Top Law Schools

I'm a 1L at a lower T14 (not T6) and my first semester GPA was slightly above a 4.0, which I think puts me in the top 1%. I've got a 3/4 tuition scholarship and am very happy with where I am now. I want to do BigFed (e.g., DOJ or SEC), and so I figure a clerkship would be helpful. I have no desire to be on the West Coast for any length of time, so I'm really only thinking about HY. I'm assuming that if I get LR I should stay, but I don't think anyone grades on at my school (i.e., it's not guaranteed), and HY w/o LR must be better than top of class w/o LR at lower T14, right? Thanks TLS, you've always been there for me.

no

worst idea ever

Top 1% at a lower T14 with $$$ has no reason to transfer unless there is some special unicorn job you desire that only Y can get you.

fats provolone wrote:no

worst idea ever

Dude, he's not T6 though

how much money are you getting from your current school? for half that, I'll give you my HLS diploma and slap the shit out of you

First, congrats on the awesome grades. See how you're doing after your second semester. If you're still up there grade-wise, then I'm not sure it would make sense to transfer to H unless you're doing it purely for the personal satisfaction of being at H. Unlike some people here, I think that is a perfectly legitimate reason to transfer. However, if transferring would just be a means to an end - clerkships, BigFed, etc. - then I think someone in the top 1-2% and on LR at a school like MVPB has as good a shot as the average H student. On the other hand, it might still be worth it to transfer to Y.

Anonymous User wrote:HY w/o LR must be better than top of class w/o LR at lower T14, right?

lolno.

Anonymous User wrote:I'm a 1L at a lower T14...puts me in the top 1%. I've got a 3/4 tuition scholarship

you are in one of the most desirable possible positions right now.

don't flinch.

Don't even think about it.

Longtimecoming19 wrote:I'm not sure it would make sense to transfer to H unless you're doing it purely for the personal satisfaction of being at H. Unlike some people here, I think that is a perfectly legitimate reason to transfer.

that's some really expensive satisfaction. may as well buy a lambo

IMO, you are more likely to actually end up working for the federal government if you do not transfer. Loans are a bigger barrier to that kind of work than being from a school a few slots lower in the ranking is. Top 1% at a T14 school is plenty good to get into the DOJ, but $200k in loans is a one-way ticket to biglaw for most people.

Also, I blew these points off when I transferred, but in retrospect, I wish I had not- transferring is very socially isolating and the professors are better at your current school than they are at HY. Don't underestimate the important of building connections and actually learning the law. Both of those things will take a hit if you transfer.

Congratulations on your grades. I don't know why you would transfer. Even if you want to clerk for SCOTUS if you are top 1-2% at lower T14 you will have as good a chance as anyone.

tuhaybey wrote:
Also, I blew these points off when I transferred, but in retrospect, I wish I had not- transferring is very socially isolating and the professors are better at your current school than they are at HY. Don't underestimate the important of building connections and actually learning the law. Both of those things will take a hit if you transfer.

IDK about profs or learning the law, but I do know people who have gotten jobs for their bros only a year out of law school. Not like killer, OMG-I-NEVER-THOUGHT-I'D-GET-THIS-OPPORTUNITY jobs, but still jobs. As they move up to help their friends out more, it will probably get better and better. Take that $1,000 a month extra for 25 years and buy people drinks every Friday. You'll get a better return.

You can get BigFed where you're at right now. I would stay, because BigFed cares more about your grades and your demonstrated commitment to public service. Besides, you're at a T14, which is preftigous enough for BigFed, especially with top-of-class grades.

If you want more info feel free to PM me. I did BigFed 1L summer and will be returning to the General Counsel's Office 2L at BigFed--I can give you anecdotes on my limited experience w/ meeting with hiring mangers are various agencies.

Thanks for slapping some sense into me, TLS. I will put this madness from my mind.

How much need based aid could you get at HY? If it's a lot, and your grades drop next semester and you don't make LR then transferring could still make sense.

it would probably hurt your chances at a clerkship and the types of jobs you want to transfer if you keep your grades at that level

not to mention what an incredibly ruinous financial decision that would be

Tiago Splitter wrote:How much need based aid could you get at HY? If it's a lot, and your grades drop next semester and you don't make LR then transferring could still make sense.

