Should I transfer from NYU to Lewis and Clark? Forum

[Anonymous User]

OP = hetero girl. My SO has offered to pay my NYU 1L debt if I move in with him. I would never accept money like that, but I don't think there's any cheating going on there...

Wait, so your SO has like 70 or 80k just lying around?

Unlike me, SO was able to get his shit together and has a fancy pants techie job. I, however, am the problem child, generally speaking. If only I had a mind for science...

[fats provolone]

it all makes sense now. op you should do it. aren't there better schools than Lewis and Clark in the area though

[03152016]

I, uh, screwed that up as well, actually *cough* yeah.

then you should go to the office now. have you been working with anyone in ocs?

you should probably explain your situation to john. i missed some deadlines and he helped me out. also, i happened to be at ocs earlier today and overheard another student trying to get summer funding after the deadline. don't know what happened with her, but i know you're not the only one who forgot.

but yeah, you should go like right this minute if you think you'll need funding

[Anonymous User]

it all makes sense now. op you should do it. aren't there better schools than Lewis and Clark in the area though

Quite sadly, L&C is the highest ranked law school in allllll of Oregon.

[Anonymous User]

I, uh, screwed that up as well, actually *cough* yeah.

then you should go to the office now. have you been working with anyone in ocs?

you should probably explain your situation to john. i missed some deadlines and he helped me out. also, i happened to be at ocs earlier today and overheard another student trying to get summer funding after the deadline. don't know what happened with her, but i know you're not the only one who forgot.

but yeah, you should go like right this minute if you think you'll need funding

I sent a desperate email today, but I haven't heard back. I've had two appointments with OCS, but they were all for private sector. I'll go tomorrow during the walk-in hours and try to fix it with the PILC people. Thanks for the help, I really appreciate it

[Anonymous User]

I, uh, screwed that up as well, actually *cough* yeah.

then you should go to the office now. have you been working with anyone in ocs?

you should probably explain your situation to john. i missed some deadlines and he helped me out. also, i happened to be at ocs earlier today and overheard another student trying to get summer funding after the deadline. don't know what happened with her, but i know you're not the only one who forgot.

but yeah, you should go like right this minute if you think you'll need funding

I sent a desperate email today, but I haven't heard back. I've had two appointments with OCS, but they were all for private sector. I'll go tomorrow during the walk-in hours and try to fix it with the PILC people. Thanks for the help, I really appreciate it

Actually I called and got an appointment for tomorrow. Hopefully it all works out!

[bl1nds1ght]

it all makes sense now. op you should do it. aren't there better schools than Lewis and Clark in the area though

Unfortunately, there aren't. UW is the only school worth attending in the PNW, but even then, it should be for free or heavily reduced.

And even then, with alumni networks functioning like they do, it might not be wise to attend UW with the intention of going OR, anyway. Who knows how those crazy Oregonians will react to a UW degree from some weird Washingtonian.

The PNW is kind of a wasteland when it comes to decent legal education.

[Buck Strickland]

I'm inclined to say it's a bad idea to transfer to L&C. Would you consider transferring to one of the better schools in CA instead? At least you'd be closer to you S/O than you currently are at NYC and you wouldn't be limiting your job opportunities as much.

Also, fwiw, a friend of mine goes to L&C and has told me that while Portland does hire its share of attorneys (and does so from L&C), most of the hiring action is actually in Seattle. So that's something to consider in general.

[Nebby]

Bad idea. I don't foresee any benefit.

[rpupkin]

I'm inclined to say it's a bad idea to transfer to L&C. Would you consider transferring to one of the better schools in CA instead?

Not worth it for at least three reasons:

(1) From the perspective of employers in the exceedingly insular Portland market, Berkeley and Palo Alto may as well be on the East Coast.

(2) Neither SLS nor Boalt is likely to admit a NYU transfer with mediocre grades.

(3) If you're thinking about UCLA or USC (both of which probably would take you as a transfer), you're heading down a path to the worst of all worlds: a step down from NYU and still an outsider to the portland legal job market.

Just stay at NYU and do everything you can to spend your summers in Portland. Perhaps you can do some kind of externship there for a semester as well.

[fratstar1]

depends on what mediocre actually means but I could see someone median at nyu getting into boalt without much hassle.

