Fordham -> NYU/Columbia | Worth it? Forum

[Anonymous User]

Hi everyone! I apologize for another of these "worth it?" posts, but I am suffering from serious indecision and would sincerely appreciate your opinion!

Background on me: currently at Fordham w/ a 4.X GPA + law review spot + decent (but not great) faculty connections + research position. I have a bunch (3-6 years) of work experience in consulting and finance prior to law school. Before that, undergrad at an ivy.

Goals: BigLaw in NYC. Clerkship would definitely be nice, but not an absolute "must have" for me. I'm particularly interested in antitrust, but IDK how I want to parlay that interest into a career. Mid-career, i.e. 10-15 years down the line, I can see myself going in house, or possibly into government and/or policy.

Decision factors: Giving up scholarship money is *NOT* a big factor for me due to personal savings and family luck. I care more about optimizing the core law school experience as well as immediate + long-term employment outcomes. I worry about losing some of the nice softs (law review) I've got at Fordham. I also worry that my OCI recruiting prospects at elite firms (V10) will be actually somewhat worse as a transfer student at NYU/CLS vs. top of the class at Fordham. There just isn't that much data to go on for transfers specifically. And—assuming that last statement re: recruiting prospects is true—I'm not sure how it's "compensated for" at NYU/CLS other than brand name and prestige, which all seems rather intangible to me.

Bottom line: If I'm being purely rational, I lean towards staying at Fordham, which I feel offers me very good employment and clerkship opportunities. But beyond the realm of pure rationality, I wonder what I'd be missing out on at NYU/CLS...

[otisreadingcomp]

I'm also a Fordham student. I think the best move you can make is to reach out to people who did transfer from Fordham to those schools. Feel free to PM me and I can send you a few names.

[Anonymous User]

I'm also a Fordham student. I think the best move you can make is to reach out to people who did transfer from Fordham to those schools. Feel free to PM me and I can send you a few names.

Thanks! It won't let me PM you here since my account is too new. Any chance you could reach out on Reddit (FLSanon2020) or email (FLSanon2020 [at] mailinator.com)? Sorry for the sketchy-ness, trying not avoid doxing myself

[letsee456]

I think for biglaw prospects, you'd probably be hurting your chances (definitely not improving) by leaving Fordham. I think it's important to remember that 2L fall grades will count this year, so if you do below median/median/slightly above median at the new school next semester, you will likely be shut out of top firms (but I would double check this with career services at each school). While your Fordham grades will not disappear per se, you may not get the same interviews you would otherwise. In other words, I think leaving is an unnecessary risk. You already have a winning hand with NYC biglaw. It's up to you if you want to trade it in for prestige with the hope of ending up in the same spot you're in now.

However, for clerkships, I think it would help to go to NYU/Columbia, if only because you won't have to maintain top-top grades like you would at Fordham.

[LBJ's Hair]

I think for biglaw prospects, you'd probably be hurting your chances (definitely not improving) by leaving Fordham. I think it's important to remember that 2L fall grades will count this year, so if you do below median/median/slightly above median at the new school next semester, you will likely be shut out of top firms (but I would double check this with career services at each school). While your Fordham grades will not disappear per se, you may not get the same interviews you would otherwise. In other words, I think leaving is an unnecessary risk. You already have a winning hand with NYC biglaw. It's up to you if you want to trade it in for prestige with the hope of ending up in the same spot you're in now.

OP has one semester of great grades and one semester of P/F, right? S/he could easily get median at *Fordham* in the fall. Not like s/he has a full year's worth of straight As. And even then, shit happens.

It'd be foolish, IMO, not to cash in on that (frankly sorta fake) 4.0. The upside of staying at Fordham is (maybe) something literally hundreds of Columbia/NYU students get: a V10. The downside is scrambling for BigLaw in a bad economy.

[letsee456]

I think for biglaw prospects, you'd probably be hurting your chances (definitely not improving) by leaving Fordham. I think it's important to remember that 2L fall grades will count this year, so if you do below median/median/slightly above median at the new school next semester, you will likely be shut out of top firms (but I would double check this with career services at each school). While your Fordham grades will not disappear per se, you may not get the same interviews you would otherwise. In other words, I think leaving is an unnecessary risk. You already have a winning hand with NYC biglaw. It's up to you if you want to trade it in for prestige with the hope of ending up in the same spot you're in now.

OP has one semester of great grades and one semester of P/F, right? S/he could easily get median at *Fordham* in the fall. Not like s/he has a full year's worth of straight As. And even then, shit happens.

It'd be foolish, IMO, not to cash in on that (frankly sorta fake) 4.0. The upside of staying at Fordham is (maybe) something literally hundreds of Columbia/NYU students get: a V10. The downside is scrambling for BigLaw in a bad economy.

I think this is an interesting point. How would you opinion change for lower T14s? I suppose the difference here is that it would be difficult to fall out of BL contention at NYU/Columbia.

[ignorantfoot96]

I think for biglaw prospects, you'd probably be hurting your chances (definitely not improving) by leaving Fordham. I think it's important to remember that 2L fall grades will count this year, so if you do below median/median/slightly above median at the new school next semester, you will likely be shut out of top firms (but I would double check this with career services at each school). While your Fordham grades will not disappear per se, you may not get the same interviews you would otherwise. In other words, I think leaving is an unnecessary risk. You already have a winning hand with NYC biglaw. It's up to you if you want to trade it in for prestige with the hope of ending up in the same spot you're in now.

