Top Law Schools

I'm currently top 3% at a midwestern T2 (ranked between 60-80). I am already planning on sending apps to Michigan, NW, Duke, UVA & Penn, but am also curious whether it would be worth the app fees to reach for CCN (particularly Chicago). Arrow's post seems to indicate top 5% has some outside shot at CCN, but other evidence seems to indicate from a T2 I would need to be closer to Top 1%.

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

I would definately apply; however, of CCN Chicago is probably the most unlikely. Whereas Columbia and NYU have larger transfer classes (I know Columbia had 40 this year) Chicago only had about 10, so due to limited spots I'd say its harder to transfer to Chicago.

Nonetheless, I'd still apply.

I'm in a similar situation as you, absent the Midwestern geography (southern T2, top 3%). From what I've gathered, and from what people have told me, I'd say go ahead and try (edit--as said above, more so at the NY schools than Chi). If you keep the grades you have, you probably have around a coin toss chance, provided you have great LORs and Transfer Statements. But it's doable.

Like law school admissions your first time around, T14 outside CCN are your targets (lower T14s may even be safetys with those grades), and CCN are definitely reasonable reach schools.

If the application fee is truly a worry, I would send a letter to the respective admissions offices asking for a fee waiver, giving your credentials and saying you'd like to apply to transfer but are having difficulty because of the cost. Worst thing they can do is say no.

Thanks both of you for your help. The application fee really isn't a worry to me, but its more a question of whether I would simply be burning money by sending an application to Chicago. I'd rather not even apply and waste whatever the fee is if my chances of getting in are essentially 0. Having said that, I will still probably apply because I don't want to look back a year from now and wonder "what if"