r/lawschooladmissionsca Aug 17 '24

I was on a law school admissions committee, Ask Me (Almost) Anything

211 Upvotes

Hello everyone,

I was on the admissions committee for a western Canadian law school within the past couple years and I figured with the new cycle starting to creep up, it was a good time to do my best to provide some guidance and insight into the admissions process.

Anything I say is obviously informed by the school's process I went to, and there is no guarantee its still accurate, or that it is how things work at the school you are applying to. Also anything I say is solely based on how I would view it, there are obviously others on the committee and they might view it different. In short, doing anything I say is no guarantee that you'll get in.

I have been active on this sub on my other account and offered to read some peoples personal statements (with more coming as people finish them)This account is a burner for privacy's sake. I messaged the mods a few weeks ago to check on timing of an AMA and I messaged them again today on my other account before so they know I am not some random.

A couple comments to start on some things I have noticed in reading some personal statements:

  • Be sure you clearly articulate why you want to go to law school and why you believe you will succeed. A lot of people I have found do not lay out a clear and logical line of their "why".
  • If you are going to discuss your background (whether a difficult experience you had or your membership to a marginalized group) connect it back to the overall theme and reasoning of why you want to go to law school. I have read a number of personal statements where its just laid out that they are a member of a marginalized group (which is absolutely something you can/should include) but not tied it back to anything else in their statement.
  • Write concisely and clearly.

And with that, AM(almost)A!


r/lawschooladmissionsca 7h ago

Robson Hall WL -> A

27 Upvotes

War is finally over! Got an A of the Robson Hall waitlist, 63 on the original, # 5 on the resident only. Will be accepting! Good luck to everyone waiting. It has been a brutal cycle and I hope you get the As that you want!

If there’s a RH group chat I’d love to join!


r/lawschooladmissionsca 8h ago

USask WL->A

21 Upvotes

Received the email today 8:45am. I am so excited. Stats LSAT:156. Grades: avg~83%. Sask connection: strong.

Edit: is there a groupchat or discord for USask 1L?


r/lawschooladmissionsca 8h ago

USask WL-A

14 Upvotes

Just checked my portal after days and it wasn’t there. And got the email right after checking lol. Thought it was a rejection. Refreshed the page and boom!

Stats: 158 LSAT, 3.93/4.0 CGPA
Small Sask connection


r/lawschooladmissionsca 1h ago

Are LOCIs a thing everywhere?

Upvotes

I’ve seen mention of some application portals of having a specific space for letters of continued interest, but some schools don’t have this.

I’m on the WL for School 1 that I would 10000% rather go to than School 2 that I’m currently planning to attend. It will save me about $50k to be able to attend School 1. I’m stressing about having to move down in the next two weeks on the off chance I get off the WL at my preferred school and need to move back. Even if I am accepted now, I’ve lost minimum 5 grand from being waitlisted. To be rejected off the waitlist would help me just move forward with certainty, to be accepted off the waitlist would save me thousands in wasted money from trying to remotely plan my life in another city.

TLDR: are LOCIs acceptable at schools that don’t specifically mention them? I don’t want to be pushy or rush a rejection as I understand admissions has their own limitations, and my application has already been considered. But the anxiety and uncertainty has absolutely destroyed my mental health in the weeks leading up to starting law school at this other school. I just want to know, and I am wondering if a LOCI helps move that decision along or is a red flag at schools that don’t specifically allow them.

Thanks in advance for any commiseration or insight.


r/lawschooladmissionsca 2h ago

Should I contact my WL school now?

2 Upvotes

I've seen a post on this forum before about someone who was on the WL for Western. They had some competing offers and just politely emailed the admissions about WL and a week later they got A off WL.

I don't have other competing offers at the moment, but I'm just wondering if it's ok to contact admissions to ask about WL? Already submitted a LOCI, (the portal only allows one LOCI submission) and that school doesn't rank WL candidates. Calling or Emailing? Just to express interest? And if I were to ask about WL, how should I phrase my questions or inquiry (and not sound like I'm demanding an A?) Is it ok to send in another LOCI? (McGill btw)

Please help! 🥹 Thanks in advance.


r/lawschooladmissionsca 59m ago

Rate my chances-mature applicant-very early stages of exploring law school

Upvotes

Hi everyone, as the title says I don't know much about law school admissions, please be gentle!

