Thrown to the wolves

[taintedevidence]

My new school didn't have an official orientation, so I just sort of showed up to class.  After a week of class I've met approximately 2 people.  One of which I actually got a phone number for.  I knew it'd be hard to get into the social scene (make friends), but it's a really weird feeling.  Meeting new people has always come easy to me, but this process is a lot more difficult than I initially anticipated.  Has anyone else had a similar experience?   

[xferlawstudent]

Yes, two years ago this was my experience.  People really look down at transfers because they think you have somehow not earned it.  This is ridiculous but quite prevalent.  Luckily my law school admitted upwards of twenty transfers so we hung out a lot.

[taintedevidence]

Yeah, mine only accepted 4.  I don't know if they look down upon me, I think they just don't notice me.  I think maybe my best option is trying to join a couple groups. 

[xferlawstudent]

Its kind of ridiculous, I went to a 40s T1 and the best school in the state.  The non-transfers had the attitude that they were better qualified to be there because of the LSAT, whereas we only had done well in 1L.

[NeverTrustKlingons]

Transferring is tough socially unless you're quite outgoing -- I'm not.  In my case I'm lucky to have friends in my new school's city and other things to keep me busy.  I'd say that [1] student groups and [2] other transfer students are your best bet for finding some new hangout buddies.

I haven't encountered hostility (that I've noticed), but there are definitely cliques that were formed during 1L.  This is to be expected and, of course, none of us made the move up to the T14 (or wherever) for the party scene and hot chicks/dudes.

In terms of overall environment and the tone of discourse on campus, I'm actually quite happy so far.  There's no need to act like an arrogant blowhard or know-it-all here, something I saw just a bit too much of where I was previously.

[pig floyd]

wtf, just turn to the guy/girl next to you in class and be like, "Hi, I just transferred here and I don't really know anyone..."

If that doesn't work, screw your new school and the people who go there.

[TimMitchell]

Put your picture on your LSD profile and post on LSD a whole bunch, also change your LSD name to your real name. If that doesn't work, raise your hand a lot and ask the professor plenty questions... people love that!

[TimMitchell]

I'll never understand why some think transfers are unworthy, I think a years worth of school and grades is more telling than a 2 hour test 

[TimMitchell]

Well, the counter is that in 1L grades you're only compared to the other students who got into your school.  So the elitist argument is that even if you're the smartest of the fourth tier students at your old school, it doesn't mean you're smart enough to hang with the kids at the T-14. 

However, I tend to think that the admissions office probably works through some of that and that transfers have enough to worry about with finding jobs and adjusting without getting crap from current students.   However, OP's situation sounds more like he's sort of a social dud than that he was "thrown to the wolves."

Yeah, I've heard that argument too, but I've also read the transfers on average outperform other classmates.

A social dud on an internet forum? You're crazy....

[NeverTrustKlingons]

There's an ounce of truth in that, at least at my T3.  My percentage rank was very good, but we also had quite a few dropouts, no-shows for class and people trying to re-live their freshman year of college.  My particular T3 also took pride in admitting candidates with very low LSAT scores (read: sub 150) in order to give people a chance at law school who may not otherwise have a shot at an ABA school.  I don't know what goes on during 1L at the T14, but I would bet that there's not the same level of tomfoolery or 'alternative admissions.'

So I did get a free pass over maybe 10-20% or so of the kids who started at my T3, oh well.