Vandy / UT / Emory / Alabama / FSU Transfer Forum

[Anonymous User]

Hello, I am considering transferring.

My current stats are ~5% at a TTTT in SE region (FL). Moot Court. (Probably) Law review invitation. Federal Agency internship for the summer + research assistant for a professor.

I went to undergrad in a well-known school in the NE.

Is Vanderbilt, Texas, Emory, Alabama, or FSU a better situation for me? What are my chances at these schools given my current stats?

I am not quite sure what I would like to do - I just want to keep my options open ... and staying at a TTTT does not seem to provide much, if any, long-term benefit.

I am open to Big Law (obv), Clerking, Academia or maybe some civil rights activism type-ish as a profession after LS.

I understand that this decision primarily rests on how well I did this semester. So, what are my chances of getting into these schools, and "about" what kind of grades need I maintain to get into these schools respectively?

Thanks,
Heavold

[Nebby]

Top 5% may also sneak you into Georgetown. Where do you want to live or work after school? BigLaw would be most accessible from Texas or Vandy, statistically (and Georgetown).

[Anonymous User]

OP here,
Thanks neb,
I would prefer to work either in DC or FL... however, I could possibly see myself in NC or VA...

I would love to attend to GULC or GW but after looking at the numbers of people being denied for EA admission, I feel as though I would not be competitive.

Does a top 5% TTTT'er have a chance at GULC or GW, or UT or Vandy?

I figured Alabama and FSU would be my locks ... Emory would be a reach, but still attainable. Then, UT + Vandy as hard-to-reach schools. I didn't even consider GW or GULC because I thought I wouldn't be competitive.

What's everyone else's thoughts?

[yolo420blazeit]

OP here,
Thanks neb,
I would prefer to work either in DC or FL... however, I could possibly see myself in NC or VA...

I would love to attend to GULC or GW but after looking at the numbers of people being denied for EA admission, I feel as though I would not be competitive.

Does a top 5% TTTT'er have a chance at GULC or GW, or UT or Vandy?

I figured Alabama and FSU would be my locks ... Emory would be a reach, but still attainable. Then, UT + Vandy as hard-to-reach schools. I didn't even consider GW or GULC because I thought I wouldn't be competitive.

What's everyone else's thoughts?

Not sure about Gtown but id apply to gw. You'll get in gw I'm pretty sure (if you maintain your rank).

I'd say don't bother with fsu . I'm confident you'll get into higher ranked schools

[Nebby]

Yes. Do try for GW if you want to work in DC. I agree that fsu is a waste. How well does UF place?

[BVest]

UT took 60 last summer to bring their class size back up to the 360 range. That included a large number (more than 10) just from St. Mary's and STCL alone.

Caveats: This year, their 1L class was 319, so they'll only need to take 40 more if 360 is still their goal. Also, I don't know if the lack of transfers from non-Texas TTTTs was by Texas' choice (all the one's I know personally are Texans) or due to lack of applications (or maybe that the top TTTT students who got into Texas also had T14 options and it was only the Texans who chose UT over more expensive T14 options).

[InRemington]

Emory is not a reach - they took several of my classmates from a FL TTTT that were ranked below top 20%. I think top 10% is a lock into Emory. I too think FSU is waste - UF or Bama are both locks for a transfer and pull better than FSU.

[Anonymous User]

UT took 60 last summer to bring their class size back up to the 360 range. That included a large number (more than 10) just from St. Mary's and STCL alone.

Caveats: This year, their 1L class was 319, so they'll only need to take 40 more if 360 is still their goal. Also, I don't know if the lack of transfers from non-Texas TTTTs was by Texas' choice (all the one's I know personally are Texans) or due to lack of applications (or maybe that the top TTTT students who got into Texas also had T14 options and it was only the Texans who chose UT over more expensive T14 options).

OP here,

Is TX known for accepting only in-staters? How did you receive this sort of information ... did you transfer into TX? If so, do you have a pamphlet of exactly what schools the students went to?

Thanks

[BVest]

Is TX known for accepting only in-staters? How did you receive this sort of information ... did you transfer into TX? If so, do you have a pamphlet of exactly what schools the students went to?

Thanks

No )to the pamphlet) (the other two answers would be I don't know and I'm not saying but it wouldn't be hard to figure out). This is personal knowledge of transferees in this class. I certainly don't know all the schools that people went to but I do know the ones of which I speak.

As far as class numbers, I have no knowledge of what Texas is targeting this year for transferees, only what they took last year and the sizes of the 2015 and 2016 1L classes.

As far as being only known for taking in-staters, until last year they weren't really known for taking transfers at all. The only two transfers from last year's class that I know off the top of my head went to 1L schools outside of Texas were both Texas residents. But again, how much of that is self-selection? If you can get into UT to transfer, you can probably also get into GULC, and which of those are most out-of-staters going to choose? For in-state it makes sense to go to Texas because Texas is the highest-ranked school for which residency actually makes a difference in tuition.

[Dawkins]

Vandy is a great place to transfer to. Last year we took a guy from a Florida school. Give it a shot.

[Anonymous User]

Vandy is a great place to transfer to. Last year we took a guy from a Florida school. Give it a shot.

OP here,

What FL school did he go to if you know/dont mind?

[shifty_eyed]

UT took 60 last summer to bring their class size back up to the 360 range. That included a large number (more than 10) just from St. Mary's and STCL alone.

Caveats: This year, their 1L class was 319, so they'll only need to take 40 more if 360 is still their goal. Also, I don't know if the lack of transfers from non-Texas TTTTs was by Texas' choice (all the one's I know personally are Texans) or due to lack of applications (or maybe that the top TTTT students who got into Texas also had T14 options and it was only the Texans who chose UT over more expensive T14 options).

OP here,

Is TX known for accepting only in-staters? How did you receive this sort of information ... did you transfer into TX? If so, do you have a pamphlet of exactly what schools the students went to?

Thanks

TX used to only accept very few students as transfers and only those with legit reasons for being in Austin. That has changed in the past couple years.

I know of at least 4 non-Texas TTT transfers.

[timmyd]

I'm from Louisiana and got into UT as a transfer. Top 5% at non Texas TTT. Another buddy of mine from same school got in and he was top 10%. I don't know what UT's policy on transfers will be this year (seems to change depending on 1l class size), but I would def send an app. That would have been a lock last year. I also got into Gtown as well. I think you will get into both. I would also apply to some other t14s like Northwestern, Michigan, and Duke. They are kind of long shots but you have nothing to lose. I really wish I would have applied to more t14s last year, although I love UT.

[timmyd]

I also want to provide a little bit more transfer info generally and some lessons I've learned as a transfer at UT in particular.
1) You should def transfer. It seems like you have your mind made up and thats good because your gut is right. Your school will likely try to persuade you to stay, you will get law review, maybe have some highest grade awards, and have probably developed good relationships with professors. That must be sacrificed. You also can still put the stuff on you resume, it will just read: law review (invitation extended). Transferring is life changing and I truly believe is the best move for down the road.
2) I have not witnessed any transfer stigma at UT. Everyone I know is super nice and the subject of being a transfer only comes up a couple of times when first meeting people. Halfway through your 2l year, no one even notices in my opinion. Also, getting good grades can get rid of that stigma real quick. Trust me, nothing feels better than having an A+ or A on your transcript from UT...feels good. On that note, I was so scared at first that I would be outclassed here. There are alot of smart kids for sure, but your smart enough to hang if you can get top 5% at virtually any law school. Also, in my experience, hard work conquers all. You can do really well here if you put in the time. At any rate, congrats on the success and hopefully I'll see you around next year.