Top Law Schools

I just got my 1st semester grades. I hadn't thought a whole lot about transferring before, but I ended up a bit above the top 10% cutoff. I'm at a T2 in the state where I'd like to ultimately practice. How high up would I be able to transfer if I chose to go that route? Is it possible to get into a T14? If my school places well in my state now, is it even worth it to transfer? I want to work in a big firm, but I'm not interested in NYC, DC, or any of the other big markets.

Thank you for any advice! I really appreciate it.

check arrow's guide. i think you can get into the t14 if you end up in the top 5%. you can probably get into a t1, though. ite, biglaw is probably out if you're in the top 10% at a t2. you probably need top 5% there.

Well, the estimated distribution sheet puts me above top 10%, but I won't know how far above until the rankings are published.

this is probably your best source of information:

http://www.top-law-schools.com/forums/v ... 22&t=82937

i'm looking into transferring myself

Great, thank you so much for the link.

Lucky son of a bitch with your grades.

I'm still waiting.

Still.

Top 10% is GREAT, and should allow for a very upward move. However, you must maintain it for a 2nd semester (unless you do ED that only a few schools allow). You are looking good. Check out the yahoo transfer group. Go to their DB, and you can look through a few years of transfers, probably some from your school or similar also in the top 10%. It's like a broke ass version of law school numbers.

Thanks! I was really pleased. I definitely worked incredibly hard, but so did everyone else, so I had no idea where I'd end up when it came down to it. I checked out the databases a bit at Yahoo--I'll have to keep browsing them. I don't know if I'll end up going for it or not. It might be better for me to take LR (I'll grade on at top 10%) and stay here since I know my current school is well-respected in the community where I want to practice. Decisions, decisions. At least this is a good dilemma to have.

Good luck with your grades! I hope you hear soon. The wait is awful.

Congrats on your grades!

I expect to soon create an entire forum and also add a lot of resources for those interested in transferring. I appreciate the advice that is offered here but plan on TLS expanding the information about your goal of transferring.

Best regards,

Ken

Anónimo wrote:I definitely worked incredibly hard, but so did everyone else, so I had no idea where I'd end up when it came down to it.

Exactly. I worked my ass off, but assumed everyone else did too and the curve would screw me. Turns out I was wrong and got all A's. Just remember that everyone is going to work harder next semester.

Anónimo wrote:I just got my 1st semester grades. I hadn't thought a whole lot about transferring before, but I ended up a bit above the top 10% cutoff. I'm at a T2 in the state where I'd like to ultimately practice. How high up would I be able to transfer if I chose to go that route? Is it possible to get into a T14? If my school places well in my state now, is it even worth it to transfer? I want to work in a big firm, but I'm not interested in NYC, DC, or any of the other big markets.

Thank you for any advice! I really appreciate it.

First of all, congrats on your awesome grades!

How high up? I think you can get into T14. Generally top 10% at T2's have no problem with that, though sometimes people get rejected and the data will not indicate why. The T6 will be a stretch, but it depends on what you ultimately rank and maybe some other factors. Generally you want to be in the top 5% for it, and you might be close (who knows after 2nd semester).

If your school places well in that state, whether it is worth it to transfer depends on if there is a T14 (or T20) in that state. If you're in Denver and there's no better school in that state, you should probably stay. If you're at Temple/Villanova, you should probably transfer to Penn. Ultimately it is your own "personal" decision which involves scholarships, law review, location, and such.

Lastly, if you want to work at a big firm, I would think that you should transfer in this economy. In the good days, many T1/T2 schools can place their top students into big firms. However, with this economy, firms appear to gravitate more towards the top schools. In the end, who knows. Maybe the economy will recover in a year (*crosses fingers*).

Keep up the good grades, and I hope you join us transfers. =P

Ken wrote: Congrats on your grades!

Thanks, Ken! I feel privileged to have you post in my thread.

leron wrote: Turns out I was wrong and got all A's.

Congrats on your grades, Leron! I would love to erase the B+ blemish and have all As like you. Way to go!

Arrow wrote: If your school places well in that state, whether it is worth it to transfer depends on if there is a T14 (or T20) in that state. If you're in Denver and there's no better school in that state, you should probably stay.

There is one other school in my state that's similarly ranked, and a couple of schools ranked in the T3 and T4. The closest T14 is one state away, but it's in a huge legal market, so grads don't normally end up working in my area.

