Boalt Transfer Thread for Fall 2011 Forum

[zomginternets]

Application sent in on 4/1.

1L School rank: T3
1st Semester GPA: 3.92 (will update when spring grades come out)

Good luck y'all!

[Tanicius]

Good luck to you, hopefully see you there next Fall!

[Lawl Shcool]

Good luck all.

Apply the 1st day the app opens and as soon as you get your grades e-mail admissions with the damage and follow up with your final transcript.

[lawfuture10]

How important is it to get the application out now? As opposed to say, a month from now immediately following exams?

Additionally, should we attach an unofficial transcript with the application right now? Or have the school send a transcript now, and then again after spring grades come in?

[zomginternets]

have the school send a transcript now, and then again after spring grades come in

I'm doing this. I figure it can't hurt, and it might get you put into the "good pile."

[keg411]

Good luck all.

Apply the 1st day the app opens and as soon as you get your grades e-mail admissions with the damage and follow up with your final transcript.

Well, the app opened yesterday, so that's not happening . But I am going to try and get everything out before the end of April. The 4 page PS seems a bit daunting. Do they really want your life story? Or can it be the standard "why Transfer/why Berkeley"?

ETA: First semester - T2/3.8+

[Lawl Shcool]

Yes it is vitally important to send your app as early as possible. Admissions is very open about the fact that it is a HUGE advantage to do so and probably the only reason I got in.

I would send your app now with only 1st semester grades, then as soon as your grades are released e-mail those to them, and then obviously send your official stuff (but this is often dependent on how quickly your current school moves). They will use unofficial transcripts send via e-mail to make decisions.

[keg411]

Any chance you can answer my question about the PS (you can PM me if you want)? I get the importance of applying ASAP and that's the only real thing in my way right now (besides waiting on my LOR's to get into LSAC).

[zomginternets]

FWIW, I just sent in a tailored 2-page PS, which touched on my background, my reasons for going to law school, my experience at my current law school, and a pretty long "why Berkeley" section. I think unless you have a particularly compelling story to tell, you shouldn't do a 4 page PS just because that's the page limit--in fact, I think it would be detrimental to your admission chances to drone on about something only tangentially relevant to your desire to transfer. But that's just my two-cents.

Edit: Excellent numbers by the way!

[clone22]

FWIW, I just sent in a tailored 2-page PS, which touched on my background, my reasons for going to law school, my experience at my current law school, and a pretty long "why Berkeley" section. I think unless you have a particularly compelling story to tell, you shouldn't do a 4 page PS just because that's the page limit--in fact, I think it would be detrimental to your admission chances to drone on about something only tangentially relevant to your desire to transfer. But that's just my two-cents.

Edit: Excellent numbers by the way!

I'll second the "quality over quantity" argument.
Granted I'm not a transfer, but I got in with a barely longer than 2 page PS that included a good section on why Berkeley is amazing.

[keg411]

FWIW, I just sent in a tailored 2-page PS, which touched on my background, my reasons for going to law school, my experience at my current law school, and a pretty long "why Berkeley" section. I think unless you have a particularly compelling story to tell, you shouldn't do a 4 page PS just because that's the page limit--in fact, I think it would be detrimental to your admission chances to drone on about something only tangentially relevant to your desire to transfer. But that's just my two-cents.

Edit: Excellent numbers by the way!

Thanks, you too. Your GPA kills mine .

I didn't think I needed to hit the page limit, but I was just curious to see what some of last year's applicants did. The instruction seems to want to know everything about you, so I'm like .

I think my chances of getting into Chicago are pretty bad, which is why I'm preparing apps for pretty much the T13 - HYS + GULC (RD).

[mbusch22]

Does Boalt's transfer app come out earlier than most t14s??

[Lawl Shcool]

My PS was an overview of 1L, why I wanted to transfer, and why berkeley was a good fit.

I wouldn't put too much thought into making it the full 4 pages, I believe mine was barely 3. They are not necessarily looking for anything different than other schools are but give you the extra space to tell your story in case you need it (lots of people here have diverse and accomplished backgrounds).

[sarryn]

I have a few questions.

I have a recommendation letter from one of my professors here, and it's uploaded on LSAC. I used that letter to apply to WUSTL/GULC Early Action. I just requested a second one from another professor, and she won't have it out for at least another week. So, should I wait until LSAC receives her letter and then upload my application? If not, does anyone know whether or not LSAC has an option that lets you submit an application with one rec letter and then update the completed application with the new rec letter? Alternatively, can I just use the rec letter I have on LSAC already and then use another one from when I was originally applying to law schools a year ago, or is that bad form?

[mbusch22]

I'm curious as to your first questions as well. As for sending out old LORs from your initial admissions cycle, I'd venture to say absolutely not. Schools want LORs from your law professors.

[zomginternets]

Boalt requires 2 letters of recs from professors. Other schools allow 1 non-law professor rec, but either way transfer schools want a rec that will speak to the skills you've picked up as a 1L. So yes, no prelaw recs.

[thrillerjesus]

Not to start the anxiety early, but has anyone gotten an email yet with a password to check application status?

[zomginternets]

Not to start the anxiety early, but has anyone gotten an email yet with a password to check application status?

Nope. And I've been checking 7-8 times/day too..

[Lawl Shcool]

FYI the first wave of acceptances comes via phone call so be on the lookout mid-June for a call from a 510 area code.

[sarryn]

That kind of sucks. My second semester grades probably won't even be out until mid June. I assume other schools do it earlier?

[keg411]

That kind of sucks. My second semester grades probably won't even be out until mid June. I assume other schools do it earlier?

According to people who applied last year, just send your first semester grades and you can send the your second semester grades when you get them and that they will make decisions off of a second semester unofficial transcript.

Meanwhile, I'm just waiting for my LOR's to get into LSAC and then I'm sending everything. Should be in the next week or so (hopefully).

[Lawl Shcool]

That kind of sucks. My second semester grades probably won't even be out until mid June. I assume other schools do it earlier?

According to people who applied last year, just send your first semester grades and you can send the your second semester grades when you get them and that they will make decisions off of a second semester unofficial transcript.

Meanwhile, I'm just waiting for my LOR's to get into LSAC and then I'm sending everything. Should be in the next week or so (hopefully).

Doesn't even need to be an unofficial transcript, just an email with your grades. Sorry if that's what you meant by unofficial.

[keg411]

That kind of sucks. My second semester grades probably won't even be out until mid June. I assume other schools do it earlier?

According to people who applied last year, just send your first semester grades and you can send the your second semester grades when you get them and that they will make decisions off of a second semester unofficial transcript.

Meanwhile, I'm just waiting for my LOR's to get into LSAC and then I'm sending everything. Should be in the next week or so (hopefully).

Doesn't even need to be an unofficial transcript, just an email with your grades. Sorry if that's what you meant by unofficial.

That's basically what I meant . (I made my own form, but it's basically the same thing)

[random5483]

Definitely will be applying here.

Applying early is probably a good idea, but I won't be applying till mid-May. Way I see it, it is not worth spending time on applications (especially the personal statement) when I would be better served by studying for finals or getting some R&R. Plus, Boalt does not send out acceptances till June. Anyone with a completed application in May will probably not be disadvantaged. Yes, it is best to get the application in early, but unless you completed all the materials early in the semester, it is probably best to apply after finals.

Good luck everyone.

[Journeybound]

Last year I received my acceptance call in mid-June, within a week after sending in an unofficial email with my Spring grades. Don't worry too much about how long it takes to get them back. I'm pretty sure that a decision was made before that and the dean was just waiting to see if I survived that second semester.