<p>I am a 1L at Franklin Pierce Law Center. I decided to go there for two reasons: (1) my LSAT score was average and restricted my school choices; and (2) I wanted to pursue IP law and FPLC is one of the best in that area. Heres my issue, I want to go back to my home state of North Carolina after graduation, or at least as close as possible and I know my chances of doing so largely depends on the law school I am at. The law schools I am considering to transfer to are UNC or George Washington. I know that my chances mostly depend on my performance at FPLC and so far I am on the right track - I am in the top 5% of the class. So, should I stay at FPLC since I have started out on the right foot and they are well known for their program? Or should I try and transfer?</p>
<p>Pros of staying:
I am doing well at FPLC
I have a good chance of getting a good IP job if I keep my grades up
They are well known for the program
They are relatively good at placing students
UNC is not a comparatively good IP school</p>
<p>Pros of leaving to one of the other schools (if i get in):
Better overall program (not just IP)
Superficial reason - having a JD degree from one of these schools
Closer to home state
Warmer
Cheaper (UNC)</p>
<p>Any advice on this situation would really help out. I really cannot make up my mind on the situation.</p>
<p>Have you gotten in to GW or UNC, or are you deciding whether to apply? I’d suggest applying–if you get in, then you can decide. It might help to look at some of the firms in cities you’d like to live in, and see where their IP attorneys went to school. Or ask Franklin Pierce for their placement stats–how many people go to the cities you’re interested in? How many of the firms you’d like to work at recruit FP students?</p>
<p>Does the AALS still exist? If so, are any of the law schools which you mentioned above accredited by both ABA & AALS? In the past, AALS law schools are not permitted to accept any transfer credits from a non-AALS member law school. Thus, you would have to repeat your first year if transferring from a non- AALS law school to an AALS member school. Also what was your LSAT? May be important despite top 5% standing as Franklin Pierce, though strong in IP, is considered a fourth tier law school (i.e. not considered a top 165 law school out of 195 law schools). Also are you on law review or do you have to write on?</p>
<p>Wow – congrats on the top 5%! I wouldn’t transfer to UNC if you were doing that well at Franklin Pierce. GW is another story – it <em>could</em> be beneficial, but only if you can keep up decent grades. Graduating at the bottom of GW would not be better than graduating the top of Franklin Pierce, but obviously if you were to do well at GW, you’d be in a better position. So it’s kind of difficult – I would call GW’s career services.</p>
<p>I have not gotten into either because I have not applied yet. Since the application processes is rather time consuming (especially UNC’s) I do not want to waste my time applying and then decide not to go. Maybe I should just suck it up and do it anyway. But it is difficult to balance time during the school year. As for placement, FPLC does extremely well in that area when it comes to IP students. So if I keep my grades up I should have no problem getting a good job. However, not many people have been placed in NC, this may be because not a lot of people go to FPLC from NC. My biggest problem right now is I am not sure that I want to do IP because I really have not gotten into the heart of the subject yet.</p>
<p>Icy -</p>
<p>I have no idea if the AALS still exists. Since I have never heard of it, I do not think it does, but who knows. As for the rankings. Your right, they are well known for IP, but besides that, they are not know at all. I think your info is a bit old however. They are now tier 3, which I admit is not much better. And from what I have heard, they will be tier 2 next year due to the changes and additions in a variety of areas at the school. I am not sure if the source for that information is credible however. I guess the ranking only plays a big role if I decide to not do IP, and that is what I am afraid of. As for law review, the application/writing process to get on is coming up in about a month. I intend to do it. So if i get on, that is just another reason for me to stay. As for my LSAT score, it was a 152 - pretty low/average. This is the reason I am at FPLC, getting in is not near as difficult as UNC or GW. I have just never been a good standardized test taker. They are suppose to be indicators of success - well i did average on the SAT and did well at VT; I did average on the LSAT and I am doing well in law school. Sorry, I can go on and on about how stupid those tests are (as you can see I hate them). I know that for transfers law school success is the main criteria. But I am sure the LSAT is used if they have to decide between similar applicants. It really comes down to me decided if I want to do IP. The problem with that is I wont know if I like it until I really get into the subject, which will happen next year, which is too late to transfer. So i have to make that decision this year, before I get into the IP classes.</p>
<p>Serendipity - </p>
<p>Why do you think I should not transfer to UNC?</p>
<p>As I said, I have to decide if I like IP. Also, I found out if I transfer I start all over with my GPA, which could be a bad thing if i don’t do so well. Another thing is that UNC is my dream school basically. I grew up a die hard UNC fan living in NC. But I dont know if this should really be a factor in my decision…probably not.</p>
<p>Your LSAT score is right around the middle of your class at FPLC. You’re overperforming it noticeably, but it’s not as if it predicted that you’d be a horrible student.</p>
<p>True, but it did keep me out of “better” law schools. But that does not mean that I would have been a poor student there. I do understand, however, that there are not many options available to weed out students; law schools cannot admit everyone that applies. A large part of the reason I am not a fan of the tests is because I did not perform well on them.</p>
<p>What makes you think that Franklin Pierce places as well in IP as UNC or GW? The subspecialty rankings are BS. You should strongly consider transferring to a higher ranked (tier one, at least) school. Firms will dig deeper for in general IP people, particularly at better schools. Even if you are at the median at GW, you will probably be in a better position for a good job.</p>
<p>Franklin Pierce is not a member of the AALS. (They do pay dues in exchange for services.)</p>
<p>"6-7.5 Academic Credit Earned at Another Institution. </p>
<p>“a. In awarding a Juris Doctor degree, a member school may grant a student academic credit up to the equivalent of three semesters for full-time students or up to four semesters for part-time students, for work successfully completed at another member school and two semesters for full-time students or 2.6 semesters for part-time students for work successfully completed at a nonmember law school.”</p>
<p>That means if you’re thinking of transferring, you have to apply to transfer to an AALS school, you can transfer only two semesters. If you do decide to apply, you need to apply for next semester.</p>
<p>I’d transfer. You won’t have any problems with the work load at the other school.</p>
<p>Your choice of law school (unfortunately and unfairly) follows you your whole career, but most obviously with your first job, diminishing somewhat thereafter.</p>
<p>My info. is only one year to two years old regarding Franklin Pierce’s standing as a fourth tier law school. Even though an AALS member law school may grant you credit for up to two semesters, it is not likely, in my opinion, especially with a 152 LSAT from a fourth tier law school. If you are successful in writing onto the law review, it may be best to remain at Franklin Pierce as “law review” will remain with you for life as a serious academic achievement and learning experience during law school that is available to, and achieved by, very few. Your situation is different from many transfer applicants in that you are at a law school which is well respected for your area of interest.</p>