Where to transfer after CC...

Graduate School Law School
1

<p>Before I start, I want to say that I know the topic of undergrad. prestige, and its affect (or lack there of) on law school admissions has been just about beaten to death. None the less, I'm still curious for some input as to my situation.</p>

<p>I'm 24 yrs. old (originally from NY), and have spent a few years bouncing around the country working before going back to school in Washington state. I will be graduating from community college this coming spring, and am working on deciding where to transfer. Here's what I'm looking at: (BTW, my uncompromised goal is to attend a T14 LS after undergrad.)</p>

<p>U.Va.- My first choice. I def. have the grades/stats to get in, plus being a legacy (gives me in-state status for admission), but I'll obviously have to wait and see what happens. </p>

<p>University of Washington- T50 University of which I know I can get in, and would recieve in-state tuition. Those are about the only reasons I'm applying. To be honest I hate the Northwest, especially Seattle, and look forward to leaving this place for good. If this is my best option, however, I'm more than willing to suck it up and stay in Washington for another 2 years.</p>

<p>SUNY Albany- This option came about through the realization that I don't want to be in the NW anymore. It would be closer to family and friends, plus my best friend just moved there and needs a roomate. My father also lives in NY, so I might get in-state tuition, would have to check on that though... My only fear is that by choosing Albany over UW, I might have less of a shot at the T14 due to its lower level of academia. Is this a valid concern? </p>

<p>Does undergrad "prestige" even play a role in this decision? (Especially pertaining to UW and Albany, seeing as how neither of them are even close to the level of HYS and other Ivies.) I realize there's no definitive answer to my dillema, but what do you guys think?</p>

2

<p>Choose the school that will fit you best, which will be conducive to higher grades. Go to the school that you like above all others, or simply choose the school that will give you the most options if you decide not to go to law school. The marginal prestige of UVA over UW and CUNY will not play any significant part in your admissions.</p>

3

<p>I understand the notion that the best-fitting school would be conducive to higher grades, but honestly I'm pretty much a robot at this point. I treat every class as if my life depends on getting an A. I'm confident I will perform to the absolute best of my ability (grade-wise) wherever I end up. I'm also no longer in the exploratory phase; I'm sure about going to law school. While I realize it's smart to keep my options open (go to the best undergrad. in case LS doesn't work out), I'm willing to take the risk and put all my eggs in one basket.</p>

<p>With those things said, and operating under the assumption that undergrad prestige plays no significant role in things, is there any reason not to choose the least challenging school, which for me at least, would be most conducive to higher grades? To be honest, I'm confident I can swing a 3.5 next year wherever I am (giving me at least a 3.8 cum.), it's just that a more rigorous curriculum might detract from LSAT prep.</p>

4

<p>Why not go to either The Harvard Extension School or Northwestern University:College of General Studies? Both of these schools have a Open Door Policy that allows you to enroll in a few classes before you apply to their degree program. At HES, for example, if your GPA is over a 3.5 after completing 8 classes, then you could apply for Special Student Status that would allow to enroll up to 2 classes per term for one school year at Harvard College. You could use this option to do a major that is not offered at HES.</p>

<p>Just check out their website under "Continuing Education" to learn more. It's a very flexible program. Although it might take a bit longer to finish because the classes meet for one day a week in the evening.</p>

5

<p>It sounds like you've pretty much made up your mind. And given the risks and assumptions that you're willing to make, then sure...your conclusion looks fair.</p>

<p>The only thing I'd caution is that you really know what you mean when you label one school less challenging than another. One of the most intelligent people I know, NMF, worked her butt off for a decently respectable GPA at a no-name school that admitted 99% of its applicants, while I know less intelligent (but still good) students at better known and better ranked schools who've coasted their way to top grades.</p>

