Yale Transfer Taking Questions Forum

[dbt]

Studying for second-semester 3L exams is truly mind-numbing. And I'm about to graduate, so this is probably the last time for me to do a thread like this.

I transferred last year, so I've done two years at Yale, one at NYU.

[Yeshia90]

The all-too-obvious: What were your grades at NYU, what are your plans for next year, why did you transfer?

[dbt]

The all-too-obvious: What were your grades at NYU, what are your plans for next year, why did you transfer?

Grades were in the region of top 5% (bit higher than an A- average). Working for a firm next year, then clerking at least one year after that (maybe two). Transferred mainly because I became interested in academia and figured I'd send out an application. Ended up getting more money, plus a much cheaper city, so money was a driving factor (alongside other typical factors).

[ust2008]

If you are willing to share:

1. What is the size of your transfer class exactly (and any other recent years that you may know)? I've heard 8 and I've heard 12 - which is a relatively large range.

2. What is the breakdown of schools where transfer students come from? Mostly T-14s? T-20s?

Thanks for taking the time.

[dbt]

I know the last three years. For 2011, I think it was 12. For 2012, it was 17 (a lot!). For 2013, it was like 8. I don't know what accounts for the discrepancy. I think they get about 200 applications a year in any event.

Everyone is from a T14 from my year except two people, who came from non-T14 T1s. I think for 2013 everyone is from T14.

[ust2008]

Thanks. Here's to hoping they hit double digits this year.

What are your thoughts on how your clerkship odds changed w/your transfer? I have to imagine that NYU top-5% has a decent shot at COA. Same odds at YLS? Better? Worse?

[dbt]

Yeah I think historically they take around 12, so 8 is pretty low and 17 is pretty high.

I would guess that my clerkship odds improved with the transfer. For personal reasons I only applied to NYC federal courts. Even at YLS, my impression is it's pretty tough to get those straight out of law school, and I'd imagine you generally need to be higher in the class at NYU to get the same clerkship. On the other hand, the lack of ranking at YLS might backfire. I'm not sure.

[theduffman]

What was it like asking for letters from NYU profs/ how did NYU as an institution deal with you transferring? Did they make it difficult or do you feel like there's a transfer stigma at Yale?

[dbt]

It was obviously awkward asking for letters, but professors were completely willing to do so. NYU as an institution was pretty unaware that I was leaving, and didn't obstruct my path.

There's no transfer stigma at Yale. The transfers basically became their own small group, and fit in extremely well. YLS is really small so it's easy to meet the class.

[wiglaf1228]

Why would anyone transfer from NYU to Yale? How prestige whorish. "Getting more money?" somehow I doubt you got a transfer scholarship.

[Tom Joad]

Why would anyone transfer from NYU to Yale? How prestige whorish. "Getting more money?" somehow I doubt you got a transfer scholarship.

gee whiz, why would anybody even want to go to that TTT in New Haven?

[CanadianWolf]

@wiglaf1228: The money was probably need based aid.

[TatteredDignity]

Were you informed of your financial aid before you were required to accept?

How far behind were you in terms of getting connected with professors for clerkships, and how difficult was it to catch up?

[dbt]

Why would anyone transfer from NYU to Yale? How prestige whorish. "Getting more money?" somehow I doubt you got a transfer scholarship.

It was need-based. My scholarship at NYU was need/merit-based, and yet YLS's was still much higher.

I also said other typical factors came into play - prestige is one of them. Prospects for academia is another.

[dbt]

Were you informed of your financial aid before you were required to accept?

How far behind were you in terms of getting connected with professors for clerkships, and how difficult was it to catch up?

Yes. It wasn't very difficult to get to know professors. The best way seems to be RAing because you're in regular contact with the professor and it's not in a group (class) setting.

[k5220]

how did you do so well during your 1L year? i'm starting at NYU next year and i'd be really interested in any specific NYU advice or 0L prep in general.
thanks!!