[lapolicia]

It seems like this is mostly about you wanting to be closer to your SO than anything else and not wanting to wait two years to be in the same city as him. If that's the case, I'd recommend getting something (anything) for the 1L summer in Portland. As the summer is ending, mass mail like crazy to every firm in the Pacific NW, including in Seattle and bid for every office from the Pacific Northwest that comes to NYU EIW (not many) as well as the usual NY targets. IF you get an offer in Portland, you're set. If you don't and get an offer in NYC (which is likely with median grades at NYU and good prep), take the NYC offer for the summer.

Then, spend your 3L year as a visiting student at L&C in Portland. It can easily been done and you will have the advantages of being in Portland and still getting an NYU diploma. If you didn't get Portland 2L summer, then spend your 3L year networking and mass mailing like crazy while you are studying in Portland and hopefully you will get something when local firms see that you have good experience and an obvious desire to be in Portland.

This route ensures that you still get an NYU degree which will be very useful if you actually want to be a lawyer while giving you strong ties to Portland. Or, you can go to L&C and throw your career away before it even starts.

Also, what do you mean by grades being bottom half of the class? At NYU, it's very difficult to tell where median ends so unless you are noticeably below median (like you got 2 Bs and a B- or all Bs) you are still basically median for EIW purposes.

[Anonymous User]

It seems like this is mostly about you wanting to be closer to your SO than anything else and not wanting to wait two years to be in the same city as him. If that's the case, I'd recommend getting something (anything) for the 1L summer in Portland. As the summer is ending, mass mail like crazy to every firm in the Pacific NW, including in Seattle and bid for every office from the Pacific Northwest that comes to NYU EIW (not many) as well as the usual NY targets. IF you get an offer in Portland, you're set. If you don't and get an offer in NYC (which is likely with median grades at NYU and good prep), take the NYC offer for the summer.

Then, spend your 3L year as a visiting student at L&C in Portland. It can easily been done and you will have the advantages of being in Portland and still getting an NYU diploma. If you didn't get Portland 2L summer, then spend your 3L year networking and mass mailing like crazy while you are studying in Portland and hopefully you will get something when local firms see that you have good experience and an obvious desire to be in Portland.

This route ensures that you still get an NYU degree which will be very useful if you actually want to be a lawyer while giving you strong ties to Portland. Or, you can go to L&C and throw your career away before it even starts.

Also, what do you mean by grades being bottom half of the class? At NYU, it's very difficult to tell where median ends so unless you are noticeably below median (like you got 2 Bs and a B- or all Bs) you are still basically median for EIW purposes.

I got straight Bs. I'm really going to push to get to Portland for the summer. The thought of transferring is really driven by three things - the SO is certainly a factor, but I'm also uncomfortable with my performance in class and I wish I were able to do better. I'm going to work harder this semester, but I can't be certain that will affect my grades that much. I'm thinking I may be higher in the class rankings at L&C.

The third factor is that I fear I will have difficulty getting a Portland job that will pay my loans if my straight B trend at NYU continues. From what I've seen in my job search, not only are the large firms few and far between, but there aren't a great number of mid-sized firms and they quickly drop off to a multitude of tiny firms. I'm very familiar with the tiny firm world, and I know they can't afford to pay a baby attorney enough to keep up with $200,000ish student loans I'll have when I leave NYC. I would say my primary motivator, rather than living with the SO, is securing one of the few 6 figure (or close to it) jobs in Portland so I can pay off my loans.

The big firms in Portland all claim to offer the majority of their 2L SAs full time positions. Given the number of attorneys at these Portland offices, I doubt they collectively hire more than a few attorneys outside of those who were 2L SAs. The most I've seen a single firm hire is three, and that's at the one of the biggest firms there - Stoel Rives. If 1/3 (conservatively) of the 2L SAs go to L&C grads and the other 2/3 are split between the T14 (I've seen YHSCCN, UVA, Duke, GT), then, given my mediocre performance at NYU, it may be best for me to compete amongst the L&C grads instead of the YHSCCN grads.

[BenJ]

It seems like this is mostly about you wanting to be closer to your SO than anything else and not wanting to wait two years to be in the same city as him. If that's the case, I'd recommend getting something (anything) for the 1L summer in Portland. As the summer is ending, mass mail like crazy to every firm in the Pacific NW, including in Seattle and bid for every office from the Pacific Northwest that comes to NYU EIW (not many) as well as the usual NY targets. IF you get an offer in Portland, you're set. If you don't and get an offer in NYC (which is likely with median grades at NYU and good prep), take the NYC offer for the summer.

