Top 5% In a Flyover State ----> Anywhere Worthwhile? Forum

[Anonymous User]

Hi TLS:

Long-time lurker, first-time poster. Thank you for all of the wonderful content so far.

I've had first semester 1L grades back for about a week. I lucked out and ended up in the top 5% at a T2 (55-65), and I'm wondering what my odds are at transferring to a T14. If so, I'd like to know your opinion on if it would be worth the much greater expense. I realize that other than GULC and UChi, I'd have to keep the grades up, and hopefully improve, for second semester.

Background info:

Cost: Full tuition scholarship and family is helping significantly with the (relatively low) cost of living. I am currently not taking out any loans for law school, but I have a good chunk from undergrad. Family would likely not be able to provide much assistance at a school with a higher cost of living (DC, NYC, etc.)

Location: I currently attend a school within driving distance of two secondary markets, one of which I have very strong ties to (please don't crucify me for ending a sentence with a preposition, I'm tired ok?). I would not have a very good interview answer for why I wanted to be in a primary market other than the type of work those markets provide.

Goals: Clerkship, BigLaw, BigFed (MainJustice, State, etc.) and the dream would be to work for a time at the UN. As naive as it may sound, as of now, I'd like to pursue an appellate/motion practice to the extent that is possible in this economy.

Grades: Not sure of my exact rank yet, but should be approximately #6 out of a relatively small class. Top grade in my Legal Reasearch and Writing section and another "overview" type fluff course. Second or third highest in Civ Pro. I have good relationships with most of my professors (I was the nerd who went to office hours, but rarely gunned in class) who I think would provide strong letters of recommendation.

Any advice? Thanks in advance!

[Companion Cube]

Good job on your grades. The only advice for now is to focus on doing well again. If you repeat your performance, you will have plenty of T14 options.

[cheaptilts]

This thread is very premature without your second semester grades. At this point, your full ride is awesome and is a heavy factor, but you may need to reassess your goals if you want to maintain a relatively light debt burden. Think long and hard about you want to do, and I think it's imperative that you figure out who the 2L/3L students in the top 10% are and find out what they're doing post-graduation. You can also do a LinkedIN search to find out what recent grads who've graduated magna or with high honors or w/e are doing.

If you aren't impressed by what they're doing to the point that you're really to take a 100k gamble on transferring out, assuming you maintain your grades, you'll have some options to choose from and you can weigh your options/wisdo of transferring at that time.

TL;DR: this is way too early to make this thread. Focus on your second semester and do some research into whether the typical top 5% at your school is attaining your ideal outcomes. Come back in six months

[Anonymous User]

OP: Thanks for the quick responses, I appreciate the advice!

[jphiggo]

If you want to attend UChi, I think you have borderline stats for acceptance with their ED program for transfers, however it is a binding early decision. Outside of applying ED to UChi, I would suggest that you don't bother wasting money on an app and deposit to GULC EA. Just keep doing what you're doing, because it's obviously working. If you can maintain or improve your grades during your second semester, you'll be in a very good position to transfer.

[sneijder]

hey OP, you at OU?

[Anonymous User]

hey OP, you at OU?

Nope, but pretty good guess. I have a good friend there actually.

[Anonymous User]

Necroing my own thread so I don't start a new one.

Update: Ended 1L somewhere between top 6-10%. Class size is small enough that my actual rank will still be in the single digits (X/10X). Due to extraneous circumstances, I had to take two exams essentially back to back which resulted in my two lowest grades of the year. Would an admissions committee care to know that or will it just look like I'm making excuses?

Thanks in advance!

[eyeofvigilence]

Necroing my own thread so I don't start a new one.

Update: Ended 1L somewhere between top 6-10%. Class size is small enough that my actual rank will still be in the single digits (X/10X). Due to extraneous circumstances, I had to take two exams essentially back to back which resulted in my two lowest grades of the year. Would an admissions committee care to know that or will it just look like I'm making excuses?

Thanks in advance!

Nah, don't mention it. I'd only mention it if you did significantly worse e.g., you got two B- or whatever on the tests, but it sounds like you still did really good.

You might still get in to the higher T14. I'd only go if you're not in the market you want to work in and if your school now can't get you to that market.

[Nebby]

GULC and Northwestern are both possible. Definitely apply to them, if you are comfortable with the debt.

Also apply to NYU, CLS, and Chicago, because you might get in as well.

[Anonymous User]

GULC and Northwestern are both possible. Definitely apply to them, if you are comfortable with the debt.

Also apply to NYU, CLS, and Chicago, because you might get in as well.

Update to my update: GPA dropped, but rank stayed the same as first semester. Already in at GULC via EA, deferred from Chicago. Applying to NYU, Columbia, and Michigan. Thoughts? (I missed the Northwestern deadline because I'm dumb.).

[Meow Meowsworth]

OP: I think you've already gotten some pretty good advice here. PM me in re: Northwestern.

[Anonymous User]

Again resurrecting my own old thread.

NYU v. 2X EIW interviews at Michigan. Thoughts?

Still have full access to NYU EIW and journal competition.

Edit: Typos.

[Iwanttolawschool]

If you can afford it, go to NYU

[Nebby]

If you can afford it, go to NYU

[Anonymous User]

If you can afford it, go to NYU

Thanks all. I'm getting some mixed signals from the professors that wrote me rec letters. NYU if I'm set on NYC, but maybe Michigan if I want to go other places. Any chance you could elaborate on why? Anything other than the fact that it's CCN?

[Anonymous User]

Ok, just to be clear. Is TCR, that NYU is worth the increased cost of living for better odds of biglaw/clerkship/etc.? Or, is Chicago biglaw from Michigan a viable consideration?

Sorry, this is an overwhelming $100k+ decision that requires very quick turnaround.

[Transfer2016]

NYU