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1L at BC/BU with a close to full tuition scholarship. I finished in the top 5% first semester. I am interested in clerking after graduation, and then going into public interest work (likely non-profit route, but would love to get DOJ honors for civil rights or other civil work). I do not have strong ties to Boston and would prefer to practice in a different Northeast city (NYC/Philly/DC) after graduating, but I could be okay working here for a few years (which is why I came here in the first place).

I am spending this semester working to replicate my fall term grades and visiting professor's office hours in the hopes of having two doctrinal professors for LOR for a potential transfer app.

I definitely plan to apply to Harvard and Yale for transfer (again, assuming similar Spring grades) because I will qualify for substantial need-based aid. I am considering applying to Columbia and Penn because I have ties to the schools/cities, but I am not sure whether transferring to these schools is worth giving up my scholarship and class rank.

Again, nearly full scholarship at current school and clerkship/PI goals. My question is whether I should work towards transferring, and if so, whether I should just look at HYS (b/c of need aid) or whether I should also transfer to C/P as well.

Thanks for your input!

I voted only HYS with need-based because even 2 years of sticker at C/P is more debt than I could stomach. Even with biglaw (which I know you're not going for) that's going to take several years of dedicated bill paying before you break even again. Replicate those grades and you should have a shot at transferring. If you don't get in you should still be competitive for clerkships.

Stay in the top 5% and you will very likely get into H. Y is very unlikely from BU. In my year at BU, the top few people sent out transfer apps, and even the very top person didn't get into Y (though numerous people in the top 5% got into H). If you fall outside top 5%, and are a bit closer to top 10%, people were still getting into CLS, NYU, Penn, Michigan, etc.

Thank you all for the feedback. I'd appreciate other views, if there are other (contrary) opinions or responses out there.

T6 or bust.