"… I can certainly empathize with students not wanting to attend a top university when they will likely be forced to take classes online in their parents’ houses. Some news outlets have discussed this dilemma of many college students, and I wrote an article about this for my student debt blog. And it is true that a decent amount of law students are able to transfer to other schools during the course of their legal education. However, I would caution prospective law students about picking a law school with the expectation of transferring for a number of reasons.
The main reason why you should not pick a law school with the expectation of transferring after your first year is that only a small minority of students are able to transfer to better schools. The most important factor that is used when assessing transfer applicants in a normal year is a student’s grades during their first year of law school, as opposed to regular law school admissions where college grades and LSAT scores are more important. If law schools continue pass/fail programs into the fall semester, it is possible that transfer candidates may only have one semester of actual letter grades to show admissions officials when trying to transfer." …
https://abovethelaw.com/2020/05/dont-pick-a-law-school-with-the-expectation-of-transferring/?rf=1
The article’s primary focus is on pass/fail grading during the coronavirus pandemic and the lack of ability for target transfer schools to distinguish class rank and course performance under a pass / fail grading system thereby greatly reducing one’s chances to transfer to a better law school.
Even in good times where LS are not on P/F for the 1L’s, beginning a LS with the intention of transferring is fool’s errand. Every matriculant expects to do well, but only 10% are in the top decile by definition. How soon one learns the critical thinking/reading skills to do well in LS can take weeks or months. Some start with excellent critical thinking skills, but most do not. (Just not learned/taught in many undergrad majors.)
If one aces 1L, then sure, consider transferring up, but expect to pay sticker.
Georgetown University Law accepts a healthy number of transfers each year & awards financial aid to eligible transfer students.
If “transferring up” is to one’s state flagship, sticker price may be a reduction in COA.
In my opinion, the real problem with transferring is with OCI. Transfer students may or may not be able to fully participate depending upon the school. Plus, grades & transcripts for OCI will be from a different law school for transfers.
@bluebayou wrote:
“If one aces 1L, then sure, consider transferring up…”
The key word is “consider” as it may be better for one who “aces 1L” to stay put & reap the benefits which often include a federal clerkship. Each situation needs to be evaluated on its own merits and pros & cons.
@publisher I am new the law school thing. Well I went to law school back in the 80’s but things have changes a lot since then. However my Daughter is going to graduate next year is considering law school so I have started to look around. My question for you is what is OCI?
OCI = on campus interviews
biglaw = law firms with over 500 attorneys including all office locations
BigLaw salaries tend to be on the Cravath scale. Under this compensation schedule, associates are paid on a lockstep basis–both base salary & bonus.
First year associates are paid a base salary of $190,000 & are eligible for a bonus of $15,000 if I recall correctly. Bonuses tend to max out at $100,000 for 7th & 8th year associates, but base salary increases each year for the first 8 years that one is an associate.
I belive the base salary is: $190,000, $200,000, $220,000, $255,000, $275,000 over the first 5 years. Typical lifespan for biglaw associates tends to be about 4.5 years. (Figures do not include bonuses.)