If I do decide to stay, how do scholarships work? Do I need to let the administration know I'm thinking about transferring before they'll offer scholarships? We have a few listed on the financial aid website, but they're all small ($1k-$2k) and privately funded.

Arrow wrote: Lastly, if you want to work at a big firm, I would think that you should transfer in this economy.

Is this true even for firms in the school's market? Or are you referring to larger markets? I also applied for a couple of 1L summer jobs at firms in the area; if I land one of those due to grades, would you still suggest transferring?

Thanks for all of the advice. I really appreciate it; I'd be totally lost right now without TLS. Well, actually, I wouldn't have gotten the grades without TLS in the first place, so I wouldn't even be in this situation!

Anónimo wrote:Thanks! I was really pleased. I definitely worked incredibly hard, but so did everyone else, so I had no idea where I'd end up when it came down to it. I checked out the databases a bit at Yahoo--I'll have to keep browsing them. I don't know if I'll end up going for it or not. It might be better for me to take LR (I'll grade on at top 10%) and stay here since I know my current school is well-respected in the community where I want to practice. Decisions, decisions. At least this is a good dilemma to have.

Good luck with your grades! I hope you hear soon. The wait is awful.

Thanks. I would recommend at least seeing what you can do. Transfer apps won't take much time, especially in comparison to what you have been doing for class. Just think it could give you options, and you don't want to remove any options. Hell, you could at least try to get some scholarship (or more scholarship) money from your current school in an effort to prevent you from transferring. I'm not sure how realistic that is considering I don't know what school you go to, or if they have any money they are dishing out.

Remember that you only have one chance to transfer. They don't take 2L transfers.

Anónimo wrote:

Arrow wrote: Lastly, if you want to work at a big firm, I would think that you should transfer in this economy.

Is this true even for firms in the school's market? Or are you referring to larger markets? I also applied for a couple of 1L summer jobs at firms in the area; if I land one of those due to grades, would you still suggest transferring?

Thanks for all of the advice. I really appreciate it; I'd be totally lost right now without TLS. Well, actually, I wouldn't have gotten the grades without TLS in the first place, so I wouldn't even be in this situation!

If you are currently in a secondary market, firms in that market may be wary about hiring someone who has just left that market for a stronger school. They may view you as a flight risk. I know when I transferred, it was very difficult to get interviews with firms in the two markets where my 1L school was strongest.

Now that I think of it, that's another thing you should check before moving. Every large firm from the markets where my 1L placed well listed on NALP that they recruit at my 2L school. This past round of OCI, only one of the 12-15 firms came to the school to interview.

upgrade wrote: If you are currently in a secondary market, firms in that market may be wary about hiring someone who has just left that market for a stronger school. They may view you as a flight risk. I know when I transferred, it was very difficult to get interviews with firms in the two markets where my 1L school was strongest.

Now that I think of it, that's another thing you should check before moving. Every large firm from the markets where my 1L placed well listed on NALP that they recruit at my 2L school. This past round of OCI, only one of the 12-15 firms came to the school to interview.

This is definitely a concern for me. If it'll be a negative for me in my current secondary market, I absolutely don't want to transfer. I'll have to check with a few of my top choices to see if transferring would be a negative or a positive. Thank you for the tip!

.

also no advice...just wanted to say congrats!

i'm in a similar position (we might even be at the same school having read your description). it's unsettling to think that - if we transfer - we might be forfeiting such a class rank for no guarantee of improved job prospects at a school ranked 10-25. of course, we are fortunate to be in this position in the first place, but it's difficult to gauge how job prospects might improve at a 10-25 ITE.

sanpiero wrote: it's unsettling to think that - if we transfer - we might be forfeiting such a class rank for no guarantee of improved job prospects at a school ranked 10-25.

Transferring to a 10-25 school doesn't make much sense given the geographic preference and a better than top 10% class rank.

Congrats on the grades. I'd consider throwing an Early Action app at Georgetown. Top 10% might be enough to get you in, depending on your current school. Georgetown seems to have some "pet" schools that they like to take transfers from.

Thanks for the advice, everyone! I've decided not to transfer and will be staying at my current school. Ultimately, I want to work in this area, and it seems like I will have better chances here if I stay at my regional school and continue to do well.