Top Law Schools

What needs to be done to transfer from a school like GWU, Notre Dame, or Minnesota to a T14 school like GULC, UPenn, UM, NU?

Also, what schools take the most transfers and or like transfer students?

Georgetown, Michigan & Northwestern usually take a significant number of transfer students as do Columbia & NYU. Georgetown is the leader as well as the largest law school in the nation. Harvard also accepts a good number of transfers each year.

Chicago, although small, has an ED program for transfers based on one's first semester grades. Michigan is known to be a great environment for transfer students, although Georgetown, Northwestern & Chicago are also reported to be very welcoming. Not sure, but I've read on TLS that Georgetown transfers are eligible for need-based aid (probably true for Harvard & Yale also).

Reports suggest that Virginia residency is almost a necessity for UVa & that UCal-Berkeley likes California based transfer applicants. Cornell, on the other hand, discriminates against transfers during OCI according to TLS posters.

Law school transfer admissions is based on one's first year grades. Class rank needed varies based upon current law school & target law school. Top 5% for Harvard & Top 10-15% for lower ranked T-14 is my best guess. Unfortunately, there are no set guidelines therefore most transfer information is anecdotal. Top 20% from GWU, ND or Minnesota could get you into the lower T-14. Certainly worth the application fee if top 25% & targeting Georgetown, in my opinion.

Unfortunately, there is very little additional guidance regarding URM transfer admissions.

Thanks. I'm not a urm though. What kind of grades would I need at say Notre Dame or Illinois to get me a sure transfer to Michigan or Northwestern?

The University of Michigan Law School: Transfer students must have one year of credit, have attended an ABA-approved law school, and typically be in the top 5% to 10% of their first-year class.

Probably top 10% for a strong chance at Northwestern from those law schools.

Great info CWolf.

If you have not already seen it, here is a bunch of general transfer information: http://top-law-schools.com/forums/viewt ... 27&t=82937

I believe you need to get lucky with your applications/make a big jump for transferring to be worthwhile. If you are top 10-15% at at t25, is it worth transferring to GULC? It seems like you should have good job opportunities at your current school if you have those grades. If you somehow got into Harvard, then sure, transfer away.

I'd be surprised if it were that tough to get into lower T-14 schools from a T-30. Probably top 20% would make you competitive.

Reports suggest that Virginia residency is almost a necessity for UVa

Those reports are wrong

It's accurate regarding anecdotes shared on TLS regarding transfer into UVa law school.