Transferring Law Schools: How It Works
Just about any law student can tell you how to get into a law school. You fill out an application, submit your transcript and LSAT score, draft a personal statement, and maybe write a few essays. You then wait a few months to see if you’ve gotten in.
But how do you get out of that law school and into a different one? Most people don’t know, and that’s why I’m here. There’s no magic formula, there are no set requirements or standards, and even the experts don’t have a clear idea of what the admissions committee will be looking for.
But here’s a basic rundown of the process:
- Fill out your applications. This is exactly the same as when you applied in the first place. Be prepared to write personal statements, law school essays (largest of all the extras), an explanation for any class drops or fails, and a letter of recommendation. It’s not uncommon for even the school you’re transferring to to ask for an additional transcript. Some schools will also require a secondary application and give you no more than a few weeks to fill it out.
- Complete your interviews. In some cases, this will occur prior to (or as part of) your application. In many however, this will happen after you’ve submitted your application. Most will be quite similar to your initial interview with a law school.
- Wait. Just like before, there’s a lot of time to kill.
- Get accepted. You’ll be sent a letter of acceptance or email confirming what school and which program you’ve been accepted into.
- Enroll and begin your classes. If you completed the first semester or year of course work at your last school , that will transfer into your tuition and course load for your new school. You’ll find that you’ll take everything in sequence from here on out and you’re lucky if you only have to take a couple of classes to catch up.
- Find housing. Unlike your first time around, you’re an experienced pro at this. If you’ve lived in a dorm before that’s great—however if you’ve moved around a lot or had to find temporary housing in a rush, you’ll have some idea of the tricks.
The main point to keep in mind is that the law school you’re transferring to won’t have the same process or steps as your previous law school. Everything will be slightly different, from the number of letters of recommendations to the privacy laws covering your transcripts. Be prepared to do a lot of work on your own, and don’t be afraid to ask questions.
Keep a close eye on the deadlines, especially if your new school has a different schedule or payment method. While a majority of law schools share a cycle that begins in the fall, some will begin in the spring and break up their semesters differently. Accept scholarship money if it is offered. Law schools are notoriously stingy with their grants, so if you’re offered money it may only be a small bit extra, and not count toward some other fund or scholarship.
Additionally, don’t be surprised if your grade-point average drops. It’s been found that most transferring students at the end of their first semester there have a lower GPA than when they first got there, even if only slightly.
Reasons for Transferring Schools
There are four general reasons students may consider before pondering the transfers: academic, geographical, personal, and career.
Academic: The most obvious reason to transfer law schools is if you believe your current school is underperforming academically. Usually this will occur when a school fails to maintain a specific standard of educational excellence such as subpar bar passage rates or a low employment rates. But academics are not simply black and white. For many underperforming law schools, there is a sense of improvement and consistent growth to consider. Most law schools that have consistently underperformed, such as Thomas M. Cooley or Charlotte School of Law, have achieved small improvements in the key measures of academic quality over the last few years.
Geographical: Geographical issues are less obvious but still very important when considering whether to transfer law schools. In this line of thinking, the location of a law school is often considered before the school itself. This is especially true for a student who is set on practicing law in a specific state or region. For instance, a student from Florida may choose to transfer to a Florida law school to ensure they are familiar with Florida law before sitting the bar exam in that state. The same goes for California, Arizona, Texas, Washington, New York, and the like.
Personal: This may be one of the most common reasons to transfer law schools. A student may transfer due to personal reasons such as financial stress, family issues close to home, or to be closer to their partner. Transfers to follow a partner to their new law school are the most common personal transfers, but it’s certainly worth noting the potential for students to want to go to law school together. Depending on the respective schools, transferring mid-program may be a necessity for couples. A student may also want to be closer to their family or with their kids again.
Career: The best reason to transfer law schools is to further a legal career. A law school that matches your career goals can be even stronger than a top ranked law school. If you plan to practice law in a particular field, it makes sense to transfer to a school strong in that area. The importance of finding a strong local school cannot be understated.
