Top Law Schools

My GPA is a 4.0 for my first semester. My goal is NYC biglaw then hopefully move in house somewhere. I was wondering what my chances at Columbia and NYU were and people's thoughts on whether its worth it.

You would prob get NYC biglaw right out of Fordham with a 4.0, no?

Do you have a scholarship? Anybody on TLS know, from experience, if Fordham plays ball in the scholarship negotiation game?

You could drop next semester and still have a very good chance at getting into NYU or Columbia as a transfer. If Fordham negotiates scholarships to retain students who are thinking about transferring, I would definitely apply. Otherwise, I am not sure if there is a whole lot to gain (someone else should chime in here). If you repeat, I would consider shooting apps off to Harvard or Yale though.

Bottom-line: congrats on the grades.

Congrats on the grades.

I agree with tennisking88 - you would probably get BigLaw NYC out of Fordham. One of my 1L co-interns (now a 2L) was from Fordham, Top 10% (which you are above), and he says that the Law Review/Top 10% people locked-in BigLaw relatively easily.

Thus, the transfer would only add: (1) a more prestigious name to your resume (if that is what you are into); or (2) perhaps slightly longer list of OCI recruiting firms.

Do research into how transfers do at OCI at Columbia and NYU. That should help inform your decision. If you stayed at Fordham, no loss, since you would be a big fish in a small pond for OCI purposes.

No point in transferring unless to a HYS. With a 4.0 at Fordham you will have your choice of firms in NYC...

I know someone who transferred from Fordham to CLS. She transferred for the resume line. If you're not on scholarship it might be worth it to just transfer within the city... and apply to YHS.

Thanks for the advice. I'm not getting any money from Fordham, but I remember hearing somewhere on these boards that Fordham gives a 5K scholarship to the top 1 or 2%, but I haven't been able to find out if that is true or not. Is it commonplace for schools to offer students who are transferring out scholarships to try to retain these students?

no scholarship? frankly if fordham only throws $5k at their top students then i don't think that should dissuade you from leaving, if you decide it might be worth it.

i think if you want NYC big law, though, you should have as good a chance coming from fordham in your position as you would as a transfer to HYSCCN. that said, since you have no scholarship, you might want to consider whether the intangibles that come with a more prestigious degree warrant transferring (e.g., access to a more "prestigious" alumni network for possible career changes down the line, etc.). also, if you want to clerk before practicing, you'll most likely have much better opportunities from HYSCCN than you would coming from fordham.

johansantana21 wrote:No point in transferring unless to a HYS. With a 4.0 at Fordham you will have your choice of firms in NYC...

+1...I was literally going to say the same thing...then I read this post.

Coolgrnmen wrote:

johansantana21 wrote:No point in transferring unless to a HYS. With a 4.0 at Fordham you will have your choice of firms in NYC...

+1...I was literally going to say the same thing...then I read this post.

I would 100% agree if OP was getting a sizable scholarship, but with nothing from Fordham (or only 5k) I'd say transfer to YHS+CLS/NYU if you get the chance. You'll still clean up at OCI and all you lose is law review and professor connections. If the only goal is NYC biglaw then OP will probably be fine staying or transferring. But YHSCCN opens up more doors for clerking, academia, etc. if OP ever wants go that route.

I'm not interested in academia or clerking really. As of now my plan is just to try and get biglaw, and then depending how I can handle the hours, transfer inhouse somewhere. My biggest worry is that if I transfer, I may end up around median at CLS/NYU and be in a worse position than I would have been at Fordham.

knicks1234 wrote:I'm not interested in academia or clerking really. As of now my plan is just to try and get biglaw, and then depending how I can handle the hours, transfer inhouse somewhere. My biggest worry is that if I transfer, I may end up around median at CLS/NYU and be in a worse position than I would have been at Fordham.

I think you should just stay at Fordham. Sounds like you're happy there and there isn't any reason to go to CLS/NYU.

knicks1234 wrote:My biggest worry is that if I transfer, I may end up around median at CLS/NYU and be in a worse position than I would have been at Fordham.

