Thinking about Transferring Law Schools?
This post is geared toward current 1Ls thinking about applying to other schools for their 2L year, but it is also a good thing for 0Ls to keep in mind as they choose where to attend this year.
Here’s a great introduction to the pros and cons of transferring law schools and issues to consider.
Here is a very detailed analysis by one person who transferred from Loyola-LA to Boalt - it has a lot of details but I haven’t checked these facts so read it with a grain of salt.
Here’s an oldie (2007) post with credible stats about transferring law schools.
Here are previous posts of mine on the subject of transferring law schools: (Read the comments on these too – lots of good info there)
Thinking About Transferring as a 2L?
A great option: Applying as a Transfer Student
More on Transferring Law Schools (beware law school policies discouraging transfers!)
If you’re planning to apply to transfer after your 1L year and you’re looking for help, please contact me. I do work with transfer applicants and am happy to create packages specific for your needs.
Ann K. Levine, Esq., former director of law school admissions for two ABA law schools, is a law school admission consultant and owner of Law School Expert,
Hey, this was helpful information. You should also check out Law Riot!
Dear Ann,
I was wondering if you could give me advice about a big question I am facing. I would like to get into Georgetown because of their program. (I am particularly interested in international human rights.) However, I made the decision to go to law school a little late in the application season and took the Feb. LSAT. I scored way below what my practice tests were consistently at and wasn’t able to get into Georgetown for the Fall. I’m registered for the June LSAT and hope to get a score that will qualify me.
I’m 29 and a little reluctant to put law school off for another year. So, I’m considering attending another law school this Fall and transferring into Georgetown if my LSAT score comes back high enough. Do you think this is a wise course of action?
Secondly, if I get a score that puts me in Georgetown range, how much weight would they put on the ranking of the school I attend for my first year when they evaluate my transfer application? Would attending a third tier put me at a much greater advantage than a fourth tier? If I choose a first tier (which would cost more) would that put me at a much greater advantage than a third tier?
Thanks in advance for your help in this crucial question.
Michael,
When you transfer, it’s not the LSAT score that matters. It’s all on your first year grades and class ranking at the best law school you can get into now. If you’re retaking the LSAT in June, then you will know your score in time to decide whether you’d now be in the running for GT as a Fall 2011 applicant, or whether you’re better off taking whatever offers you have.
The school you attend your first year matters a lot. It’s one thing to be at a Top 30 school and be #1 in your class and transfer to a Top 14 law school but it’s not nearly as likely to do that from a third or fourth tier school. I’ve worked with clients who transferred from Loyola LA (a Tier 2) to GT, and from Catholic to GT. But it’s all about doing really well at those schools – simply being in the top 20% of your class isn’t going to cut it.
I hope this is helpful.
Thank you so much. I really appreciate the time and thought you gave to this.
Hi Ann,
I found your site while searching for information on transferring after my first year of law school and was wondering if I could ask you for some quick advice, especially based on what I’m reading in your response to Michael’s query.
I’m 24, and have been working full-time in publishing since graduating early from a top-10 East Coast university four years ago. I underperformed as an undergrad, and ended up with a low GPA (above 3.0, but still below average.) I did okay on the LSAT (just above 50th percentile) when I took it last year, but not great, as I was fighting through an illness at the time. All in all, my UGPA and LSAT just don’t really reflect my academic potential…
I applied to a bunch of schools in CA (where I want to attend school and practice law) and was rejected from many, waitlisted at 1 Tier 2, and got into a T-4 with a big merit scholarship and a fellowship based on my interest in IP law.
Since I got into the T-4, I’ve been planning on working my tail off getting amazing grades and being one of the top 2-3 in my class (unless I get into the T-2 off the waitlist)
If I’m able to be at the top of my class at the T-4, do you think there’s any hope of me getting into UCLA for 2&3L? That’s always been my top choice…
Do you have any helpful advice to give? I would be so grateful to hear any of your opinions or feedback. Thanks so much in advance.
Rachel, Call UCLA and ask them where they took transfers from last year….
Ann – thanks so much for your help.
This is interesting. However, if I just finished my first year in tier 4 law school with slightly above 3.0 GPA and I am in about upper 35%, is there a possibility to transfer to top 50 school at all? How about tier 2 (50-100)?
Max, From a T4 Law school and only in top third, you are probably shooting too high. You can call schools you are interested in and ask where they take transfers from and what ranking they are looking for from different caliber schools. Most will tell you. If you are looking for help with your transfer applications, please feel free to contact me through my website for more specific advice.
Good luck!
Ann
Ann,
I am at Emory and am wanting to transfer back to where my family lives because of personal reasons. I finished my first year with a 2.5 GPA and am worried about getting in as a transfer. I am applying to transfer to lower ranked schools (SMU, OU, OCU, and Houston). Should I be worried about not getting in? I’ve looked at different sites and most are about transferring up in the rankings. Nothing really talks about transferring down. Thank you so much!
Hi Grant,
You’re right. You’re in a different situation. If your 1L GPA was impacted partly because you were so far from home, you need to explain that and why you’re transferring to schools in your home region. I wouldn’t count you out, but you have to show the schools the reason for the lackluster performance (and assure them it won’t be a problem once you’re home) and that you have good reasons for doing what you’re doing. But make sure you impress them before telling them something negative. A lot of people forget this!
Good luck.
Ann
Ann,
Thank you so much for taking the time to respond! It was really helpful and calmed down my nerves.
- Grant
Dear Ann,
I finished my first year at a T4 school in the top 11% of my first year class(3.4GPA). I wanted to go back to California and so I put out a few transfer apps in the tiers above me. I haven’t heard from most of the schools, but I got into a T3 the other day via a phone call. I want to know if a transfer to a T3 law school worth paying double. I’d be giving up a lot by way of scholarships, deans list, moot court etc. I also got some 3.8s and 4.0s on my transcript and I would have to give those up at a new law school.
