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Where to begin. I am currently a 1L at a Bay Area law school (T2). I love the Bay Area (I'm from SF) but I went to school in DC and miss it a lot, and also have decided that I really want to international law related things in my future. I am considering transferring to American and would like any advice people have to offer. My grades are decent. My school as a really steep curve, but I am somewhere in the top 20-25%. However, three of those grades are only midterm grades and I foresee them going up. Also, I applied to AU last year and got waitlisted and was later asked if I wanted to get off, but I had already committed to the school I'm currently at. How will this factor in?

Anyway, I'm looking for any advice on transferring, and I would also love advice/input from anyone who transferred into AU! What is your perspective on being a transfer student? Did you feel like you could easily get involved academically (law review/moot court)? What about making friends or finding a study group?

Any advice people have would be much appreciated!

scb1 wrote: and was later asked if I wanted to get off

I usually don't wait for anyone to ask... No, but, a serious issue:

scb1 wrote: However, three of those grades are only midterm grades and I foresee them going up.

So does every single one of the 20% above you. You should strive to make them go up, but this is just not a good expectation, I think. I mean, this semester I'm working and hoping to move up, but am expecting to stay about the same, and preparing for being median pwned too. Are there particular reasons you expect your grades to go up rather than stay the same?

Others can comment more on whether it's possible to get a meaningful job doing "international law related things" as a lateral transfer student at American. I think I can predict their answer, though: "It's not."

scb1 wrote:Also, I applied to AU last year and got waitlisted and was later asked if I wanted to get off, but I had already committed to the school I'm currently at. How will this factor in?

I think the consensus is somewhere between "not at all" and "a tiny, tiny bit".

Well, the primary reason that i expect my grades to go up (at least in two classes) is because the midterms weren't curved and the finals have to be. Given my place in the grade distribution as of now, I am in the top 15%, but the grade doesn't reflect that.

Anyway, perhaps there aren't meaningful jobs in international law, but AU has a strong program with a lot of fascinating professors and it's in DC so that in itself provides more opportunities than where I am now.