Top Law Schools

I am currently at WUSTL and have been accepted to Vanderbilt as a transfer student. I am originally from Nashville and want to practice there after graduation. I am very confident based on my ties to the city and my grades I can get a job to my satisfaction in TN if I stay put at WUSTL. In terms of $$$, it is identical. I am paying sticker.

The only reason I would want to make the change is to start developing friends in the market I will eventually work in. Is this a worthwhile reason for transferring?

Sticker at WUSTL, from Nashville, want to practice in Nashville, want to develop friends in Nashville--why would you not transfer?

I am very happy at WUSTL. Have made some good friends there this past year.

Are you on law review or nah?

Not on law review

vandy

PourMeTea wrote:vandy

You'd go to American wcl over wustl.

chingwoo wrote:

PourMeTea wrote:vandy

You'd go to American wcl over wustl.

this is probably true, but as a 100% unbiased party in this matter, i still vote vandy because who cares about good feels when you attend professional school and something else makes more sense

If there's no money to be lost, then I don't see why not.

The real move is to apply, get in, and tell WUSTL you'll leave if you don't get money. Then decide. You have a valid reason for leaving WUSTL so it will put the fear of god into them.

landshoes wrote:The real move is to apply, get in, and tell WUSTL you'll leave if you don't get money. Then decide. You have a valid reason for leaving WUSTL so it will put the fear of god into them.

this actually sounds credited. i heard through the grapevine that upwards of 60 1Ls asked for dean's certs

landshoes wrote:The real move is to apply, get in, and tell WUSTL you'll leave if you don't get money. Then decide. You have a valid reason for leaving WUSTL so it will put the fear of god into them.

OP has already been accepted to Vandy.

This is a good point, though. If OP is considering staying at WUSTL they should at least try to negotiation for scholarships. If the money is about the same, why not transfer?

stasg wrote:

landshoes wrote:The real move is to apply, get in, and tell WUSTL you'll leave if you don't get money. Then decide. You have a valid reason for leaving WUSTL so it will put the fear of god into them.

OP has already been accepted to Vandy.

This is a good point, though. If OP is considering staying at WUSTL they should at least try to negotiation for scholarships. If the money is about the same, why not transfer?

Not going to repeat the negotiation thing. But you should definitely do that before you make a move. I did it at my school even though I probably wouldn't stay unless it was a full-ride. Even then the only reason I'd stay is because they have the number one IMBA program in the country, and I'd try and do the dual degree. (This is googleable so I will just say it is South Carolina)

It sounds like you have literally no reason not to go to Vandy other than you made friends at WUSL. On the flip side of that, people always tell you to go to school where you want to practice. So, Vandy wins there. Also, Vandy has an overall better brand name. Even if WUSL is a good law school. I personally, doesn't mean no one does maybe they can offer counter-opinions, have no name recognition of them other than law school. Vandy is known for medicine, business, engineering, law, etc. It is known to be one of the best institutions in the country generally. I personally think that carries a lot of weight, and it will help you in the long term.

Edit: Note: I may be a bit biased though I don't feel like I am. My half-sister got her PHD in cancer biology from Vandy. One of my classmates is making the move to Vandy if he doesn't get Michigan. (May do it even if he does get Michigan)

Definitely try to negotiate with WUSTL.

After that, I think you should really go with your gut. With the $ being the same and since you have ties to Nashville, you'll probably have a similar outcome either way. It might be easier to network for a great job in Nashville if you attend Vandy, but if that is not a concern, then whatever.

Where do you think you'll enjoy the rest of your law school experience more?

Remember, transferring is a hassle. You have to make new friends, figure out a new community dynamic, a new city, etc. If you feel like your friends at WUSTL are worth sticking around for and there's no other huge factorss screaming against WUSTL, that's not a bad idea.

If you think you'll enjoy living in Nashville more and attending Vandy more, then go there.

Considering it's professional school, you should take Vandy here.

Considering #massexodus, there's a good chance that those friends are leaving as well.

scottidsntknow wrote:Considering it's professional school, you should take Vandy here.

Considering #massexodus, there's a good chance that those friends are leaving as well.

Lol! ^^

Massexodus?

60-70 or so WUSTL 1Ls requested dean's certs to transfer

Anonymous User wrote:Massexodus?

Anonymous User wrote:Massexodus?

Basically, some of the more blatant prestige whores/gunners "decamped to greener pastures." Some good people too, but for the most part, the insufferable people left.

i can't wait to see the new cutoffs

Wow. Can this affect wustl's ranking somehow?

i don't think so, because i don't believe transfers in or out are factored into the methodology. the concern is applicants seeing an exodus and having that affect their initial decision, but i doubt it affects the ranking.

Their employment score is going to plummet--seems like a number of their most employable grads are going elsewhere.

landshoes wrote:Their employment score is going to plummet--seems like a number of their most employable grads are going elsewhere.

Well a good chunk of the top of the class always transfers out, and then the school readjusts rankings so if anything it helps. The bigger problem is the huge class size.

Anonymous User wrote:I am very happy at WUSTL. Have made some good friends there this past year.

who cares about friends? this isn't summer camp. it's prestioguso proessional school.