Is transfering worth it?

[toddbrown]

I was recently admitted to Notre Dame Law School.  I currently go to a T3.  I have a full ride and finished 6th in my class, graded on to law review.  Eventually, I'd like to get an LL.M. and maybe even try to teach.  I'd also like to clerk after graduation.  I know that most people on these boards are waiting to hear about some really top of the top schools.  But if anyone has any advice on what they'd do, I'd appreciate it.

[LawMan21]

Stay where you are. While your current school probably kills most teaching opportunities, Notre Dame doesn't give you much teaching opportunity either unless you do exceptionally well.

Only scenario where I would go to Notre Dame is if you have been dying to go there and this is your dream school. I know that many people have a long love for Notre Dame in general (idk if this is dying out or not), and if law school is your ticket to fulfill that... then do it. Otherwise stay. Top 30-35% or so at ND (a guess) will get you nice job prospects, but you could end up doing poorly at Notre Dame and be in trouble.

[;;;;;]

I was recently admitted to Notre Dame Law School.  I currently go to a T3.  I have a full ride and finished 6th in my class, graded on to law review.  Eventually, I'd like to get an LL.M. and maybe even try to teach.  I'd also like to clerk after graduation.  I know that most people on these boards are waiting to hear about some really top of the top schools.  But if anyone has any advice on what they'd do, I'd appreciate it.

I would transfer.  Although I agree that teaching from either school would probably be difficult, obtaining a judicial clerkship would be a lot easier.  http://law.nd.edu/careers/judicial-clerkships  ND had 3 SCOTUS clerks in the last 8 years and no offense, I doubt your T3 has the same stats.  Good luck deciding and congrats on the acceptance.

[UnbiasedObserver]

I would transfer.  Although I agree that teaching from either school would probably be difficult, obtaining a judicial clerkship would be a lot easier.  http://law.nd.edu/careers/judicial-clerkships  ND had 3 SCOTUS clerks in the last 8 years and no offense, I doubt your T3 has the same stats.  Good luck deciding and congrats on the acceptance.

While those stats are impressive for ND, don't judges/justices look at GPA?  Getting a good GPA at ND will be difficult, even for someone with a great GPA from a T3 school, with all due respect.

But getting a clerkship at a T3 is tough, especially depending on location.  I honestly don't know what to tell the OP....

[Dr. Balsenschaft]

I would figure out whether most transfers do as well at their transfer schools as they did at their first school.  I've heard they do comparatively well.  If this were true, then I think it's realistic to say the OP has a good chance of being in the top 10-15% at ND.  This doesn't answer the question, but I think it should be looked at and taken into account.

[big - fat - box]

Impossible to make recommendation w/o more information.

Teaching at a law school on the tenure track level is highly unlikely from either school, even assumming federal clerkship. Clerkships are unlikely at T3. Clerkship chances impossible to predict w/o ND grades for 2L.

What are your career plans if you can't teach? What if you can't clerk?

Do you have family or personal $$$ or other means of reducing debt load at ND?

[toddbrown]

What are your career plans if you can't teach? What if you can't clerk?

Do you have family or personal $$$ or other means of reducing debt load at ND?

I'd like to work whatever job I could to pay off debt quickly. That's likely biglaw, but who knows if I can get in to it.  I don't want to work my whole life away, but I would like to make a decent salary.  Maybe appellate litigation would be fun as I prefer looking at the larger issues.  Also, I'd like to work on the east coast.  My current school is in Connecticut.  It's regional reputation is okay at best.  On average only about 3 or so people get jobs at OCI and they're usually in Connecticut.  I'd prefer to be in a city.  Also, even though I know this shouldn't be an issue, I do have a semi-serious girlfriend at school.  I don't have any personal or family money to help reduce the debt at ND.  Right now, I'd graduate with about $76,000 in debt from undergrad and law school living expenses.  If I went to ND, I'd graduate with close to $150,000 in total debt.  Thanks for all the advice.

[ablaw]

I am faced with a very similar dilemma right now - think I want to have a federal clerkship and teach eventually. Currently full scholarship at a T3, top 2%, law review, very good regional reputation (southeast).
I've been accepted to Hastings and waiting on Boalt or Stanford (which is a long shot). I don't know if I want to be East Coast or west (although family is east coast) and I will be about $150k in debt if I transfer.

Is it worth it to go to Hastings?
What about Boalt (assuming I get accepted). What about the unmentionable fact that I am a woman and may want a family at some point?

Thanks

[gmasonlaw]

Yes, move from T3 to T1.   The question of where to transfer among the T1's is generally the harder question.

[RandyJ51]

I am faced with a very similar dilemma right now - think I want to have a federal clerkship and teach eventually. Currently full scholarship at a T3, top 2%, law review, very good regional reputation (southeast).
I've been accepted to Hastings and waiting on Boalt or Stanford (which is a long shot). I don't know if I want to be East Coast or west (although family is east coast) and I will be about $150k in debt if I transfer.

Is it worth it to go to Hastings?
What about Boalt (assuming I get accepted). What about the unmentionable fact that I am a woman and may want a family at some point?

Thanks

I am also in a similar situation. I currently go to a T4 (in the South West)and I am in the top 15% with Law Review. I will receive some scholarship money for this year, though I paid sticker last year. I enjoy my current school's people and location.

I got into WUSTL and I have heard/researched terrific things about the school.

I am not exactly set of where I would live after graduation, so the important thing is that I want my options open.
I would like to Clerk and eventually work in real estate law. 

Any thoughts?