Very low UGPA/172 LSAT, mature student, should I go for a 2nd degree

[alexthia]

Canadian citizen living in Asia, currently partner level at a small local accounting firm leading a small team in audit/forensic acct, >7 years of job experience

Ontario undergrad with low UGPA(2.3ish, always overloading, double degree of two unrelated subjects) and mediocre Master degree GPA(3.6)

LSAT first attempt 172

Reason to do law school: for career advancement (current client body hit hard by covid) and to continue my career in Toronto

Aim: GTA schools (family here, I'm a mother of newborn twins)

Should I go for a 2nd Bachelor or a continuing study certificate, or simply boost my LSAT grade? Many thanks in advance!

Edited December 18, 2022 by alexthia

[Chewy]

I could be wrong, but I don't think trying to improve a 172 will do much for your chances. Schools calculate your GPA using your undergrad, not your Master's, although they will take it into consideration. I'm assuming you have been out of school for some time eh? You could apply as a mature applicant and that would work in your favour. Schools would look at your work experience and LSAT with more weight. Not all schools have a mature category though. Off the top of my head, I think Toronto, Ottawa, and possible TMU do.

[luckycharm]

19 hours ago, alexthia said:

Canadian citizen living in Asia, currently partner level at a small local accounting firm leading a small team in audit/forensic acct, >7 years of job experience

Ontario undergrad with low UGPA(2.3ish, always overloading, double degree of two unrelated subjects) and mediocre Master degree GPA(3.6)

LSAT first attempt 172

Reason to do law school: for career advancement (current client body hit hard by covid) and to continue my career in Toronto

Aim: GTA schools (family here, I'm a mother of newborn twins)

Should I go for a 2nd Bachelor or a continuing study certificate, or simply boost my LSAT grade? Many thanks in advance!

You don't need another degree.  Chewy is right. 

[alexthia]

16 hours ago, Chewy said:

I could be wrong, but I don't think trying to improve a 172 will do much for your chances. Schools calculate your GPA using your undergrad, not your Master's, although they will take it into consideration. I'm assuming you have been out of school for some time eh? You could apply as a mature applicant and that would work in your favour. Schools would look at your work experience and LSAT with more weight. Not all schools have a mature category though. Off the top of my head, I think Toronto, Ottawa, and possible TMU do.

Thanks! So far I only know that York has mature category but unsure for UofT. Will definitely check that out.

[123]

7 hours ago, luckycharm said:

Chewy is right.

[OceanBlue]

TMU will be happy to take you if you can demonstrate that you've improved since the 2.3 GPA.  They do have a mature student category called "Access" which is all encompassing for special circumstances.  I applied there with a CGPA of 2.7 but sadly my LSAT score of 154 won't be of any help. I know someone on this forum who got into TMU with a 2.5 GPA and a 162 LSAT.  Give it your all on your personal statement and highlight why the 2.3 was so low. I'm sure you'll be fine and best of luck! 

[VIPigeon]

Tor Ontario schools: I got into uOttawa, waitlisted at Western and got an interview invitation at Osgoode with similar stats (slightly higher gpa and slightly lower LSAT). Don’t underestimate what work experience can make up for, if you can show you have the intellectual aptitude for law school. 

[doggoford]

18 hours ago, VIPigeon said:

Tor Ontario schools: I got into uOttawa, waitlisted at Western and got an interview invitation at Osgoode with similar stats (slightly higher gpa and slightly lower LSAT). Don’t underestimate what work experience can make up for, if you can show you have the intellectual aptitude for law school. 

Did you end up getting accepted into Osgoode if you don't mind me asking?

[VIPigeon]

On 1/12/2023 at 5:27 PM, doggoford said:

Did you end up getting accepted into Osgoode if you don't mind me asking?

I didn’t do the interview, I preferred uOttawa. 

[ramoj]

On 12/19/2022 at 5:21 PM, alexthia said:

Thanks! So far I only know that York has mature category but unsure for UofT. Will definitely check that out.

Osgoode does not have a mature catregory, they only have general and indigenous. U of T has a mature category. https://www.law.utoronto.ca/student-life/personal-support/mature-students

[llssspp]

Hi, from what I know. The second degree will be seen as a positive, but it won't be considered in terms of your GPA when the admissions team makes their decisions. I think what you can focus on now is getting a high LSAT score, work experience and an epic personal statement. 

[GoatDuck]

20 minutes ago, llssspp said:

Hi, from what I know. The second degree will be seen as a positive, but it won't be considered in terms of your GPA when the admissions team makes their decisions. I think what you can focus on now is getting a high LSAT score, work experience and an epic personal statement. 

Schools generally include your second degree results in the GPA calculation. My second bachelor degree's GPA was included in the OLSAS GPA calculation and I strongly suspect that I was admitted on the basis of my second degree as there is no way that my first degree would've made me competitive. Some schools outside of the GTA (e.g. UofC) even explicitly encourage prospective applicants with uncompetitive undergraduate performance to complete two years of undergraduate studies post-completion of their degree to boost their L2 GPA (source: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uI6oz58u1Tk&t=2834s 37:35).

Edited January 28, 2023 by GoatDuck
typo

[llssspp]

2 hours ago, GoatDuck said:

Schools generally include your second degree results in the GPA calculation. My second bachelor degree's GPA was included in the OLSAS GPA calculation and I strongly suspect that I was admitted on the basis of my second degree as there is no way that my first degree would've made me competitive. Some schools outside of the GTA (e.g. UofC) even explicitly encourage prospective applicants with uncompetitive undergraduate performance to complete two years of undergraduate studies post-completion of their degree to boost their L2 GPA (source: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uI6oz58u1Tk&t=2834s 37:35).

Wow. I did not know that! On some websites, it says they will consider the second degree as a positive but not a part of the GPA. I was referring to Master's programs, by the way. I did my BA and got a CGPA of 3.2. Then, I did a Masters (CGPA of 3.8). I don't think they will include that in the GPA calculation.