<p>I plan to attend law school and was wondering the effect that transferring schools would have on my admissions chances.</p>
<p>1) Will law schools use the GPA from my new school, or will they average the two, or emphasize one more heavily than the other?</p>
<p>2) Does anyone know if it is easier to be accepted to a top-14 law school coming from a top 50 university with a GPA around 3.9, or coming from a top 15 university with a GPA around 3.7? (completely arbitrary numbers, just in general is it considered less/more impressive to do better at a lesser renowned university?)</p>
<p>Generally speaking, law school admissions is based on GPA and LSAT scores. Where you obtained your undergraduate degree doesn't matter much. Thus, 3.9 at a top 50 would be better than 3.7 at a top 15. Most law schools ask for your combined GPA (from freshman through last grading period before applying) and some ask for your major GPA as well.</p>
<p>but certainly, a 4.0 from a lesser state school wouldn't be viewed as strongly as a 3.7 from princeton or harvard... there must be some consideration of the academic reputation of your undergraduate university, no?</p>
<p>Well I believe thats why LSAT scores are more highly weighted. I mean going to Harvard should be a better education, so hence should produce better LSAT scores</p>
<p>Celticsfan - That's a major debate in the law school forum. In short, the answer is Yes, there is some consideration, but not as much as you might think. All things equal, kids from HYPS get into top law schools with stats that are a smidge lower than kids from other schools, but it isn't a huge leap. It may be more like a 4.0 from a state U is the same as a 3.85 from HYPS. Of course, LSATS are the great equalizer (much more so than SATs), so even a 4.0 from Princeton isn't going to make up for lacking LSATs.</p>
<p>Law schools will use your LSAC GPA, calculated by equally weighing any and all college credits attempted. I guess I should note they will also consider each UG institution's particular GPA, as well as your major GPA, however the cum. LSAC # is what's far and away most important.</p>
<p>alright, so lets say that i were to transfer, and i have a 3.94 distributed over 62 credits here...</p>
<p>for law school, for all intents and purposes, it would be the equivalent of my having achieved a 3.94 over 62 credits at my new school?</p>
<p>to put it more clearly, any grades i receive at my new school would simply factor into a cumulative gpa established by what i did here? (in the eyes of the law schools, of course, i know my gpa won't transfer for transcript purposes)</p>