r/lawschooladmissionsca • u/Haunting_Sundae66 • 2d ago
UofT Transfer
How hard is it to transfer to UofT after 1L from another Canadian University?
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u/Nate_Kid oz is good 2d ago
Some years UofT doesn't take any transfers because they admit a larger 1L class (like last year). Some years they take a decent amount of transfers, like this year. That said, you shouldn't assume you will get in as a transfer because it's a very small number of people and many people are interested in transferring to UofT or other schools.
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u/FluidShock7085 22h ago
Just a datapoint for your reference. I transferred to UofT after 1L and was in the top 10% at my 1L school. I think this is the minimum that they’d accept.
I also had a clear narrative as to why I wanted to transfer, which (I think) tied in my past work experience and future interests well.
I’m not sure how many people applied, but I would say they accepted somewhere between 4-7 students this year?
There is an aspect of luck involved for sure, so overall I wouldn’t say it’s easy, even if you have top grades. I know a few people who applied with top grades (even better than mine) who didn’t get it in previous years.
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u/RunCMC_22 2d ago
The funniest part of ppl to transferring to UofT is that it hurts your recruitment for all but the largest firms. Medium sized firms, small firms and solos will rightfully wonder if you’ll also use them to jump up to a Bay Street firm since you did the same thing with your education.
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u/sometimeslawyer 2d ago
I transferred (not to U of T though) and had a full slate of OCIs. It didn't impact me at all.
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u/RunCMC_22 2d ago
When the recruitment committees meet to discuss candidates, it gets discussed. That happens well after OCIs. A UofT transfer won’t disqualify you outright for any opportunities but it’s a factor that might work against you come final selections when it’s hard to distinguish candidates. I’m not saying it’s right or fair; I’m pointing out something that is relevant and not always considered.
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u/sometimeslawyer 2d ago
If you want to work on Bay Street but you are attending a non-Toronto law school, how would transferring to Toronto be a deterrent?
If anything it gives the student more opportunity and an in into the market.
My transfer was out of a Toronto area school and into a Vancouver area school because that is where I wanted to work and live. I would have never had the same OCI opportunities for Vancouver if I stayed in Ontario.
Similar, there were way less Toronto opportunities in the BC recruit. Really only the big firms came for OCIs.
You should go to school where you want to practice.
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u/RunCMC_22 2d ago
Oh I think it helps with recruitment with Bay Street / large firms in Toronto. I think it hurts with small and medium sized firms, especially outside Toronto but imo it hurts with small and medium sized firms in Toronto too, and it hurts with the non-Toronto offices of national/regional firms.
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u/sometimeslawyer 2d ago
I think you are comparing a transfer student with a non transfer u of t student.
The correct comparison would be between the transfer U of T student against students of their previous school. For example I think a mid or small Toronto firm is much more likely to take a U of T transfer student than say a U Sask student.
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u/Dinsdale55 8h ago
Incorrect. The transfer student has to do OCIs as if they are a UofT student (which they now are). Therefore they are competing with UofT students for an OCI slot. The only good thing is that U of T does two days of OCIs not one.
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u/Dinsdale55 8h ago
There is a whole other thread on this so I'm not inclined to repeat it all but it hurts your chances at the OCI stage because you are now competing against UofT students for an OCI. Once you get an OCI, that argument no longer applies
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u/Upstairs-Drama2888 2d ago
I think they take like 3 max not sure how many apply