What positive/negative results have you had due to your transfer?

The negative:  One of the most difficult things about transferring is that you lose the bonds you made with other students in your first year.  I was very involved with clubs and student government my first year, and I had a great group of friends.  When I transferred, it was hard to get involved.  I basically limited my extra-curricular activities to one journal.  I didn’t go to a single bar review at [school], and I think I went to almost all of them at [school].  Fortunately for me, I still lived just down the street from [school], so I got to see a lot of my first year friends after I left.

I also noticed that some [school] students resented transfer students.  The transfers tend to be at the top of the class, especially after second year when people are applying for clerkships.  It could be because transfers feel like they have something to prove, it could be because the students who did well enough to transfer are just better students.  Either way, I heard some pretty hateful comments.

The positive:  Pretty much the resume boost.  The unfortunate truth is that I would not have had the career opportunities that I do now if I had stayed at [school].  I ended up getting a federal clerkship and an offer from a v50 firm, and I just don’t think either of those would have happened out of [school].

Would you do it again? Why/why not?

I would do it again.   Whether I want to stay at a big firm forever is a different question – but I need to pay off the student loans for now, and transferring is the only thing that got me the big firm job.  I don’t think the law firm meritocracy system is fair in any manner, but it is reality.  (Warning – I’m about to go on a pretty much unrelated tangent).  I think that the way law firms recruit disproportionately affects women and non-traditional students.  Most of the firms only recruit from the high ranked schools, and most of those schools don’t have part-time programs.  I think the firms are missing out on some great talent.

Would you recommend it?  For all/certain students?  Why/why not?

I would recommend it for some students.  In legal markets where there are multiple law schools, you will have a better chance at getting a big firm job if you transfer to the highest ranked school in your market.  But if you aren’t looking for the big law grind (and I’m not sure I am any more, my clerkship has been spoiling me into wanting to get into academia), and if you are comfortable with your school, stay.  I can’t speak about all schools, but my legal education at [school] was not much different than [school].  Actually, I think [school]‘s legal writing program is much better than most top tiered schools.  The program at a lot of high ranked schools is an afterthought.  I had some great professors at both schools, but the high ranking schools’ pressure to publish makes some professors inaccessible.  The students weren’t really that much different either (although the [school] students were a lot younger on average).  There are gunners and slackers and intellectuals and people you wanted to punch in the face at every school.

Do you have any advice to share with students considering transferring?

Apply early, even if your grades aren’t in.  If you are thinking about transferring, grades and class rank are the most important thing schools look at.  When you are deciding between schools, look at where you want to practice law, unless you can get into Harvard/Yale/Stanford.

I hope this helped!  Sorry for rambling so much.  Let me know if there is anything more specific.  I’m still living down the street from [school], let me know if you ever want to meet up for lunch or happy hour or anything!