[quiver]

Grades were in the region of top 5% (bit higher than an A- average). Working for a firm next year, then clerking at least one year after that (maybe two). Transferred mainly because I became interested in academia and figured I'd send out an application. Ended up getting more money, plus a much cheaper city, so money was a driving factor (alongside other typical factors).

Do you already have your first clerkship lined up? If so, are you happy with how your clerkship cycle went? Any tips (specifically for transfers) about going through the clerkship process?

Out of curiosity, how much different are the students between NYU and YLS (could be personality, tougher curve, anything really)?

[booboo]

Aizen would go to Yale.

[dbt]

how did you do so well during your 1L year? i'm starting at NYU next year and i'd be really interested in any specific NYU advice or 0L prep in general.
thanks!!

I'm not really sure on what the best study plan is, but I read a bit of E&Es the summer before 1L just so I'd have an idea of the subject matter - I was one of the kids who didn't even know what a tort was - and then read every day before class, take diligent notes, and start outlining about halfway through semester and taking practice tests around 3/4 way through. Typing fast also helps.

[dbt]

Grades were in the region of top 5% (bit higher than an A- average). Working for a firm next year, then clerking at least one year after that (maybe two). Transferred mainly because I became interested in academia and figured I'd send out an application. Ended up getting more money, plus a much cheaper city, so money was a driving factor (alongside other typical factors).

Do you already have your first clerkship lined up? If so, are you happy with how your clerkship cycle went? Any tips (specifically for transfers) about going through the clerkship process?

Out of curiosity, how much different are the students between NYU and YLS (could be personality, tougher curve, anything really)?

Yes, I've got district court lined up and am about to apply for appellate. I think my clerkship cycle went pretty well, but I stuck to NYC/DC, which are very competitive to get right out of law school, so that skewed my results. Friends that applied more broadly and to less competitive districts had much better results.

I think the YLS students are quite a bit more formal than NYU, but overall we're all law students and there's not a huge difference in personality. I can't really tell on curve because there are only really two grades at YLS - H and P. My impression is H probably maps onto the A and A-s at NYU (i.e., around top 30%), but it varies by professor.

[quiver]

Yes, I've got district court lined up and am about to apply for appellate. I think my clerkship cycle went pretty well, but I stuck to NYC/DC, which are very competitive to get right out of law school, so that skewed my results. Friends that applied more broadly and to less competitive districts had much better results.

That's awesome, congrats! Did judges say anything about you being a transfer? Do you think you were viewed any differently as a transfer (judging by comments, questions, etc.)?

[Fortuitous]

I am trying to decide between Stanford and Yale--do you feel that there is a real advantage to going to YLS for law teaching, or is SLS an acceptable alternative? Thank you!

[wiglaf1228]

Didn't you get into Yale as a 0L? Or anyone you know there?

[dbt]

Yes, I've got district court lined up and am about to apply for appellate. I think my clerkship cycle went pretty well, but I stuck to NYC/DC, which are very competitive to get right out of law school, so that skewed my results. Friends that applied more broadly and to less competitive districts had much better results.

That's awesome, congrats! Did judges say anything about you being a transfer? Do you think you were viewed any differently as a transfer (judging by comments, questions, etc.)?

Thanks. Surprisingly judges didn't say anything about it. Some professors have said it's good because I can show good performance at two different schools. It's bad if a judge graduated from NYU (a couple I'm applying to).

[dbt]

I am trying to decide between Stanford and Yale--do you feel that there is a real advantage to going to YLS for law teaching, or is SLS an acceptable alternative? Thank you!

I can't really say. The academic placement data is probably best, but my understanding is YLS is by a decent margin the best school for aspiring academics. I would imagine SLS and HLS are not far behind. I don't know about SLS's feel or curriculum, but YLS makes us write two papers and seems very geared toward molding its students into future professors or judges. Very different feel from NYU in that respect.