T2, ranked #1 - Transfer for more options/mobility? Forum

[Anonymous User]

Hi, all. I'm top of my class at a T2 (honestly surprised by that, have a perfect GPA too) and have been pondering the idea of transferring. I'm at a school in the South and honestly applied to school here with the expectation that I'd live in the state/region and I was totally cool with that. I'm at the same school as my undergraduate school. But after half a year of school and just the passage of time, I've gotten really tired of living here. I'd really like to try living somewhere else, preferably a big city.

So I've been thinking of applying to transfer just to see what happens and as a way to possibly give me more geographic/career mobility. My Southern state is a tight, very regionalized market and I'm afraid I'm never going to get out of here. I've been thinking T14 or nothing but would T20 be good to look at too?

Oh yeah, let me mention that I am on a scholarship and am paying basically nothing to go to school where I am right now (I know, I know).

I honestly don't have any particular career objectives besides working in law. I like law. I really don't care to do big law. I'd do it if I got an opportunity probably, but it's not like my dream. I'm much more interested in academia and judicial clerkships and government work.

So should I transfer?
And, assuming I become dead set on transferring and am willing to take on the financial setbacks, which schools would be good to look at for more mobility (assuming T14, but would any T20s be good to look at/worth it)?

Also wondering how people feel about messing with EA at GULC? I know they take a ton of transfers but people also slam them because they don't seem to be that great of a T14. But apparently they give some financial assistance to some people.

[Joscellin]

If you maintain at #1, you'd be in the running anywhere, other than possibly Yale and Stanford (though they are certainly possible as well. You can probably get in at Chi ED, and you're in EA at GULC if you really wanted too, though I don't think that's likely a good idea.

As to the wisdom, I'll leave that to others to discuss, but yes you would radically improve mobility and the chances of clerkship and academia (HY) from where you are. Whether that's worth it, I don't know.

[lavarman84]

If you're not wanting to do biglaw, there probably isn't a lot of benefit to transferring. Academia isn't a realistic goal for most people. Transferring would be almost necessary for academia...but even if you transfer, the odds are stacked against you. With clerkships, if you maintain #1 at your school, you'll have a very realistic shot at D. Ct. at minimum (possibly COA with the right connections). Transferring could help with that but it'll push back your window because professors at your prior school typically won't write you LORs. Which means you have to make new connections at the transfer school so you can't apply immediately as a 2L. If you stay at the top of your class (and decide not to transfer), try to build relationships with professors at your current school, make it clear you want to clerk, and get with the professors/CSOs that are involved with helping students get clerkships this semester so you can be ready to go applying for clerkships this summer and next fall.(get LORs and try to make connections with professors who will make calls for you)

It's your decision in the end. Nobody will blame you if you do transfer. Going to a Harvard, Chicago, Columbia, NYU, etc. will increase mobility significantly and could help you get a COA clerkship if you do well there. If you maintain #1, you'll have a realistic shot at at least one of HYS and every other school.(don't EA to GULC) You could ED to Chicago but based on your goals, I don't know if it's the best idea. Unless you're dead set on transferring and don't care about Harvard or Columbia.

For government work, there are others better equipped to give advice.

Transferring is going to add a lot of debt. That debt will put a lot of pressure on you to go into biglaw. Based on your stated goals, I would recommend staying. That all said, it's still your decision and if you want to transfer for your own reasons, no judgement here. I strongly considered transferring too.

[habeas2210]

you're in EA at GULC if you really wanted too, though I don't think that's likely a good idea.

Question: Why isnt EA at GULC a good idea? is it binding?

[RaceJudicata]

Don't do EA at GULC. You are already locked in (or just about) at Chicago ED...and if you keep your numbers up, you are in at Harvard, Columbia, NYU, etc.

Far better employment stats from those schools than from GULC - both for clerkships and biglaw

[Joscellin]

you're in EA at GULC if you really wanted too, though I don't think that's likely a good idea.

Question: Why isnt EA at GULC a good idea? is it binding?

Exactly what was said above, you have better options. If you're super paranoid about things, you could EA since it is nonbinding, but you will owe about $1500 in seat deposits before you hear back from others.

