Best school to attend in hopes to transfer up? Forum

[noname086]

Hey guys, I got accepted to Univ MD Law, American, Catholic, Fordham, and GMU. I got rejected from Gtown's part time program but would love to transfer there next year.

Does anyone have any advice about which school would be my best bet to transfer to gtown?

[dextermorgan]

There isn't a "best bet" for transferring up.

[noname086]

Well is there anything I can do to try and maximize my chances? I know you guys are all going to say do really well your first semester and try to be top 10%, but my main question I guess then is: Would it be better to go to a lower ranked school in hopes of getting a higher class ranking to transfer or just work really hard at one of the higher ranked schools? Did anyone go into 1L hoping to transfer up and have good advice about this?

[EzraStiles]

I can't help you with the latter question but for the former I'll say this: as a 0L, you cannot have any idea how you will do in law school. It may very well prove more difficult then you planned. Because of this, you should only attend a law school if you could honestly see yourself graduating from it, with transferring as a distant (but not imperative!) factor. Otherwise, you may end up somewhere in the top 1/3 or top 1/2 of your class at a lower tier school with lesser job prospects and 0 chance of transfer.

[LSATfromNC]

Maybe attend a smaller school, less people to beat to be number 1.

[nealric]

Just go to the school you would be happiest to graduate from.

[98234872348]

Well is there anything I can do to try and maximize my chances? I know you guys are all going to say do really well your first semester and try to be top 10%, but my main question I guess then is: Would it be better to go to a lower ranked school in hopes of getting a higher class ranking to transfer or just work really hard at one of the higher ranked schools? Did anyone go into 1L hoping to transfer up and have good advice about this?

Don't go to law school hoping to transfer up... If you're fortunate enough to make the grades that allow you to transfer, more power to you, however, it is inadvisable to attend a law school that you would not be satisfied graduating from, because there is a 90% chance you won't make the grades necessary to make your goals come to fruition.

[noname086]

Thanks for the advice guys! Yea, I guess I just really had my heart set on georgetown but I have a few more schools I'm waiting to hear back from so hopefully I'll get in somewhere I like!

[06072010]

Ridiculous. Retake the freaking LSAT. Those 5 points will be so much easier than finishing at the top of your class.

[kurla88]

Just go to the school you would be happiest to graduate from.

This. That way, you're set either way.

[TTH]

Ridiculous. Retake the freaking LSAT. Those 5 points will be so much easier than finishing at the top of your class.

TITCR

Attending a law school planning to transfer up is the first step down the road of fail.

[noname086]

I did retake the LSAT and only got one point higher. I don't think I have it in me to study for that exam anymore. I think I'll just stick with people's advice and go to the best school I get into and work hard from there.

[heyguys]

I did retake the LSAT and only got one point higher. I don't think I have it in me to study for that exam anymore. I think I'll just stick with people's advice and go to the best school I get into and work hard from there.

I would have felt the exact same way--after taking the LSAT just once I was like 'there's no way I'm taking that again no matter what I make.'

But seriously consider taking it again--if you can get into a better school ITE, it will make your life a whole lot better.

[vandalvideo]

Maybe attend a smaller school, less people to beat to be number 1.

Stanford-Binet; I doubt going to a smaller class size will increase the likelyhood of you graduating in the upper echelon. Especially if you consider Bernoulli's law of large numbers. Your chances neither decline nor maturate based on the sample size.

To TC; Just go to a school you feel comfortable with in terms of career attainment and life in general. Don't bank everything on transferring, only to find out you hate the school and fail.

[06072010]

Maybe attend a smaller school, less people to beat to be number 1.

I hope this was made in jest. Otherwise, statistics fail.

[ScaredWorkedBored]

9/10 this idea doesn't work.

[06072010]

9/10 this idea doesn't work.

But apparently if you go to a school with less people those odds go to 7/10

[im_blue]

I did retake the LSAT and only got one point higher. I don't think I have it in me to study for that exam anymore. I think I'll just stick with people's advice and go to the best school I get into and work hard from there.

[TTT-LS]

.

[BobSacamano]

Also: OP, if you don't have the energy to retake, you may not really have the energy to do well 1L year. It may be worth re-examining whether law school is worth it at all. I say that sincerely, and with no intention of mean-spiritedness. Perhaps LS is worth it for you, but if taking the LSAT one more time sounds arduous, then I think you have a real shock coming w/r/t succeeding 1L year.

Don't get me wrong, going to a school with the plan of transferring out is an awful, horrifically bad idea, but I'm not buying your post. There's probably a morsel of truth to it, but let's not go overboard here: not wanting to retake the LSAT probably has very very little relevance to law school study habits. The LSAT sucks and studying for it is mind-numbingly boring. Studying for it again is even worse. I sure didn't feel like retaking it, I just wanted to jump into law school. I didn't have a problem motivating myself first semester. I sure as hell wouldn't want to retake my first semester courses, even if I kinda enjoyed them at the time.

[noname086]

Again thanks for the advice everyone, I really appreciate it! I guess I was just depressed this morning about getting rejected from georgetown since I thought I had a good chance at PT but I'm over it now. I think I'm just going to go with the flow and just do my best wherever I go.

I have to say though, I don't think not wanting to retake the LSAT indicates I will be a poor law student. I just can't spend another year preparing to go to law school and going through the application process. It's opportunity cost, and I can't waste another year. I would much rather just start law school and begin my legal training. I'm a good student, I did well in undergrad and in my masters program, so I don't think I will have a problem taking law classes seriously. I would rather put my energy towards doing the best I can 1L than in re-taking the LSAT.

Also I don't want to go big-law, I'm hoping to get a gov't job. So maybe I don't need to worry about rankings as much.

[Doritos]

Again thanks for the advice everyone, I really appreciate it! I guess I was just depressed this morning about getting rejected from georgetown since I thought I had a good chance at PT but I'm over it now. I think I'm just going to go with the flow and just do my best wherever I go.

I have to say though, I don't think not wanting to retake the LSAT indicates I will be a poor law student. I just can't spend another year preparing to go to law school and going through the application process. It's opportunity cost, and I can't waste another year. I would much rather just start law school and begin my legal training. I'm a good student, I did well in undergrad and in my masters program, so I don't think I will have a problem taking law classes seriously. I would rather put my energy towards doing the best I can 1L than in re-taking the LSAT.

Also I don't want to go big-law, I'm hoping to get a gov't job. So maybe I don't need to worry about rankings as much.

I don't think you not wanting to retake the LSAT means you will be a poor student either but on the real...its easier to do that than finish top of your class. You may have done well before but keep in mind that law school is graded on a curve and you are compared to other very intelligent people. Intelligent people who are dropping serious amounts of cash dollars to attend the fine institution you find yourself attending. Unless your name is Will Hunting I wouldn't bet tens of thousands (or more) on being the cream of that crop. But hey its your life and live it the way you want to.

[noname086]

haha no, I meant I'm not going to go with the intention of transferring anymore. I'm just going to try my best in general as a 1L. But I do appreciate your advice, thanks so much!

[Doritos]

haha no, I meant I'm not going to go with the intention of transferring anymore. I'm just going to try my best in general as a 1L. But I do appreciate your advice, thanks so much!

Good luck! Keep TLS posted. Also, there are some spectacular guides by Wahoo1L and Arrow and others I can't think of off the top of my head about how to just kill it in law school. I would recommend looking those up. I would do it for you but I just got mass effect 2 and it's time to nerd out