Good idea to apply?

[ProudCrocodile]

I'm an international undergraduate student majored in French and I think my english (IELTS 7.5 to 😎 is better than my french (DALF C1).Yes, neither is my mother tongue, My GPA is 3.75 and june lsatflex 171. 

As per the conditions on mcgill website, I reckon I have a good chance to be admitted; but I wonder if my french will be adequate to survive mcgill law. Besides, since tuition fee for international students is about 50k CAD per year, how big are my chances to get some bursary and could it be a better idea to go to UBC or Osgoode (UofT is too expensive)?

Thank you guys for your help.

Edited July 4, 2021 by Licn

[Renerik]

You only need a functional/conversational competency in French for McGill. You might have to take some law courses offered in French and will read/listen to some material in French but you can answer in English if you're most comfortable with that. They'll have you take a phone interview during admissions to see if you can understand what is being said to you. From what I gather, you listen to a francophone and can answer their questions in English or French.

Si vous pouvez lire ceci sans avoir besoin l'aide, vous n'aurez aucun souci.

Not sure about scholarships but I don't think you'd get much if at all. Schools don't get government funding for international students so they need to shake you down for cash.

Edited July 4, 2021 by Renerik
Typo

[mobri]

Someone mind telling me if I should apply? I scored a 159 on the LSAT (I also have a 149 on my record, due to a proctorU interruption without stopping the clock - LSAC reviewed this as a valid complaint and gave me a free rewrite, but it is still on my record). I have a 4.0 GPA on the 4.0 scale, (4.2/4.3, Canadian student, Student Union President, fundraised over 10k on my own for a local hospital on my own after my father passed away, and I'm also a varsity university athlete, named an Academic All-Canadian for the past two consecutive years (I just finished my second year uni). I was also a regular student judicial board member before being elected president of my SU.

I really worry about that awful LSAT score on my record, it is so frustrating because the whole situation was not my fault. Plus, scoring 10 points higher a month later should really show that it wasn't me - I think, at least. I also have an athletics offer already from McGill, should I be accepted into law.

What do you folks think? I want honest opinions please.

Just now, mobri said:

Someone mind telling me if I should apply? I scored a 159 on the LSAT (I also have a 149 on my record, due to a proctorU interruption without stopping the clock - LSAC reviewed this as a valid complaint and gave me a free rewrite, but it is still on my record). I have a 4.0 GPA on the 4.0 scale, (4.2/4.3, Canadian student, Student Union President, fundraised over 10k on my own for a local hospital on my own after my father passed away, and I'm also a varsity university athlete, named an Academic All-Canadian for the past two consecutive years (I just finished my second year uni). I was also a regular student judicial board member before being elected president of my SU.

I really worry about that awful LSAT score on my record, it is so frustrating because the whole situation was not my fault. Plus, scoring 10 points higher a month later should really show that it wasn't me - I think, at least. I also have an athletics offer already from McGill, should I be accepted into law.

What do you folks think? I want honest opinions please.

Forgot to mention I'm also DELF certified as bilingual in French too.

[lawjustice]

On 7/4/2021 at 2:36 AM, Renerik said:

You only need a functional/conversational competency in French for McGill. You might have to take some law courses offered in French and will read/listen to some material in French but you can answer in English if you're most comfortable with that. They'll have you take a phone interview during admissions to see if you can understand what is being said to you. From what I gather, you listen to a francophone and can answer their questions in English or French.

Si vous pouvez lire ceci sans avoir besoin l'aide, vous n'aurez aucun souci.

Not sure about scholarships but I don't think you'd get much if at all. Schools don't get government funding for international students so they need to shake you down for cash.

Hi - I wonder if the French has to meet "intermediate" or "advanced" level as per McGill's expectations? 

[Renerik]

4 hours ago, lawjustice said:

Hi - I wonder if the French has to meet "intermediate" or "advanced" level as per McGill's expectations? 

Imagine I were to call you and ask: "Allo Lawjustice, pouvez vous me dire quel est votre film favori et pourquoi?" If you can answer that without literally dying, congrats, it's good enough for McGill.

 

There is no "intermediate/advanced", they just need to know that you wont be out in the fields with the cows if you need to listen to a francophone speak for a few minutes. 

[ccq35]

On 7/4/2021 at 5:36 AM, Renerik said:

From what I gather, you listen to a francophone and can answer their questions in English or French.

Yes, this is indeed the case. As long as you can demonstrate adequate comprehension of the interviewer's questions, you should be fine (as far as French is concerned). The questions that I was asked were relatively straightforward and related to my interest in the legal profession, McGill, and details of my application.

[GreyDude]

12 hours ago, mobri said:

Someone mind telling me if I should apply? I scored a 159 on the LSAT (I also have a 149 on my record, due to a proctorU interruption without stopping the clock - LSAC reviewed this as a valid complaint and gave me a free rewrite, but it is still on my record). I have a 4.0 GPA on the 4.0 scale, (4.2/4.3, Canadian student, Student Union President, fundraised over 10k on my own for a local hospital on my own after my father passed away, and I'm also a varsity university athlete, named an Academic All-Canadian for the past two consecutive years (I just finished my second year uni). I was also a regular student judicial board member before being elected president of my SU.

I really worry about that awful LSAT score on my record, it is so frustrating because the whole situation was not my fault. Plus, scoring 10 points higher a month later should really show that it wasn't me - I think, at least. I also have an athletics offer already from McGill, should I be accepted into law.

What do you folks think? I want honest opinions please.

I don’t feel comfortable giving advice about whether to apply.  However, I can suggest that you should contact the McGill Law admissions folks to see whether what happened during your first LSAT would be an appropriate subject for a letter of extenuating circumstances. I’m suggesting this because I have communicated a few times with those folks and have never found them to be anything other than courteous, straightforward and helpful, and i would expect your experience to be similar. Depending on their response, you should then have a better idea about how to proceed.

They say on the website that this letter is to cover things beyond your control that hurt your dossier (they seem to have transcripts in mind but that’s why I suggest contacting them directly to ask), and what you describe certainty sounds like it was beyond your control and it definitely hurts your dossier, which otherwise enviable. McGill, as you seem to know, takes the average of your LSAT scores rather than considering the highest or most recent, and that, of course, is exactly what you don’t want.
As an aside (still not giving advice on whether to apply, though), I’d also keep in mind the apparently extremely holistic approach McGill takes to admissions, regardless of the LSAT problem you had. As you describe yourself, you sound to me like an excellent candidate for any school… but what do I know? I’m just an applicant, myself. 

Anyway, I wish you well, whatever you choose to do! 

Edited July 27, 2021 by GreyDude
More cowbell

[ProudCrocodile]

20 hours ago, mobri said:

I have a 4.0 GPA on the 4.0 scale, (4.2/4.3, Canadian student, Student Union President, fundraised over 10k on my own for a local hospital on my own after my father passed away, and I'm also a varsity university athlete, named an Academic All-Canadian for the past two consecutive years (I just finished my second year uni). I was also a regular student judicial board member before being elected president of my SU.

I'm jealous, I think your softs would make you qualified for yale. From an applicant's perspective, if you can nail a better LSAT next time, you should be able to enter any schools you want😃