So here's the deal:
In at UCLA. Want transactional biglaw in LA primarily, but not opposed to SF/SV. Also planning on applying to NY firms with large class sizes, but would prefer best coast.
10% at Hastings, don't know about law review yet. 14.5k need-based grant but no merit aid. Going to have to borrow 30k just to cover tuition for '12 - '13 (plus tuition and fees going from 46 to 49 for '13-'14), plus probably another 5 for expenses.
Haven't completed UCLA's financial aid paperwork yet, but admin tells me their need-based aid program is more generous, ranging between 1k and 20k. Tuition is also marginally lower, and if it doesn't rise for '13-'14, will be about 5k less than at Hastings. Assuming I got the max, or close to it, I'd have to borrow about 35k to cover tuition AND living expenses (currently living in the Bay Area for free).
Assuming finances come out to a draw, additional pros & cons:
- OCI is mainly preselect at Hastings, putting someone at 10% in a pretty good position to get a lot of interviews from the firms that come. Not sure how someone in my position would fare at UCLA's OCI/whether greater firm presence counterbalances transfer disadvantage.
- Diminished LR prospects at UCLA?
- Long distance with SO for either 1 or 2 years.
- Ineligible for Coif (but I think eligible for latin honors)
- BUT modest legal-community prestige bump and significant lay prestige bump. Particularly for someone wanting to work in LA.
Thoughts?
Should I transfer from Hastings to UCLA? Forum
Forum rules
Anonymous Posting
Anonymous posting is only available to the creator of each thread. The anonymous posting feature is intended to permit the solicitation of anonymous advice regarding the transfer application process, chances of being accepted, etc. Unacceptable uses include: testing the feature, questions which are clearly fake or hypothetical in nature, harassing other users, etc. Posters should also read and understand the announcements posted at the top of the Transfers forum prior to using the anonymous feature.
Failure to follow these rules will get you outed, warned, or banned.
Anonymous Posting
Anonymous posting is only available to the creator of each thread. The anonymous posting feature is intended to permit the solicitation of anonymous advice regarding the transfer application process, chances of being accepted, etc. Unacceptable uses include: testing the feature, questions which are clearly fake or hypothetical in nature, harassing other users, etc. Posters should also read and understand the announcements posted at the top of the Transfers forum prior to using the anonymous feature.
Failure to follow these rules will get you outed, warned, or banned.
- reasonable troll
- Posts: 199
- Joined: Thu Mar 08, 2012 10:34 pm
Should I transfer from Hastings to UCLA?
Last edited by reasonable troll on Thu Jul 05, 2012 4:00 pm, edited 1 time in total.
-
- Posts: 11453
- Joined: Wed Mar 24, 2010 4:54 pm
Re: Hastings -> UCLA?
If you are top 10% & law review at UC-Hastings, then UCLA is not worth the transfer unless you receive need based aid & write-on to UCLA's law review, in my opinion.
- TTTehehe
- Posts: 190
- Joined: Fri Apr 20, 2012 7:00 pm
Re: Hastings -> UCLA?
Seeing as OP is staying in California, I don't think his t10% from Hastings will hurt him during OCI. If he writes on to UCLA, then there's even more incentive to go for it.CanadianWolf wrote:If you are top 10% & law review at UC-Hastings, then UCLA is not worth the transfer unless you receive need based aid & write-on to UCLA's law review, in my opinion.