How to Pick a New Law School
Finding the right law school is the most important part of the law school transfer process. Fortunately for you, start your research about potential schools early in the process. As soon as you think you want to transfer law schools, start thinking about the quality of the law schools where you would like to transfer. For many transfer students, the same factors that are important when a student picks a law school to attend in the first place should be considered. These include general national rankings, specialized rankings, geography, reputation, student body, and financial considerations. The Law School Admissions Council has links to various school publications to help you learn more about law schools on their list. US News publishes different rankings such as "Best Law Schools" and "Best Programs." Free content on Law.com ("Lateral Move") provides information about the best states to transfer to. Additional resources can be used to help students identify potential transfer schools. Advanced Law School Admissions provides general information about the transfer process including where to obtain law school information and tips. Bloomberg BNA recently provided a list of law schools and how they received their accreditation. Additional tips and thoughts can be found by wasying the ABA’s resources page on transfer issues. In some cases, you may find a law school with an outstanding program, but you simply will not be paid the same investment you received from your previous law school. In those cases, you may want to consider enrolling as a degree candidate (instead of a transfer student), completing your second year, and then transferring to the better law school.
Submitting the Application
Part of what makes planning for law school transfers so challenging, is that a successful transfer application not only has to be a complete application, but also one that stands out from the significant number of applications applicants receive. Therefore, a transfer application generally consists of the following required components. Personal Statement. Your personal statement should represent who you are as a person and what you hope to accomplish in the future. It should not read like a timeline or simply be a recitation of accomplishments. Personal statements also can be a perfect opportunity for transfer applicants to address any academic challenges such as a low GPA or LSAT score during their first semester of law school. Recommendation Letter. Typically, most law schools require at least one letter of recommendation, thus transfer applicants should try to secure at least one letter from Law School faculty who are familiar with the transfer applicant’s academic work and who can attest to the applicant’s potential for success if admitted to the desired school. Transcripts & LSAT Score. Most law schools will request at least the fall semester grades before determining if they want to consider the application. If only first semester grades have been entered when the application is submitted, transfer applicants typically will be notified to submit second semester grades once they become available and these grades can often make or break the transfer admission decision.
Transferring Credits and Grades
When considering transferring law schools, it is imperative that you understand how your transcript and credit hours will be affected once the transfer is complete. Not every law school accepts the same amount of credit hours as another. Every college and university, including law schools, make the choice each semester of what credits to grant to students who took a transfer course. For example, if you took a 3-hour business law course that was not taught by a professor with a JD, but rather a PhD, your law school could deny you the 3 credit hours. Although a student undeniably received the educational experience, the law school has full discretion to determine which courses qualify for credit hours and which courses do not . For educational purposes, that student must be aware of the denial in order to consider his or her options for receiving those credits.
Preparation is critical for determining how a student’s credits will transfer from school to school, however, even the most conscientious efforts may fall short of what the law school expects. When considering transferring law schools, research and understand the credit-granting policies among the law schools in which you decide to apply. Preferably prior to the transfer application, have a list of courses you would have completed at your current law school, the equivalent courses offered at the law school to which you are applying, and the corresponding credit granting policy.
Financial Factors for Transferring Law Schools
As with many decisions in life, there are financial factors to consider when thinking about transferring law schools. A transfer can impact a tuition payment plan, your eligibility for financial aid, and your scholarship or grant opportunities.
Tuition in Most Cases
Most law schools charge the same tuition for all of their first-year students; however, there are some differences on the margins. First, in some cases, a school’s per-semester tuition rate for 2L and 3L students is lower than its per-semester tuition rate for 1L students. This is most common when a student has missed a semester and is only taking 10-12 hours of classes; for example, a student who took a leave of absence from their 2L year might be charged 10% less than the full 2L tuition rate, depending on the percentage of classes they are actually taking. In such a case, it would be possible to transfer without losing need-based financial aid because no law school will provide in-house financial aid for more than 10 semesters (or fewer, depending on when you graduate from high school). Second, some schools do charge different amounts based upon residency; this is most common because the state subsidizes tuition at many public law schools. Third, and most important for this discussion, scholarship funds provided to incoming first-year students do not convey forward to subsequent law school classes even if the student decides to transfer to another law school.
