Transfers of 2014: A TLS Retrospective Look at Transferring Forum

[lhanvt13]

I'm patent bar eligible so I'm def thinking IP. Big Law is the goal but I wouldn't mind working at a mid sized firm. The judge I'll be working for says she will give me projects on any IP related matter this summer.

Apply to transfer and participate in the Loyola IP fair in the summer. By the time you have to make a final transfer decision you'll have (or not have) callbacks/offers from the patent fair and you'll have a better idea of how much or little you'll gain from transferring

From personal experience, timing didn't work for me. Could make everything really crunch time and fit a couple CBs in. for patent fairs, application too early to impact screeners.

[imnottelling]

I'll bite for anecdotes.

Top 10% at T30 after 1L. Applied to transfer. Had the opportunity to leave for T6. Decided to stay, keep Law Review, and keep my scholly. It was definitely a risk, but a calculated one. Ended up getting biglaw (my goal) and saved myself tons of money by staying.

On the other hand, I also know someone in my situation who decided to stay and struck out. No LR. If you don't care about dat prestttige, then do your own risk assessment on your options. TLS would have told me to transfer. I stayed. Wanna be safe? Transfer and never look back.

I will as well. Top 5% at a T50. Decided not to apply to transfer. Kept my scholly, got LR, had several Big Law firm job offers (accepted V5), and have secured a post-graduate federal clerkship.

[MagicMike80]

For right now I don't regret it. The net financial effect of transferring was that I was basically attending the new school on a 1/3 scholarship since my first year of tuition was free at my T20. I would have come to this school with that financial package as an 0L so it was easier for me to make the jump.
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Since career prospects are better for everyone, the environment is more laid-back and less stressful.
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Students here make their decisions based on what they want to do, what they enjoy, etc... At my T20 it was all about accumulating as many accomplishments as possible. Simple example, students here don't do Moot Court unless they want to. There are people who could have graded-on to law review but chose not to cuz it's a lot of work and they're not interested in litigating or clerking or whatever etc...At my T20, it didn't matter what your interests were, you did things (e.g. participate in journal, competitions, etc..) because those things increased your odds of getting a job. Grades/exams here are comparatively relaxed as well. Median here means 160k. Median at my T20 meant you had to start falling in love with public interest work.

Cuse gets at important point that TLS forgets too often ... transferring isnt just about post-law school jobs and prestige, it's also going to effect the next two years of your life. Almost everything about law school, from the social events, to the type of material professors cover in class (read: theory), to general mood and happiness of the student body, is very different in the t14 (read: t6) context where everyone has a job.

I have the same basic story w/r/t jobs as well...splitting between two offices of a v5 neither of which has ever hired from my 1L school. At my T20, there were certain big market firms to which there were "pipelines' (read: 1-3 summers at most). Any other firms were off limits. Attending a firm orientation it was nice that a dozen other people from my current school will be working with me this summer. Also [anecdote warning], one current partner at the firm saw my nametag and said he didnt have as prestigious a background as I did. If you have the chance to not be that guy, take it.

About the financial packages, if you're top 10% at a t20 or t30, you're going to get in a school that one year ago would have been beyond your wildest dreams. If you're thinking about getting out, you've obviously seen that the $$$ from your 1L school aren't worth what you thought they were.

[butlerraider1]

You left out a key piece of info: Do you want to work in the market in which your current law school is located? If yes, you probably should stay at your current school with a full tuition scholarship.

The answer to this is yes, which is making the decision so tough.

I'd stay. Not worth going into all that debt for the chance of a slightly better outcome.

Do you mind telling us which market? Or giving us some idea on your school's placement in that market?

My school is the only school in the specific market. The market is very small but it places well there. Think Stetson wanting to work in Tampa, Fl (not the best example but close). The only thing different is that there is a T14 in the general region. Sorry if this doesn't make sense; I'm typing on my phone.

[gwesia]

do you think that doing well on 1L skills competitions is any boost? Particularly getting to the finals of the mock/adr competitions out of like 75 teams?

[Nebby]

It would give you a boost compared to someone with identical stats, but overall it is mostly 1L grades and 1L school rank.

[SquedTheScholar]

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[TheNextAmendment]

T20 w/50% scholly to CCN. The move cost me an additional 60k in loans.

Here: 32 interviews, 9 callbacks, 3 offers (V20, V50, V100).
Someone with a similar gpa and WE at my T20: 10 interviews, 1 callback, 0 offers.

If you get into CCN...transfer.

FWIW: top 10% at T20 (and now top 30% at CCN)

[TheNextAmendment]

Students here make their decisions based on what they want to do, what they enjoy, etc... At my T20 it was all about accumulating as many accomplishments as possible. Simple example, students here don't do Moot Court unless they want to. There are people who could have graded-on to law review but chose not to cuz it's a lot of work and they're not interested in litigating or clerking or whatever etc...At my T20, it didn't matter what your interests were, you did things (e.g. participate in journal, competitions, etc..) because those things increased your odds of getting a job. Grades/exams here are comparatively relaxed as well. Median here means 160k. Median at my T20 meant you had to start falling in love with public interest work.

