Thinking about Transferring Law Schools? Here’s What You Need to Know.

Transfer spots are hyper-competitive. All of the T14 schools accept transfers, but the acceptance rate for transfer applicants is ten percent or lower, meaning the school receives 10 or more applications for every available spot. Accepted transfers are typically in the top quintile of their 1L class, if not the top 10 percent, and have a strong 1L academic transcript. 

You may not receive funding. While some schools offer scholarship opportunities for transfer students, you shouldn’t count on it. If merit-based scholarships or other funding is important to you, you should speak with the admissions team at your programs of interest to learn the specifics about transfer students’ eligibility for scholarship money. 

Schools have varying policies for transfer students and how credits earned from another school can be utilized. As a transfer student, you will still have many opportunities. You will likely be able to find a place on a law review, obtain a research position with a professor, or earn a spot in the top ten percent of the class. But dig into the details before making your final decision. 

How to apply:

Some schools offer early decision options and/or rolling admission for transfer applicants. Apply as early as you are able to put together a strong application package.

Requested applicant materials for transfer students are similar to those you submitted initially, with some updates necessary to include your 1L year. 

  • Transfer application

  • Resume: Updated to include 1L experiences

  • Personal statement: Updated to include recent growth and meaningful experiences, and a compelling reason for your desired transfer

  • Letters of recommendation: Updated to include at least one recommendation from a current law professor 

  • Transcripts: Updated to include your 1L academic records 

  • GRE or LSAT test score: Generally, for transfer applicants, standardized test scores hold less weight in admissions decisions than 1L transcripts and performance. 

  • Letter of good standing from your current law school

Below, we’ve compiled the T14 transfer stats (available on the standard 509), the overall 1L class size, and the final submission deadlines for transfers this year.

  2022-2023 Transfers

Name Out    In     Total 1L (2023)         Transfer Application Date

Stanford University 0 6 174 June 1, 2024

Yale University 0 10 201 June 12, 2024

University of Chicago 3 16 192 June 15, 2024

Duke University 1 0 244 June 1, 2024

Harvard 0 52 563 June 10, 2024

UPenn Carey 3 6 248 June 15, 2024

UVA 3 0 305 June 25, 2024

Columbia 0 59 415 July 1, 2024

NYU 1 47 429 June 15, 2024

Northwestern Pritzker 3 32 241 June 26, 2024

Michigan 2 14 302 July 12, 2024

UC Berkeley 5 18 339 June 15, 2024

UCLA 4 31 315 June 15, 2024

Cornell 7 2 191 August 1, 2024

Georgetown 11 122 604 June 17, 2024