Dean's Cert Forum

[Anonymous User]

Is it typical to expect schools to handle the entire deans certification process once requested? Even though I am out of town, my schools' registrar has been unwilling to walk up the flight of stairs to have the form signed by the dean after she has filled it out. Instead, I need to return to school and handle that myself. Is that normal or is my school being particularly difficult?

[lasersgopewpew]

Sounds pretty brutal. I haven't run into any of that. Maybe the Dean makes her do it, or maybe she doesn't have the nerve to just tell you the Dean wants to talk to you about transferring, or maybe she's taking it personally and isn't that willing to help. Either way, I'd rate it "particularly difficult."

[stillwater]

Is it typical to expect schools to handle the entire deans certification process once requested? Even though I am out of town, my schools' registrar has been unwilling to walk up the flight of stairs to have the form signed by the dean after she has filled it out. Instead, I need to return to school and handle that myself. Is that normal or is my school being particularly difficult?

are you at LOYOLA LA?

[Durkheim]

Sounds pretty brutal. I haven't run into any of that. Maybe the Dean makes her do it, or maybe she doesn't have the nerve to just tell you the Dean wants to talk to you about transferring, or maybe she's taking it personally and isn't that willing to help. Either way, I'd rate it "particularly difficult."

In essence, this.

Though you were enrolled through a symbiotic numbers game, institutions don't like to lose their top performers, and can even feel betrayed. Even if they're completely neutral, you WILL be at the bottom of their to-do pile. You should contact the registrar, explain why you're intending to transfer, express appreciation of the institution that taught you to teach yourself the law, and ask them to help you on your way. Then ASK if you should contact the Dean and relay the sentiment personally. Don't circumvent them, criticize them, or alienate them. You'll probably need a final/official set of documents before the transfer is official.

I was very candid about my intent to transfer -- to my letter writers, the Registrar and the Dean. I had highly personal reasons for transferring that had nothing to do with the school, its rank, or any bad experience -- and I paid tribute to that school in my transfer PS. Everyone has been incredibly supportive.

[lisavj]

There are schools that ask for Dean's certs for law school? I only had to do undergrad...

[Robot Pimp]

I was very candid about my intent to transfer -- to my letter writers, the Registrar and the Dean. I had highly personal reasons for transferring that had nothing to do with the school, its rank, or any bad experience -- and I paid tribute to that school in my transfer PS. Everyone has been incredibly supportive.

That's all fine and dandy if your reasons for transferring are personal, but most people transfer to jump the rankings for prestige, better employment prospects, etc. I don't think your current law school would want to hear that.

[Durkheim]

I was very candid about my intent to transfer -- to my letter writers, the Registrar and the Dean. I had highly personal reasons for transferring that had nothing to do with the school, its rank, or any bad experience -- and I paid tribute to that school in my transfer PS. Everyone has been incredibly supportive.

That's all fine and dandy if your reasons for transferring are personal, but most people transfer to jump the rankings for prestige, better employment prospects, etc. I don't think your current law school would want to hear that.

Sure, but that hardly precludes diplomacy.

[lasersgopewpew]

There are schools that ask for Dean's certs for law school? I only had to do undergrad...

Really? All of the schools I considered require something from the law school. Either on their own form (H, Columbia, Chicago, NYU), or on a self-generated letter from the registrar or Dean (Penn). Of those, only H and NYU have required a UG cert.

[Anonymous User]

OP here. Not at Loyola. But I was able to work it out with the registrar's office in the end. I found someone who was far more accommodating than the first individual I spoke with. Thanks for the help.