Best US Law Schools For Canadians

[Canlawforumuser123]

Hi everyone! Will be great to have some schools recommended for Canadian applicants. In the LSAT I’m getting low 150s in my PTs and I’m giving the January sitting. This is where I’m concerned and it’s forcing me to think about US law schools

 

The rest of my application looks strong with a great GPA, work experiences (real estate and banking), leadership roles (political), personal statement, etc.

 

My GPA Based on OLSAS:-

CGPA -> 3.7286

L2/B2 -> 3.8056

B20 half courses -> 3.87

L12 credits -> 3.9

[Whist]

No US school is good for Canadians. Yale, Stanford, Columbia, Harvard, etc are fine for obvious reasons, but I assume that's not where you're applying. 

I don't have much advice on your LSAT concern (your GPA doesn't seem to be the issue). Some people do get into certain Canadian schools with a low 15x and a decent GPA, but I don't think me just telling you how that impacts your chances is helpful. I also don't want to discourage you from applying. But if you have to go to a mid or lower tier US school to become a lawyer in Canada, I'd take some time to sit and think about what else there might be for you outside law school. 

Edited December 3, 2022 by Whist

[Turtles]

If your LSAT is your biggest barrier and you are considering predatory US schools where you would pay upwards of $200k USD, you should be finding an LSAT prep course or tutor ASAP. A extra couple hundred dollars now vs an extra hundred thousand dollars that'll haunt you for a decade. If you can get a strong undergraduate GPA, you should be able to do well on the LSAT if you study (learn techniques that actually work, not just relying on your intuition on how things should be done as the latter is too slow for the LSAT) and practice enough (and get any necessary accommodations).

[KDaddy]

If you are in the low 150s you really aren't that far away from being a shoo-in for many great Canadian law schools. With your GPA I'm sure you could get into some schools with as low as 157/158, especially if you have a compelling personal statement and resume (if applicable). If you can get to a 160 I have no doubt you will get in somewhere. It obviously depends on your LSAT diagnostic and how long you have already been studying but it is certainly worth it to put some more money into your LSAT prep before considering American Law schools. I went from a 143 diagnostic to an official score of 163 in about 5 months of studying a couple of hours a day- it doesn't have to be super intense. Also, I would advise against the January LSAT as you may need more time to study to move your score to the high 150s/low 160s and it will probably delay schools from looking at your application. Also from my understanding, a vast majority of U.S. law schools should only be attended if you are getting a full-ride scholarship at them.

[CheeseToast]

Yeah, you have a great GPA dude. Spend a few hundred on 7sage, raise that score by a few points, and you should be fine. 

[goodisgood]

ID your weak points on the LSAT (for most, it's LG) and you can probably get within striking range of a 160 with that alone (though it might be a bit tight for the January sitting, and if you can afford to wait which it sounds like you can it might be better to apply next year and really pump that LSAT up). 7sage turned me into an LG slaying beast even though I originally couldn't even finish a section perfectly when untimed. As others have said, paying a bit for a prep course is going to be way better than spending way more on education in the US. 

[Conge]

It's too early for you to start looking at (what are essentially) scams in the US.

If you do score in the low 150s, there are no US law schools worth considering. But I suspect that, with a bit of work, you can achieve an LSAT that is competitive for Canada. 

[sami]

I just finished my last semester of law school in the United States. I moved from Canada. I will share my PERSONAL experience. My tuition including the scholarship I received was pretty reasonable, it was relatively similar to law schools in ON with just over 1K in difference and no I do not come from a rich family neither did I have money to blow away. I was completely alone and funded myself. The rent is very cheap compared to where I was in Canada. I enjoyed my experience here, and there is plenty of opportunities in the US and the legal industry in general. I have a job lined up already to work in the Supreme Court of the state. During summers, I worked in law firms that were paid and I was able to pay for my expenses and rent for a year without resorting to loans. I used my loans solely for tuition and there are many different ways of gaining a scholarship. 

I did not intend on staying in the States after I graduated but I will be staying under H1-B status. I wish you all the best in your future choices, try your best to have a game plan and be open-minded.