Clerking for Transfer Students Forum

[Anonymous User]

I'm writing this with hopes of getting responses from students who have actually transferred, since there is plenty of speculation from non-transfer students on other threads.

To what extent do you think transferring hurt your clerkship application? I'm primarily interested in a few factors:

1. Did your 1L professors from your old school still write you recommendations?
2. Were you able to secure any good recommendations from professors in your new school?
3. Did your grades slip when you transferred, thus hurting your application?
4. Do you think there is a presumption against transfers, i.e., a general feeling that transfers are less qualified for whatever reason (they didn't get in the first time, they are careerists, etc. etc.)?

Thanks very much to anyone who replies with some perspective.

[Wholigan]

1. Did your 1L professors from your old school still write you recommendations?
2. Were you able to secure any good recommendations from professors in your new school?
3. Did your grades slip when you transferred, thus hurting your application?
4. Do you think there is a presumption against transfers, i.e., a general feeling that transfers are less qualified for whatever reason (they didn't get in the first time, they are careerists, etc. etc.)?

1) No. But I didn't ask. I know some have been recommended by 1L professors.
2) Yes - but it wasn't easy and I consider myself somewhat lucky.
3) A little, but not too much (at least during 2L)
4) I am sure some judges have a presumption against transfers, but I think there are plenty that don't also.

To what extent do you think transferring hurt your clerkship application?

I don't think transferring hurt my application. Of course I don't know how it would have gone had I stayed at my old school and applied. I made a fairly sizable jump, from T2 to T14, so maybe that is a factor. And as I said, I believe I was somewhat fortunate with recommendations.

[jess]

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