Last Updated on October 1, 2026
Quick answer: Transferring after 1L is possible but never guaranteed. Law schools evaluate transfer applicants mainly on first-year grades, and successful applicants often place near the top of their class. Most schools also ask for a law school transcript, a dean’s certification or letter of good standing, and at least one recommendation from a law professor.
I didn’t go to law school thinking I would transfer. I enrolled at Georgetown University Law Center, happy to spend three years in our nation’s capital studying at one of the country’s best law schools. But when I got back my 1L grades, I realized I had a shot at transferring to the schools I never could have gotten into originally, given my LSAT score and undergraduate GPA. This fall, I enrolled at Yale Law School as a 2L; I couldn’t be happier with my decision. Here’s some wisdom about transferring after 1L that I picked up along the way:
Thinking About Transferring Before You Apply to Law School
- Don’t count on transferring. The most important piece of advice I could give is to go to a law school that you’ll be happy graduating from after 3 years, not one that you think will be a stepping stone to somewhere better. Transferring after 1L is never guaranteed, as you’ll be up against students at the top of their classes. Some law schools are actually harder to get into as a transfer student than applying originally. If you’re able to transfer, fantastic! But don’t choose a law school with the idea that you’ll only be there as a 1L.
Transferring After 1L: What to Focus On as a 1L
- Don’t retake the LSAT. Luckily for you, law schools don’t look at your LSAT score as much as they look at your 1L grades. Law schools use the LSAT because it is a good predictor of success in law school. [1] But admissions departments don’t need to predict a transfer student’s success; they already know how successful you are based on your grades.
- Concentrate on your grades. Grades are the single biggest factor admissions departments examine when looking at students transferring after 1L. Though there are exceptions, successful transfer applicants often place near the top of their first-year class. [2] Your grades show admissions officers that you know how to think critically about the law, and that you can perform under pressure better than your peers. If your grades weren’t what you were hoping for first semester, don’t panic. Your second semester grades count just as much as your first semester’s. In fact, if you show improvement in the Spring, that shows that you can adapt to a challenging environment. If your grades were good in the Fall, congrats! But remember that you’ll need to keep those grades up in the Spring to successfully transfer.
- Make connections with your professors. Most law schools will require one or two letters of recommendation from faculty at your 1L school. It’s not always easy to get to know your professors when you’re in large lecture classes where they might not even know your name, but you can do it. Actively participate in class. Go to office hours, and ask the professors about their professional interests, not just problems you’re having in their classes. If you’re not sure where to start, approach your Legal Writing professor. This professor has seen your writing and analytic abilities, and probably teaches the smallest class you have. Moreover, just about every internship and clerkship will require references and/or letters of recommendation from your professors, so doing this legwork will help you even if you’re not able to transfer. Keep in mind that some professors will not write letters of recommendation for students wishing to transfer, so it is a good strategy to cultivate relationships with two or more professors.
How the Law School Transfer Application Works
Transfer applications open in the spring of your 1L year, and most deadlines fall in late spring or early summer. At Harvard Law School, for example, the transfer application opens in May, is due in mid-June, and decisions are released by early July. [2] Some schools offer more than one round: Georgetown Law lets you apply after your fall grades are in or wait until your spring grades are available. [3] Because schedules vary, check each school’s transfer page early in your spring semester.
What You’ll Submit
Many schools accept transfer applications through LSAC, using a Credential Assembly Service report. Expect to provide:
- Your law school transcript, with your first-year grades
- A dean’s certification or letter of good standing from your current school
- At least one letter of recommendation from a law professor
- A personal statement explaining why you want to transfer
- An updated resume
Your personal statement carries extra weight in a transfer application. Explain what the new school offers that fits your goals, such as a clinic, a program, or a legal market where you hope to practice, and keep the focus on where you’re headed.
Requirements differ by school. Harvard asks for at least two letters of recommendation, with at least one from a law professor at your current school, along with two written statements. [4] Georgetown requires at least one letter from a law school faculty member, a personal statement, and a resume. [3]
Eligibility Basics
Harvard, for instance, requires applicants to have completed one year of full-time J.D. study at an ABA-accredited US law school, and transfer students spend at least two years in residence. [2] The same research that goes into making your law school list applies here: read each school’s transfer policies before you begin, and ask your recommenders early so they have time to write thoughtful letters.
Deciding Whether to Accept a Transfer Offer
If you receive an offer, take time to compare it with staying where you are. Think about the classmates, professors, and activities you would leave behind, such as a journal or moot court role you earned as a 1L, and whether your new school offers comparable opportunities. Look at the clinics, externships, and courses that match the kind of law you want to practice, and ask the new school how transfer students take part in on-campus interviewing, journals, and other 2L activities. Talking with current transfer students can also give you an honest sense of how quickly they settled in. The right choice is the school where you’ll do your best work for the next two years.
What to Consider Before Transferring After 1L
- Think carefully about why you want to transfer. In your application, you will undoubtedly be asked to write an essay about why you want to transfer. Is it because you can be closer to your family or the market in which you want to work? Does the new school have professors you’d like to study under or programs and clinics of interest? Would you rather be in a small school with an intimate environment or a large school that has more opportunities? You’ll need to have a reason other than “Well this school is better than my last one.”
- Don’t badmouth your old school. In that same “why transfer here?” essay, make sure to not say anything bad about your current school. You can say things like “I’d prefer a school that offered a clinic on X subject area, which my current school does not have,” but NOT things like “I’ve had a horrible time at this school and I can’t wait to leave.” Make sure your application is professional.
- You might get a better job, but it’s not a guarantee. It’s true that some employers may realize your potential even though you went to your old school as a 1L. For 2L OCI (“On Campus Interviews”) in particular, though, firms will know that you haven’t yet benefitted from your new school because you haven’t yet attended a single class. Apply to firms and internships that you would have applied to at your old school, then add in a few “reach” jobs as well. Regardless of how that round of interviews goes, you’ll have two more years to build relationships and use your new school’s career resources.
- Transferring after 1L will be an adjustment. It’s not always easy to transfer. You’ll be leaving all your contacts and friends at your old school, only to be thrown into a new environment where you may not know anyone. Large schools can be great to transfer to because they have tons of opportunities available and they’ll accept more transfer students. However, it may also be more difficult to find friends and professors you like at a large school. Small schools can be insular and their transfer classes are smaller, but you’ll get to know your classmates faster. You can absolutely overcome these difficulties! Just know that they’ll be there.
Good luck transferring after 1L! My decision to transfer law schools was one of the best ones I’ve ever made. I hope your transfer experience will be as wonderful as mine has been.
Have more questions? Want help on your application? An admissions expert from InGenius Prep can assist you before, during, and after the transfer admissions process.
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