Jump to content

Applying this fall -- LSAT or not?


Legal and Regal

Recommended Posts

Legal and Regal
  • Applicant

So I'm applying to McGill Law, my dream law school, this fall. I'm current a McGill undergrad, with a 3.91 GPA in the faculty of science (BSc&BA). I'm also a QC resident and went to CEGEP, where my R score was around 34, and am perfectly bilingual. My ECs and work experience are decent (2 fairly new exec positions & club experience relating to human rights and writing, a summer job I've had for several years where I was in a manager/leadership position, and a summer internship at an NGO), although not extraordinary. I'm also pretty sure my letters of recommendation will be pretty good as they're from profs who can attest to my writing skills and interests (which will be reflected elsewhere in my application). I haven't written my personal statement yet, but I would say that once I do, all around my application will be pretty whole and consistent. I don't think there will be any specific weak/negative points in that sense, or at least none that I can improve on at this point. Hence why I am hesitant to write the LSAT -- my GPA is well above average for McGill, my application will be decent as well, and I know I wouldn't be able to get an LSAT score that would be on the same level/as strong in comparison to my GPA. I talked to admissions a few months ago, before I started considering taking the LSAT, and they told me that since my GPA is already above average I should only do the LSAT if the score will also be above average and strengthen my application, because if I get a lower score it will just bring my application down. 

I'm currently registered to take the LSAT in august and when I do practice tests, I am scoring around McGill's average. The test is in less than 2 weeks, and I'm not sure I see myself scoring at or above that, given that people usually do less well during the actual LSAT than on practice tests. I might be able to get a refund if i cancel but either way, I am willing to lose that 200$ if it means preventing harm to my application... 

I would really appreciate input on whether you think I should take the LSAT and hope for the best, or just leave my application as is. Would I potentially be disadvantaged by NOT taking the LSAT? If i don't take the LSAT, can I "compensate" by writing a really good personal statement? What have your experiences been? thank you!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Gerwulf
  • Articling Student

Hello @Legal and Regal

Here’s what I thought of as I read your post. Keep in mind that my remarks are purely based on my personal experience at McGill Law, and on the comments I heard from my colleagues there. If other users of the forum disagree, please comment! 😊

First, while you have a solid GPA, I would hesitate to qualify it as being “well above average for McGill”. Many students at McGill have 4.0 GPAs (or even higher, if they went to QC universities).

Second, I know for a fact that some of my colleagues had GPAs similar to yours, or a bit lower, and got in without writing the LSAT. Therefore, I would tend to agree with admissions’ implication that you do not need to write the LSAT. If you score “around McGill's average” during your practice runs, you may indeed score lower on the actual test, as you mentioned in your original post. This, in conjuncture with what admissions’ told you, essentially implies that your actual LSAT score may well end up hurting your application.

Third, and perhaps more importantly, your personal statement is crucial. According to what I heard at the Faculty, an overall good applicant with a poor PS may not get in, and a less competitive applicant with a terrific PS may get the spot. In other words, whether you write and nail the LSAT or instead decide not to write it, you should put a lot of work in your PS. I am too busy these days to review personal statements, but if you would like me to email you mine, just send me a private message with your email address and it will be my pleasure 😊

Good luck, you’ve got this!

  • Like 3
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Legal and Regal
  • Applicant

Hi @Gerwulf! Thank you so much for your comment. That definitely makes sense. I will focus on my statement, which is something I have the power to make good! Thanks again!😊 

  • Thanks 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

ProudCrocodile
  • Law School Admit
On 8/3/2021 at 5:36 AM, Legal and Regal said:

I'm currently registered to take the LSAT in august and when I do practice tests, I am scoring around McGill's average. The test is in less than 2 weeks, and I'm not sure I see myself scoring at or above that, given that people usually do less well during the actual LSAT than on practice tests. I might be able to get a refund if i cancel but either way, I am willing to lose that 200$ if it means preventing harm to my application... 

I'm also applying for mcgill (my dream school too!) this fall, so please take my post as a grain of salt. 

McGill's Lsat average is around 165 last year, and as per your PTs, your real Aug lsat score would be unlikely to give you an edge for Mcgill. But law school admissions are not entirely a number game, there might be something unforeseeable that could affect your chances; so I guess that with a 165-ish lsat score, your 3.91 gpa could at least get you into Oz or UBC, in order that you would be a law school student even if you got rej by Mcgill (it will be their loss).

As the lsat test date is approching, you still have the chances to boost your score by 2-3 points (that's my case in June). And you will likely to deduce from your PTs in your final 3-5 days before the exam your real score (for me it's -1or2 from my PT's average). Since money is not a great issue, perhaps you can decide then whether to sit the exam, and I remembered that a not-show for LSAT would not be disclosed to law school (Not sure now, you can check that on lsac website). 

