LSAT Score in Transferring Forum

[lulumore]

Hi there,

Does anyone know if/how much the LSAT Score affects the transferring result from a T3 to T2/T1?

Background: I am working full-time while preparing LSAT and English isn't my mother language, so I didn't get a good score and ended with a T3 shcool. Since the score isn't my final goal and to retake means I need to wait for another year to apply, I am thinking of taking this T3 offer and prepare to transfer after first year, but I would like to know how much this score means in my transferring because if it means a lot, I will retake it anyway. Oh, BTW, is the score after my admission to the L1 school valid for my transferring application? (I assume so) I don't think I will have time to take it during the first year study, so I will take it this June if needed. Please advise.

[You Gotta Have Faith]

Hi there,

Does anyone know if/how much the LSAT Score affects the transferring result from a T3 to T2/T1?

Background: I am working full-time while preparing LSAT and English isn't my mother language, so I didn't get a good score and ended with a T3 shcool. Since the score isn't my final goal and to retake means I need to wait for another year to apply, I am thinking of taking this T3 offer and prepare to transfer after first year, but I would like to know how much this score means in my transferring because if it means a lot, I will retake it anyway. Oh, BTW, is the score after my admission to the L1 school valid for my transferring application? (I assume so) I don't think I will have time to take it during the first year study, so I will take it this June if needed. Please advise.

To answer your first question, it is never a good idea to go to a school assuming you will transfer. Even if there is a very decent chance that could happen, you must make sure you could live with whatever school you end up going to.

Second, the LSAT score has *very little* effect in transferring. I know because I've met transfers with less than stellar LSATs and because the Dean at a T14 told me it isn't as important (usnwr doesn't account for transfer LSATs). They care more about (1) how well you did balanced with how difficult the school was (the lower the school, the better your performance must be) and (2) your LOR from a law prof who knows you well.

As a caveat... the very elite schools (T6 or so) *may* have a threshold they want you to have met before transferring. Not totally sure; just the impression I get.

[lulumore]

very informative. Thank you.
I now work in Milbank (new York Law Firm) as a secretary (not in US, but foreign office). I watched a few law school courses vedios and found the education helpful, but I don't like the life style most lawyers here have, so I haven't decided if I want to be a laweyer after gruaduation. I actually know very little about what career options the law school education can end up with, and I think you are right that I shouldn't assume I will transfer. So, in my case, do you think I should still take this offer?

I am 28 and I got married, so time is a problem for me. That is also why I don't want to take LSAT again and wait for another year. I am not sure if it is worthwhile.

[270910]

very informative. Thank you.
I now work in Milbank (new york law firm) as a secretary (not in US, but foreign office). I watched a few law school courses vedios and found the education helpful, but I don't like the life style most lawyers here have, so I haven't decided if I want to be a laweyer after gruaduation. I actually know very little about what career options the law school education can end up with, and I think you are right that I shouldn't assume I will transfer. So, in my case, do you think I should still take this offer?

I am 28 and I got married, so time is a problem for me. That is also why I don't want to take LSAT again and wait for another year. I am not sure if it is worthwhile.

For the record, your written English skills look fine here. Still, that would be my biggest concern if I were in your shoes - most lawyers spend literally every moment working reading, researching, and writing - with written work product either being evaluated by attorneys supervising you or judges.

On the flip side, depending on your native fluency and skills you could have a niche there. Strong foreign language skills or ties helped a lot of people I know get jobs.

The over arching consideration, as has been pointed out, is that your opportunities will be very limited from a third tier school if you don't finish in the top of your class. It's a big risk if this isn't your life dream, the myth of the legal profession being one of upward social mobility is really only true for the strongest schools and strongest performers at weaker schools due to the market over-saturation.

Good luck with your choices!

[traydeuce]

How about this: UGPA in transferring? I got into Georgetown with my 2.72 (but 4.0 in law school), but we all know that in a less crowded year than last year I could have done that anyway with my LSAT. So what about the very top? If I got a 4.0 for the whole year, do you suppose it might give HYS, and especially Y, pause?

[JOThompson]

I've read here that certain elite schools don't accept transfers who wouldn't have been competitive for regular acceptance. Take that with a grain of salt though, as TLS offers tons of great information but can be lacking about transfer info.

[bwv812]

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[lulumore]

Well, I do have concern about my writing skills, and I am not sure which is easier, to improve LSAT reading or composition in L1, but I believe my English will get better when I live in an English-speaking country. (I am not and I have never lived in one before). Actually, I would be grateful if anyone here can recommend an online writing course and I would take it.

I don't have a clear career goal right now. I am not proud of it, but that's true. I have worked for 6 years after college graduation and I have my own understanding about life. My career goal now is I will find a position that I won't hate doing it in ten years and I can support my family in leading a simple life style. I am now in middle of groping through different tries, so if you think I lay my expectations on what I v seen here, you are wrong. I worked in two international law firms, both top ones in the world, and I think very few attorneys are smart enough to live a good life for themselves. Putting aside that they have to spend most of their time working and ignoring their families (sometimes they have to, which I understand) for a moment, basically their life is about spending money, complicating their life and making themselves bald and miserable. Anyway, my point is to be as rich as those lawyers is not my goal, though being able to support myself after graudation is another thing. If you have found out your career goal after years of work experience and you are still happy about your situation, congratulations!

I just got a decline letter from FSU, but they encouraged me to consider transferring to their law school if I am in top third after L1. Fyi, my GPA in college is 4.0.

[bwv812]

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[dcpolitico]

I hope LSAT doesn't play a big role. Otherwise, I should be demoted to like a T6 school (if there's such a thing).

[lulumore]

Your college GPA isn't very relevant if it wasn't done in English, against native English peers, and in a school with a forced curve.

Given your goals, or lack thereof, I would recommend against transferring (actually, I would recommend against going to law school). As a potential transfer school, FSU does not have great career outcomes, and the cost of attendance is $50k per year; the only thing that remotely makes sense to me is to go to a school that is cheap to attend, and in a place you want to practice.

GPA is supposed to be an indicator of one's acedemic ability, not English fluency, so as long as you can prove you have no problem in doing your study in English (like TOEFL), I think it is relevant. But unlike US applicants, our transcripts should go through Foreign Credential Evaluation to be accepted by US law school, in which the major, the reputation of the school and some other factors are taken into consideration. Therefore GPA calculated out of FCE is sometimes different from the original GPA from each foreign college, usually lower. Also, many facts prove that this GPA weighs as much as your GPA do during application. I am not trying to show off or anything. I don't believe GPA or LSAT means everything. I simply tell what I know.

Thanks a lot for everyone's comments here. Your information helps me to balance my situation in a more objective way.