Transferring from Cooley...any tips?

[ISUCKATTHIS]

Although I'm sure you'll be able to transfer, you should know that Cooley is not death.  People on this site have a tendency to exaggerate a great deal about many things.

I know two Cooley grads who are currently partners in vault 100 firms in Washington, DC.

[Matthies]

Although I'm sure you'll be able to transfer, you should know that Cooley is not death.  People on this site have a tendency to exaggerate a great deal about many things.

I know two Cooley grads who are currently partners in vault 100 firms in Washington, DC.

OMG no, you can’t counter common wisdom and conjecture of people who have never gone law school or at T4 with personal experience and first hand knowledge! What are you thinking, this is LSD! 

[ISUCKATTHIS]

Yeah, you really do get a skewed perspective here.  I mean, I'm not saying that school name isn't important... but there are a lot of other factors that matter as well.

Also, I wouldn't be surprised if the economic downturn makes school name even less important.  In times like these, very good students opt out of paying big money to go to T14 schools. 

[ISUCKATTHIS]

I was thinking they'd go to state schools instead of the T14.  I've actually seen a couple people do that already.  There is a huge cost savings if you choose a state school.  I agree that anybody who pays full tuition at a private T3 or T4 is probably making a poor choice.  I wasn't even considering that, because I don't see why anybody would do it if they had other options.

[Matthies]

My goal at this point is to transfer to a school in the Pac NW or mountain west region, as that's ultimately where I'd like to begin my career.  The two schools I'm looking at right now are Seattle and UWash...the former would be a reasonable goal from Cooley, and the latter more of a hail mary from looking at transfer statistics.  I'm certainly open to other regional suggestions.  I'd certainly attend UMich if given the opportunity, but again having looked at the transfer stats, that's obviously not going to happen. 

Matthies, your approach is rock solid...I've found that establishing a routine like that has helped tremendously.  Mine is a bit more flexible...I prefer going to grab coffee in the AM just to get out of my apartment, then spending the afternoon at home.  I have class every evening from 6 until 9, and though I occasionally try to squeeze a little more study time in afterwards, I usually just relax and drink a couple beers in front of the playoffs or whatever terrible movie is on.  My primary worry is still balancing staying ahead to give myself plenty of time at the end of the term to study with not getting so far ahead that the focus of the class mucks me up.

Edit:  The most disorienting part is the schedule adjustment...I've just been traveling and bartending for the past 4 years, so my hours have generally been the exact opposite of my current schedule, but I've found that I'm much more productive in the AM than PM...probably because of the lack of intriguing distractions. 

I'm the same way I used to be a total night owl but law school turned me into a morning person. I'm most productive before lunch so I get up at 5AM start study by 7AM, takle the hard stuff in the AM easier or non memory stuff in the PM when I'm less attetive, then go to class and compleatly zone out (not recoemned for 1Ls) then go to bed right after class. BTW ambien is great for staying on your sleep schdeual, better living through pharmacuticals

[NeverTrustKlingons]

I transferred T3 to T14 - what worked for me may or may not work for you.  I will just list a few mental tricks that helped game me up to do well on exams.

1.  Identify two or three REALLY DUMB people in your classes.  Hold them in contempt and tell yourself that you do NOT want to graduate with them. 

2.  Recognize that the exam will be based on what the professor is teaching, not the rants s/he may entertain from students.  There are rants from students at the T14 too, but from my experience they are more common and less relevant in the lower tiers.  Do not let them confuse the issue and CERTAINLY DO NOT TAKE NOTES ON WHAT THEY ARE SAYING, GOODNESS.

3.  Recognize that the law is what the decision-maker (in your case, professor) says it is.  Never try to outsmart him or her, never try to make a novel argument on a 1L exam.  A substantial number of students seem to forget what class they're taking an exam in, and will answer a torts question based on contract law because they think that body of law fits better.  Don't do it.

4.  Understand that your 1L personal opinions are not asked for.  There is a real difference between an exchange of informed ideas  and the faux-intellectual arrogance, puffery, etc. displayed in many classrooms.  You will need a professor's recommendation; do not anger him or her with nonsense. 

5.  Frankly, it is too late to work on your English.  But if you have a good command of the language, I can say from experience you are better situated than at least a substantial number of your T3/T4 counterparts.  Nothing's more infuriating than the 1L question, "Does spelling/grammar count?"  All lawyers do is use language to convince others that what they say is law -- what do you think the answer to that question is?!

Good luck.

[SweetAsCandy]

I transferred T3 to T14 - what worked for me may or may not work for you.  I will just list a few mental tricks that helped game me up to do well on exams.

1.  Identify two or three REALLY DUMB people in your classes.  Hold them in contempt and tell yourself that you do NOT want to graduate with them. 

Oh goodness, that's horrible.

[I Hate Law School]

Stay at Cooley, or if you're transferring stay at the lower tier schools. The students at higher tiered schools will piss you off like no other.  More personality and friendships from those people who don't think they own the world due to their 1st tier status.

[Matthies]

hey congrts that's great, nice job. Those are hella good grades, I mean what's your curve there like 2.5 or something? Nice job man!

[lawguyFL]

this is a bunch of crap.

when I was at cooley plenty of people were able to transfer back to schools in their home state etc. Here is where some transferred to:
Florida State, Nova, Southwestern, New York Law, WVU.

YES at cooley  you must work hard as they dont cut anyone a break. Yes you can find a job if you graduate from cooley.
If you stay at cooley make sure you do a summer associate gig somewhere. Their externship program they require as part of graduation doesnt cut it.