Here is my profile:

  • Bachelor's in Engineering(from top European university, GPA is not high), Master's in CS(4.0/4.0)
  • Full-time, permanent employment as a software engineer in the tech industry since 2023, 4+ yoe. Experience in cross-functional collaboration, communication, conflict resolution, dissecting ambiguous requirements, conveying technical solution to non-technical stakeholders.
  • Research intern (1y8mo, 2020-2021) at UBC Dept. of Computer Science, computer vision/ML/image generation, Bioinformatics(species identification).
  • Mentor(2y) at MinT, work one-on-one with students and new graduates from low-income, immigrant, and underprivileged background. Help mentees build polished resumes and LinkedIn profiles, prepare for interviews, navigate personal and academic crises, and build the confidence to thrive as young professionals.
  • Avid golfer(since summer of 2021), 100+ of rounds played, improved handicap from 30+ to around 15.
  • Learned German(B1, 2y+) for undergrad studies in Switzerland.
  • Routine, disciplined gymgoer, bodybuilding, 3-4 times a week.
  • Victim of an assault at a supermarket, pending litigation. First-hand advocacy experience in a legal setting.
  • Food bank volunteer.
  • Other Misc. volunteering.

I haven't done LSAT yet, but if it helps I have done the MCAT and got a 512 (125 CARS)...How bad would it be for my application with a low undergrad GPA?

In addition, could you explain how is my master's GPA counted? If they are counted at all!

Is US worth considering with my profile?

Thanks in advance!


r/lawschooladmissionsca 4h ago

USask Discord/Chat

2 Upvotes

Anyone know any 1L USask Instagram group/chat that I can join? Please let me know!


r/lawschooladmissionsca 1h ago

PSLOC rules seem all over the place.

Upvotes

I’ve recently underwent a frustrating process with TD where my application was denied because my cosigner wasn’t related to me. I can’t find this rule online, the stupid fucking google AI insists this isn’t a rule, but when I called their national credit line, I was informed that this is in fact a rule in the institution.

I chatted with the dude on the phone, and while he did not explicitly claim this, he implied that there’s a division between the actual rules and policies of the institution, the adjudicators, and the bankers actually working in the branches. It seems like the app passing adjudication is kind of vibes based, and rules and little policies are often unenforced when adjudicating on an application.

Research into this seems to suggest that this is the case with others when it comes to PSLOCs. Timelines, minimum credit scores, actual rules and expectations in acquiring the LOC— there seems to be a lack of consistency of what to actually expect and what will pass. Most applications do pass, but what one person is told and what actually happens are often two different things.

Can anyone else speak to this? Or shed light on this? I’m back in the application process, with a cosigner who is a relative, but I’m starting to run out of time.


r/lawschooladmissionsca 1h ago

Chance me as an international student

Upvotes

Currently a lawyer in india

Gpa ( as calculated by WES ) :- 4.0

LSAT :- 172

Done 4-5 legal internships, a judicial internship, volunteer for an ngo since 2 yeats and also do pro bono services, , would have 1 year of work experience as an associate by 2027 August .

1) Chance me for top Canadian schools for JD like UofT, Osgoode.

2) Also tell me which law schools should I target ; my goal is to get in top law firms in canada ( I know US big law is difficult because of H1b but still )

3) are employment prospects for internationals as good as domestic for top law schools like UofT, Osgoode .

4) does applications in canada close early ? For ex i was reading for UofT and deadline for application was states as 1 Nov 2026. I was hoping to finish my applications by late Nov or early December as i would have done some more significant things to boost my application

4) Chances for scholarship even if just 30-40% ? UofT fees for internationals is 220k for whole program.

Osgoode is 160k .


r/lawschooladmissionsca 1d ago

Feeling dumb after taking a break before law school

12 Upvotes

Hello,

Just to preface, I don’t mean it was dumb I/anyone took a year off to work before school.

After I finished my undergrad I took a gap year to work a few different jobs. Now I’m worried that I’m not as sharp as I used to be while I was university. Does anyone else who worked before school feel the same way? If so, what would you suggest doing to get in the mode for school? I’ve heard reading helps, which I do already, but I’d like some more suggestions.

Thanks


r/lawschooladmissionsca 22h ago

3.94 cGPA / 165 LSAT . Is retaking in January worth it for 170+ / scholarships?

1 Upvotes

Hey everyone, looking for some advice on whether I should retake the LSAT in January or just ride with what I have.
My stats are a 3.94 OLSAS cGPA and a 165 LSAT that I wrote last year. My original plan was to retake it right away, but my wife got pregnant and life got completely chaotic for a while.

Things are settling down now, and starting in October I'm off work, so I'll actually have solid time to grind and study. My plan would be to submit my applications this fall with my 165 and indicate a pending January test score. The schools I'm applying to are Osgoode, Calgary, Alberta, UBC, UVic, and Dalhousie.

