T1 -> GULC or Cornell Forum

[Anonymous User]

I was recently accepted to both and can't really decide between the two. I applied to several other schools but doubt I will get in anywhere else.

My career goals are NYC, biglaw if possible. The school I am at currently places some people in biglaw, but in a region I have no interest in practicing. Only several people over the last couple of years have made the jump to NYC.

In addition, does anyone know how well transfers fair at Cornell OCI? There seems to be a reasonable information out there for GULC, but not Cornell.

Any advice is much appreciated!

[timesnewboston]

Stats?

[Anonymous User]

OP here: Just outside of 10%, so 15% I guess. Successfully wrote on to LR if that matters at all.

[Lawdood]

Cornell EASILY

[Anonymous User]

Cornell EASILY

Can you elaborate? I understand that Cornell would likely be the clear choice applying as a 0L, but does it still make sense as a transfer?

[CanadianWolf]

Really depends upon how transfers are handled/treated for Cornell OCI.

[butlerraider1]

I'm not pretending to be an expert by any means but when I looked into the possibility of transferring to Cornell, I heard from current students who told me that it was very "transfer unfriendly." Cornell studenrs will obviously know much better than me but a few things I remember is that they don't allow transfers to write on to a journal, graduate with honors, and it's hard for them to participate in OCI due to timing issues (you've heard back early though so you might not have this issue).

[Lawdood]

Cornell EASILY

Can you elaborate? I understand that Cornell would likely be the clear choice applying as a 0L, but does it still make sense as a transfer?

Cornell has great placement for NY Big law but I would listen to others because I'm really not qualified to tell you what to do.

[PourMeTea]

are they going to let you participate in OCI? i know the deadline closes sometime next week, so get on that because otherwise cornell biglaw numbers aren't going to do you much good

[Cerberaus]

If they allow you to participate in OCI, Cornell is an easy choice. If not, the decision is more difficult; but I would still opt for Cornell. Cornell has a much smaller transfer class, it's position in the T14 is a bit more entrenched, it's an Ivy (this matters to some people), cost of living is cheaper (but it is Ithaca), and it is a much better foothold into Big Law in NYC.

As for GULC, I really don't like their numbers for transfer students. When a school takes over 113 transfers, that means about 10% of the student body is a transfer. Although GULC might welcome transfers, Big Law is probably not so kind. I think that GULC is a great school and those attending should feel privileged. That being said, I don't think it's the best school for transfers if they have other T14 choices.

I put a lot of thought into transferring to GULC after being accepted EA.

[transfermesoftly]

When a school takes over 113 transfers, that means about 10% of the student body is a transfer. Although GULC might welcome transfers, Big Law is probably not so kind. I think that GULC is a great school and those attending should feel privileged. That being said, I don't think it's the best school for transfers if they have other T14 choices.

I put a lot of thought into transferring to GULC after being accepted EA.

It's actually more like 20% (you're only competing against your class for jobs at OCI). They took about 110 transfers last year and about 580 1Ls. Because of this, I think GULC would be a great school to attend as a transfer. Think about it, if that many people transfer into GULC every year, who is to say your interviewer won't be a former transfer? Or knew transfers at GULC who they admired?

I am not saying that Cornell is not also a great school to attend; I am just saying that if transferring is rare at a school, firms may just ignore transfers altogether. It would be hard to ignore 110 transfers.

Disclaimer: I'm a DC lifer with dreams of going to GULC (waitlisted transfer app). On second thought... go to Cornell, so a spot at GULC opens up!

[Cerberaus]

When a school takes over 113 transfers, that means about 10% of the student body is a transfer. Although GULC might welcome transfers, Big Law is probably not so kind. I think that GULC is a great school and those attending should feel privileged. That being said, I don't think it's the best school for transfers if they have other T14 choices.

I put a lot of thought into transferring to GULC after being accepted EA.

It's actually more like 20% (you're only competing against your class for jobs at OCI). They took about 110 transfers last year and about 580 1Ls. Because of this, I think GULC would be a great school to attend as a transfer. Think about it, if that many people transfer into GULC every year, who is to say your interviewer won't be a former transfer? Or knew transfers at GULC who they admired?

I am not saying that Cornell is not also a great school to attend; I am just saying that if transferring is rare at a school, firms may just ignore transfers altogether. It would be hard to ignore 110 transfers.

Disclaimer: I'm a DC lifer with dreams of going to GULC (waitlisted transfer app). On second thought... go to Cornell, so a spot at GULC opens up!

Although GULC admin works hard to make life easier for transfers because they have so many, I don't think recruiters will give them an easy time. I spent a lot of time talking with other transfers from GULC. Although you can get Big Law as a transfer, many firms only hire the top half, third, quarter, etc. As a transfer, they don't know how to rank you and they don't hire you. (Yes, I know the school gives you a ballpark rank, but many employers don't seem to care.) Take this with a grain of salt; it's anecdotal.

It's a big coincidence if your recruiter is a former transfer, but it's much more likely that he or she is a pretentious snob who will toss your application once they see another school on your resume or transcript. I don't say this just because GULC takes a lot of transfers, but because the disparity in schools is so great--transfers range from GW to non-ranked schools that I didn't even know existed. I'm not trying to put you down if you came from a school like that; in fact, more power to you for coming so far. But I am saying that you will want to distance yourself from the TTTT atmosphere, and that's easier to do at Cornell.

Whether you view it as transfers being 10% of the student body or 20% of the class, either way, I don't think the more the merrier.

[Anonymous User]

OP here. I was accepted in time to bid for AJF, so it looks like I'll be at Cornell next year. Thanks everyone for the advice!