The second thing I want to know is what are my chances of getting into T2&T1? I’ve seen some students with lower numbers then mine get into T2 schools. Both of the T2 schools I applied to like to see students in the top 10%-15%. My dream school is in T1, and you need to finish in the top 20% in order to be eligible to apply at all. I believe that a student from a T4 law school has to do much better than that to have a shot, but I don’t know if 11% is good enough.
Thanks,
Stephen
Hi Stephen, We’re talking ranking, but not particular schools so it’s hard for me to tell you what would be worthwhile. If you’re at Thomas Cooley, for example, and you want to be in CA, I’d tell you to leave the money and the 3.8 and run west as quickly as possible. Most of the transfer applicants I’m working with right now have heard back from all or almost all of their schools. Two from T3 schools are jumping up to Top 30 schools with a ranking just a little higher than yours, if that helps.
Hi Ann,
Thanks for getting back to me. Ok, here’s the deal. I go to Detroit Mercy School of Law. My dream school is USC and I got into Southwestern. I also applied to Pepperdine and Loyola. I haven’t heard from Pepperdine or Loyola, but my applications became complete last week (our school posts final grades and rankings really late). The important thing is that I met all of the deadlines.
Pepperdine asks for the top 10-15% in order to be competitive. Loyola likes to see students in the top 10%-15% (thats what they told me). And for USC you need to be in the top 20% in order to be considered at all.
Stephen, That does help – thanks. I think if you want to be in CA, then SW is better than DM, and it’s probably worth the extra $$, but only you can make that decision about how important it is to you to be in LA. I think USC is probably a huge reach, but hang in there with P and L.
Good luck!
Dear Anne,
I have been admitted to UDC as well as Catholic University as a first year student. UDC offered me money, and they’re practically free anyway, while Catholic gave me nothing. I was on the waitlist for many others but as of today it doesn’t look like it’s going to happen. UMD just released the rest of their waitlist today. Catholic is just as expensive as many other top schools in the area, nearly 40k, but is barely holding onto a spot in the top 100. I was thinking about just going to UDC and transferring out after the first year but I’ve been told that it’s not a good idea to plan on transferring as it’s so difficult to do. I plan on pursuing public interest law or some other related, non-big law, relatively low paying career. Do I bite the bullet and go in debt 120k for Catholic, or go to UDC without any debt and hope I can transfer to someplace better after the first year?
Thanks in advance,
Lauren
Hi Lauren – great question! UDC is known for public interest, and if it’s practically free you’ll be in a much better position to actually pursue public interest work after law school. If you do well after your first year then you can consider transferring, but I think – given your career goals – you might be perfectly happy with a degree from UDC. Let me know!
Ann
I have a 2.5 GPA at NYLS – Am I “stuck” here or can I get in anywhere as a desperate measure?
Ed, where were you hoping to move?
Ann,
I did not have a good experience at my past law school (tier 4 ). After a year sabbatical from law school, I applied for transfer as a 2L . I did not get into any of the 8 schools that I applied to, including tier 4. My application was solid, but it was extremely difficult to get materials from my school in a timely manner. For example, transcripts were sent a month late and missing a letter of good standing. I believe this hurt my application.
What should I do moving forward? I don’t want to return to my school, but I want to finish my education. Are there any other options? Is there any information I can ask the schools for regarding my rejection?
Megan,
This must be really frustrating for you.
You don’t mention your grades in law school – that might be part of the problem. Your personal statement, resume and LORs are also factors of course. You may have also picked schools that simply didn’t have much room for transfers this year. I’d urge you to cast a wider net.
Ann
PS If you’re looking for consulting help, I do have a special package for transfer applicants on my website.
Ann, I am willing to go anywhere. I am more or less desperate to go to a campus community because the city has been very overwhelming. I have in place letters of recommendation as well as my personal statement because I am ready to make the move, just as long as it’s realistic.
Ed, you may have missed the boat for transferring this summer…. most transfer decisions have been made. It happens very quickly in June and July. Call around and ask some schools you’re considering transferring to.
What shools should I target at this point?
Dear Ann,
I am currently at Seattle University School of Law and did well my first year. However, I had a hard time feeling happy since I moved from NYC to Seattle. I applied to transfer to Cardozo and got in. Now I finally feel comfortable in Seattle, but I still think that Cardozo is the better long-term career move? Do you think my career options will be larger with a Cardozo degree than one from Seattle U?
Mallory,
It all depends on where you hope to be a lawyer and live out your life. If you’re a New Yorker, head to Cardozo.
Dear Ann,
I am about to begin my 1L year at Atlanta’s John Marshall School of Law, a T4 school, and I was wondering what my goal should be to attempt to transfer to some more prestigious schools in the South East after this year. I am not looking for a T1 school, but something around T2 would be nice. Some of the schools I am looking at are the University of South Carolina, University of Georgia, or maybe even Georgia State. I like to have a goal and target in my head so any advice would be great.
Marcelo,
Great question! There is no way to set a goal “I’m going to be in the top 20 percent” versus “I’m going to be in the top 10 percent.” You need to do the best you can do in law school – if you feel you need a goal, aim to be #1 in your class.
Good luck!
Ok I understand that. Well then let me ask another question. When you look at UGA, USCarolina, and GA State, how do you feel about a T4 student trying to transfer in to those particular schools. Do I have a shot? Should I even apply if i am out of the top 15%?
Marcelo, you can call each of those schools and ask them what ranking requirement they would have from the school you will be attending. Schools will usually share that information.