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What kind of numbers would one need to transfer from a Mid-T2 to a similarly ranked T2 or lower ranked T1? Top 40%? Top 25%?

Also, this doesn't pertain to me but I have a friend who is looking to break into the T-14 who is Top 30% and is a URM, does that matter at all for transfers?

Thanks for all the info!

ps. the URM transfer applicant is from Texas and would like to go there if he doesn't get into a T14. Does that come into play at all?

I think transferring into a school is equivalent in consequence to matriculating at that school, so logically AA should apply both ways.

HLS has an affirmative action program @ their law review, so yeah, safe to say some schools likely do AA @ transfers.

Bump in response to people having more time to waste since finals are out of the way.

blackacre wrote:What kind of numbers would one need to transfer from a Mid-T2 to a similarly ranked T2 or lower ranked T1? Top 40%? Top 25%?

Also, this doesn't pertain to me but I have a friend who is looking to break into the T-14 who is Top 30% and is a URM, does that matter at all for transfers?

Thanks for all the info!

Just my guesses:

Mid T2 --> T2 lateral
-top 1/3 to be safe (with good reasons)
-though to be honest, I have heard of people making lateral transfers at around the top 40% mark

Mid T2 --> lower T1
-probably 1/3, top 20-25% to be safe (with good reasons)
-this is also kind of a lateral transfer so where you pick is important

Mid T2 --> T14 (in case you are ambitious)
-top 10% is usually good, up to around top 15%

For your friend:

Is he at the same school? Top 30% at a T2 is generally insufficient for the T14. URM barely matters. It will give a small boost, but the data seems to show that it is insufficient to bring a top 30% student into the T14. Actually, there is no evidence of any student in the top 30% transferring into the T14 (but do correct me if I am wrong).

Hope this helps!

There's a book out, Art of the Law School Transfer, that included some stats as to specific schools.

As a general answer, the numbers are going to be roughly comparable to the 1L admits, but depending upon the school the relative scarcity of spots and the importance of 1L grades from the initial law school mean that same-tier transfers are still not a sure thing. As you move "up," the needed grades get higher still. To be a safe bet, you're probably talking at least top 25% for same-tier, and top 10% or higher for a jump to tier one.

And, yes, the factors you mention are still very much in play.

blackacre wrote:What kind of numbers would one need to transfer from a Mid-T2 to a similarly ranked T2 or lower ranked T1? Top 40%? Top 25%?

Also, this doesn't pertain to me but I have a friend who is looking to break into the T-14 who is Top 30% and is a URM, does that matter at all for transfers?

Thanks for all the info!

AA is used in transfer admissions and some schools use it as a "back door" to increase minority enrollment without affecting entering GPA/LSAT stats. On the LSAC site you can see some of the disparities present at some schools in the first-year and overall diversity at schools.