GPA cutoffs/Access category

[dennis1]

Hi, I'm wondering if anyone could clarify something for me:

I'm going into 4th year of my undergrad, and am looking to apply in the upcoming cycle. I have written the LSAT and got a 155, but am in the process of re-writing and aiming to get around 163. My 1st year grades were good outside of 2 classes that hurt my GPA, and I also dropped a class and took it in the summer (so I had one semester with 5 classes, and one with 4). I have had some extremely difficult family circumstances that severely affected my mental health, and accordingly my GPA in my 2nd year suffered tremendously. However, in 3rd year I was in a much better mental state and my grades skyrocketed (above the median for every school I'm considering). I also have a letter of recommendation from a prof at the law school here who taught one of my undergrad law classes.

I plan to apply in the access category for every school I'm considering, but I'm wondering if they will use my first and third years for my GPA calculation despite not having a full course load one of the semesters? I took a couple gap years before undergrad due to my family circumstances and to play hockey, and so applying for fall 2025 would be less than ideal. Some clarity on my GPA situation as well as honesty regarding my candidacy would be much appreciated.

[Megjackson]

I had a kind of similar situation. My first year was good with the exception of dropping a philosophy class and doing poorly in my first psychology class. Then my second year was mediocre due to family issues (sister injured back and I had to take care of her, her 4 kids, full time university and work part time) so my grades really suffered to the point where I was just focusing on passing. She got better and life returned to normal so I was able to focus on me again and my grades really Improved. I also got a 155 LSAT.

 

I really tried to highlight all this in my personal statement, got great letter of references, etc. And got offers from 3 of the 4 law schools I applied for.

Alot of schools will drop lowest credits and tru looks at the last 20 classes I think. So that year where you got lower grades may not be such a big barrier for you. 

 

[GoBigOrGoHome]

There is zero GPA cutoff for discretionary at UVIC & UBC at the least because I would not have got in if that were the case (I’m very serious - it was that low). 

There may be a LSAT cut off. I was told a minimum I needed to achieve by UBC (160), got above, and was accepted. I asked specific to my application. Supposedly there are people got in with lower in the discretionary category so maybe there isn’t a cutoff and it was specific to me. 
 

Trying to give some hope to those that might be hopeless. 

If I knew I could have got into law school with my shitty GPA earlier, I would have been a lawyer a long time time ago.