Then, spend your 3L year as a visiting student at L&C in Portland. It can easily been done and you will have the advantages of being in Portland and still getting an NYU diploma. If you didn't get Portland 2L summer, then spend your 3L year networking and mass mailing like crazy while you are studying in Portland and hopefully you will get something when local firms see that you have good experience and an obvious desire to be in Portland.

This route ensures that you still get an NYU degree which will be very useful if you actually want to be a lawyer while giving you strong ties to Portland. Or, you can go to L&C and throw your career away before it even starts.

Also, what do you mean by grades being bottom half of the class? At NYU, it's very difficult to tell where median ends so unless you are noticeably below median (like you got 2 Bs and a B- or all Bs) you are still basically median for EIW purposes.

I got straight Bs. I'm really going to push to get to Portland for the summer. The thought of transferring is really driven by three things - the SO is certainly a factor, but I'm also uncomfortable with my performance in class and I wish I were able to do better. I'm going to work harder this semester, but I can't be certain that will affect my grades that much. I'm thinking I may be higher in the class rankings at L&C.

The third factor is that I fear I will have difficulty getting a Portland job that will pay my loans if my straight B trend at NYU continues. From what I've seen in my job search, not only are the large firms few and far between, but there aren't a great number of mid-sized firms and they quickly drop off to a multitude of tiny firms. I'm very familiar with the tiny firm world, and I know they can't afford to pay a baby attorney enough to keep up with $200,000ish student loans I'll have when I leave NYC. I would say my primary motivator, rather than living with the SO, is securing one of the few 6 figure (or close to it) jobs in Portland so I can pay off my loans.

The big firms in Portland all claim to offer the majority of their 2L SAs full time positions. Given the number of attorneys at these Portland offices, I doubt they collectively hire more than a few attorneys outside of those who were 2L SAs. The most I've seen a single firm hire is three, and that's at the one of the biggest firms there - Stoel Rives. If 1/3 (conservatively) of the 2L SAs go to L&C grads and the other 2/3 are split between the T14 (I've seen YHSCCN, UVA, Duke, GT), then, given my mediocre performance at NYU, it may be best for me to compete amongst the L&C grads instead of the YHSCCN grads.

The bolded is not how it works.

[Anonymous User]

It seems like this is mostly about you wanting to be closer to your SO than anything else and not wanting to wait two years to be in the same city as him. If that's the case, I'd recommend getting something (anything) for the 1L summer in Portland. As the summer is ending, mass mail like crazy to every firm in the Pacific NW, including in Seattle and bid for every office from the Pacific Northwest that comes to NYU EIW (not many) as well as the usual NY targets. IF you get an offer in Portland, you're set. If you don't and get an offer in NYC (which is likely with median grades at NYU and good prep), take the NYC offer for the summer.

Then, spend your 3L year as a visiting student at L&C in Portland. It can easily been done and you will have the advantages of being in Portland and still getting an NYU diploma. If you didn't get Portland 2L summer, then spend your 3L year networking and mass mailing like crazy while you are studying in Portland and hopefully you will get something when local firms see that you have good experience and an obvious desire to be in Portland.

This route ensures that you still get an NYU degree which will be very useful if you actually want to be a lawyer while giving you strong ties to Portland. Or, you can go to L&C and throw your career away before it even starts.

Also, what do you mean by grades being bottom half of the class? At NYU, it's very difficult to tell where median ends so unless you are noticeably below median (like you got 2 Bs and a B- or all Bs) you are still basically median for EIW purposes.

I got straight Bs. I'm really going to push to get to Portland for the summer. The thought of transferring is really driven by three things - the SO is certainly a factor, but I'm also uncomfortable with my performance in class and I wish I were able to do better. I'm going to work harder this semester, but I can't be certain that will affect my grades that much. I'm thinking I may be higher in the class rankings at L&C.

The third factor is that I fear I will have difficulty getting a Portland job that will pay my loans if my straight B trend at NYU continues. From what I've seen in my job search, not only are the large firms few and far between, but there aren't a great number of mid-sized firms and they quickly drop off to a multitude of tiny firms. I'm very familiar with the tiny firm world, and I know they can't afford to pay a baby attorney enough to keep up with $200,000ish student loans I'll have when I leave NYC. I would say my primary motivator, rather than living with the SO, is securing one of the few 6 figure (or close to it) jobs in Portland so I can pay off my loans.

