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I’m currently a 1L at a tier 4 (Texas Southern University). I was in the top 15% of my class last semester and I’m currently awaiting grades for this semester. I have extensive legal experience and was able to secure a big law internship for the summer. I also got a glowing recommendation from a professor. What are my chances of transferring to a tier 2 like Rutgers (#76) or Houston (#56) or even a tier 3 such as Florida Int’l (#93)?

Texas Southern has historically placed a few transfers at UHLC, but recently TSU has sent fewer transfers and UHLC has taken fewer from TSU and STCL. It seems like your chances are worse than they would have been a few years ago at making that move. Most of the TSU transfers I knew went to STCL or Texas Tech.

What's your GPA? Some schools in T2, including Rutgers, do take transfers from T3/T4 schools in Texas, and their GPA range is 3.12 median, 3.33 75%ile. Prior years have been similar or lower. If your top 15% grades put you above 3.33, I'd think your chances are pretty good. FIU's range is pretty similar, although they mostly take transfers from T4 schools in Florida. Where are you trying to work and what are you trying to do?

Thank you for your response. My GPA is 3.06, which got me on the Dean's list and the top 15%. I'm hoping for my GPA to go up a bit this semester, however, I may have to send my application in before final grades are posted for the Spring. As you may already know, TSU grades on a C curve, allocating 52% of its students on the 1.67 - 2.33 range. Is that something you would recommend I include as an addendum to my application'? I wouldn't want to be at a disadvantage as most schools grade on a B curve, especially coming from a T4 already.

The big law internship that I'll be working on this summer is in the international law field. I would just like to keep my options open should I go into this field at a later point, and I know I'll be better off coming from a higher ranked school.

If I were in your position, I would weigh the costs and benefits of leaving. Dean's list and top 15% is an accomplishment, and it's a good place to be in the class; if your grades improve, even better. It may not be worth it to transfer, unless you either (1) get into UHLC or (2) want to work somewhere other than Houston. If you get into UHLC and want to work in Houston, I think it'd be worth leaving your class position and scholarship situation behind. If you want to work elsewhere, you should transfer to a school in the city where you want to work.

What would you say are my chances of transferring into Rutgers or UHLC?

Chances at Rugers are decent. Their 50th percentile transfer is a 3.12, so you're close. UHLC is pretty unlikely, as their 50th transfer percentile is a 3.51. An addendum might help, but it would be a stretch either way.

Hey, I hope this helps.

I went to a T4 school (Southern California) and I placed in the top 15%. I was accepted into 2 T1 schools, ASU and BC. So, I’m not sure if GPA really matters if you have a high class rank (but I may be wrong).

You definitely have a shot, just make sure you do all you can.

I have decent softs, but from what you’ve said here it seems like you have better softs than I do.

Thank you!