This shouldn't be a big concern for two main reasons. First, OCI hiring is done at the beginning of your first 2L semester, long before you get any grades from the new school. Second, transfers usually perform fairly well at the new school. If your only goal is NYC biglaw then you should be just fine where you are, I merely wanted to present both sides.

I am in a similar situation, my GPA isnt quite as high but its up there (and im still waiting for one of my 5 credit grades). Despite having a fairly low GPA (3.12) CLS kept me on their waitlist till May, and I have a good connection at NYU. I know that this upcoming summer I will be interning in SDNY, and possibly may be splitting my summer and working the other half at Skadden. I am not getting any money currently for Fordham. I am considering Clerking after law school, how much of a difference would CLS/NYU offer in comparison to Fordham?

kraken wrote:I am in a similar situation, my GPA isnt quite as high but its up there (and im still waiting for one of my 5 credit grades). Despite having a fairly low GPA (3.12) CLS kept me on their waitlist till May, and I have a good connection at NYU. I know that this upcoming summer I will be interning in SDNY, and possibly may be splitting my summer and working the other half at Skadden. I am not getting any money currently for Fordham. I am considering Clerking after law school, how much of a difference would CLS/NYU offer in comparison to Fordham?

For clerking? A lot more...but even with your connections, I wouldn't count on a 3.12 getting you into either of those schools. (Unless, 3.12 was UGPA...then I'm misspeaking here)
It doesn't matter how long they kept you on their waitlist...that was based solely on success indicators...now they have the true and accurate indicator...your law school GPA and your ability to get hired. If you are doing a portion at SDNY and Skadden, those are big selling points...they want students who can do well AND get employed.

that was UGPA, my 1L GPA for Fall is a 3.5

kraken wrote:that was UGPA, my 1L GPA for Fall is a 3.5

That doesn't sound like top 10% at CLS.

johansantana21 wrote:

kraken wrote:that was UGPA, my 1L GPA for Fall is a 3.5

That doesn't sound like top 10% at CLS.

Probably because kraken goes to Fordham:

kraken wrote:I am not getting any money currently for Fordham. I am considering Clerking after law school, how much of a difference would CLS/NYU offer in comparison to Fordham?

Also, no mention of rank, so...

Doesn't sound like top 10% at Fordham either.

If you have a 4.0 at fordham and want NYC biglaw, you are a shoe in right where you are. Absolutely no need for a transfer. All the best firms that come to Fordham OCI will be all over you.

johansantana21 wrote:Doesn't sound like top 10% at Fordham either.

InGoodFaith wrote:Also, no mention of rank, so...

Not sure where you are getting top 10% from...

Needs around top 10% to transfer from Fordham to a T14.

johansantana21 wrote:Needs around top 10% to transfer from Fordham to a T14.

But you thought kraken was at CLS at first...

johansantana21 wrote:That doesn't sound like top 10% at CLS.

All of this is assuming that you aren't given a large scholarship from Fordham.

If I had a 4.0 at Fordham, I'd probably stay put b/c you're in the top 1%. If you drop down at all though (say to ~ top 5-10%), I'd transfer to CLS/NYU. Even if you transfer, firms will still see your Fordham 1L GPA/Rank at OCI and will still be all over you. The only difference will that there will be more firms at your OCI. You'd lose law review by transferring, but that's a miserable experience anyway, and if you don't want to clerk (and already have good enough grades to get hired), the marginal boost it gives isn't worth it.

Once you're in biglaw, that resume line absolutely DOES matter. Speaking from experience, people at the white shoe firms in NYC are complete snobs about where they went to school. And many of them stick their noses up at Fordham/Cardozo/etc.

InGoodFaith wrote:

johansantana21 wrote:Needs around top 10% to transfer from Fordham to a T14.

But you thought kraken was at CLS at first...

johansantana21 wrote:That doesn't sound like top 10% at CLS.

Are you mentally retarded?