The big firms in Portland all claim to offer the majority of their 2L SAs full time positions. Given the number of attorneys at these Portland offices, I doubt they collectively hire more than a few attorneys outside of those who were 2L SAs. The most I've seen a single firm hire is three, and that's at the one of the biggest firms there - Stoel Rives. If 1/3 (conservatively) of the 2L SAs go to L&C grads and the other 2/3 are split between the T14 (I've seen YHSCCN, UVA, Duke, GT), then, given my mediocre performance at NYU, it may be best for me to compete amongst the L&C grads instead of the YHSCCN grads.

The bolded is not how it works.

Hence the word "may." But I recognize that is indeed the gamble. I'm not sure there's any form of quantifiable evidence that can help us get more concrete than our current speculations.

[rpupkin]

I got straight Bs. I'm really going to push to get to Portland for the summer. The thought of transferring is really driven by three things - the SO is certainly a factor, but I'm also uncomfortable with my performance in class and I wish I were able to do better. I'm going to work harder this semester, but I can't be certain that will affect my grades that much. I'm thinking I may be higher in the class rankings at L&C.

You're likely to do somewhat better relative to your competition at L&C, but not that much better. Someone below median at NYU—and 3.0 is definitely below median—isn't going to kill it at L&C or anywhere else. It's not like you're going to be top 10% at L&C or something, and you're likely going to need to do at least that well to put yourself in contention for those those precious few Portland firm jobs.

From a pure career perspective, staying at NYU is a much, much safer choice. I think just about anyone would rather be median-ish at NYU than top 25% at L&C.

[WokeUpInACar]

How is everyone ignoring the fact that it is unlikely to matter at all even if OP IS able to do well at L&C, because OCI will be conducted before she receives any grades from L&C, and this is where 90%+ of big firm jobs come from. All she'll have for OCI is NYU grades regardless of where she's attending.

[fats provolone]

How is everyone ignoring the fact that it is unlikely to matter at all even if OP IS able to do well at L&C, because OCI will be conducted before she receives any grades from L&C, and this is where 90%+ of big firm jobs come from. All she'll have for OCI is NYU grades regardless of where she's attending.

her bf is loaded. she needs to end the LDR and lock that shit down.

[WokeUpInACar]

How is everyone ignoring the fact that it is unlikely to matter at all even if OP IS able to do well at L&C, because OCI will be conducted before she receives any grades from L&C, and this is where 90%+ of big firm jobs come from. All she'll have for OCI is NYU grades regardless of where she's attending.

her bf is loaded. she needs to end the LDR and lock that shit down.

This is a fair point.

[Anonymous User]

How is everyone ignoring the fact that it is unlikely to matter at all even if OP IS able to do well at L&C, because OCI will be conducted before she receives any grades from L&C, and this is where 90%+ of big firm jobs come from. All she'll have for OCI is NYU grades regardless of where she's attending.

her bf is loaded. she needs to end the LDR and lock that shit down.

This is a fair point.

Good point about OCI. I'm glad I made this thread. While many may be facepalming right about now, this dialogue has been very helpful. I will likely heed everyone's excellent advice and stay at NYU, but perhaps try to visit L&C as a 3L.

[fats provolone]

yea ur not gonna get any scholly as visiting student tho. but at least you get to move in a year early

[052220152]

OP, I am quite familiar with the market. L&C sends a handful of people to Portland "biglaw". U of O sends a few more, and then there is maybe one or two from Willamette. The rest are all local kids who went T14. To get one of these jobs from L&C you will have to be at the very top of the class. Won't your NYU grades be factored into that? Honestly, your best bet at a decent gig in Portland is to stick it out at NYU. If I were in your shoes, I'd either stay there or drop out all together. The Portland market is super insular, and unless you have stellar grades or a T14 degree, you really have no shot at servicing sticker debt.

[romothesavior]

How is everyone ignoring the fact that it is unlikely to matter at all even if OP IS able to do well at L&C, because OCI will be conducted before she receives any grades from L&C, and this is where 90%+ of big firm jobs come from. All she'll have for OCI is NYU grades regardless of where she's attending.

Very credited.