Transfer Question: Do 1L school matter? Forum

[Thomas Hagan, ESQ.]

Hey guys, so I'm perfectly aware that we shouldn't go to law school looking to transfer but here's a question that I had in my head:

Do law schools really care about WHERE a transfer applicant went to law school for 1L? Is a 3.8 at a T20 viewed the same as a 3.8 from a T50?
Let's be real, for first-year applications, law schools don't really give a crap where an applicant got his/her 3.9 (they're lying if they tell you otherwise). Law schools definitely do not care if an applicant got his/her 3.90 UG GPA from UC Santa Barbara or Berkeley. A 3.9 is a 3.9.

So, is it the same for transfer applicants as well? Or does someone with great 1L grades from a T20 have an advantage over another applicant with similar grades from a T50/T3? Is a 3.8 from WashUSTL the same as a 3.8 from Fordham?

Furthermore is a 3.7 from Vandy viewed favorably over a 3.9 from South Dakota Law?

[cavalier1138]

My understanding is that school matters in a very broad sense. If you go to a place like Charlotte, your application will be subject to much more scrutiny than someone with a similar GPA at a real law school.

[Colonel_funkadunk]

at a real law school.

just here to appreciate this

[SunDevil14]

at a real law school.

just here to appreciate this

+1

[candidlatke]

go read the guide on transfers.

but long story short, yes, quite a bit. and it's moreso class ranking than gpa; otherwise the t14 classes would be mostly populated by wustl kids