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I transferred from a TT to HYS. I was number one at my TT school, but based on my grades at the school I transferred to, look just slightly above median (will probably graduate at least cum laude, but depends how I do the rest of my time here). FWIW, I'm a 3L and applying for two years past my biglaw litigation stint so I'm pretty confident that my grades will remain about the same. Also not sure if this matters or not, but I made it onto HYS flagship journal as well.

I'm just not sure if judges will be looking at both my TT and HYS grades to assess whether I fall into the grade range they look for or only at my HYS grades?

Also as a slightly related question, not sure whether I have a decent shot at a federal clerkship? I'm going to be talking with my school's clerkship advisors this week, but also looking for an outside opinion. As mentioned above, was #1 at TT and just above median at HYS, made journal, and will have about 2 years post law school experience.

You have a pretty good shot, especially at district court judges that require experience. I think the transfer grades will be looked at like, oh wow he/she did really well at TT and then transferred. Really what will matter, as far as I can tell, is the overall grades/honors, what type of experience you have, geographic ties/competitiveness of judges you're applying for.

I transferred and clerked. From my experience, judges look at all your grades when making the decision. It will be a plus that your first year is perfect, but it's not clear that will make you look any better than another same-school HYS applicant with the same HYS grades. It really just confirms that you would have done fine at your HYS school during the first year. Being on the flagship law review will be as big of a plus as anything.

I should also note that different judges look at transfer students differently. Some will weigh 1L grades as heavily as your later grades; some will discount them because you transferred from an "easier school." It's rare that a judge will say "Oh they have a 3.3 at Harvard, but if you factor in their 3.9 at Loyola, it's more like a 3.6." Any judge that has a stated school-specific grade preference or cutoff will apply to your new school and new grades only. Also, I second what ANA said about the other factors that matter besides grades. Your shot depends on those factors as well.