Can I Transfer to an Ivy League School After My First Year?
If you get great grades in your first year of law school, you could be eligible to transfer to Harvard, Yale or another top school and this is an option you should keep in mind as your first year comes to an end. A dream of attending an Ivy League school is well within reach if you do exceptionally well in your first year. I am living proof! The school you want to transfer to will base their decision primarily on your grades and other achievement in your first year and your LSAT score and College grades will generally not matter.
How Big Does A Jump in Rankings Have To Be To Make A Transfer Worth It?
Many students wonder whether or not they should transfer schools based on a small jump in rankings. I know one student who transferred from a school ranked around 70 in New York City to a school ranked around 60 that was also in New York City. This move made absolutely no sense to me. I met him during the summer at Brooklyn Law School (the school he transferred to) and he was not the sharpest knife in the drawer and this was evident by more than just his school change.
The point of this story is that you should only change schools if the jump you are going to make is going to put you in a substantially better place than you are. I could have easily transferred to Fordham law school (which is ranked in the 30s) from Brooklyn (ranked in the 60s) but I did not even apply because I did not believe that this type of move was worth it.
The key if you decide to transfer is to make sure that the jump is significant. As s general guide, you should jump at least 35 points in the rankings and higher if you can. Also, the move should move you from one tier to another or from a first tier school to a top 5 school. I know students who moved from Brooklyn law school to schools ranked 20-30 and they had a tough time during the on campus interview process and did not substantially benefit from the transfer.
Are There Disadvantages Associated With Transferring?
While rankings are important, you should not change schools for a slight improvement in ranking. This is primarily because some of the disadvantages of transferring will outweigh any minor benefit. For example, when you start law school, you will be assigned to a section along with around 80 other students. Everyone in your section will have the same classes and you will get to know them quite well. You will all be going through the exact same experience and as a result you will form quite strong bonds and networks. These bonds and networks may result in lifelong friendships, business contacts and even marriage. Do not underestimate the importance of these connections. If you transfer, there is a substantial risk that you will lose some or all of these connections. Moreover, strong bonds have already been formed at the school you will go to and it may be hard to establish similar connections. Additional negative aspects of transferring to another law school will be discussed in a future post.
