Applicants may be accepted with advanced standing to McGeorge School of Law after having completed one or more years at another ABA-accredited law school and may only apply for admission to begin their law study at McGeorge School of Law commencing in the fall or spring term. Acceptance may be conditioned on the student taking courses as specified by the law school.

McGeorge's policy allows applicants to transfer up to 32 credits in courses with satisfactory grades of C+ or better. Each applicant's prior law transcript will be evaluated and compared to McGeorge School of Law coursework. When transfer credit is granted, only the units, and not the grade, will be credited. The course will be treated the same as a "Honors/Pass/Low Pass/ Fail" course for GPA purposes. For the purpose of counting 72 graded units, the course may be treated as graded units if it was graded when taken unless an equivalent course at the School of Law is ungraded. Any courses which are not commensurate to McGeorge School of Law courses will be required to be retaken upon enrollment.

Application Requirements for Transfer Applicants

The following application materials are required:

  • Completed application form
  • Personal statement expressing reasons for requesting transfer
  • Resume
  • Two (2) recommendation letters submitted through your LSAC CAS account (at least one must be from a current law school professor)
  • Transcript from the first year of law school enrollment, if applicable
  • Letter of Good Standing from current law school, containing class rank (If the law school does not rank the class, a letter from the law school registrar or Dean of Students outlining the grading policy must be submitted.)
  • LSAC Credential Assembly Service Law School Report

Application

Click here to begin your application. Please note that McGeorge does not accept hardcopy applications. All applications must be completed through the Law School Admission Council (LSAC.) The deadline to submit transfer applications is July 15 for the following fall term and Nov. 15 for the spring term.

Certification of Good Standing

A certification letter of good standing from your current law school is required. This document contains your academic results for the year currently being completed and includes certification of your class standing. Please have this document sent directly to the McGeorge Admissions Office.

Credential Assembly Services (CAS)

All transfer applicants must pay for a Credential Assembly Services (CAS) report to be submitted to the law school along with their LSAT score.

Letters of Recommendation

In support of the application, applicants must submit two letters of recommendation directly to LSAC, and we will accept a maximum of three letters. At least one letter must be from a current law school professor. These letters should address skills relevant to your potential success in law school.

Please note that LSAC will not release an applicant's CAS report to McGeorge until they have received a minimum of two letters of recommendation. Furthermore, the application will remain incomplete and will not be reviewed until the applicant's file is complete.

Personal Statement

The statement must be no more than three pages, double-spaced, 12 pt. font. A transfer applicant's personal statement is an opportunity to provide information about their reasons for requesting transfer and any other information that the applicant believes should be considered.

Resume

Provide a Resume of full- and part-time employment and other activities, starting with the most recent. Include dates, name(s) of employer(s), and position(s) held. List academic honors received since entering college. List extracurricular activities, hobbies and community service. Please be sure to include any law related internships and externships completed since entering law school. Describe nature and extent of employment during college, listing the hours worked per week and include volunteer work. Include summers. Explain any periods of time after high school not accounted for by the preceding educational and employment history. However, high school information should be omitted.

Transcripts

All transcripts for college and graduate work must be submitted directly to LSAC. The transcript from your degree granting institution(s) must show conferral of your degree. LSAC will evaluate each transcript and forward a report to each law school the applicant designates.

Transcripts from the current law school are required and should be mailed directly to the McGeorge Admissions Office. The transcripts must contain grades for your first year of law school and will be reviewed carefully along with the syllabi for the courses the student has taken.

Notification of Acceptance

Because application decisions are based on a transcript and certification of good standing containing information about the academic year just completed, McGeorge usually notifies transfer students of their acceptance in mid-July for the fall and early December for the spring term.

An offer of admission to a transfer student comes with a detailed letter stating which coursework will be accepted either as credit or as credit along with the fulfillment of a course requirement. The letter should include a list of any classes required for admission in addition to what is generally required for graduation.

The letter also urges students to contact the Office of Student Services for academic advising for the second year and beyond. Transfer students are required to participate in selected sessions of Orientation, including sessions where students are made aware of the various services provided by each department on campus.

Study Abroad

Coursework Taken at Foreign Institutions by McGeorge Students

Students enrolled at the School of Law who wish to take courses at a foreign institution must obtain approval in advance from the Assistant Dean for Student Services in consultation with the Associate Dean for Academic Affairs. Requests for approval must include an educational objective, set forth the school and course descriptions, and indicate whether or not transfer credit back to the School of Law will be sought. If transfer credit is sought, a statement of semester unit equivalents must be provided. Permission will be granted only to students with a cumulative GPA of 2.70 as of the last grading period prior to date of application, and only (i) for Full-Time students who have completed their first year of study at the School of Law, and (ii) for Part-Time students who have completed their second year of study at the School of Law. Permission will not be granted for students in their graduating semester. Permission will be not be granted for a credited period of more than one semester nor for more than fifteen (15) semester units of credit. Required courses will not be waived and cannot be satisfied by any course taken at a foreign institution.

When transfer credit is granted, only the units, and not the grade, will be credited. The course will be treated the same as a "Honors/Pass/Low Pass/ Fail" course for GPA purposes. For the purpose of counting 72 graded units, the course may be treated as graded units if it was graded when taken unless an equivalent course at the School of Law is ungraded.

Non-Discrimination Policy

The McGeorge School of Law, University of the Pacific, in compliance with Titles VI and VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, Title IX of the Educational Amendments of 1972 (45 CFR 86), and Sections 503 and 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, and the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, does not discriminate in the administration of any of its educational programs, admissions, scholarships, loans, or other activities or programs on the basis of race, gender (identity and/or performance), sexual orientation or preference, national or ethnic origin, color, disability, marital status, age, or religious belief.

Inquiries regarding compliance with these statutes and regulations may be directed to the Office of the Dean, 3200 Fifth Ave., Sacramento, California 95817, 916.739.7151, or to the U.S. Department of Education, Office for Civil Rights, in San Francisco or Washington, D.C. Student records: Inquiries about the School's compliance with student access and privacy rights regarding educational records, under the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act of 1974, may be directed to the Office of the Dean or to the Student and Family Educational Rights and Privacy office, U.S. Department of Education, Washington, D.C.

Questions?

McGeorge Admissions
Email | 916.739.7105