T20-->H Forum

Anonymous User · Post by **Anonymous User** » Sat Jul 11, 2015 1:44 pm

Hi all,

Currently in top 10% at a T20 and was just accepted into Harvard. Trying to decide if transferring would be worth it...

I am receiving substantial scholarship money from my current school and would graduate with about 30k in debt if I get a SA position next year. If I transfer, that number goes up to about 130-140k. I did not make law review at my current school and did not participate in the write-on at Harvard. My short term goal is BigLaw (corporate/ transactional), and while I would be content to practice in the market that my current school is located in, I would prefer to work in either NY, DC, or SF. Long term, I would like to work in-house or maybe even take a crack at academia.

I understand that transferring would probably be a short-term sacrifice (in debt) for long term benefits (in opportunities). I wanted to get some feedback from others here on what they would do in my shoes. Thanks!

w7ldcard · Post by **w7ldcard** » Sat Jul 11, 2015 1:46 pm

Anonymous User wrote:Hi all,

Currently in top 10% at a T20 and was just accepted into Harvard. Trying to decide if transferring would be worth it...

I am receiving substantial scholarship money from my current school and would graduate with about 30k in debt if I get a SA position next year. If I transfer, that number goes up to about 130-140k. I did not make law review at my current school and did not participate in the write-on at Harvard. My short term goal is BigLaw (corporate/ transactional), and while I would be content to practice in the market that my current school is located in, I would prefer to work in either NY, DC, or SF. Long term, I would like to work in-house or maybe even take a crack at academia.

I understand that transferring would probably be a short-term sacrifice (in debt) for long term benefits (in opportunities). I wanted to get some feedback from others here on what they would do in my shoes. Thanks!

For academia then you need HYS

TTtop13pct · Post by **TTtop13pct** » Sun Jul 12, 2015 9:43 am

T20 10%... This data point run counter to the building narrative that this has been an especially competitive cycle. OP, grats and go

gnomgnomuch · Post by **gnomgnomuch** » Sun Jul 12, 2015 10:28 am

Anonymous User wrote:Hi all,

Currently in top 10% at a T20 and was just accepted into Harvard. Trying to decide if transferring would be worth it...

I am receiving substantial scholarship money from my current school and would graduate with about 30k in debt if I get a SA position next year. If I transfer, that number goes up to about 130-140k. I did not make law review at my current school and did not participate in the write-on at Harvard. My short term goal is BigLaw (corporate/ transactional), and while I would be content to practice in the market that my current school is located in, I would prefer to work in either NY, DC, or SF. Long term, I would like to work in-house or maybe even take a crack at academia.

I understand that transferring would probably be a short-term sacrifice (in debt) for long term benefits (in opportunities). I wanted to get some feedback from others here on what they would do in my shoes. Thanks!

How much do you want Academia? If you actually want it in the long term, then you need Harvard. If you have any deigns on more "unicorn-y" jobs, then H is the way to go, and if you're risk averse, H is still the way to go.

However, you can pretty much win the law-school game if you graduate top 10% with a big-law offer and have only 30k in debt if you stick with your current school. It's all up to how much you want other types of jobs, and how much you're willing to risk to get them.

...also, what kind of clerking shot does someone in your position have? If you're top 10% and can get a clerkship --> big-law, and only 30k debt, you're pretty golden.

CanadianWolf · Post by **CanadianWolf** » Sun Jul 12, 2015 10:36 am

Why not reveal the T-20 law school ? Assuming that your current law school is not in the T-14, transfer since you want to live & work outside of your current region & Harvard places well everywhere.

Anonymous User · Post by **Anonymous User** » Mon Jul 13, 2015 8:59 pm

OP here. My school is in LA (UCLA/USC) and top preference is to work in SF, but NYC and DC are close behind. I'm not too sure what my clerking chances are here, but I would assume that they would be about the same as if I were to transfer. I'm thinking more about long-term and when it comes to trying to move in-house.

jbagelboy · Post by **jbagelboy** » Tue Jul 14, 2015 2:16 pm

Anonymous User wrote:OP here. My school is in LA (UCLA/USC) and top preference is to work in SF, but NYC and DC are close behind. I'm not too sure what my clerking chances are here, but I would assume that they would be about the same as if I were to transfer. I'm thinking more about long-term and when it comes to trying to move in-house.

It won't matter for moving in-house. That's all about the firm you're working at and the client connections you make there.

It will matter if you are serious about NY or DC. My sense is that even a top 10% candidate at UCLA would struggle to crack elite firms in those markets, just because of how few graduates of that school are practicing there. If you wanted to stay in LA, I'd say stay at your current school. But given your geographic ambivalence, lack of law review at your school, and eye towards academia, transferring is probably the right call.

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