<p>I went to college in a consortium, so I was exposed to 5 of the top 50 LACs. I know I worked harder for my grades at the school ranked 4th among the 5 than I did at the school ranked 1st, and I know that I probably didn't work as hard for my final GPA as I would have at a number of larger, seemingly less rigorous state schools (where in many cases, the curve would have been tighter, the professor would have known me and my efforts less personally, there would have been fewer opportunities for one-on-one assistance, and "retention rate" would have been of zero concern).</p>

<p>So, if when "putting all your eggs in one basket," you mean to choose the less challenging "basket," then either be sure it really is the less challenging one, or be willing to attend for other reasons (as it seems you are).</p>

<p>Obviously, this advice isn't always relevant, but neither rigor of coursework nor ease of grading correlate as directly with school prestige as many students assume, so I like to throw it out there ;)</p>

6

<p>If you haven't already done so, I would suggest that the first thing you do is to check how many of your CC credits will transfer to all 3 schools. I don't know if there will be any significant difference, but there often is. You might be able to finish one school in 2 years and need 2 and a half or even 3 at another. </p>

<p>Second, check out how long it will take you to get in-state residence in Virginia or NY. I SERIOUSLY doubt that someone over 24--the age at which parents' income/assets no longer count for fin aid--can get in-state tuition based on a parent. (You can get in-state tuition based on a non-custodial parent's residence in certain circumstances at SUNYs. I do think though you are over the age limits.) </p>

<p>Third, reality is that if you want to go to a top 14, it's highly likely that you will have to take at least one year off between college and law school. No, I haven't seen this in a book. However, from anecdotal evidence, having 2 years of grades at a 4 year college at the time you apply gives you a much better shot at top law schools than having only one year of grades from the 4 year college when you apply. So, you are going to have to come up with a job or something else to fill that year. (You may be able to use that year towards meeting the state residency requirements if you want to get in-state tuition at a top 14 like UVa.) </p>

<p>That may well be the determining factor. I don't know what you do for a living, but it might be easier to come up with a good job for that year in one place vs. the others. Again, I don't know. I'm just letting you know that reality is that it's PROBABLE that you will have to take a year off between college and law school. Are you going to want to pick up and move somewhere for that year without knowing where you are going to attend law school? If you get into Virginia for college, could you use your time in college and/or that year to establish state residency for law school admissions purposes? (You might not get into Virginia, but at least you'd have a shot at lower tuition if you do. ) </p>

<p>You might also use that year for LSAT prep. Unless your LSAT score is EXTREMELY high, you're really not going to have much of a shot at a top 14 with a 3.5 during your last two years of college. So, it might be better to focus on school while you're in college and take the LSAT the following fall. </p>

<p>There have been several threads in the past about the route from CC to law school. You might want to do a search.</p>

7

<p>Redline- While the prospect of attending a school such as Harvard or Northwestern is exciting, I just don't think it's the best path for me right now. I'm trying to plow through my undergrad work, and wish to continue full-time. From what I've gathered these types of programs are not very financial-aid friendly either, which is of definate concern to me. Most private schools typically require parental income information from applicants under the age of 26, jacking my EFC into a range that in no way accurately reflects my situation. Did you attend one of these programs? If so, how did it work out for you? I've checked into GS at Columbia and CGS at Penn, it just seemed too costly...</p>

<p>Student- Regarding the correlation between presitge and rigor of curriculum (or lack there of), you def. make a good point; one I will consider when making my decision. Despite how I might have come off, I'm still totally up in the air as to what to do. Hopefully I'll just get into Virginia, and won't have to make the decision of UW vs. SUNY Albany.</p>

<p>Jonri- Credits will transfer to all 3 schools. You may very well be correct as far as residency requirments...I am not really counting on being considered in-state in NY. </p>

<p>As far as having to take a year off, I hope this is not the case. I guess we'll have to see. The way I see it, if whatever school I transfer to accepts my credits as their own, prospective law schools should not discern between work done at my current school vs. another. Perhaps I'm wrong though, I don't know.</p>

