Transferring Part Way Through 2L Year Forum

[Anonymous User]

I am a student at Florida law school. I enjoy law school for the most part, but I had a pretty rough 1L year. My grades were not excellent (2.7 GPA), and it has severely limited my employment options. The school itself is fantastic in terms of location and student body, however, I don't think this university is going to help get to where I need to go. My dream is to become a law school professor, and my school doesn't produce many educators of that kind. Given the current state of my GPA, should I take some time off? Should I perhaps try to apply to an MA program in a related field (e.g., bioethics) and then resume my legal studies at a higher ranked institution? Should I complete my JD at my current school, and then look at other programs that will help me reach my goal of becoming a professor. I appreciate the input!

[arklaw13]

Almost all law professors were, generally speaking, excellent law students. The fact that you are not suggests that you may not be cut out for legal academia. There are a lot of people with sterling credentials (top grades at HYS, prestigious clerkships, prestigious fellowships, etc.) who are not able to get jobs as professors because the market is so saturated. Unless you have something else going for you that they don't, it may be time to consider new career prospects.

[runinthefront]

I am a student at Florida law school. I enjoy law school for the most part, but I had a pretty rough 1L year. My grades were not excellent (2.7 GPA), and it has severely limited my employment options. The school itself is fantastic in terms of location and student body, however, I don't think this university is going to help get to where I need to go. My dream is to become a law school professor, and my school doesn't produce many educators of that kind. Given the current state of my GPA, should I take some time off? Should I perhaps try to apply to an MA program in a related field (e.g., bioethics) and then resume my legal studies at a higher ranked institution? Should I complete my JD at my current school, and then look at other programs that will help me reach my goal of becoming a professor. I appreciate the input!

I do not think you should pursue an MA program, as that will not increase meaningfully your employment options in either legal academia or private practice. It is also costly.

I do not think you can transfer to a higher-ranked law school midway through your 2L year. Moreover, the likelihood of being accepted into a law school that will enhance your odds at legal academia is effectively zero. Unfortunately, your GPA is far too low for Harvard, Yale, Stanford, Columbia, and the like. It's also far too low for most other--if not all--top twenty schools. And regardless, legal academia without a P.hD and/or Supreme Court clerkship is a very tough job to net nowadays.

I think you should re-evaluate your goals. Unfortunately, academia was never a realistic option from your school. To be sure, you should look at where the majority of the tenured faculty at UF, FSU, Miami, and Stetson attended law school. You should also look at how many of them achieved latin honors. At this point, with a 2.7 GPA, I would start networking and looking for jobs in either public interest or private practice. If none of those fields seems desirable to you, I would consider cutting your losses and dropping out. Hopefully, though, you're interested enough in the practice of law to remain a student.

[sparkytrainer]

Yeah unfortunately you aren't going to be a professor. I mean you could possibly do a phd in another subject and chance that job market, but that is highly unlikely as well. But legal academia is for sure not in your future.