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A Question about Law School Transfers

Posted: Fri Mar 04, 2011 7:07 pm
by Spookyghost
This isn't really addressed that often it seems in my time combing these forums, so I have a question that the great mighty singularity should be able to answer for me.

That is, how often do people who go to good (say, lower t1) law schools transfer to something higher up (say, a t14) after a year? I really never hear much about people transferring, and it seems that if it were easy to do a lot of people would settle on somewhere in the hopes of transferring out, but I am just curious about a few things:

What is primarily evaluated on a transferring law student as opposed to an undergrad? Do LSAT and undergrad GPA matter, or is current law school GPA/ranking more important?

I imagine if you do absolutely killer (somewhere near the top %s) in a law school of some repute (as I said before, lower t1, a cardozo or alabama type place or upper t2 like Pepperdine) then those are the people I would IMAGINE have the most likely shot of transferring somewhere. I could also imagine though that t14s might get some recycling as in "sob I want to go to harvard instead of yale" transfers, and if that is more the case I can't imagine anyone from many lower schools have much of a shot.

But I am sure you guys know a LOT more about it than my guesses, so hit me with knowledge.

Re: A Question about Law School Transfers

Posted: Fri Mar 04, 2011 7:09 pm
by bk1
There is a whole subforum about transfers. These may be of interest to you:

http://top-law-schools.com/forums/viewt ... 7&t=124519

http://top-law-schools.com/forums/viewt ... 27&t=82937

Re: A Question about Law School Transfers

Posted: Fri Mar 04, 2011 7:13 pm
by Spookyghost
Ah thanks, I apparently never looked very hard :roll:. Perhaps I was frightened that if I was a 0L than this was not the place for me.

Re: A Question about Law School Transfers

Posted: Fri Mar 04, 2011 7:14 pm
by bk1
Spookyghost wrote:Ah thanks, I apparently never looked very hard :roll:. Perhaps I was frightened that if I was a 0L than this was not the place for me.
Actually as a 0L thinking about transferring is not the right place for you. The chances are so slim that you will be able to transfer up that you shouldn't even think about it until you have the grades to justify it.

Re: A Question about Law School Transfers

Posted: Fri Mar 04, 2011 10:27 pm
by Spookyghost
It honestly was idle curiosity. I, personally, plan on staying all 3 years at whatever school I end up at.

Re: A Question about Law School Transfers

Posted: Fri Mar 04, 2011 10:43 pm
by txadv11
My thought: PLAN for the worst, by only attending a school that you can hold your head high at, and assume 3 years, but HOPE for the best, and transfer if possible--think going into the start that it CAN be done.