Can I transfer up with new LSAT score? Forum

[BigDreamah]

I am a 2l who took the October LSAT for a variety of reasons. I got a 171, so now I'm wondering whether this enhances my ability to transfer up. I currently go to a top 30 law school. My rank is roughly top 1/3 of the class. Reading all the info online, it appears my grades may not be high enough to transfer to a T14. The LSAT also appears to be given less weight in the transfer process. Regardless, I'm curious what people think my prospects might be for T14. I realize I'd have to potentially drop out of 2L at my current law school to start 2L all over again next year. This all carries obvious risks that probably aren't worth taking. Still, my LSAT/undergrad GPA would have made me competitive at schools like Harvard, supposedly. So, is it too little too late?

[northwood]

once you start law school, how you do in law school weighs more than the lsat. Your new lsat score may or may not help you one iota. Stay at your current school, and do your best!
Ps. a bit of advice for those applying- only go to the law school that you will be happy to graduate from. going with the thoughts of transferring is very risky

[BigDreamah]

That makes sense. The LSAT is definitely overrated. I suppose I jumped on the statement on Harvard's website that they look for people who would have been competitive the first go round. In the same line though, they do say you should be very near the top of your class. So, I guess I was just curious. I'd rather not transfer since it's such a hassle, but I figure if you can get into T14, you should do it. I guess my grades aren't quite high enough. Anyway, grades in law school are very much overrated in my opinion as well. Thanks for the response.

[concurrent fork]

That makes sense. The LSAT is definitely overrated. I suppose I jumped on the statement on Harvard's website that they look for people who would have been competitive the first go round. In the same line though, they do say you should be very near the top of your class. So, I guess I was just curious. I'd rather not transfer since it's such a hassle, but I figure if you can get into T14, you should do it. I guess my grades aren't quite high enough. Anyway, grades in law school are very much overrated in my opinion as well. Thanks for the response.

A few comments:
--I think most transfers into HLS this year had below a 171. Despite what it says on the admissions site, 1L grades and current school are far more important than your LSAT score.
--Top 1/3 (assuming you are right around 30%) is generally not competitive for a meaningful transfer. You might have a shot at GULC, but IMHO it is not worth transferring from T30 to anything outside of T6.
--I doubt any of this matters because you are trying to apply as a 2L. If you could even find a school that allowed this, you will need to complete 2L year regardless (decisions do not come out until June/July, and would you really drop out if you did not have an acceptance to another school?).

Sorry if this comes off as brutal. I am just trying to give honest feedback.

[vanwinkle]

I think most transfers into HLS this year had below a 171. Despite what it says on the admissions site, 1L grades and current school are far more important than your LSAT score.

This.

UGPA and LSAT no longer matter for transferring. 1L grades are a far better indicator of your potential than UGPA/LSAT, and transfers' numbers aren't reported to USNWR, so there's no advantage for the schools to selecting transfers based on them. In fact, I had numbers that made me an auto-reject at HLS (and I confirmed this by applying anyway and getting rejected), but they took me as a transfer. That's how much 1L grades matter and everything else doesn't.

Top 1/3 at T30 isn't nearly high enough to get into HLS, or any of the T14 for that matter. I know people who had top 1/3 to top 1/4 range grades at T30 schools and tried even just to get lower T14, and got nothing. You certainly wouldn't have gotten into HLS if you tried, and you'd just be throwing away what you have now to drop out just to try.

[BigDreamah]

A few last comments/questions. Couldn't you get a leave of absence instead of dropping out? Also, if I improved my ranking to top 20 percent after this current semester, wouldn't that at least make me competitive at a lower end of T14? Honestly, I admit the cons seem to outweigh the pros. If I can improve my GPA that much, then I might as well lock in on that success. Being clearly above average at T30 is probably better than being a transfer at a barely T14, especially when you consider all the risks and costs. I concede defeat. Maybe, I can tutor. That way I'll derive some advantage from the score. Thanks for all the responses.

[vanwinkle]

A few last comments/questions. Couldn't you get a leave of absence instead of dropping out?

Any school that let's you withdraw with the option to return will want a good reason why. "Because I want to apply to transfer but screwed up and didn't try when I was supposed to" isn't a good reason.