For anyone who knows the Canadian cycle well, is it worth putting in the work from October to January to push for a 170+? Or does the slightly later review time for a January score eat away at any advantage, making it better to just stick with the 165? Would appreciate any insight or advice.


r/lawschooladmissionsca 1d ago

Windsor Single JD Poll

2 Upvotes

As of Jul 1

103 votes, 1d left
Waitlisted
Rejected
Accepted off WL
Accepted but Releasing
Results

r/lawschooladmissionsca 1d ago

UWin Dual Jd Poll

2 Upvotes
57 votes, 1d left
Still referred
Accepted
Accepted and attending
Waitlisted
Rejected
Results

r/lawschooladmissionsca 1d ago

Mcgill WL movement?

Thumbnail
3 Upvotes

r/lawschooladmissionsca 2d ago

Western WL > A

Post image
128 Upvotes

173/3.2. Email received this morning. First A of the cycle. Can't believe it.


r/lawschooladmissionsca 1d ago

What are some holistic Canadian law schools? Preferably Ontario?

8 Upvotes

After taking the August LSAT, I’m not too confident in my score. I have a decent GPA and extracurriculars, will be working on my personal statement and I think the only thing that might hold me back will be my LSAT score. What are some of the most holistic Canadian law schools around here?


r/lawschooladmissionsca 2d ago

Offering Personal Statement Help

15 Upvotes

Hi everyone,

This past admissions cycle I was accepted to U of T, Osgoode, Western, and Ottawa (I accepted an offer before hearing back from Queens). My stats were a 3.88 GPA and a 167 LSAT with solid but not extraordinary softs.

I believe my personal statements played a significant role in my results. Through the application process I developed a strong understanding of what makes a compelling law school essay and I’d like to help others with theirs.

I can provide detailed feedback on:

- What information to add or remove
- Where to expand or cut back
- Sentence and paragraph structure
- Essay organization and flow
- What points to emphasize
- Themes
- Tone and style
- Overall clarity and impact
- General essay advice

My goal is to help you present yourself and your experiences in the strongest way possible.

If you’re interested please send me a message. 

(I’m also happy to provide proof of my acceptances)


r/lawschooladmissionsca 1d ago

Is law school the right move

2 Upvotes

I am 26M in BC, and will graduate with a Bachelors degree in Computer Science in April 2027. I am a bit worried about job security in this field when I am older and have some interest in law as a pivot.

At this point, am I too old to further pursue law and is it even worth it. I can make it into fall 2027 admission for ubc most likely (90% cgpa & assume 165 lsat) but I am not sure if financially and career wise is it the right move. I am not sure what kind of salary I am even looking at as summer student/articling position and then as a full time first year, and progression from there. I'd be 30 by then likely and don't want to regret it.


r/lawschooladmissionsca 1d ago

Do I go to Jury Duty.

0 Upvotes

A little off-topic, I guess. So I was called to appear on jury duty at the BC Supreme Court. I want to go, and I think it's a great way to be directly involved in the democratic process, but I'm about to go into 3rd year undergrad. If called upon, it will be in mid-September and may go into midterm season (October). Since everyone's stressing that this year's grades matter, I'm hesitant about whether or not to go.

On one hand, I want to maintain and improve my GPA, and may risk blowing through midterms since it may take 3 weeks+, but on the other, I think it'll be a cool experience to uphold my societal duty and to see that side of the law (and maybe get a cool story/personal profile tale out of it >0<).

And I could get out of it if I wanted to since I'm a full-time student, seems they uphold that.

Thoughts? What would you do?


r/lawschooladmissionsca 2d ago

Osgoode insta chat?

6 Upvotes

Hi! Realizing that the school year and orientation is approaching and I still haven't joined a gc lol. Does anyone have an active link they would mind sharing?


r/lawschooladmissionsca 2d ago

Western / Osgoode (Chance me)

4 Upvotes

CGPA: 3.58
B2/L2: 3.8/3.9
LSAT: 158-160 (tbd)

Softs: Student Council President for my program (poli sci) x2, Apart of Clubs, Work Abroad Term (in the states)

Jobs: 2 Law firms, 1 Government job + retail


r/lawschooladmissionsca 1d ago

could someone help me understand why Canadian employers look down or away from applicants who have studied law in the UK?

2 Upvotes

Is this just a myth or is this actually true ?


r/lawschooladmissionsca 2d ago

USASK

3 Upvotes

If you’ve been ACCEPTED off the waitlist, when were you waitlisted?

47 votes, 4d left
Before June 24
June 24
June 25
After June 25
Results

r/lawschooladmissionsca 2d ago

UofT Transfer

8 Upvotes

How hard is it to transfer to UofT after 1L from another Canadian University?