Known Costs
Even if the financial aid policies of a law school are more favorable for transfer students than its policy for first-year students, you as a transfer student should expect that tuition and fees will be higher than the semester cost of attendance for your first year at the old law school. To know if this is your situation, contact the financial aid offices at your prospective and current schools. More importantly, review various aspects of your budget to determine how financial considerations will affect your choice to transfer. Ask the following questions to help make the transfer decision:
o Tuition increases due to the increase in tuition for your transferring school.
o In-state tuition – does your new law school offer in-state tuition (i.e., lower tuition) for out-of-state students? If so, check your state’s law degree.
o Parking/housing due to the transferring laws school being located in an area where parking or housing is less inexpensive than the current school.
o If your current law school offered any private scholarships in the first year, ask if there are any available in the second or third year.
Financial Aid Considerations
Check with your financial assistance office at both your current and prospective schools to find out how a law school transfer will affect you financially.
o If your financial aid is based on income level, be sure to find out how (or if) your new school calculates income when determining new financial aid packages.
o Find out if you’re eligible for federal financial aid, government loans, grants, and other assistance. For information about federal regulations, type "financial aid" into the Law School Toolbox search bar.
Scholarships and Grants
Talk to your law school transfer advisor at your current school to find out if your current school offers scholarships and grants for transfer students. Your new school may offer them as well.
o Investigate general scholarship opportunities. You may be eligible for scholarships offered through bar and legal organizations. Check with your local bar association and professional legal organizations in your area to find out how to apply.
o Search for private and family scholarships. Check out scholarship search engines, such as Cappex and College Board Scholarship Search.
Coping with a New Law School
Transitioning to a new law school can be a daunting task. Building new connections among fellow students and professors takes time and effort. In addition, each law school will have its own expectations and academic requirements for students. From paper formatting to grading scales, there is a learning curve associated with transitioning to a new institution. Consider the following tips to help ease the transition process: -Connect with faculty members: Faculty advisers can be an excellent resource in helping new students get acclimated to their new law school. Not only can faculty members address academic concerns, they can also provide valuable insight on school culture and traditions. -Get involved: Joining a study group may provide the opportunity to meet new people and make friends, while possibly helping ease some of the academic anxiety that comes with attending law school. Many law schools have student organizations geared toward many different interests. Participating in these organizations can be a great way to get involved on campus and network with your fellow students. It’s a win-win. -Take care of yourself: While it’s important to focus on your studies, it’s also critical to make time for yourself. Take time to exercise, spend time with family away from school, or go to a movie to unwind every once in awhile. Taking care of your mental and physical health is vital to maintaining a healthy balance in law school and beyond. Additionally, law school can bring about some very stressful situations. It’s not uncommon for students to experience anxiety or stress throughout their law school years. While some of this stress may be expected, there are a few simple tips to helping manage your stress throughout the semester: -Avoid procrastination: It’s no secret that many law school assignments tend to come as a surprise. However, if you can manage to complete any assignments that are due early, do so. This can help alleviate those last-minute surprise papers you’ll encounter. -Take a break: Sometimes it’s just a good idea to step away from your desk. If you find yourself getting frustrated with a particular assignment, take a step away for a few moments to clear your mind. This can help you re-focus so that you’re better equipped to tackle the problem. -Practice mindfulness: It’s never a bad idea to take a few moments throughout the day to reflect on yourself and your surroundings. Practicing mindfulness, whether through meditation or other techniques, can help you find your center, making it easier to manage your stress and accomplish your tasks. While transitioning to a new law school can be challenging at times, it can also be a very rewarding experience. Staying positive and proactive will go a long way in helping make your adjustment process to a new school a successful one.
