I'm sorry about the girl rejecting you

Also, yeah, supply & demand is a bitch. IT JUST ISN'T FAIR!!!!

I am currently deciding between two T1 schools. One of the schools is in the 20s and the other school is in the 30s. The school in the 30s will wind up being about $45000 less over the span of the 3 years than the school in the 20s... However.... That's if I stay there. Im not the best test taker so retaking the LSAT is not an option... So I'm considering the option of transferring after my 1L year if I place high enough in my class.

This thread gives great statistics about where a student would need to place to get into HYS or even the T14... But they're very broad and just say the chances as a T1 or T2 student. Does placing in the top 10% of your class in a mid 20 school hold more value than placing in the top 10% of a mid 30 school.... Or because they're both in T1 does it not really make a difference?

FYI.... I am making the decision between these two schools on many factors.... And am taking into account that I may stay there for all 3 years.... The question above regarding transferring just happens to be one of the variables I am considering. Thanks for any thoughtful feedback.

the formula you're looking for is for "transfer power" - that is, the relative ease of transferring out of schools

Transfer Power = T(X) / T(Y) = 20 / 30 = 0.667

so, let's say you want to be top 5% at the T20 school to have adequate transfer options. you'll need to be top (5 * 0.667)% = top 3.33% at the T30 school to have equivalent options.

hope that helps.

Fatduck, I see you may be ending up at Harvard or Yale (lol) this fall. I may be, too. If we go to the same place, I really want to meet you IRL. Your ability to troll posters like the above never fails to make me smile.

+1

He is the best.

Some interesting posts in here. - anyway, good luck everybody on OCI and transferring.

ended up not applying to Y, just H. we shall see!

if you are going to transfer, how do you "withdraw" from your old school? do you need to tell them anything? and to who?

Talk to your dean of students and/or registrar.

You can always just not register for classes, too.

But I think it is professional to write a nice little email explaining your decision and thanking them for your year together. Think of it like a breakup on a teen coming-of-age drama.

I feel the same way about not letting anyone tell you something is impossible... And by the way, your numbers are way more impressive than mine.

1L year at a T4 and just transferred to a T1 (#24):

UGPA: 2.5 (USC.... had a child my first year, worked throughout attendance, and also partied a little too much)
LSAT: 154
LSGPA: 3.333
Class Rank: 13/183

Any advice a to do well? I don't want to transfer and bottom out... In all set on going. But I am paranoid that my grades are gonna drop like a rock.... The classes I'm in at my old school are with prof I know and now I'm starting all over... Thanks!

don't worry, i hear transfers usually do well at their new school.

just keep doing what you've been doing, i guess.

Hasting has a withdraw form online. Finaid, fin services and the dean sign. Got it done over my lunch break.

Thanks... I'm just a worry wort

This.

Also, OCI is before you have new grades. The job you get, you'll get with the grades you have now; just don't completely tank your 2L year (which shouldn't happen, if you do keep doing what you're doing) and you'll be fine.

How is your class rank determined after transferring? I know you lose your 1L grades, so do you just start fresh at your transferee school? That's the only way that I can envision, but it also doesn't seem fair for a school to let me, as a transfer, jump into the uncurved (or more leniently-curved) smaller, upper level classes.

Just trying to gather as much info as possible, thanks for any input.

And seriously, this forum is great. This type of info is VERY scarce on the internet. Much appreciated.

It depends on your school. Some schools will allow a transfer to be eligible to graduate with honors, others may not. Some schools weigh grades differently for each year ( 1L weighed less than 2L which is weighed less than 3L). But remember, by transferring you start all over. That means, just like 1L your gpa can swing severely ( so you cant totally slack). Additionally, you may not know a lot about the professors an the classes that are known for "easy graders" may be filled- andyou are left with the option of either taking the class with a hard grader, or takinga hard class in general.

Depending on where you transfer, the number of admitted transfers may be as few as 7.

It depends on your school. Some schools will allow a transfer to be eligible to graduate with honors, others may not. Some schools weigh grades differently for each year ( 1L weighed less than 2L which is weighed less than 3L). But remember, by transferring you start all over. That means, just like 1L your gpa can swing severely ( so you cant totally slack). Additionally, you may not know a lot about the professors an the classes that are known for "easy graders" may be filled- andyou are left with the option of either taking the class with a hard grader, or takinga hard class in general.

Depending on where you transfer, the number of admitted transfers may be as few as 7.[/quote]


Thanks. So, in theory, at some schools a transfer could finish #1 in the class?

theoretically, yes. but remember, if you are transferring up, even if you were number 1 in your class, that doesnt mean that if any other student in your transfer school decided instead to spend 1L in your school, that you would remain number 1. The kids who are at the top of your new school- got there for a reason. That doesnt mean that there is no chance that you cant be number one, id just say that for those in the top 5%, they want to keep that distinction, so they might be less apt to go the whole 2LOL avenue ( again that doesnt mean some wont). Bottom line is- transfer to a school where youd be happy graduating at median. if the thought of graduating at median scares you- and you arent planning on making a big jump ( because the school you are currently at is in your target market, and because of your success 1L you get a full scholarhsip or something) anyways- then why bother?

Thanks. I'm by no means counting on being number 1, just trying to figure out how it all works. That seems curious to me, but I'll take it.
(By "it" I mean a system where there is no theoretical cap on class rank for transfers)

Does anyone have any sample transfer applicant essays?

The school I am applying to asks for a writing setting out the reasons you want to transfer. It is not called a "personal statement" though, which I assume means that they do not want background info. included in the initial PS.

Given that little bit of guidance, does anyone think it would be best to go with a memo style 1-page or do you think it would be two pages double-spaced? (on practical, substantive reasons to transfer)

The samples might clear this up, but I can't seem to find any.

Transfer student 2L here. A couple things:

At the school I tranferred to, our 1L grades are not recognized in our GPA. We can graduate with latin honors based on our 2L and 3L grades. This does seem to help transfers make honors because you can take seminars/easy classes and don't need to factor in 1L grades (when students are the most competitive). But I guess it could also work against you since you don't know which professors to take or you may need time to readjust. Another trade-off is that you normally can't be on the law review of your new school.

As for the writing sample....is that in addition to a personal statement? If not, then they are indeed asking for a personal statement in which you should incorporate an explanation as to why you want to transfer.

what the poster above me said is what I was going to type

Sorry if I wasn't clear--the school is LSU and they are asking for a petition (not a writing sample), which sets out the reasons the applicant wishes to transfer.

I was a bit confused as to why they didn't call it a personal statement like most other schools seem to do.

Given that they only ask for the reasons to transfer, I was curious if I should keep it to one page, single-spaced or two pages, double-spaced (like the initial application PS). I know no one would know for sure, but just wanted to see if either option struck anyone as more appropriate given what they are asking.