• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer

Law School Toolbox®

All the tools you need for law school success

  • Tutoring
  • Courses
    • Start Law School Right
  • Job Help
  • Law School 101
  • Blog
  • Podcast
  • About

I Hate My Law School! Should I Transfer?

December 26, 2018 By Christen Morgan Leave a Comment

I Hate My Law School Should I Transfer?Well, you already know what’s coming, it depends. Transferring to a new law school can definitely have its perks. It could mean access to a broader network, which could then mean access to better jobs, better pay and less student loan debt. I mean isn’t that what we all want? However, as tempting as these perks may seem, you should definitely consider the downside to this big decision. Transferring could pose risks such as: paying a higher tuition cost, re-taking 1L courses or missing out on law school extracurriculars such as: law review, moot court or mock trial. Therefore, if you really hate your law school, consider the below factors before transferring.

1. Assess Why You Really Hate your Law School

Before pursuing the transfer process, take a moment to assess why you really hate your law school. Write these reasons down and reflect on whether transferring can truly take these issues away. If you’re a 1L, there are a million reasons why you may feel that your law school isn’t a perfect fit. Everything from the students to the professors to the overall environment can be extremely overwhelming. However, these issues may stem from your transition into a brand new environment versus the law school just being a bad choice. Therefore, if you make the rash decision to transfer before you’ve really gotten a chance to give your current school a solid shot, you may run into the same issues as a new student at your new school and possibly feel the angst of transferring again. Transferring is a major feat, and it will be a waste of time and resources to relocate and face the same issues.

As you write down the reasons why you hate your school, also write down whether you can personally make an adjustment to improve these issues or seek guidance from a mentor regarding how you can make it better. If after completing this exercise you are still unable to come to a solution or if your law school is truly an unhealthy environment, then transferring may be a good option for you.

2. Do You Have Good First Semester Grades?

The next and possibly the most important factor you should consider are your grades. If your first semester grades are excellent or at a minimum above average, then transferring may be a great option! Your first semester grades are truly the first opportunity that you get to possibly change the course of your law school experience. Unfortunately, there are brilliant students who may have received a low LSAT score and as a result ended up at a lower ranked school. Students who aren’t good at standardized testing have the opportunity to prove their skills by receiving excellent scores on a law school exam. If you fall into this category, transferring is a great opportunity to get your foot in the door at a higher ranked school.

If you’re already attending a high ranked school, transferring may still be a good option for you. Students at tier 1 schools use their first semester grades to rank up and transition into Ivy League schools. If you fall into this category, transferring can be beneficial, especially if you desire to work in BigLaw. However, please be aware that by transferring you may miss the chance to join law review, moot court or mock trial, as most schools would have already selected their teams in the prior semester. These extracurriculars are crucial in developing skills that could serve you well as an attorney. Additionally, participation is a great way to broaden your network and improve your chances of securing a job offer. So, if you’re currently at a good school, seriously consider the opportunities you may miss out on by transferring.

3. Are You Committed to a Specific Job Market?

If you’re committed to a specific job market, then transferring may be a good option if you have strong grades and if your current school has limited reach to access the job market you would like to work in after graduation. Breaking into the legal job market is a difficult hurdle and sometimes just having a certain school on your resume can help to improve your chances. However, I truly believe that developing a strong network in the job market of your interest can help to increase your chances. I recommend really weighing the burdens and benefits of the transfer process before making this decision solely based on your job market of choice.

4. Can You Handle Increased Tuition?

Finally, another factor to consider, is whether you have the financial capacity to handle increased tuition costs. Unfortunately, transfer students are sometimes exempt from scholarship opportunities, which means, you may be required to pay the full sticker tuition cost. If you’re on a scholarship at your current law school, you should especially take this factor into consideration. Even if you have good grades, it may not necessarily be worth it to transfer and risk increasing your debt. Now, if you’re able to handle this cost, then transferring could still be a good option for you. However, truly consider the other risks of transferring and determine whether this option is worth it.

If you make the decision to transfer, I wish you all the best!


 

Looking for some help to do your best in law school? Find out about our law school tutoring options.


About Christen Morgan

Christen Morgan graduated magna cum laude from the University of Tampa where she received her B.S. in Criminology. She earned her J.D. from Emory Law School where she competed and served as an executive board member for the Emory Law Moot Court Society. Christen also served as a student representative for LexisNexis and also as a mentor for several 1L students offering them advice and a variety of resources to help them through their law school journey.

Christen previously practiced as a Foreclosure Attorney for a Real Estate law firm but has since then transitioned into a Real Estate Specialist role at a wireless infrastructure company.

Reader Interactions

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Primary Sidebar

  • Podcast
  • Facebook
  • RSS
  • Twitter

About Us

If you find law school tough, you are not alone! The Law School Toolbox team is here to help you through it. Check out our helpful free content, podcasts, courses and one-on-one tutoring. Thanks for stopping by and drop us a line if you have any questions. We also invite you to join our weekly mailing list, for advice right to your inbox.

Recent Posts

5 Ways a Law School Resume is Different from a College Resume

5 Ways a Law School Resume is Different from a College Resume

As the 1L summer job search gets into full swing, it’s time to make sure your resume is up to date and ready to send out to employers. If you’ve only … Read More about 5 Ways a Law School Resume is Different from a College Resume

Podcast Microphone

Podcast Episode 374: How to Be a Great Law Journal Member

Welcome back to the Law School Toolbox podcast! Today, we're talking about how to be a great law journal member, whether you're on Law Review or a … Read More about Podcast Episode 374: How to Be a Great Law Journal Member

Bluebook 101 - Tips on Efficiently Navigating The Bluebook

Bluebook 101 – Tips on Efficiently Navigating The Bluebook

There are podcasts and blog posts alike on the many nuances of The Bluebook. But first, what even is The Bluebook? Calling all 1Ls—this is your bare … Read More about Bluebook 101 – Tips on Efficiently Navigating The Bluebook

Podcast Microphone

Podcast Episode 373: Not Happy with Your First Semester Law School Grades? How to Do Better in the Second Semester (w/Nicola Rossi)

Welcome back to the Law School Toolbox podcast! Today, we're excited to have one of our tutors, Nicola Rossi, joining us to talk about how to improve … Read More about Podcast Episode 373: Not Happy with Your First Semester Law School Grades? How to Do Better in the Second Semester (w/Nicola Rossi)

Five Law School “Rules” I Broke My First Semester

Five Law School “Rules” I Broke My First Semester

There are certain maxims of how to do law school that seem to have been passed down from generations of students through the ages. It can be scary to … Read More about Five Law School “Rules” I Broke My First Semester

Want Better Law School Grades?

Sign Up for Our Exam Tips!

Footer

  • Podcast
  • Facebook
  • RSS
  • Twitter
  • YouTube
  • Blog
  • Podcast
  • Tutoring
  • Courses
  • Job Help
  • About
  • Contact
  • Login
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms & Conditions
  • Refunds

Copyright 2023 Law School Toolbox®™