I also echo this. People at CCN do what they want and aren't so neurotic about trying to do too much. If people don't want to do journal, they don't do journal. If they want to do PI, they do PI...
The overall more relaxed environment here as compared to my T20 nearly justifies the added cost (see "nearly").

[sublime]

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[hartfordhockaloogies]

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[toothbrush]

Any t14 transfers feel awfully lonely after this year? I was never a social butterfly or a edgar allen poe type, but I haven't made any real friends at my school. Only 1 year left of toughing it out ... probably going to take some externships/clinics to fill the void (i.e., the lack of personal interaction).

Yeah. But I think it's more of my personality than any other factor. I know of many transfers who have integrated and made new friends either with native students or other transfers. 1L was much easier to make friends. Hopefully will become closer to the other people summering at the firm I'm going to.

[mandimeoutof10]

I'm bumping this thread for the newest batch of prospective transfer students. There are a lot of good posts about the experiences of others that made the plunge and there is definitely some solid anecdotal info for prospective transfers.

[chuckbass]

I'm bumping this thread for the newest batch of prospective transfer students. There are a lot of good posts about the experiences of others that made the plunge and there is definitely some solid anecdotal info for prospective transfers.

Perfect, I'll link this to the current transfer thread. If anyone else has more to add after making it through a year, please do!

[mandimeoutof10]

I'm bumping this thread for the newest batch of prospective transfer students. There are a lot of good posts about the experiences of others that made the plunge and there is definitely some solid anecdotal info for prospective transfers.

Perfect, I'll link this to the current transfer thread. If anyone else has more to add after making it through a year, please do!

Yah, I have a quick piece of anecdata: So I did well my first semester but not a whole bunch above the median. There were a lot of things that made that semester hard (moving, finding my wife a job, transitioning onto a new school/city etc) but I killed it second semester and am now on my way to graduating with honors (top 30% I believe, so around a 3.55). Anyway, I just recently got these grades back and am stoked. It is definitely possible to keep your grades high!

[chuckbass]

I'm bumping this thread for the newest batch of prospective transfer students. There are a lot of good posts about the experiences of others that made the plunge and there is definitely some solid anecdotal info for prospective transfers.

Perfect, I'll link this to the current transfer thread. If anyone else has more to add after making it through a year, please do!

Yah, I have a quick piece of anecdata: So I did well my first semester but not a whole bunch above the median. There were a lot of things that made that semester hard (moving, finding my wife a job, transitioning onto a new school/city etc) but I killed it second semester and am now on my way to graduating with honors (top 30% I believe, so around a 3.55). Anyway, I just recently got these grades back and am stoked. It is definitely possible to keep your grades high!

Sorry about the personal stuff, but congrats and that's awesome to hear. It sounds like if you figured out how to do well at your 1L school that will generally translate to the new school. I'm planning on trying to crush it considering I should have a lot of extra time (no journal) and competition should be down, and the allure of graduating with honors with not too much work really is appealing.

[TransferHopeful17]

This thread has been really helpful in evaluating the transfer/stay decision. Many thanks to those who have contributed, both those who stayed and those who transferred.

For those who made the leap from TTT to T14, what was your experiencing adjusting to the level of rigor/competition? How quickly did you feel comfortable in your studies, or as comfortable as you had been at the TTT?

[doctoroflaw91]

This thread has been really helpful in evaluating the transfer/stay decision. Many thanks to those who have contributed, both those who stayed and those who transferred.

For those who made the leap from TTT to T14, what was your experiencing adjusting to the level of rigor/competition? How quickly did you feel comfortable in your studies, or as comfortable as you had been at the TTT?

I can't speak for TTT schools, but I transferred from a lower T1 (almost T2) to the T14, and I felt that people at my new school worked a lot less hard. Perhaps people assume that the name of the school carries them further at my new school, or perhaps it's just a cultural difference in the two schools. Regardless, I worked probably a little less than I did 1L year and kept the exact same GPA (down to two decimal points). PM me if you have other questions; I would be happy to help.

[timmyd]

I transferred from TTT to UT, so not T14, but honestly, the quality of student is the same as the lower T14. I was ranked 11/200 at my TTT and top 10-15% at UT (I think, its hard to know but I have a 3.79 so I think thats somewhat accurate). I honestly didn't really think the competition was insanely difficult. I worked hard though, maybe everyone else just kind of quit working but I doubt it.

[makerbreaker]

I was sure I would transfer but now I'm increasingly indecisive.

10-15% at lower T14 (probably can make 10% after the transfer dust settles), LR, and a very small scholarship (close to paying sticker).

Good shot at getting into CCN but likely no LR (not sure about secondary journal).

I think job prospect at either school will be similar. Mainly interested in corp and I'm getting a good number of screeners at regional job fair and OCI at current school.

My main motivation for transfer was "why not" if I can end up in a better school with the same expenses. But all things considered, does the better name offset LR membership and potential Latin honor?

Does it make a difference if I want to apply for clerk ships later (but honestly unsure about the benefit of a clerkship on transactional work).