want to add that this is under the assumption that UCLA does not give you money. If they do, it is much much closer but I would probably still go unless they offered something close to full tuition.

I agree with this. As for clerkships, HLS Transfers did absolutely fine this past year, and will be clerking at various circuit courts, federal district courts, and state supreme courts. In terms of law firm employment, as far as I know all of the HLS Transfer 2Ls who wanted CA got offers from awesome, top firms. I don't know how much you love UCLA, but the opportunities that are available at schools like YHS are unbelievable, and I'm personally really glad I transferred (even though I was originally attending the #1 non-YHS school in my desired market).

Teeny bump. Any more opinions?

somethingdemure wrote:Teeny bump. Any more opinions?

I think you should transfer, if it isn't too late. Your grades will probably slip next year.

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It's especially hard right now because there are a lot of people leaving associate jobs to clerk.

It's especially hard right now because there are a lot of people leaving associate jobs to clerk.