Chance me please - cGPA OLSAS 3.59, B2/L2 3.78, LSAT 148

[lawschoolgirlie]

Hi all,

I know I have a low LSAT score (crying) but I applied this cycle and took the LSAT in January 2024. First time so I had some test anxiety. I have applied to TMU (access), Osgoode, Queen's, Western, and uOttawa. Softs: worked at a top corporate law firm in Canada for over a year, and co-op at another smaller firm. Strong references, won an academic entrance scholarship. Completed all the optional essays for my personal statements.

What are the chances that I will still get accepted despite the low LSAT?

Also, if anyone has gotten into these schools with a low LSAT, please lmk 🙂

Thank you!!

[NONAMER]

Hi, Lawschoolgirlie.

I have sat for the test two times. My first score was 143 (January 2023) due to lack of time management and preparedness. My second attempt was 149 (January 2024). I was practice testing around 153 - 156 but believe that my low score in January 2024 was due to 1)inadequate sleep in the hotel room given the room temperature and loud neighbors and 2)the very unfamiliar test format (LR-RC-RC-AR) for which I have never trained. By the time the three sections were completed, my hand was cramping, thereby not enabling me to effectively pick up the pencil and complete the logic games section. I believe that I lost many points in the logic games section, thereby leading to a lower-than-expected overall score. 

My CGPA is, to be accurate, around 4.00, and I have very diverse volunteer experiences from 2016 - 2024. 

I think you have a chance at holistic schools, like Western and TMU. 

I hope the above information helps. 

[NONAMER]

And, for your information, I have applied in the access categories. 

[lawschoolgirlie]

Hi Prince604,

Thank you for your reply. The January 2024 LSAT was rough, I couldn't get any sleep the night before as I was so anxious and stressed. When I was doing the test, I completely blacked out and got test amnesia.

I had LG-LR-LR-RC, your back-to-back RC sounds rough - having RC last sucked too, my mind was mush by the time I got to that section.

Crossing my fingers for the both of us! Good luck 🙂

[NONAMER]

Hi, Lawschoolgirlie.

Likewise, for me, it was very rough. Wow, same experience with regard to sleep - sorry to hear. Blacking out, and test amnesia, oh my.

I wish I had your test format, namely the LG-LR-LR-RC. It was EXTREMELY rough. The moment I saw the total questions of 27 or 28, I thought to myself, uh oh, this seems like another RC section, and, sure enough, that was confirmed. 

Likewise, Lawschoolgirlie! Moving forward, I will be sure to pray for you and I! 🙂 

[pastmidnight]

While it is possible to get in with a score in the 140s, it is very unlikely, and I think it's important to be realistic about your chances of admission so that you can plan accordingly for when you likely have to reapply next cycle.

Possible: TMU. Your best shot is at TMU because you applied access, but I still think your LSAT score is going to be an uphill battle even in the access category.

Unlikely: uOttawa. You have a shot at uOttawa because they place more emphasis on GPA, however your cGPA is lower than the cGPAs of applicants I’ve seen be accepted with scores in the low 150s. I wouldn’t bet on it.

I expect that if you do get an offer from TMU or uOttawa, you would be waitlisted first and then accepted very late in the cycle (June at the earliest).

Very Unlikely: Osgoode. Osgoode can be unpredictable but again I think your LSAT score is going to be an uphill battle.

Extremely Unlikely: Queen’s and Western. I don’t see Queen’s or Western happening. Again, if you did get accepted it would likely be after being waitlisted. I do recall someone on Reddit with a 150 got into Western the day before orientation, but I suspect that person had a very good cGPA.

All law schools in Canada admit holistically to a certain extent. No school admits purely based on stats – if they did, we would not see rockstar applicants getting rejected (which we do). Some schools are genuinely holistic (i.e. Osgoode), some are just aware that they are not fishing in the same part of the applicant pool that schools like UofT, McGill, and UBC are. If you were to ask me which law schools admit more holistically, Western would not cross my mind. Holistic also doesn’t mean that schools will ignore parts of your application that are weak/non-competitive.

I would operate under the assumption that you are not going to get in this cycle, and plan to reapply and rewrite the LSAT. I would strongly encourage you to (1) rewrite the LSAT over the summer – do not wait until the fall or January and (2) apply more broadly. If you only want to go to school in Ontario, apply to every school in Ontario. If you do get in this cycle then great! But if you don’t, then you’ll be in good shape to reapply next cycle.

This thread is a good resource as well:

 

[NONAMER]

Thank you for the note, pastmidnight. 

I can resonate with your explanation, given I have devised an intense study plan for the June 2024 exam. I am studying with the assumption that I will not receive an offer from ANY school this year yet hopeful at the same time. Although the following reasoning is very weak, numerous people have reported 149 with average to lower CGPAs etc. and have received an offer, again, according to their reports and pdfs from previous cycles.

It, too, is worth noting that I have a severe documented learning disability (documentation provided by several psychologists) in reading and math and sat for the exam without accommodations (35 minutes per section). 

So, again, although I am now operating with the assumption that an offer from any of the 15 schools to which I applied is 100% unlikely, I am hopeful, given two very, very strong reference letters, extracurricular activities on-and-off campus for about 7 years, my 4.00 CGPA, subtle score increase (143 - 149) etc. 

This will be an interesting cycle!