How to explain why you’re transferring in your application

Any student applying to a new school might feel nervous about writing their law school personal statement. Finding the right words to express the ways you’re unique can seem challenging at best, and sometimes, even overwhelming. But for transfer students, writing the law school personal statement may feel especially scary. After all, you might feel as if you’re risking it all by leaving a great opportunity behind.

However, if you’ve thought about transferring, it’s probably because you know there’s an even better opportunity out there for you elsewhere. Are you thinking of transferring? You’re not alone. 1. Acknowledge the Change You might feel compelled to downplay the transfer, but you should instead use your essay as an opportunity to acknowledge the change. Transfer admission officers will need to know why your previous institution didn’t work for you to help them decide whether their school will be a good fit.  2. Use Supplemental Essays to Explain If you choose not to highlight the transfer in your main essay, definitely mention it in a supplemental essay. The “why this law school” supplemental essay provides transfer students a special opportunity to explain their decision to switch schools. 3. Don’t Criticize or Expose Weaknesses While you should provide a clear reason for transferring schools, you don’t want to shame another institution or expose any personal weaknesses. Avoid talking badly about professors, student body, or any other aspects of a law school, and don’t cite any of your own flaws or shortcomings as the reason for the change, either. 4. Consider Listing One of These 4 Reasons Oftentimes, students choose to transfer for one of the following four reasons:  a. A specific program  b. Social environment  c. Available internships  d. Class size If one of these reasons applies to you, be sure to explain it in your essay. Show the admission officer why this particular aspect has such an impact on your law school experience.  5. Learn from Examples A great way for transfer students to develop well-written law school application essays is to view some examples from students who have already done it successfully. Take a look at these law school personal statement examples. If you’re a transfer student seeking guidance with the law school personal statement, remember you’re not alone. In fact, you might even have an advantage over some other students. After all, you already got into one school and have some idea what admission officers are looking for! Of course, everyone can benefit from a little extra help. If you’re in need of assistance, just reach out. Until next time, Steve

Recommended Resources: 1. Law School Admissions Coaching Get personalized 1-1 help on every aspect of the law school admission process -- or just the law school personal statement. 2. Law School Admissions Guide I've written a concise guide to the law school admission process with tips on completing every aspect of your applications from start to finish. It's a small price to pay for a whole lot of guidance, and it's short enough that you'll actually read the whole thing. 3. Law School Admissions Cheat Sheet Quick-reference guide for the law school personal statement, the "Why X?" essay, and the law school résumé. (You can also get it with the LSAT Cheat Sheets.)

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