3.84 at T40-50, 1L SA BL, worth transferring? Forum

[Anonymous User]

Hi everyone!
My GPA is set at 3.84 at a west-coast T40-50 where I'm taking out around 40k in loans per year. I'm fortunate to have a BL 1L SA position this summer in a city that I want to live in. I feel I'm well-positioned to get a BL 2L summer offer during OCIs but part of me feels feels the pull of graduating from a more prestigious school that may open doors in the future. I do want to go into BL initially, but would like to eventually transition to in-house, potentially education or public interest. I'm also worried about graduating into a very weakened economy that might favor T14 graduates even more strongly than before.
Do you think it's worth it to transfer? Thanks for your help/feedback!

[Internationalist]

I would, particularly if you're pretty much paying full tuition. The increased cost would easily be outweighed by your improved job prospects, particularly in the areas you want post-big law. The calculus changes if your current school increases your scholarship/aid and you're committed to staying in the city where your 1L SA is.

Assuming you want to stay on the west coast, you have a good shot at Berkeley and a non-negligible chance at Stanford.

[KPUSN07]

Hi everyone!
My GPA is set at 3.84 at a west-coast T40-50 where I'm taking out around 40k in loans per year. I'm fortunate to have a BL 1L SA position this summer in a city that I want to live in. I feel I'm well-positioned to get a BL 2L summer offer during OCIs but part of me feels feels the pull of graduating from a more prestigious school that may open doors in the future. I do want to go into BL initially, but would like to eventually transition to in-house, potentially education or public interest. I'm also worried about graduating into a very weakened economy that might favor T14 graduates even more strongly than before.
Do you think it's worth it to transfer? Thanks for your help/feedback!

I think California Berkeley would be a perfect transfer for you already being on the West Coast with your current grade point average.

[decimalsanddollars]

You should probably transfer, and I agree with above that Berkeley/Stanford as a reach is perfect assuming you got a SA job--and want to work in--SFBA. There are more considerations, primarily cost, that should weigh into your decision; since you're already borrowing ~$40k/yr at current school, you'd probably borrow ~$80-90k/yr to pay sticker at the new school and live in an expensive city for the remaining two years, which is an increased total cost of $80-100k. If you're willing to pay that much more to have an easier time making career moves later, go for it---especially if you can change your geography for the better, e.g. moving to your target city for school. This would be a slightly different calculus if you were, say, looking to work in SF and considering transferring to Cornell. I think either T6 or a T14 in your target city/region is worth it (plus possibly Texas if your target city happens to be in Texas, but I assume that's not the case).

[KPUSN07]

I only say Berkeley, b/c Stanford is really hard to get into - but as that is, Berkeley makes the most sense b/c then you don't have to relocate to the other side of the country in uncertain economic times (which would essentially be NYC or Chicago). To me, the relocation alone, seems like a huge pain with COVID-19.

[Anon-non-anon]

I say go for it. Especially with OCI pushed back, you will prob be treated better than transfers usually are (which can mean staying as the top dog at a lower ranked school can be better for OCI).

[plurilingue]

Hi everyone!
My GPA is set at 3.84 at a west-coast T40-50 where I'm taking out around 40k in loans per year. I'm fortunate to have a BL 1L SA position this summer in a city that I want to live in. I feel I'm well-positioned to get a BL 2L summer offer during OCIs but part of me feels feels the pull of graduating from a more prestigious school that may open doors in the future. I do want to go into BL initially, but would like to eventually transition to in-house, potentially education or public interest. I'm also worried about graduating into a very weakened economy that might favor T14 graduates even more strongly than before.
Do you think it's worth it to transfer? Thanks for your help/feedback!

I would apply to every T14 maybe excluding GULC and see where the chips fall. I would matriculate at CCN over Berkeley if I had the chance.