Law school Re-applicant

[student]

Hi everyone!

I am wondering what next steps folks would recommend for me to do in improving my chances when re-applying to law school. I just got my last rejection for this upcoming year and am feeling kind of hopeless.

Stats:

3.4/4 cGPA

3.6/4 L2

LSAT: 160, 161 retake

EC experience all throughout university, stayed really dedicated to one extracurricular program and worked my way up. I also have strong LORs from professors.

I applied to UofT, Osgoode, Queen's, Western, UOttawa, Ryerson and UVic. I know some of those were kind of a longshot, and so next year I am going to apply to some other schools, but these were my top choices initially.

I am worried I cannot improve my LSAT score much more since I already retook it and only improved by 1 point. My current plan is to take a 5th year and just finish my double degree part-time while completing a thesis, but I don't know how much value that will add to my application. 

What can I do to improve my chances?

 

[LMP]

Your stats aren't bad and if you applied more broadly (Windsor, UNB, TRU) I'm confident you'll get an offer somewhere.

As for rewrites and added courses, obviously any boost to your GPA or LSAT would be helpful but as you've pointed out there may not be much room for growth. 

It also never hurts to have someone with good judgement go over your PS. Even a slight improvement there may help. 

I also suspect next cycle will see a slight drop in applicants, though I can't guarantee that means things will be less competitive. In any case it may give you a slight edge. 

All in all if you apply again next year, to more schools, I have a good feeling you'll get a response. 

[Renerik]

Agreed with LMP, consider applying outside of Ontario. Your L2 and LSAT are competitive for UCal and TRU. Unfortunately that L2 isn't competitive for Western and Queens.  

You can improve your L2 at certain schools by taking an extra year/doing open studies, so you've got options there.

The difference between a 161 and a 162 on the current LSAT is getting one more question right. Are you certain you can't study for a few months and get at least one more correct answer than your last take? Through sheer luck your score could fluctuate +/-2 points.  5 more correct and you get a 165, that would give you some real breathing room and that's just 5 more correct answers overall. While there's some real volatility at the 170+ scores, I don't buy into the idea that you can't improve by a few questions at the low 160 range. 

Edited July 10, 2021 by Renerik

[student]

Thank you, I really appreciate the perspectives @LMP & @Renerik!!! It is super helpful to hear from other people, especially when I do not know a lot of law school applicants!

I'm just not sure what resource to use to improve my LSAT when I have already exhausted self-studying methods with Powerscore and Khan Academy, but another user has recommended 7sage so I may check that out.

It was hard not to be discouraged this year with 7 rejections 😞 But I will definitely apply to some other Canadian schools, just have to learn some more about them!

Edited July 10, 2021 by student

[Thrive92]

As others have pointed out, applying to more schools that look at your L2 marks (Dal/Prairie law schools/TRU) during this cycle would've gotten you at least a waitlist I think, and most likely an acceptance from TRU (which doesn't really sound as great anymore with what happened).

I recommend you try to improve on both your LSAT and your GPA. Trying to improve more than one factor of admissions is a much more safer bet. Even if you can improve your score by 2 more points, I would say you are very much more likely to be accepted in the prairie schools/TRU.

Good luck.

Edited July 10, 2021 by Thrive92
grammar

[luckycharm]

14 hours ago, student said:

Hi everyone!

I am wondering what next steps folks would recommend for me to do in improving my chances when re-applying to law school. I just got my last rejection for this upcoming year and am feeling kind of hopeless.

Stats:

3.4/4 cGPA

3.6/4 L2

LSAT: 160, 161 retake

EC experience all throughout university, stayed really dedicated to one extracurricular program and worked my way up. I also have strong LORs from professors.

I applied to UofT, Osgoode, Queen's, Western, UOttawa, Ryerson and UVic. I know some of those were kind of a longshot, and so next year I am going to apply to some other schools, but these were my top choices initially.

I am worried I cannot improve my LSAT score much more since I already retook it and only improved by 1 point. My current plan is to take a 5th year and just finish my double degree part-time while completing a thesis, but I don't know how much value that will add to my application. 

What can I do to improve my chances?

 

 

per olsas?

3.4/4 cGPA

3.6/4 L2

[student]

On 7/10/2021 at 3:35 AM, Thrive92 said:

As others have pointed out, applying to more schools that look at your L2 marks (Dal/Prairie law schools/TRU) during this cycle would've gotten you at least a waitlist I think, and most likely an acceptance from TRU (which doesn't really sound as great anymore with what happened).

I recommend you try to improve on both your LSAT and your GPA. Trying to improve more than one factor of admissions is a much more safer bet. Even if you can improve your score by 2 more points, I would say you are very much more likely to be accepted in the prairie schools/TRU.

Good luck.

Thank you for the advice and the well wishes!

On 7/10/2021 at 10:12 AM, luckycharm said:

 

per olsas?

3.4/4 cGPA

3.6/4 L2

Yes!

[Meryl]

You can also email all the schools you applied to at the end of the cycle (ie end of august) to ask how you could improve on your application. Several schools are known for giving feedback to those who ask for it. 

[luckycharm]

1 hour ago, student said:

Thank you for the advice and the well wishes!

Yes!

I got into Ottawa  9 years ago with similar stats. (161 and 3.47).  There were many who were accepted to Ottawa with weaker stats in the past.

Although you mentioned that you don't think you can improve your LSAT more (160, 161) but will you consider a private tutor?

I think you should apply broadly and have someone look at your PS.