Transferring schools...

PKTSU01 · #1 01-09-2002, 09:04 PM

Just wondering what some of your takes are on transferring schools? Primarily, I'd like to hear from some of the law school GC peeps on what they think, but any comments are cool.
I did pretty well for my first semester (3.65) and am thinking about transferring. I'm at a lower tier school though, and am wondering how much of an impact making the transfer to a tier 2 or 1 will have on the shaping of my career.

Now, i know personal accomplishments mean a lot and your degree doesn't open all doors, but...I'm sure the people at Harvard and Yale haven't had doors shut for them that the rest of us otherwise might before we even graduated. Anyways, your thoughts are appreciated.

AlphaGam1019 · #2 01-09-2002, 09:11 PM

Depends on what kind of school you are looking to transfer to. One of my friends went to Miami U and didn't enjoy it. After 2 years, he transfered to William & Mary. He's now at Harvard Law.

Some schools won't even look at transfer students unless they have completed a certain number of semesters. If you try to transfer before the stated semesters, you'll be under freshman criteria.

AlphaChiGirl · #3 01-09-2002, 09:22 PM

With law schools, what's considered "top", "middle", or "lower" tier?

PKTSU01 · #4 01-09-2002, 10:04 PM

Generally, rankings go by U.S.News & World Report, which rank them every year.

Reputation is always a big factor and many of the "top" schools that are undergrad are the same for graduate school.

Schools like Harvard, Yale, Columbia, Standford, etc. are the cream of the crop. Admissions standards are often ridiculous and if you graduate one of these, you are , shall we say "golden"

Middle tier schools are well respected schools that maybe don't have the rep of the top schools but are by no means slouches. Many excellent state schools are found here as are schools like St. John's , Villanova, Catholic and Temple U.

Lower tier schools totally vary widely. They range from barely making ABA accreditation to pretty good but not near the other schools in the region. If you rock in terms of gpa or rank at these schools, you'll be fine. But if you pull a 2.0 and barely make it out of a lower tier school, ya may have some employment problems. Some of these schools are smaller and private and can't compete with larger universities for faculty, which is often why they rank low. Also, some are younger, so they haven't even developed a rep yet. Some lower tier schools are ones like Cal Western, CUNY -Queens college, Touro, and University of the Pacific.

Again, these "tiers" don't really mean much to the people who work or attend them. Each school, even the "worst" is full of bright people and great teachers, but rankings are always subjective and the schools with national reps always manage to be in the top 10 or 20. The problem is, employers tend to let these ranking carry great weight and if you are in a desired school, you are desired. Not saying that ya don't deserve success if you make it at a top school, but I AM saying it isn't necessarily fair to be shunned for doing well at an ok school. of course, competition is what this country was built on, and that attitude carries over to education as well.

valkyrie · #5 01-10-2002, 01:18 PM

Congratulations on doing so well your first semester!

I would say that whether you should transfer depends on what you want to do after graduation. If you want to go to an uppity, huge firm, then *maybe* it would be a good idea. However, if you are at or near the top of your class, it's not necessary. If you have a good chance of making law review, you may just want to stay where you are.

I don't know, of course, where you go to school or where you school is ranked, but I personally think that the rankings are somewhat a bunch of self-indulgent crap. I went to a pretty new, third tier school (just over 20 years old), and don't regret it for a second. I still laugh at all my co-workers and former co-workers who went to much "better" schools and have much larger student loan payments, but the same job I have.

PKTSU01 · #6 01-10-2002, 01:22 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by valkyrie
Congratulations on doing so well your first semester!

I would say that whether you should transfer depends on what you want to do after graduation. If you want to go to an uppity, huge firm, then *maybe* it would be a good idea. However, if you are at or near the top of your class, it's not necessary. If you have a good chance of making law review, you may just want to stay where you are.

I don't know, of course, where you go to school or where you school is ranked, but I personally think that the rankings are somewhat a bunch of self-indulgent crap. I went to a pretty new, third tier school (just over 20 years old), and don't regret it for a second. I still laugh at all my co-workers and former co-workers who went to much "better" schools and have much larger student loan payments, but the same job I have.

