Strange Transferring Question

[aglittman]

I have a rather strange transferring question. 

Right now I'm at competitive law school (ranked around 30 in the country).  In college I studied extremely hard, and graduated phi beta kappa.  I took a year off to study for the lsat, and again worked extremely hard for the test.  My problem is that I've always had to work very very hard to do well (I have rather slow processing speed).  I always could keep a competitive edge on the people around me by working harder than others.  However, I'm finding that where I am a lot of really gifted people are also working their tails off.  As a result, I feel behind the pack..almost like I can't compete on the same playing field as them.  In the back of my mind I wonder whether I should have opted to go to a less competitive law school, and am thinking about possibly going to a T3 school close to home. 

What do you think?  I understand I would be really regressing, but I'm not interested in going into a law firm (or even perhaps practicing law at all).  On the flip side, I've met some really nice people at my current school, I'm just really intimidated by them.  For example, all of my professors use the socratic method, and during this entire semester I can count on one hand how many times my classmates have given stupid answers to questions!  It's unbelievable, I feel like I go to school with a group of robots.  Friendly robots, but very competitive, and ultra-smart robots. 

I should also indicate that my situation is rather unique in that I don't have any financial pressure.  My father, who pays the bills, is telling me to try to relax by realizing that I'm not really competing with the people around me.  This is true to the extent that I don't want many of the things they want - a firm job.  I would be happy doing almost anything after law school that pays moderately and is intellectually stimulating.  So, do you think I should stay?  Thanks for your feedback     

[MahlerGrooves]

Stay.  Without financial pressure or the "gotta have a firm job" mentality, you would be better off having the piece of paper from the better school than the rank from the lower one.

Also, in-class participation doesn't matter.  Brilliant people in my classes have given dumb answers.  It happens.  I sound stupid three times a day (No, I don't talk in class three times a day).  What matters is the exam.  Don't let anyone get into your head.  Do what you can do, and don't worry about anyone else because you cannot control what they do.

But stay.

[DrLazarus]

I have a rather strange transferring question. 

Right now I'm at competitive law school (ranked around 30 in the country).  In college I studied extremely hard, and graduated phi beta kappa.  I took a year off to study for the lsat, and again worked extremely hard for the test.  My problem is that I've always had to work very very hard to do well (I have rather slow processing speed).  I always could keep a competitive edge on the people around me by working harder than others.  However, I'm finding that where I am a lot of really gifted people are also working their tails off.  As a result, I feel behind the pack..almost like I can't compete on the same playing field as them.  In the back of my mind I wonder whether I should have opted to go to a less competitive law school, and am thinking about possibly going to a T3 school close to home. 

What do you think?  I understand I would be really regressing, but I'm not interested in going into a law firm (or even perhaps practicing law at all).  On the flip side, I've met some really nice people at my current school, I'm just really intimidated by them.  For example, all of my professors use the socratic method, and during this entire semester I can count on one hand how many times my classmates have given stupid answers to questions!  It's unbelievable, I feel like I go to school with a group of robots.  Friendly robots, but very competitive, and ultra-smart robots. 

I should also indicate that my situation is rather unique in that I don't have any financial pressure.  My father, who pays the bills, is telling me to try to relax by realizing that I'm not really competing with the people around me.  This is true to the extent that I don't want many of the things they want - a firm job.  I would be happy doing almost anything after law school that pays moderately and is intellectually stimulating.  So, do you think I should stay?  Thanks for your feedback     

Agreed with the others -- don't give this a second thought, do your best and stick around.  The only time you should consider transferring down is to move from a comparably ranked school to another comparably ranked for location purposes, and this isn't a comparably ranked issue.  That said, transferring isn't necessarily off the table -- if you do really well, you might transfer up.  Point being, you just don't know where you'll land.  Again, I agree with the others -- don't psych yourself out.

[juliemccoy]

You really can't say you're not doing well until you have a full year under your belt. Just work hard and do your best come exam time.

However, while I realize you have someone picking up the tab for law school, I must question why you are putting yourself through the hell of law school when you have no interest in a legal career. A law degree isn't the all-purpose degree people make it out to be. Maybe you should consider another career track and either start working or pursue another academic program.

[aglittman]

Thanks everyone, I guess I just don't feel like myself because I'm used to being ahead of most people, but as you know in law school oftentimes that doesn't occur.  Its a really strange feeling not knowing how you will do, when forever you've done really well in school.  This is probably a feeling many many law students feel, and I guess I should realize that.   

[Drew P. Bottom]

Many law students are the worst kind of people, particularly during your first year. They all try to sound smart in class. It seems like EVERYONE understands everything. But it's an act. You see, many of these people raise their hand every time they know what's going on. So, if only 2-3 people are raising their hand, that lets you know a number of people don't know what's going on.

The smartest people are often the people not saying anything.  

That said, I don't have an issue with people speaking up in class. I just have an issue when people do it to try and sound smart and intimidate their classmates. (I haven't really seen this after first year).

[SASS]

OP, don't worry about everyone else. Listen to the advice people are giving you, speaking in class and sounding smart do not equal A's. You will be amazed at how different class participation is second semester after grades come out. Being intimidated in law school is completely normal,you just need to block it out and stay focused on what you are doing.

Good luck on exams!

[nealric]

You will find when exam results come back that many of those people you thought were brilliant are not.

[Orbits]

i felt the exact same way you did and i ended up top 5% at a top 20 after 1L.

[nerfco]

My classmates routinely give much better answers than I do in class. This was a bit intimidating in the first quarter, but since then, I've just learned to live with it. And like everyone says, class participation doesn't matter--focus on doing well on exams, not doing well in class.

Moving to a school with inferior classmates, just so you feel relatively smarter seems a terrible idea. I learn a lot in classes just listening to the insights of my classmates--having smart classmates is a huge benefit to me.