Frankly though, You have better options. If you want to lock something down, ED Chicago (though that is binding).

[Anonymous User]

OP here.

Alright, thanks for the advice, guys. I'm leaning towards not transferring just because big law isn't really a goal and my actual goals aren't too set in stone anyway.The whole idea of transferring is really sexy and it would be exciting to live in a new city, but it is pretty nice not having loans. I think D. Ct. clerkships would be good enough for me as I'm not really all about climbing to the top. I think it's going to be a little difficult trying to get out of this region, but I think I'm just going to OCI and apply for anything that's not in this state and see what happens.

Also, if anything, it would be kind of cool to be one of the few alumni at my school who broke out of the region so that I could help others do the same.

[RaceJudicata]

OP here.

Alright, thanks for the advice, guys. I'm leaning towards not transferring just because big law isn't really a goal and my actual goals aren't too set in stone anyway.The whole idea of transferring is really sexy and it would be exciting to live in a new city, but it is pretty nice not having loans. I think D. Ct. clerkships would be good enough for me as I'm not really all about climbing to the top. I think it's going to be a little difficult trying to get out of this region, but I think I'm just going to OCI and apply for anything that's not in this state and see what happens.

Also, if anything, it would be kind of cool to be one of the few alumni at my school who broke out of the region so that I could help others do the same.

I get your perspective on loans. Totally understand that point. Your others, I am more weary about.

1) District Court Clerkship - First off, Dist. Ct. clerkship is an awesome result...and by no means a lock. If you stay number 1 (which, TBF is improbable), then yes, you can likely get a dist. ct. spot. However, if you fall outside of the top 5%, a clerkship is likely off the table.

2) "breaking out of the region" - you are not the first person to be number 1 in your class after one semester. Have all or the vast majority of those folks "broke out of the region?" No, they probably have results commensurate with the overall stats of the school.

3) OCI - Do you know which schools attended your oci last year? I have a feeling (based on my T2) that the options for out of state employers are going to be meager at best.

Debt aside, a transfer to a top school leaves all of these options open (Clerkship, Nation/region-wide reach, and Big Law), whereas at your current school, none of these are guaranteed even if you maintain your current rank.

TL;DR - You arent connected/personally attached to your school, have great transfer options, and are overestimating your current prospects. BUT, you'd have to take on a shit ton of debt... which is a scary prospect. The decision is yours!

[Tls2016]

You should at least apply to transfer and see what happens and then decide.
Don't close your options out before you explore them.

[RaceJudicata]

You should at least apply to transfer and see what happens and then decide.
Don't close your options out before you explore them.

Yes, this is true as well.

[lavarman84]

OP here.

Alright, thanks for the advice, guys. I'm leaning towards not transferring just because big law isn't really a goal and my actual goals aren't too set in stone anyway.The whole idea of transferring is really sexy and it would be exciting to live in a new city, but it is pretty nice not having loans. I think D. Ct. clerkships would be good enough for me as I'm not really all about climbing to the top. I think it's going to be a little difficult trying to get out of this region, but I think I'm just going to OCI and apply for anything that's not in this state and see what happens.

Also, if anything, it would be kind of cool to be one of the few alumni at my school who broke out of the region so that I could help others do the same.

As another poster said, kill it again second semester and apply for transfer to schools you are interested in. The application fees cost a nice chunk of money which is the only downside. You never know if you'll change your mind.

Also keep in mind that you can leverage a D. Ct. clerkship (if you get one) into a COA clerkship after it if you want to.(can being the operative word...you're not guaranteed anything but it raises your odds) By not having a lot of debt, you can take back to back clerkships if you want to.

You'll definitely have more geographic flexibility if you transfer and you'll get to live in a new city. Those are positives for what you want. But you'll be taking on a lot of debt which pushes you towards biglaw or public interest and you'll have to start over socially.(plus, you'll likely have to find new clerkship LORs at your new school...likely, I don't know what professors stances at your school will be)

It's not an easy decision. There are pros and cons to staying and going. If you were dead set on biglaw, I'd tell you to go. With that not being a goal of yours, I think it's a close decision. But I do recommend you apply (if you can afford it) if your grades remain stellar after this semester.