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I recently got accepted as a transfer at WashU from a lower ranked school in the Southeast. My goal is to live and practice in FL after graduation. Need advice on what the best options are for the schools I was accepted to.
WashU: scholly $
UF: sticker
Boston U: minimal scholly
FSU: sticker

Current school is t4 that does fairly well in placing students in the FL market. No big or mid firms though.
-Law Review
-Moot Court
-SBA e-board
- etc.

I applied extremely late in the transfer cycle and probably would have had a fair chance at t14. On paper, I assume the logic is going to be to go to any school ranked higher. Would be awesome to get some insight, considering FL is where I want to practice.

I'm at a t4 in sofla too... of those schools, i would choose UF or FSU ... uf if private, fsu if public. the schools are regional, so Im assuming that if you want to stay in fl, a fl school is your best option (especially cuz col + tuition is fairly cheap for in-staters).

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heavoldgotjuice wrote:of those schools, i would choose UF or FSU ... uf if private, fsu if public. the schools are regional, so Im assuming that if you want to stay in fl, a fl school is your best option (especially cuz col + tuition is fairly cheap for in-staters).

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this- edited because I am not at a law school in florida

Thanks! So you don't think WashU's rank would outweigh UF or FSU?

I think UF will be as respected in Florida as WUSTL, although I have no evidence to support this contention. WUSTL tends to have weight in the midwest. I think Emory would have more weight in Florida although I think UF would still take the cake. Just my thoughts. I would still transfer to WUSTL unless you are certain you want to remain in Florida. In that case, I might just stay at your school if the top 10% have good outcomes.

if florida is your target market, it makes sense to go to school in your target market. washu's target market is St. Louis.. I don't know WashU or Florida( florida state for that matter) but I would ask around here to see where WashU grads get placed, and compare those results to your goals. If you want the Midwest or St.Louis then go to WashU but you say you want to practice in Florida, correct? So why would you want to go to school and establish ties in a market that you do not want to target? Especially when you have two great options in your target state.

So really, go to either FSU or UF, if I were you. And of those two, if you want gov't work 0 FSU would be slightly better ( due to it being in the Capitol)I think. But another factor to consider is tuition costs. Is UF a private school and FSU public? Or are both public schools? If there is a big discrepancy in cost of attendance, go to the cheaper one. at least this is what I would do if I were in your shoes.

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What outcomes does your school have at the top of the class (which I presume you are in)? I mean even at ttts, the top 10% can usually get decent outcomes, especially if it is respected in the region. I went to Loyola New Orleans my first year. Everyone in the top 10% is either working mid/big law or has a fed clerkship. Honestly, I love the school I ended up attending, but I think I may have been better off initially if I just stayed. Its something to think about, especially if you can make them give you a substantial scholarship. I think the name of your school is very important in terms of career trajectory, but there is something to be said for being a rockstar at your current school and coming away with a good outcome. If you go to like a really tttt school though it might not be enough still.

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Yea, I think that kids, including myself, get way too caught up in a prestige chase. Don't get me wrong, its awesome to tell your friends and family that you go to a t20 law school or maybe even GULC or something. The reality of the matter is, however, that your situation does not automatically change and it may become worse. If your school is one with many hiring partners in the region and a couple of fed judges at the district level, than you really risk a potential great outcome with minimal debt...Again, everything gets overgeneralized on this site, but not all ttts are created equal, not by a longshot. I think that I would go to WUSTL, but you should explore every avenue of this life changing decision and not just be enamored with the increase in prestige. Many employers have told me that they would take someone at the top 5-10% of my old school over a kid at median from my new school. Employers in the region I transferred out of would not give me a look after I left because, to them, what the transfer signified was "I'm too good for this school, your alma mater". pm me with any other questions. I was top 5.5% at loyno and ended up getting into UT and GULC. I currently attend UT.

Thanks everyone for the insight. It's definitely a tough decision, but I appreciate all the other factors that I did not consider.

heavoldgotjuice wrote:I'm at a t4 in sofla too... of those schools, i would choose UF or FSU ... uf if private, fsu if public. the schools are regional, so Im assuming that if you want to stay in fl, a fl school is your best option (especially cuz col + tuition is fairly cheap for in-staters).

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Florida isn't private...

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thequigley wrote:

heavoldgotjuice wrote:I'm at a t4 in sofla too... of those schools, i would choose UF or FSU ... uf if private, fsu if public. the schools are regional, so Im assuming that if you want to stay in fl, a fl school is your best option (especially cuz col + tuition is fairly cheap for in-staters).

.02

Florida isn't private...

if you're looking for a private firm job, go UF ... if you're looking for public/gov't work, go FSU. derrrrr