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Hi guys, I am just a little bit confused about the transfer timeline. Some of the schools tell me that their Fall 2017 transfer start on Feb and end on July, however, they won't give you a fee waiver or make their decision until they get your whole year's transcripts, which most schools' transcripts will come out after late May. So should I apply first or wait until early June? Why would school start their transfer process so early if they only make decisions after the whole year's transcripts ? Thanks guys.

sadapplicantwhy wrote:Hi guys, I am just a little bit confused about the transfer timeline. Some of the schools tell me that their Fall 2017 transfer start on Feb and end on July, however, they won't give you a fee waiver or make their decision until they get your whole year's transcripts, which most schools' transcripts will come out after late May. So should I apply first or wait until early June? Why would school start their transfer process so early if they only make decisions after the whole year's transcripts ? Thanks guys.

I think there's a good thread on this here stickied. I''ll give a condensed version (as a transfer myself).

1. All/Most people transfer between 1 and 2L year.

2. Some schools (Vandy, Gtown, UChi) allow you to submit transfer applications immediately after 1L fall (but they aren't bind decisions). Gtown has a seat deposit fee (something to think about).

3. Because of this, think about getting LOR ASAP in classes you did well in. IT DOES NOT HAVE TO BE FROM SOMEONE YOU KNEW LIKE GLUE. I didn't know my LOR too well (prof, rarely went to office hours but I participated a lot in class sort of) and it went well. Most places want 2 LORs. Most want 2 academic letters. I actually used a prof and two work references.

4. You fill out transfer apps on LSAC. You may need to contact LSAC to adjust your account for transfer apps (e.g. sending in Law School transcripts).

5. Check ABA 509 reports to see where median GPAs stood for transfers into schools.

6. Be wary of deadlines. Some schools have apps open well into July (Michigan). Some close in June (Northwestern).

7. Be wary of OCI and Journal. Most/if not all schools will allow you participate in OCI, just again be wary of deadlines. If you miss the OCI deadline (get admitted too late), what I did was directly contact firms I was interested in and sent them my application materials and said I missed the OCI deadline b/c of my admittance. I got interviews with basically who I wanted and also did fine CB/offer wise.

Journal - be wary of write on deadlines. Some schools will have just one write on and potential transfers have to do that. (E.g. Michigan). It may end like in early July or June and you might miss it. The bad - you're not on journal. The good - you're not on journal (and have a solid excuse) and you wouldn't have made Law Review anyway (and would have been stuck in secondary journal).

foregetaboutdre wrote:

sadapplicantwhy wrote:Hi guys, I am just a little bit confused about the transfer timeline. Some of the schools tell me that their Fall 2017 transfer start on Feb and end on July, however, they won't give you a fee waiver or make their decision until they get your whole year's transcripts, which most schools' transcripts will come out after late May. So should I apply first or wait until early June? Why would school start their transfer process so early if they only make decisions after the whole year's transcripts ? Thanks guys.

I think there's a good thread on this here stickied. I''ll give a condensed version (as a transfer myself).

1. All/Most people transfer between 1 and 2L year.

2. Some schools (Vandy, Gtown, UChi) allow you to submit transfer applications immediately after 1L fall (but they aren't bind decisions). Gtown has a seat deposit fee (something to think about).

3. Because of this, think about getting LOR ASAP in classes you did well in. IT DOES NOT HAVE TO BE FROM SOMEONE YOU KNEW LIKE GLUE. I didn't know my LOR too well (prof, rarely went to office hours but I participated a lot in class sort of) and it went well. Most places want 2 LORs. Most want 2 academic letters. I actually used a prof and two work references.

4. You fill out transfer apps on LSAC. You may need to contact LSAC to adjust your account for transfer apps (e.g. sending in Law School transcripts).

5. Check ABA 509 reports to see where median GPAs stood for transfers into schools.

6. Be wary of deadlines. Some schools have apps open well into July (Michigan). Some close in June (Northwestern).

7. Be wary of OCI and Journal. Most/if not all schools will allow you participate in OCI, just again be wary of deadlines. If you miss the OCI deadline (get admitted too late), what I did was directly contact firms I was interested in and sent them my application materials and said I missed the OCI deadline b/c of my admittance. I got interviews with basically who I wanted and also did fine CB/offer wise.

