Sucessful transfer student taking questions Forum

[Anonymous User]

Hello all
Those hoping to transfer law schools please leave me questions!
I transferred from a T4 law to a top 20 law school (i think the rank is a lil lower this yr), and would love to help!

[Lolstudent]

I'm also available to answer questions or give insight.

Transferred from a T2/T3 border school to Harvard.

[TransferAdvice18]

Also happy to take questions. Transferred from a lower T1 to a T20

[Wumbo]

Not a transfer but considering nobody else has posted I was curious to ask how your experiences at your new schools compared to the original school, specifically in terms of both culture and difficulty.

Is there a clear sense that the "competition" is heightened at your new school as compared to the old one? Are classes taught the same way? Do students have similar career plans?

[Lolstudent]

Not a transfer but considering nobody else has posted I was curious to ask how your experiences at your new schools compared to the original school, specifically in terms of both culture and difficulty.

Is there a clear sense that the "competition" is heightened at your new school as compared to the old one? Are classes taught the same way? Do students have similar career plans?

The culture at my new school is certainly different, but I think that the difference is attributable to the sheer size of the student body. The top of the class at my old school could definitely hack it here; however, I think that even the median students at my old school would struggle here. On balance students aren't too competitive because the job outlook is really good for 95% of people here.

Classes seem to focus less on black letter law and more on the philosophical foundations for laws and arguments for and against reform.

Students here have pretty wide-ranging career goals and generally aim "high" in terms of prestige, salary, etc. At my old school, the big law/fed clerkship total was like 6%, so it really is a different ball game.

I won't lie, transfering was a total pain. But I don't regret it at all because I've already secured a SA position that would have been unlikely had I stayed at my old school. It's also nice to expand my professional network and meet people with awesome backgrounds, insights, and connections.

[Wumbo]

Not a transfer but considering nobody else has posted I was curious to ask how your experiences at your new schools compared to the original school, specifically in terms of both culture and difficulty.

Is there a clear sense that the "competition" is heightened at your new school as compared to the old one? Are classes taught the same way? Do students have similar career plans?

The culture at my new school is certainly different, but I think that the difference is attributable to the sheer size of the student body. The top of the class at my old school could definitely hack it here; however, I think that even the median students at my old school would struggle here. On balance students aren't too competitive because the job outlook is really good for 95% of people here.

Classes seem to focus less on black letter law and more on the philosophical foundations for laws and arguments for and against reform.

Students here have pretty wide-ranging career goals and generally aim "high" in terms of prestige, salary, etc. At my old school, the big law/fed clerkship total was like 6%, so it really is a different ball game.

I won't lie, transfering was a total pain. But I don't regret it at all because I've already secured a SA position that would have been unlikely had I stayed at my old school. It's also nice to expand my professional network and meet people with awesome backgrounds, insights, and connections.

Thanks for the response. This is really interesting. When you say things were a pain, are you referring more to the process of applying itself, or simply the things before that (namely, the stress/work/grind or busting your tail during 1L in order to have a good shot at transferring)?

6% does indeed seem like a whole different ball game; was big law / clerking still the #1 goal for most people? Was there resentment among the other 94% towards those who did land biglaw (or perhaps especially among those who got law review / top 10% who still couldn't land biglaw)? Did a lot of people openly have the goal of transferring? (did you?)

Also, what was it like doing OCI as a transfer? Did you feel advantaged/disadvantaged versus median at H?

[Lolstudent]

Not a transfer but considering nobody else has posted I was curious to ask how your experiences at your new schools compared to the original school, specifically in terms of both culture and difficulty.

Is there a clear sense that the "competition" is heightened at your new school as compared to the old one? Are classes taught the same way? Do students have similar career plans?

The culture at my new school is certainly different, but I think that the difference is attributable to the sheer size of the student body. The top of the class at my old school could definitely hack it here; however, I think that even the median students at my old school would struggle here. On balance students aren't too competitive because the job outlook is really good for 95% of people here.

Classes seem to focus less on black letter law and more on the philosophical foundations for laws and arguments for and against reform.

Students here have pretty wide-ranging career goals and generally aim "high" in terms of prestige, salary, etc. At my old school, the big law/fed clerkship total was like 6%, so it really is a different ball game.

I won't lie, transfering was a total pain. But I don't regret it at all because I've already secured a SA position that would have been unlikely had I stayed at my old school. It's also nice to expand my professional network and meet people with awesome backgrounds, insights, and connections.

Thanks for the response. This is really interesting. When you say things were a pain, are you referring more to the process of applying itself, or simply the things before that (namely, the stress/work/grind or busting your tail during 1L in order to have a good shot at transferring)?

6% does indeed seem like a whole different ball game; was big law / clerking still the #1 goal for most people? Was there resentment among the other 94% towards those who did land biglaw (or perhaps especially among those who got law review / top 10% who still couldn't land biglaw)? Did a lot of people openly have the goal of transferring? (did you?)

Also, what was it like doing OCI as a transfer? Did you feel advantaged/disadvantaged versus median at H?

The application process itself wasn't too bad. The pain was having to uproot my life so quickly and do a cross-country move in three weeks' time. It's also hard to lose touch with my 1L friend group, although a lot of us transfers hangout. I really didn't intend on transferring so I would have worked as hard as I did 1L anyway.

I know of only one other person who transferred from my old school.

A lot of people at my old school were into public interest so maybe the low biglaw rate was due partially to self-selection. Transfers do great at OCI here. Transfers do at least as well as median students and I think that is because a lot of us a bit older and have professional experience, and because we have numerical GPAs.

[hdshap]

Do you mind me asking where you are at school now? Ive heard stories that transfer students get shafted in OCI at their transfer schools. I just finished my first semester at a T4 school with a 3.8 and I really want to transfer to a T1....which seems reasonable from the ABA disclosures.

Pretty much my only concern for transferring is OCI. Can you guys tell me more about your experience with that as a transfer? (and if it was great at your schools could you tell me where?)