Also, if I improved my ranking to top 20 percent after this current semester, wouldn't that at least make me competitive at a lower end of T14?

No, because then you'd have too many credits and semesters. Nearly all schools limit transfers to after 1L year and an appropriate number of credits for two semesters. You're too late.

Honestly, I admit the cons seem to outweigh the pros. If I can improve my GPA that much, then I might as well lock in on that success. Being clearly above average at T30 is probably better than being a transfer at a barely T14, especially when you consider all the risks and costs.

Regardless of the T30/T14-transfer debate, the real risk (and it's an incredibly large risk) is that you'd waste a year taking time to pursue this and then not get in anywhere. It would truly be a waste and is the most likely outcome.

I concede defeat.

Good. No offense meant by that, just that you can start focusing on the right things (maintaining/raising your GPA, extracurriculars and internships that can help you find employment from where you are) instead of continuing to pursue this.

[XxSpyKEx]

That makes sense. The LSAT is definitely overrated. I suppose I jumped on the statement on Harvard's website that they look for people who would have been competitive the first go round. In the same line though, they do say you should be very near the top of your class. So, I guess I was just curious. I'd rather not transfer since it's such a hassle, but I figure if you can get into T14, you should do it. I guess my grades aren't quite high enough. Anyway, grades in law school are very much overrated in my opinion as well. Thanks for the response.

A few comments:
--I think most transfers into HLS this year had below a 171. Despite what it says on the admissions site, 1L grades and current school are far more important than your LSAT score.
--Top 1/3 (assuming you are right around 30%) is generally not competitive for a meaningful transfer. You might have a shot at GULC, but IMHO it is not worth transferring from T30 to anything outside of T6.
--I doubt any of this matters because you are trying to apply as a 2L. If you could even find a school that allowed this, you will need to complete 2L year regardless (decisions do not come out until June/July, and would you really drop out if you did not have an acceptance to another school?).

Sorry if this comes off as brutal. I am just trying to give honest feedback.

Actually the HLS website doesn't say that they consider LSAT at all in transfer admissions. It says that the typical successful transfer student is someone who would have been competitive for regular admission. That makes sense. But I am fairly certain that they do not consider LSAT for transfer admissions (and even if they do, it's far from an important consideration). I actually know a person who transferred to HLS from a tier 3 law school last year (i.e. c/o 2011) who would not have been competitive for HLS during regular admission.

[concurrent fork]

That makes sense. The LSAT is definitely overrated. I suppose I jumped on the statement on Harvard's website that they look for people who would have been competitive the first go round. In the same line though, they do say you should be very near the top of your class. So, I guess I was just curious. I'd rather not transfer since it's such a hassle, but I figure if you can get into T14, you should do it. I guess my grades aren't quite high enough. Anyway, grades in law school are very much overrated in my opinion as well. Thanks for the response.

A few comments:
--I think most transfers into HLS this year had below a 171. Despite what it says on the admissions site, 1L grades and current school are far more important than your LSAT score.
--Top 1/3 (assuming you are right around 30%) is generally not competitive for a meaningful transfer. You might have a shot at GULC, but IMHO it is not worth transferring from T30 to anything outside of T6.
--I doubt any of this matters because you are trying to apply as a 2L. If you could even find a school that allowed this, you will need to complete 2L year regardless (decisions do not come out until June/July, and would you really drop out if you did not have an acceptance to another school?).

Sorry if this comes off as brutal. I am just trying to give honest feedback.

Actually the HLS website doesn't say that they consider LSAT at all in transfer admissions. It says that the typical successful transfer student is someone who would have been competitive for regular admission. That makes sense. But I am fairly certain that they do not consider LSAT for transfer admissions (and even if they do, it's far from an important consideration). I actually know a person who transferred to HLS from a tier 3 law school last year (i.e. c/o 2011) who would not have been competitive for HLS during regular admission.

Right - I think that's consistent with what I said. I was also rejected regular admission (I assume auto-reject based on numbers).

Also, OP: as the great vanwinkle mentioned, staying is probably a better decision than going to lower T14 from your position anyway. You shouldn't feel like you missed out on anything.

[BigDreamah]

Thanks for all the quality input.