OP has one semester of great grades and one semester of P/F, right? S/he could easily get median at *Fordham* in the fall. Not like s/he has a full year's worth of straight As. And even then, shit happens.

It'd be foolish, IMO, not to cash in on that (frankly sorta fake) 4.0. The upside of staying at Fordham is (maybe) something literally hundreds of Columbia/NYU students get: a V10. The downside is scrambling for BigLaw in a bad economy.

This perspective is entirely why I am transferring! We only had one semester of grades, so one off semester could tank any chance at big law, meanwhile at Columbia/NYU you would have to try pretty hard to be in a grade position where you would not get a big law offer.

[Internationalist]

I think for biglaw prospects, you'd probably be hurting your chances (definitely not improving) by leaving Fordham. I think it's important to remember that 2L fall grades will count this year, so if you do below median/median/slightly above median at the new school next semester, you will likely be shut out of top firms (but I would double check this with career services at each school). While your Fordham grades will not disappear per se, you may not get the same interviews you would otherwise. In other words, I think leaving is an unnecessary risk. You already have a winning hand with NYC biglaw. It's up to you if you want to trade it in for prestige with the hope of ending up in the same spot you're in now.

OP has one semester of great grades and one semester of P/F, right? S/he could easily get median at *Fordham* in the fall. Not like s/he has a full year's worth of straight As. And even then, shit happens.

It'd be foolish, IMO, not to cash in on that (frankly sorta fake) 4.0. The upside of staying at Fordham is (maybe) something literally hundreds of Columbia/NYU students get: a V10. The downside is scrambling for BigLaw in a bad economy.

This perspective is entirely why I am transferring! We only had one semester of grades, so one off semester could tank any chance at big law, meanwhile at Columbia/NYU you would have to try pretty hard to be in a grade position where you would not get a big law offer.

I transferred from Fordham to NYU/Columbia and agree with this: you should cash-in on your one-semester of grades. You should definitely transfer if you plan to leave NY at any point during your career because a Fordham degree doesn't travel nearly as well as NYU or Columbia.

[The Lsat Airbender]

With your grades and background you're live at Harvard too (idk about Yale or Stanford, and it's not obvious that hauling ass across the country for SLS is even something you want) too so I'd take the shot there.

[zg43]

I think for biglaw prospects, you'd probably be hurting your chances (definitely not improving) by leaving Fordham. I think it's important to remember that 2L fall grades will count this year, so if you do below median/median/slightly above median at the new school next semester, you will likely be shut out of top firms (but I would double check this with career services at each school). While your Fordham grades will not disappear per se, you may not get the same interviews you would otherwise. In other words, I think leaving is an unnecessary risk. You already have a winning hand with NYC biglaw. It's up to you if you want to trade it in for prestige with the hope of ending up in the same spot you're in now.

OP has one semester of great grades and one semester of P/F, right? S/he could easily get median at *Fordham* in the fall. Not like s/he has a full year's worth of straight As. And even then, shit happens.

It'd be foolish, IMO, not to cash in on that (frankly sorta fake) 4.0. The upside of staying at Fordham is (maybe) something literally hundreds of Columbia/NYU students get: a V10. The downside is scrambling for BigLaw in a bad economy.

This perspective is entirely why I am transferring! We only had one semester of grades, so one off semester could tank any chance at big law, meanwhile at Columbia/NYU you would have to try pretty hard to be in a grade position where you would not get a big law offer.

I transferred from Fordham to NYU/Columbia and agree with this: you should cash-in on your one-semester of grades. You should definitely transfer if you plan to leave NY at any point during your career because a Fordham degree doesn't travel nearly as well as NYU or Columbia.

What about Fordham --> GULC?

[ignorantfoot96]

What about Fordham --> GULC?
[/quote]

I think that's a tricky one, you might be better off staying at Fordham because the difference in big law placement between Fordham and GULC is not really that much. However, because it is funded and loans aren't a thing, I would personally transfer.

[KPUSN07]

Transfer to CLS or NYU - no brainer here if money is not an issue.

[dabigchina]

If money truly weren't a consideration (IE you have generational wealth to the extent that you will literally not miss an extra 80-100k in the bank) then I would say go for it, if only to get access to more robust OCI.

Otherwise stay and put the money to better use (ie down payment on a house, retirement savings, etc).

[Anonymous User]

Transfer to CLS or NYU - no brainer here if money is not an issue.

Can you elaborate a bit? If I have a lock on my dream job at my current school, what will NYU/CLS have to offer, except potentially some downside? Are you referring to opportunities down the line and an easier exit from the NYC market?

[KPUSN07]

Transfer to CLS or NYU - no brainer here if money is not an issue.

Can you elaborate a bit? If I have a lock on my dream job at my current school, what will NYU/CLS have to offer, except potentially some downside? Are you referring to opportunities down the line and an easier exit from the NYC market?

I think opportunities down the road is the biggest factor that you may get with a CLS / NYU degree rather than a Fordham degree. I think the long game is important to consider. I also don't think the downside really exists - you'll do well at either school based on your current grades at Fordham. But you're running out of time! Just my .02

[zg43]

I don't think you can go wrong with either choice, tbh. I would probably save the money, but that's more of a personal decision. I am also at Fordham (at sticker), but don't have LR, which I think makes a big difference. I think you can probably get Biglaw out of CLS/NYU regardless of how you perform this fall, but I do think some elite firms (thinking V10) may be off the table if you do average/below average, whereas at Fordham with LR, if you maintain a top 10% average, which I think would be easier than doing well at the other schools, you will have those firms accessible.

Good luck!