Transferring from a CA Part Time Program to a CA Full Time Forum

[iheartlaw]

Hey guys,

Has anyone transferred from a Part time program in a California school to another school's full time program? I am looking to do this for next fall, but have many questions:

1) from my initial research I found out to transfer almost all schools require you to be in "2L" standing with regards to the amount of units you have completed. I will only have completed 21 units after my spring semester and hope to take either 3-5 more units in the summer to get me to a grand total of either 24 or 26 units. However, most schools I have contacted recommend 29-30 units, but this isn't even possible for me. They suggested that i take a whole additional year in part time and then try to transfer to meet the unit requirements, but i cannot afford to do that. In fact UC Davis told me that I have a 0% chance of transferring in to their program unless I have completed 30 units. At UC Berkeley you can transfer with 24 units or something , but UC Berkeley said that all the units MUST be completed before they make their decision in mid July on your application and have your grade. Which is not feasible for me because my summer school doesn't end till July 20thish and we don't get grades back for up to 30 more days.

Has anyone done this type of transfer? What are my chances, and where should I look to. All of your advice and help is much appreciated. I am a bit discouraged to see that I won't be able to transfer to many other schools, because I especially wanted to go to USC/UCLA but i'm not sure if that is even possible anymore? Please help me out if you have any knowledge on the matter. Thanks guys! =)

[iheartlaw]

no info on the topic? =\

[stinger35]

Age old question that has been talked about a TON in other threads. Just search for it. You will find a bunch.

That being said, UCLA straight up says that if you dont have 28 credits by July 15, you cannot transfer there - end of discussion. However, other schools say that and have been known not to follow it.

Someone who was PT at GULC got into Harvard, Stanford, Chicago, and a few others, many of which say they do not allow PT transfers whatsoever. Not only that, but he did not take summer courses. It is possible they didn't notice or that they didnt care. Obviously though, it is a different thing to be part time at a t-14 than it is to be PT at a T2, TTT, etc. So take that with a grain of salt.

My advice, don't worry about it too much. If you have the grades apply. If you dont, well doesn't matter anyways. Hope it slips by or they don't care.

[iheartlaw]

Thanks Stinger. To be honest, i did searches for this thread on both transferapps and here, with no substantial results or empirical proof of any sort. Maybe i'm just not as search savvy. But I will continue looking, because I imagine there are several other people like me with similar questions. Thanks though, I appreciate your help.

[arhmcpo]

I think you really just need to do a second year of part time.

Economically your best option would be to not take summer school (cuz its expensive) and just take another fall and spring of classes in order to qualify to transfer to one of the excellent schools you mentioned.

If you don't take summer school you can focus on getting a paid internship somewhere, and then (since your part time) I'm assuming you can continue to work during fall and spring when you are getting ready to transfer.

Sounds economically feasible to me, besides the downside of taking 4 years to graduate instead of 3. But considering this market, maybe that's a good thing.

[stinger35]

I think you really just need to do a second year of part time.

Economically your best option would be to not take summer school (cuz its expensive) and just take another fall and spring of classes in order to qualify to transfer to one of the excellent schools you mentioned.

If you don't take summer school you can focus on getting a paid internship somewhere, and then (since your part time) I'm assuming you can continue to work during fall and spring when you are getting ready to transfer.

Sounds economically feasible to me, besides the downside of taking 4 years to graduate instead of 3. But considering this market, maybe that's a good thing.

While apparently this is possible, don't let it dissuade you from transferring after this year if you want. If you have the grades you will get in somewhere - its pretty much as simply as that.

Here is one of many discussions on the subject -> http://www.top-law-schools.com/forums/v ... =1&t=78920

In addition to the PT gulc person, I have spoken to several other PT'ers who transferred to t14 schools after one year of part time.

[iheartlaw]

damn really? i would like to speak with them if you still remember who they are and they wouldn't mind. I have still been doing a lot of research but one admissions rep tells me one thing, and another admission rep from the same school tells me something entirely different.

i definitely have the grades i'm at a T2 and am top 5%. and am very desperate to try to transfer.

[stinger35]

damn really? i would like to speak with them if you still remember who they are and they wouldn't mind. I have still been doing a lot of research but one admissions rep tells me one thing, and another admission rep from the same school tells me something entirely different.

i definitely have the grades i'm at a T2 and am top 5%. and am very desperate to try to transfer.

I don't really remember...I talked to several.

General consensus: Just apply, dont mention being PT (hope it gets overlooked or they just don't care), you will get in somewhere if you have good enough grades, it doesn't really effect OCI, some people take summer classes, some don't, thats about all the information that is available.

[handlebutton]

"don't mention being PT"?

I don't think employers are as psychotic as 0Ls

[stinger35]

"don't mention being PT"?

I don't think employers are as psychotic as 0Ls

I am talking about in your application to transfer. Its probably something most pay attention to, but whatever.

[iheartlaw]

i feel like even if i don't mention being a PT student, they will obviously see it in my transcript. therefore, before passing judgment on me for being a PT'er my goal was to try to show them how much i accomplished as a PT student and full time worker (i own my own business and work about 55 hours a week). i guess i'm just hoping to turn a potential weakness into a strength.

[stinger35]

i feel like even if i don't mention being a PT student, they will obviously see it in my transcript. therefore, before passing judgment on me for being a PT'er my goal was to try to show them how much i accomplished as a PT student and full time worker (i own my own business and work about 55 hours a week). i guess i'm just hoping to turn a potential weakness into a strength.

All I was doing was giving advice that I have got from others, I really could care less if you follow it. The two main people who advocated not mentioning being PT were transfer from GULC to Harvard (after Harvard said no PT'ers can apply) and a t3 to Michigan. I'm done giving the advice though. Good luck with whatever you do.

[iheartlaw]

my bad yo, i didnt even realize what i wrote. i meant before admission committees pass judgment on me, not you. i hope it didn't come off the wrong way. but either way, i appreciate the advice. thanks.