Is this year a transfer-happy cycle? Forum

[sandwhich]

Only a handful people transferred out from my original school last year, but this year I've noticed that many more seem to be leaving and/or interested in leaving. Also, comparing some of the threads from this year to last it seems that they're generally more active this year. I was wondering if people were noticing similar themes at their schools? If so, any insights as to why? Just a thought.

[PourMeTea]

I'm noticing the same at my 1L school. I think a number of people are going to 1L schools now with the intent to transfer, despite tls wisdom.

[inchipwetrust]

Also since law school enrollment numbers continue to trend downward, being lowest this year it has been in over twenty years I think, students might be compelled to try to transfer because they think that the competition won't be as overwhelming. I know I had that in the back of my mind when I was filing out applications for transfer.

[lavarman84]

I'm noticing the same at my 1L school. I think a number of people are going to 1L schools now with the intent to transfer, despite tls wisdom.

It does seem that way to a degree. I kind of stumbled into it haha. I also can't speak to transfers at my school. I don't know anyone else that is transferring but I'm sure there will be around 10 people who do.

[trebekismyhero]

I think it mostly has to do with lower enrollment even at the t14. This has given those top schools more incentive to take in more transfers.

This is anectodal, but I know several ppl that transferred from T1s to UChi and NU a few years ago and all were in the top 10% and most were top 5%. Now I know of ppl the last two cycles that have gotten into NU that are as low as top 25% at T1s and ppl that are not top 10% getting into Chi. Those schools are making up for lost revenue and I assume that the same holds true for most other schools in the t14.

[Cerberaus]

It seems that the number is increasing. Aside from low enrollment, there is also a lot more information avalaible than in the past. Each year, the amount of information increases such that people become more aware of the transfer game. Also, because of low enrollment, schools aren't able to offer scholarships to those that might transfer out.

Because schools must publish more data about their transfer class, I wonder if this will increase awareness and result in push back against the transfer system. I predict that if things increase, there could be a movement against transfers. It won't be overt, but maybe rankings will factor in the school's graduates rather than just the incoming students. This could result in schools like ASU not taking 44 students from AZ Summit. Students might also become upset at places like GULC where they now have to compete with 113 new students at OCI. How much more of an outrage is there when those who were below median lose jobs to transfers who were top 10% at a school ranked much lower.

In the end, the situation could just self-correct: employers stop hiring transfers from certain schools that accept too many and from schools that are too disparate. Also students might stay clear of certain schools because transferring carries a stigma at said school.

The pendulum still seems to be swinging more towards transfers, but at some point, it will swing back.

[registering]

I sure hope they do something to rein in GULC's transfers. GULC's numbers would probably match T10s if they only had 400 students/class. Sure, there might not be "quotas" that firms have for law schools, but I could see biglaw% easily reaching 55-60 from where they are now.

[chuckbass]

GULC's problem is that they have a small endowment/money problems, which is why they have been so stingy in the past and take such a big transfer class. They really can't afford to cut class sizes like other schools can.