Journal - be wary of write on deadlines. Some schools will have just one write on and potential transfers have to do that. (E.g. Michigan). It may end like in early July or June and you might miss it. The bad - you're not on journal. The good - you're not on journal (and have a solid excuse) and you wouldn't have made Law Review anyway (and would have been stuck in secondary journal).

Thank you so much foregetaboutdre!

sadapplicantwhy wrote:

foregetaboutdre wrote:

sadapplicantwhy wrote:Hi guys, I am just a little bit confused about the transfer timeline. Some of the schools tell me that their Fall 2017 transfer start on Feb and end on July, however, they won't give you a fee waiver or make their decision until they get your whole year's transcripts, which most schools' transcripts will come out after late May. So should I apply first or wait until early June? Why would school start their transfer process so early if they only make decisions after the whole year's transcripts ? Thanks guys.

I think there's a good thread on this here stickied. I''ll give a condensed version (as a transfer myself).

1. All/Most people transfer between 1 and 2L year.

2. Some schools (Vandy, Gtown, UChi) allow you to submit transfer applications immediately after 1L fall (but they aren't bind decisions). Gtown has a seat deposit fee (something to think about).

3. Because of this, think about getting LOR ASAP in classes you did well in. IT DOES NOT HAVE TO BE FROM SOMEONE YOU KNEW LIKE GLUE. I didn't know my LOR too well (prof, rarely went to office hours but I participated a lot in class sort of) and it went well. Most places want 2 LORs. Most want 2 academic letters. I actually used a prof and two work references.

4. You fill out transfer apps on LSAC. You may need to contact LSAC to adjust your account for transfer apps (e.g. sending in Law School transcripts).

5. Check ABA 509 reports to see where median GPAs stood for transfers into schools.

6. Be wary of deadlines. Some schools have apps open well into July (Michigan). Some close in June (Northwestern).

7. Be wary of OCI and Journal. Most/if not all schools will allow you participate in OCI, just again be wary of deadlines. If you miss the OCI deadline (get admitted too late), what I did was directly contact firms I was interested in and sent them my application materials and said I missed the OCI deadline b/c of my admittance. I got interviews with basically who I wanted and also did fine CB/offer wise.

Journal - be wary of write on deadlines. Some schools will have just one write on and potential transfers have to do that. (E.g. Michigan). It may end like in early July or June and you might miss it. The bad - you're not on journal. The good - you're not on journal (and have a solid excuse) and you wouldn't have made Law Review anyway (and would have been stuck in secondary journal).

Thank you so much foregetaboutdre!

No problem. Feel free to PM me if you need any help.

foregetaboutdre wrote: 2. Some schools (Vandy, Gtown, UChi) allow you to submit transfer applications immediately after 1L fall (but they aren't bind decisions). Gtown has a seat deposit fee (something to think about).

7. Be wary of OCI and Journal. Most/if not all schools will allow you participate in OCI, just again be wary of deadlines. If you miss the OCI deadline (get admitted too late), what I did was directly contact firms I was interested in and sent them my application materials and said I missed the OCI deadline b/c of my admittance. I got interviews with basically who I wanted and also did fine CB/offer wise.

Journal - be wary of write on deadlines. Some schools will have just one write on and potential transfers have to do that. (E.g. Michigan). It may end like in early July or June and you might miss it. The bad - you're not on journal. The good - you're not on journal (and have a solid excuse) and you wouldn't have made Law Review anyway (and would have been stuck in secondary journal).

I'd like to make two points - 1, at least for UChi, it was binding - I applied there myself last year and was told should I get accepted I must transfer there or nowhere else; 2, it's not bad to ask around about the Journal write-on deadlines, since NU offered us a flexible deadline of 2 weeks from when we were accepted.

E: There is a portion discussing the binding nature of UChi's ED. Check it out on this link: http://www.law.uchicago.edu/prospectives/transfer