OLSAS & Personal Statements and Reference Letters

[Jean-Ralphio Saperstein]

How does OLSAS work in terms of personal statements and reference letters? Do I need to submit different ones for each school, or will it automatically submit it to all? I'm especially concerned about reference letters - do my referees only need to write and submit once, or? 

I'll be applying to Osgoode, Ryerson, and UofT for Fall 2022 admission if it matters. 

Thanks! 

[queenie]

Referees submit once to OLSAS and those letters will be sent to each school you apply to automatically!

[historicaladvantage]

On 6/21/2021 at 6:47 PM, Dee said:

How does OLSAS work in terms of personal statements and reference letters? Do I need to submit different ones for each school, or will it automatically submit it to all? I'm especially concerned about reference letters - do my referees only need to write and submit once, or? 

I'll be applying to Osgoode, Ryerson, and UofT for Fall 2022 admission if it matters. 

Thanks! 

(1) There are different personal statement requirements for each school, but I'd recommend starting with U of T's statement, as their personal statement criterion is very broad and loose.

Once you perfect that statement, you'll be able to fairly easy fine tune this "master" personal statement document to fit the more stringent requirements put forward by schools like Osgoode and Ryerson. Some schools also have optional essays, you can fill these out if you feel you fit the criterion for writing the optional personal statements. These criterion will be made clear to you in the application portals for the relevant schools, but if you need more clarity, visit the school's website and they should have pretty detailed information on their personal statement procedure. 

(2) As for reference letters, simply keep your referees apprised of the deadlines for OLSAS referees and they will submit their references confidentially through the system portal. Inform your referees they will be doing this. 

(3) You didn't ask this, but I'd also recommend you apply to at least a few more schools. The last applicant cycle was unprecedentedly competitive and, although I don't know your stats, it can't hurt to have a couple of safety schools. 

 

Edited June 22, 2021 by historicaladvantage