Western State College of Law

Transfer Students

Western State welcomes transfer applications from students in good standing at law schools approved by the American Bar Association and the California Bar Examiners.

Application Requirements and Documents

To apply for admission as a transfer student, the following materials must be submitted to Western State’s Admissions Office:

• Application for Admission and fee of $60
• All applicants should register for the LSAC Credential Assembly Service (CAS) in order for us to access undergraduate and/or prior graduate degree transcripts. For more information about the CAS, please call 215.968.1001 or visit www.LSAC.org.
• Official transcript from the current law school indicating grades earned.
• Letter from the Dean of the current law school indicating that the applicant is in good standing at the completion of the first year, eligible to return and there are no disciplinary actions pending or currently on file.
• Class rank (indicated on either the transcript or letter of good standing).
• Personal statement indicating reasons for transfer.
• 2 letters of recommendation – at least 1 from law professor preferred.
• Resume (optional)

Class standing and grade point averages for Western State are computed solely on the basis of grades achieved while matriculated to Western State.

Transfer admittance is a two step process. First, the full application is reviewed by the Admission Committee. Once the candidate is admitted, the prior law school transcript is evaluated by the Academic Dean and Registrar. The number of units accepted in transfer is determined in line with Western State’s academic policy.

Transfer Student Application Deadline
July 1

Financial Aid
Students admitted to the JD program with advanced standing are not considered for Western State scholarships, but will become eligible after completing one year at WSU. Because most transfer students usually are not admitted until late in the spring or summer, it is important that they begin the financial aid application process as soon as possible—filing the FAFSA, obtaining the appropriate federal loan and applying for approval on credit-based education loans. Complete your application for loan assistance as soon as you receive WSU’s offer of admission. The Financial Aid Office will make every effort to expedite your loan applications so that you may have your funds early in the term. Generally, this will be after the start of classes.

Transfer Student FAQ

Should I send my law school transcript, letter of standing and class rank to LSAC for processing?
No. You should send all law school information directly to Western State. This will help reduce the processing time of your application.

What if my school is not able to submit my transcripts, letter of standing and class rank by July 1?
We understand that each law school may not have all of the information available by July 1. Please contact us if information will not be available by mid-July.

What is the likelihood of admission? How many students do you admit each year?
The size of the applicant pool varies by year, but the number of transfer admissions offers is not limited in advance. The Admissions Committee will evaluate individual candidates and offer admission based on the strength of the individual application. We typically look for students who are in the top 30% of their law school class to make a successful transition. However, the entire application file is considered to make the admission decision.

When will I find out which of my law school credits are transferable to Western State?
Once a student is offered admission to Western State, a transcript evaluation by the Registrar determines which courses and credits are transferable.

When is my seat deposit due?
A $400 seat deposit is due as soon as possible upon offer of admission and prior to Registration. Please make sure that we have your current mailing address and email address on file.

Transfer Student Orientation
Your first day of class is August 22, 2012. But please note that transfer students are required to attend Orientation on August 10, 2013.

Review for Admissions
Once the applicant's file is complete, the Faculty Admission Committee makes each admission decision based on its estimation of the applicant's potential for academic success, upon a full and careful review of all information provided at the time of review. The members of the Committee consider the required elements including the LSAT score(s), undergraduate record, personal statement and letters of recommendation, as well as optional items such as a current resume or other addenda. No single item in an applicant's file defines the outcome of an admission decision. Please allow 4-5 weeks for a decision to be rendered once your file is complete.

Rolling Admissions
Western State continues to review applications on a rolling basis until the class is full. Those who apply on or before the priority deadline will receive first consideration for scholarship awards. Admission to the law school becomes more competitive after the priority deadline has passed.

Admission Office Contact Information
1111 N. State College Blvd.
Fullerton, CA 92831

(714) 459-1101
(800) WSU-4LAW
(714) 441-1748 (fax)

adm@wsulaw.edu

See WSUprograms.info for program duration, tuition, fees, other costs, median debt, federal salary data, alumni success, and other important info.