Indigenous category

[Megjackson]

I am applying for 2023 or 2024 intake years. I'm an indigenous student and I'm curious about the indigenous category that most law schools have. What's the point? Beyond ensuring diversity and all that. Are the standards lowered for indigenous students in that category, would it give me some sort of edge or make my application stand out more?

It seems like extra work with unclear advantages. Should I even bother applying under that category? 

[Borat]

Standards are not explicitly lowered for applicants in the Indigenous category, but most schools here would place greater emphasis on factors other than your GPA/LSAT, such as your personal statement, letters of reference, work/volunteer experience, etc. For example, in relation to the Indigenous category, Queens states "If there is strong evidence of academic ability in the application, an exception might be made to the academic standards."

You are correct that the Indigenous application process for most schools requires a bit of extra work. Each school has different requirements, but at minimum you need to provide proof of Indigenous status. Some schools like UBC place an emphasis on applicants "involved with or committed to Indigenous communities and organizations, and intend to use their legal training to advance Indigenous concerns and interests."

Also most schools in Western Canada don't require letters of reference for general applicants, but typically two letters are required for Indigenous applicants (one of which describes your connections to the Indigenous community). Additional supplemental information may also be required.

If you're willing/able to put together a good Indigenous application, then there's no reason then why you shouldn't, especially if you're applying to schools such as UVic which have a strong Indigenous focus.

[Pendragon]

Lol, of course you should apply in this category if you are indigenous. Yes, admissions will be easier. Most, if not all, law schools in Canada have a separate indigenous category for a reason. 

[GreyDude]

8 hours ago, Megjackson said:

I am applying for 2023 or 2024 intake years. I'm an indigenous student and I'm curious about the indigenous category that most law schools have. What's the point? Beyond ensuring diversity and all that. Are the standards lowered for indigenous students in that category, would it give me some sort of edge or make my application stand out more?

It seems like extra work with unclear advantages. Should I even bother applying under that category? 

While all the  schools I've looked at seem to have rather extensive program offerings relating to indigenous issues and identity, just what indigenous identity means at the admissions level isn't always the same. One thing that is clear, though, is they all want more indigenous students. 

For example, at U of Calgary they invite indigenous students to write an essay about their experiences, but they don't really say what they'll do with it, unless I missed something on their page. The concrete information seems to be about funding (https://law.ucalgary.ca/future-students/admissions-jd-programs/indigenous-students-admissions-process), and one assumes they will give special consideration to people submitting that essay. For its part, Osgoode has only two categories of applicant, General and Indigenous, which obviously means that they are looking to admit more indigenous students and will approach those applications differently (https://www.osgoode.yorku.ca/programs/juris-doctor/jd-admissions/first-year-applicants/eligibility-requirements/).  And while McGill doesn't have a separate indigenous category, it states a commitment to attracting indigenous applicants, invites them to self-identify, and says it will sometimes waive or soften its language requirements (passive bilingualism french-english) for indigenous applicants, among other things (https://www.mcgill.ca/law/bcl-jd/admissions-guide/indigenous-applicants). 

So definitely apply in that category if you can, or self-identify. It will help you. 

 

[CleanHands]

I have friends from UBC law who straight up told me they were accepted through the Indigenous category and would not have been competitive under the general category. People aren't really doing any favours to people like the OP by trying to avoid stating that that's the case or providing longwinded and convoluted answers. If you are eligible for the category it's advantageous to apply under; simple as that.

This is not a knock against Indigenous candidates, law students, or lawyers (nor a suggestion that many or most such people aren't as qualified as any of their non-Indigenous counterparts), nor a comment on what admissions policies should be (although for the record, given the overrepresentation of Indigenous people as criminally accused people and also ongoing Aboriginal rights and title litigation, etc, I am sure most of us would agree that our society would benefit from more Indigenous lawyers).

Edited November 16, 2021 by CleanHands

[QueensDenning]

I know a few indigenous students from my undergrad who went on to law school. The standards are MUCH lower. The one who I was really close with was well below the general category "competitive" range for GPA and LSAT. 

Edit: also not a knock on indigenous candidates. There are reasons for why this is so and I absolutely agree that it's appropriate. 

Edited November 16, 2021 by QueensDenning