<p>If I do end up at UVa, and am rejected from the T14 first time around (maybe T20), I'll definately stick around and work on getting VA residency. I would think being a resident (I believe Virginia Law fills 40% of their first year slots w/ in-states), being a legacy, and applying ED would give me a significant advantage. </p>

<p>Also, hypothetically speaking, if I had a 3.5 junior and senior year, that would still equal a cummulative 3.75. A 3.75 will not bar anyone from the T14, despite lacking an "extremely" high LSAT score. I was only saying that even if I got a 3.5 next year (which is on the very low end of what I expect), my cummulative undergraduate grade point average, the number law schools are looking at, would be higher than a 3.8 at the time in which I apply.</p>

<p>-Thanks for all the input guys, and sorry about the slow response.</p>

8

<p>Cumulative GPAs are used in US News law school rankings. Therefore, they are very important. That said... law school admissions decisions, particularly at the top 14, are made by people, not computers. </p>

<p>For each LS applicant, the LSDAS calculates three numbers: (1)the cum GPA, (2) the GPA for each academic year; and (3) the GPA for each academic institution the applicant has attended. (This is stated quite clearly at Law</a> School Admission Council :: LSAC.org.) I assume that it does so because some admissions officials are interested in the second and third numbers.</p>

<p>So, I agree with you that a cumulative 3.75 is not going to keep anyone out of a T14 law school. Unlike you, I think that absent a very high LSAT, a 3.5 your junior and senior year at your degree-granting institution, will. </p>

<p>Let us imagine 2 candidates. One goes to UVa and has a 3.5 his first year. Sophomore year, he maintains a 3.75. As a junior he has a 4.0. A classmate goes to a CC and has a 4.0 for two years. Junior year he transfers to UVa. He gets a 3.5 his junior year. You think a top law school is more likely to admit the second student because all that matters is cum GPA and he has a higher one. I don't think you're right. </p>

<p>You are free to disagree.</p>

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<p>Go to the one that cost the least and you know you will be able to do well at. Take the easiest courses you can so you can keep up that GPA and then use all your extra time to break 170. You will get into most of the t14 of you do this and if law is what you want than I think thats your best option.</p>

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<p>jonri- I see your point, and clearly it is somewhat of a factor in determining admission. Knowing this, I hope to get as close to a 4.0 as possible next year. I guess I just take comfort in knowing that even if I dipped to as low as a 3.5 next year, I'd still have a fighting chance.</p>

11

<p>Hi Chessiestyle,
I had applied to both Columbia GS and Penn CGS. However, I was rejected by both colleges because I received a bad grade from one of my classes. I have a total of the following grades:</p>

<p>12-A's
6-B's
1-D</p>

<p>For the moment, I am enrolled in a college Pre-Calculus class. I plan to enroll in Calculus I in the Spring Semester. I hope to get at least a "B/A" in the class. </p>

<p>As for the Harvard Extension School, I plan to enroll in their Expository Writing Class at the Harvard Summer School in 2008. The class alone will set me back $2,200.00, not including room and board. But I plan to take out a few loans to cover the first few classes before I can apply to their undergraduate degree program. Until I know how well I'll do in the writing class, I am not going to plan too far ahead beyond that class. </p>

<p>HES is a very good program if you know what you're looking for towards making to most of what it has to offer. In addition, if you complete the first 8 classes with a 3.5+GPA, you could sign up for the Special Student Status option that would allow you to take up to 2 classes a semester at Harvard College for one academic school year. The option works best for those who wish to take classes or do a major that's not offered at the HES. </p>

<p>This is not a program for anyone looking for the full fledge Harvard College experience. You would have to earn the right to take classes in the daytime. The evening classes meets once a week. This might not sit well with a lot of people. But it's as close to a Ivy League education that a student will get to. Especially if he couldn't get into the top schools of his choice. Because of the nature of the program, it takes a long time to finish the degree. But it's still Harvard none the less, as far as the education is concerned.</p>

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<p>Hi Chessiestyle,
Did you made your decision, yet?</p>