 

Hope we will all get admitted to Mcgill 😃

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Legal and Regal
  • Applicant

Hi! Thank you! I decided not to take the LSAT -- I won't be applying out of province and therefore don't need to submit an LSAT score for any schools I'm applying to. It's not worth it for me to take it, so I'll just hope for the best and whatever happens, happens! I really hope both of us get in -- we got this! 🙂 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

99problems
  • Lawyer
32 minutes ago, Legal and Regal said:

I decided not to take the LSAT

I'm late to the party. But I'm wondering if it's possible for you to write the LSAT but not include its score in your application. If that's the case, I would write the LSAT: if you get a decent mark, you'll add that to your already-strong application; if the mark is not satisfactory, then pretend it never happened. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

ZineZ
  • Lawyer
2 hours ago, not not a lawyer said:

I'm late to the party. But I'm wondering if it's possible for you to write the LSAT but not include its score in your application. If that's the case, I would write the LSAT: if you get a decent mark, you'll add that to your already-strong application; if the mark is not satisfactory, then pretend it never happened. 

My recollection is that all LSAT scores in the relevant time period go to admissions. I am fairly certain that you can not cherry pick. 

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

GreyDude
  • Law Student
13 hours ago, not not a lawyer said:

I'm late to the party. But I'm wondering if it's possible for you to write the LSAT but not include its score in your application. If that's the case, I would write the LSAT: if you get a decent mark, you'll add that to your already-strong application; if the mark is not satisfactory, then pretend it never happened. 

This is not possible. McGill is very specific about this on their website. They would reject the application of any candidate who tried this. 

  • Like 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 1 year later...
camera_small
  • Applicant
On 8/2/2021 at 11:42 PM, Gerwulf said:

Hello @Legal and Regal

Here’s what I thought of as I read your post. Keep in mind that my remarks are purely based on my personal experience at McGill Law, and on the comments I heard from my colleagues there. If other users of the forum disagree, please comment! 😊

First, while you have a solid GPA, I would hesitate to qualify it as being “well above average for McGill”. Many students at McGill have 4.0 GPAs (or even higher, if they went to QC universities).

Second, I know for a fact that some of my colleagues had GPAs similar to yours, or a bit lower, and got in without writing the LSAT. Therefore, I would tend to agree with admissions’ implication that you do not need to write the LSAT. If you score “around McGill's average” during your practice runs, you may indeed score lower on the actual test, as you mentioned in your original post. This, in conjuncture with what admissions’ told you, essentially implies that your actual LSAT score may well end up hurting your application.

Third, and perhaps more importantly, your personal statement is crucial. According to what I heard at the Faculty, an overall good applicant with a poor PS may not get in, and a less competitive applicant with a terrific PS may get the spot. In other words, whether you write and nail the LSAT or instead decide not to write it, you should put a lot of work in your PS. I am too busy these days to review personal statements, but if you would like me to email you mine, just send me a private message with your email address and it will be my pleasure 😊

Good luck, you’ve got this!

Hi Gerwulf,

This thread is old but in case you are still around, do you have any specific tips for your personal statement for McGill?

I have read such a range of statements its hard to know what they look for. Some are written like a story where they are talking about their life experience whereas some are written more like a cover letter.

Any help would be appreciated, McGill is my dream school and I really want to nail the PS!

Thanks!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Gerwulf
  • Articling Student
On 7/31/2023 at 5:38 PM, camera_small said:

Hi Gerwulf,

This thread is old but in case you are still around, do you have any specific tips for your personal statement for McGill?

I have read such a range of statements its hard to know what they look for. Some are written like a story where they are talking about their life experience whereas some are written more like a cover letter.

Any help would be appreciated, McGill is my dream school and I really want to nail the PS!

Thanks!

Hey there,

Sorry for my late response; I don't use this page nearly as much as I used to. Will send you a PM. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
  • Recently Browsing   0 members

    • No registered users viewing this page.


×
×
  • Create New...

Important Information

By accessing this website, you agree to abide by our Terms of Use. YOU EXPRESSLY ACKNOWLEDGE AND AGREE THAT YOU WILL NOT CONSTRUE ANY POST ON THIS WEBSITE AS PROVIDING LEGAL ADVICE EVEN IF SUCH POST IS MADE BY A PERSON CLAIMING TO BE A LAWYER. We have placed cookies on your device to help make this website better. You can adjust your cookie settings, otherwise we'll assume you're okay to continue.