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Finished first semester with a 3.5, ranked about 17% in the class. The scholarship I have now pays 21k out of the 44k (no minimum GPA to keep it). I want to work in the Chicago market but I know UW-Madison is ranked much higher and I would get instate tuition there. Any recommendations? Other ideas for schools to transfer to?

thanks.

Anonymous User wrote:Finished first semester with a 3.5, ranked about 17% in the class. The scholarship I have now pays 21k out of the 44k (no minimum GPA to keep it). I want to work in the Chicago market but I know UW-Madison is ranked much higher and I would get instate tuition there. Any recommendations? Other ideas for schools to transfer to?

thanks.

Retain that GPA (preferably do better than last semester) and you have a short at Northwestern and Michigan. If you get a 4.0 this semester then you also have a shot at U of Chicago.

A 4.0 or close might give you a shot to transfer up to t14.

What's the difference between your per year cost now and UW? Will there be a difference in housing cost?

I agree with the other posters that you should try to kill it this semester and transfer to either Northwestern or UC. I graduated from UW in 2013. I can tell you that for the most part, only students in the top 10% got Chicago biglaw. I think there might have been some exceptions, but not many. Also, I do not know of any transfer students who got Chicago biglaw. However, that doesn't mean that its not possible. It could mean that they never even attempted it. I also don't know what schools the transfers came from. I'd imagine that your chances with Chicago firms are probably better coming from a Chicago school than someone transfering from a non-Chicago school. I guess what I am saying is I'd be hesitant to go for UW if you want to be in the Chicago market.

I have no personal experience with the Chicago market, but it seems like you have the ties necessary. In that case, a t14 is gonna be your best bet. I would say it's doable if you can pull your grades up.

Thanks for the feedback. I do hope to work in the Chicago Market (but I'm not that picky as I know how the current market is) and I have a few ties with attorneys down here, and their advice is somewhat split. Some say stay in top 20% here and you will be fine, and others don't really know if a move to UW will help secure employment in Chicago. I was wondering if UW grads get recruited for Chicago jobs over schools like DePaul, Loyola, JMLS, but it seems that they don't. The tuition for UW Law would be 21k and right now I pay 23k a year, but the cost of living is way cheaper in Madison ( I know, I went there for Undergrad). Has anyone tried to asked for a letter of good standing and got more added to their scholarship to stay? A few more thousand could change my mind. To move up to NW or University of Chicago I would have to get around a 4.0 (which may be doable, but I think I'll finish with a 3.7-3.8 realistically)?

Transferring to UW and paying out of state sticker would be a terrible idea if you want to be in Chicago. Negotiate for more money at your current school/try and kill it and transfer to a t14. UIUC places much better than Wisconsin into Chicago Biglaw and even then you need to be top 20% and doubt any transfers would get it.

I would be paying instate tuition at UW, little bit cheaper than what I pay now. Do transfer students ever get offered scholarships when they transfer up?

Chicagolaw123 wrote:I would be paying instate tuition at UW, little bit cheaper than what I pay now. Do transfer students ever get offered scholarships when they transfer up?

In that case it's not as terrible a move. Just know that biglaw to Chicago isn't going to happen and it will be harder to even get a job in Chicago. Your markets will be Madison and Milwaukee. If you really want Chicago, you should negotiate with your current school or transfer to a t14.