Graduate school confusion

[sailormoonserenity]

I’ve been accepted to Windsor in this cycle (single and dual JD), rejected from Ryerson and UofT, and still waiting to hear from Osgoode, Queen’s, Ottawa and Western. I will likely decline my offer at Windsor Law. I would really prefer to go to Osgoode as I did my undergraduate degree at Western, and I'd like to live in Toronto, not have to be long distance with my boyfriend for another three years, and I hope to take advantage of the opportunities I would have at Osgoode in my field of interest (international human rights law). I’m hoping to go into international human rights law, or criminal law in an international setting, maybe policymaking and work for the UN or ICC down the line.

Given that I have not heard back from Osgoode yet and assuming I am potentially going to be waitlisted/rejected, should I a) stay at Western for another year, raise my GPA and reapply? OR b) apply to a master's program? 

I'll have a cGPA of around 3.3~3.4 at the end of this semester, L2 3.7, B3 3.7, with an LSAT score of 164 (87th percentile). I’m considering a minor (for one year) in Transitional Justice at Western as my backup plan because it’s in my field of interest and would allow me to raise my GPA. The master’s programs in question are MPP/MPA/MGA/MIA programs. I was accepted to the MGA at UofT, and they have a partnership with LSE where I could do an MPA there for a year (a two-year program). There are also some really cool dual master’s programs with Bocconi, LSE, Sciences Po Paris and other European schools, but a lot of the deadlines are over for these programs.

In the case that I am rejected/waitlisted from Osgoode: How are master's programs typically viewed in a law school application to Osgoode Law? If I have a lower undergraduate cumulative GPA (of 3.3~3.4), would it be worthwhile to take another undergraduate module and reapply? Or would it be better to go through with a master's degree (in my field of interest/career advancement) and then reapply? 

[Renerik]

I didn't want to touch this but since you got no hits here's my best guess at a coherent answer.

"I hope to take advantage of the opportunities I would have at Osgoode in my field of interest (international human rights law)"
International law is like El Dorado, a pipe dream. Sure you could go work at the UN but that's one tall task. Near impossible to do from Windsor and highly unlikely even from Oz. This thread has some decent insight on the subject: https://canlawforum.com/topic/2294-ubc-vs-uoft-vs-osgoode-international-law

"Given that I have not heard back from Osgoode yet and assuming I am potentially going to be waitlisted/rejected, should I a) stay at Western for another year, raise my GPA and reapply? OR b) apply to a master's program? "
Firstly, I wouldn't count yourself out just yet - the current admissions cycle is only halfway through. Option "a" seems pointless. No-one will care about a minor and even if you received a perfect grade in each class, that will boost your cgpa by what? 0.1 points? That's a lot of work and money for marginal increases in your stats. The same can be said about option "b", the masters program. It's a lot of money and often a 2 year time commitment. 50k/yr to attend the MGA in Toronto for a chance to increase your stats marginally? there's a third option you're not seeing: take a gap year, get a better LSAT score, work, and learn a second language (preferably French). If you got an LSAT score in the high 16X+ range, your chances at Oz increase dramatically and you become a serious contender at UofT. If you maintain proficiency in your second language, it becomes an asset when you enter the work force and are applying to positions that could lead into international-adjacent positions. I suggest French because JAG and the Fed value E/F bilingualism highly while learning Tagalog will not help much.

"How are master's programs typically viewed in a law school application to Osgoode Law?"
Masters programs are often seen as GPA boosters. That's why many schools treat a 2+ year masters as equivalent to only one year of undergraduate work when evaluating your admissions gpa. Osgoode will care, but not nearly enough to justify having spent 100K$ and 2 years on a masters that is highly unlikely to help you in practicing "international law".

Unless you're filthy rich and your parents are paying the bills, take a gap year and work.

[Kobe]

On 3/18/2022 at 11:08 AM, sailormoonserenity said:

I'll have a cGPA of around 3.3~3.4 at the end of this semester, L2 3.7, B3 3.7, with an LSAT score of 164 (87th percentile). I’m considering a minor (for one year) in Transitional Justice at Western as my backup plan because it’s in my field of interest and would allow me to raise my GPA. The master’s programs in question are MPP/MPA/MGA/MIA programs. I was accepted to the MGA at UofT, and they have a partnership with LSE where I could do an MPA there for a year (a two-year program). There are also some really cool dual master’s programs with Bocconi, LSE, Sciences Po Paris and other European schools, but a lot of the deadlines are over for these programs.

I think you should first decide if you want to be a lawyer or do policy work. An MPA from LSE and MGA from Munk will open many doors for you in the policy world. Probably a much more direct route to the UN than trying to do international law which ,as renerik mentioned, is pretty much a unicorn outcome. I know someone who did the MPP at U of T(I think the is equivalent to MPA), they are making great money working for the Feds and love their job. 

Other than that my advice would be to listen renerik, I think that was solid advice.