Tips from Law School Transfers
Through Scott’s blog, I came into contact with a number of law students who are transferring from one law school to another and even those who transferred in prior years and graduated. I asked them if they would be willing to share their experiences, challenges and successes in transferring law schools with other students. The students below responded to my request and I think that their comments, suggestions and personal stories would be helpful for anyone thinking of transferring law schools or considering transferring to another law school. Here’s what they had to say:
I think I can be of help as evidence of what NOT to do. … I graduated from law school in 1984 and transferred to St. Louis University Law School for my final year. I had finished my second year at the University of Nebraska College of Law and didn’t care for the lack of focus on skills. I decided to transfer, and my hometown of St. Louis was only a couple of hours away from Lincoln so I could keep my part time job and still have family close by. It was a total failure. I did not really consider the difference in climate from Lincoln to St. Louis. Lincoln doesn’t have the humidity or rain. I suffered from allergies and that fall was miserable. I did not look at the demographics of the school and quickly learned that while we were the same age (18 to 21) we were from different generations. I was only there for one semester before I went home to Nebraska. I returned to Nebraska and graduated from the University of Nebraska College of Law in the spring of 1985. I do not recommend it and have only had one student transfer to SLU from Nebraska while I was there. I think the University offers too few skills opportunities to meet the needs of the law students at UNL.
I transferred to Gonzaga because I participated in Good Lawyers and Good Professors on the UNL campus. My decision to transfer stemmed from the fact that UNL law school is not a good fit for me. I realized that I wanted more than what UNL had to offer. I am very happy with my decision to transfer to Gonzaga and could not imagine myself anywhere else. This may not be the norm when it comes to transfers, but it was my experience.
I planned on attending law school back east because I am from Buffalo, NY. However, I met my husband and he did not want to leave Omaha, Nebraska. I found good legal jobs after college and got accepted into UNL. I enjoyed law school but I began to dislike living in Lincoln. It was a hard decision, but I decided to transfer to Gonzaga . I am originally from the Pacific Northwest and I wanted to move back to Seattle. I have loved going to school at Gonzaga, and I have enjoyed my time at work as a law clerk with a law firm in Spokane.
I started at Emory Law in Atlanta and transferred to Stanford after my first year. I don’t think I’d change anything about the first year. I would, however, have reached out to more people from the school early on. Networking is crucial within the law. Even before you start school, start attending social events and scheduled informational interviews with lawyers and judges you admire. Don’t be too picky about location either. Flexibility in location is key to maximizing your opportunities. That goes for jobs, as well. I started school this past August, but didn’t have a summer job lined up. I applied for a few clerkships in the area, but couldn’t get any bites. I expanded my search, and ended up in a smaller city in California. It worked out really well. I was able to get great experience and be able to save money to pay for living expenses next semester, when I will not be working. Familiarity with a state and travel can also be helpful.
The hardest part about transferring is going back to school after you have already started getting accustomed to making money. My advice is to remember why you left, remind yourself about all the things you disliked about your previous school, and why you thought this transfer would be a good idea. Try to get your old study style back and get back into the game. You can’t be lazy and expect to pass. You have to study hard and adjust to a new school. The culture likely will be a bit different, but you need to adjust and regain that momentum. There are also differences in grading systems and approaches. There are things you will really like, and things you will not like as much. Make sure this is what you want, and that this school is a good fit for you before you are completely certain of the transfer. Don’t let your guard down once you transfer; give it your all.
I left one law school because I hated it. It was too large, the class size was too big, and the professors just read from the book. I began attending a local community college and after I met a professor from Chicago Kent I decided to transfer to that school. I am in my second year now at SLS, and it has gone really well. I wish I could transfer to another school, but I think that 3 years is about the max that you can stay in school.