I most likely want to be the"go to guy", I guess more along the lines of an in house counsel. Am I taking this to be more like a firm job, or just straight ahead business counsel?

Peaches-n-Cream · #7 01-10-2002, 01:52 PM

My friend is a first year at an Ivy League law school with an undergrad degree from another Ivy. He took a couple of years off between undergrad and law school. When he was looking into applications, he told me that after the stress of college, he wanted to go to an easy law school. I suggested that he attend the best law school that he could get into because there is no such thing as an easy law school. He agreed.
I think that you should try to transfer. There are several excellent law schools in New York City such as NYU and Columbia and around the country. I think that trying to transfer will not negatively impact your situation at your current school so you have nothing to lose if you apply. I think a degree from the best school that you can get into is more of a door opener for your career. Whatever you decide, good luck! Congratulations on your excellent grades!

AlphaGam1019 · #8 01-10-2002, 01:56 PM

Congrats on your excellent grades but keep in mind that most law schools weigh LSAT scores more than your grades!

bruinaphi · #9 01-11-2002, 04:39 AM

Whether or not you should transfer depends upon what you want to do. Like valkyrie said, if you are going to make law review and be in the top 10% (what is the grade curve) of your class then you are probably okay if you want to stay in the same region right after graduation. I don't know where you are in school but one of my friends went to Syracuse and was on law review, yada, yada. He went to work for the Governor in NY and now wants to move out to LA. He is having a really hard time getting firms to take him seriously. Accordingly, if you want to go to a big firm or somewhere outside your region, you would be better off at a nationally recognized school.

That being said, where you went to law school really only matters for getting your foot in the door at your first job. After that it is all reputation and your own accomplishments.

I went to a first tier law school and I have to say that the job market is super competitive, even if you go to a top school (at least here in LA). In the LA market, only the top students from the lower ranked schools get firm jobs at all, and they have a difficult time getting jobs in the public sector.

I don't think that it hurts to apply right now -- good luck!

AOPiLaLa · #10 01-11-2002, 10:10 AM

This is more along the lines of grad school, but hey--its all a form of higher education! I graduated with a good GPA, from a good school, and did well on my GRE's. When it came time for me to look at grad schools, I knew I wanted to stay in Atlanta, because it was accessible to home, I loved the city, and it had a good number of universities and schools to choose from. I researched all of them and ended up applying to Georgia State University. GSU is NOT the most prestigious, nor the most well known. BUT-it had the EXACT program I liked, it was the most econonmical, and they really made me feel that I was wanted there. I know Emory or Georgia Tech have a more well known reputation and probaley better opportunties at times, but sometimes finding the school that is the best fit for YOU is more important than any tier. ALSO, if you have any idea where you want to end up, that can also be a factor. In ATL, EVERYONE knows Georgia State. But I am sure if I went out to Los Angeles, it would be a little different. Just my little opinion--but GOOD LUCK and start studying--I know the GRE's SUCKED and I am sure the LSATs are worse!

AlphaGam1019 · #11 01-11-2002, 12:09 PM

Ga State is very respectable!! There are programs at Ga State that surpass many of the top schools! I would not mind going there for an MBA!!

AOPiLaLa · #12 01-11-2002, 01:18 PM

Oh, thanks so much AlphaGam!! You made my day!!

KTDG · #13 12-18-2002, 03:28 AM

villanova is not a state school -- neither is catholic -- good lord catholic is OBVIOUSLY private

KappaTarzan · #14 12-18-2002, 04:01 AM

so proud of my university... the program for computer science (so not my major by the way) is top in new england, with only WPI ahead of us.. even MIT is below our program

this is what i hear from faculty, anyway

Rudey · #15 12-18-2002, 04:10 AM

My school opened up a world of opportunities to me. http://www.tangiershrineclowns.org/clown_college.html

-Rudey
--Clown ethics was the hardest class ever