You generally don't get any aid of any kind when you transfer.

tuhaybey wrote:

Tiago Splitter wrote:How much need based aid could you get at HY? If it's a lot, and your grades drop next semester and you don't make LR then transferring could still make sense.

You generally don't get any aid of any kind when you transfer.

You do at HYS.

theres some irony in this thread..top 1% and this question. Dont do it.

Elston Gunn wrote:

tuhaybey wrote:

Tiago Splitter wrote:How much need based aid could you get at HY? If it's a lot, and your grades drop next semester and you don't make LR then transferring could still make sense.

You generally don't get any aid of any kind when you transfer.

You do at HYS.

u gotta be pretty poor though. and with bomb 1L grades you very well may get a paying 1L summer job and likely 2L biglaw which is going to hurt your aid

fats provolone wrote:

Elston Gunn wrote:

tuhaybey wrote:

Tiago Splitter wrote:How much need based aid could you get at HY? If it's a lot, and your grades drop next semester and you don't make LR then transferring could still make sense.

You generally don't get any aid of any kind when you transfer.

You do at HYS.

u gotta be pretty poor though. and with bomb 1L grades you very well may get a paying 1L summer job and likely 2L biglaw which is going to hurt your aid

Oh for sure. Definitely shouldn't transfer unless his parents make like $40k, and even then...

fats provolone wrote:

Longtimecoming19 wrote:I'm not sure it would make sense to transfer to H unless you're doing it purely for the personal satisfaction of being at H. Unlike some people here, I think that is a perfectly legitimate reason to transfer.

that's some really expensive satisfaction. may as well buy a lambo

Yes, and so what? Different people prefer different things, and some people value certain things more than money. I've never understood the bizarre TLS attitude that money is literally the only thing that should be guiding your decision-making in cases like these. If someone knows what the costs of transferring is and chooses to accept them, who are you to say they're making a bad decision? Is it so ridiculous to think that some extra money from one school for two years shouldn't be the deciding factor that should shape a choice that will last the rest of your life? Meanwhile, it is undeniably true that for the rest of your people, people are just going to view a YHS degree totally differently than even one from CCN, let alone MVPB or DNCG. Again, this may not be the tradeoff you'd make, and that's fine, but if someone is willing to incur some extra debt to be able to know that they attended one of the three best law schools in the world, that's not a silly choice. And let's get real for a moment--someone who attends YHS will have plenty of opportunities post-graduation to pay off that debt relatively quickly.

there's a lot of irony here that I'm not going to spoil

keep the money

you'll be plenty prestigious without the H bomb

Longtimecoming19 wrote:

fats provolone wrote:

Longtimecoming19 wrote:I'm not sure it would make sense to transfer to H unless you're doing it purely for the personal satisfaction of being at H. Unlike some people here, I think that is a perfectly legitimate reason to transfer.

that's some really expensive satisfaction. may as well buy a lambo

Yes, and so what? Different people prefer different things, and some people value certain things more than money. I've never understood the bizarre TLS attitude that money is literally the only thing that should be guiding your decision-making in cases like these. If someone knows what the costs of transferring is and chooses to accept them, who are you to say they're making a bad decision? Is it so ridiculous to think that some extra money from one school for two years shouldn't be the deciding factor that should shape a choice that will last the rest of your life? Meanwhile, it is undeniably true that for the rest of your people, people are just going to view a YHS degree totally differently than even one from CCN, let alone MVPB or DNCG. Again, this may not be the tradeoff you'd make, and that's fine, but if someone is willing to incur some extra debt to be able to know that they attended one of the three best law schools in the world, that's not a silly choice. And let's get real for a moment--someone who attends YHS will have plenty of opportunities post-graduation to pay off that debt relatively quickly.

lol. so depends who you're hanging out with. not everyone is going to view these degrees totally differently, since there are plenty of people (including lawyers) out there who just don't care, and plenty of people from those lesser schools end up doing the exact same jobs as many of the YHS crowd.

I get your point about money, but it's a lot easier to have this attitude when you don't have $250K in debt than when you do.

YOU TLSERS ONLY CARE ABOUT MONEY. YOU FORGOT ABOUT THE IMPORTANT THINGS IN LIFE LIKE HOW MUCH PEOPLE JUDGE YOU AFTER YOU TELL THEM WHAT SCHOOL YOU WENT TO.

Also, the OP as already relieved that he/she doesn't have these values.