Can't Complete Undergrad Before Law School

[Himommies]

Hi

I'm currently going into my 3rd year of my undergrad but I only have 11 more courses to complete before I graduate. I've already written the LSAT and I'm planning to apply for Fall 2025. Assuming I take 5 courses a semester, would I be completely screwed if I didn't mange to complete 1 course in my degree before law school starts in Fall 2025, due to some prereq issues. For reference I'm mainly planning to apply to Ontario schools and McGill. 

Thanks in advance!

Edited March 19 by Himommies

[tobi]

Answering for Ontario schools since my knowledge base is primarily on that: from my understanding, your degree has to be conferred. So, if not finishing that last course from the 11 will make you ineligible to graduate, then you won't be able to attend law school in the fall since there's stipulations of degree conferral in Ontario offer letters.  

https://www.ouac.on.ca/guide/olsas-transcript/ OLSAS about transcripts and degree conferral.

https://www.osgoode.yorku.ca/programs/juris-doctor/juris-doctor-admissions/eligibility-requirements/ Osgoode for example lists it like this:

Academic Requirements

Complete a minimum of 3 years of study (90 credits) at a recognized university in a program leading to a degree by June of the year of admission.

If you're applying to other schools, state which schools and other people can chime in.

 

[Himommies]

3 minutes ago, tobi said:

Answering for Ontario schools since my knowledge base is primarily on that: from my understanding, your degree has to be conferred. So, if not finishing that last course from the 11 will make you ineligible to graduate, then you won't be able to attend law school in the fall since there's stipulations of degree conferral in Ontario offer letters.  

https://www.ouac.on.ca/guide/olsas-transcript/ OLSAS about transcripts and degree conferral.

https://www.osgoode.yorku.ca/programs/juris-doctor/juris-doctor-admissions/eligibility-requirements/ Osgoode for example lists it like this:

Academic Requirements

Complete a minimum of 3 years of study (90 credits) at a recognized university in a program leading to a degree by June of the year of admission.

If you're applying to other schools, state which schools and other people can chime in.

 

Ah, so even if I managed to take the course in the summer of 2025, I might still be out of luck by the look of it. Do you know if it is possible to be admitted under the category for people with less than 90 credits. Since I currently have 90 ish credits, but I just won't meet the graduation requirements.

[tobi]

6 minutes ago, Himommies said:

Ah, so even if I managed to take the course in the summer of 2025, I might still be out of luck by the look of it. Do you know if it is possible to be admitted under the category for people with less than 90 credits. Since I currently have 90 ish credits, but I just won't meet the graduation requirements.

Are you 

a) 26+ and b) have 5 years of non-academic experience?

If you don't satisfy those two things, then you can't apply at Osgoode under that category.

edit: just using osgoode as the example/explanation here because that's the eligibility requirement that i linked

Edited March 19 by tobi

[Himommies]

Just now, tobi said:

Are you 

a) 26 and b) have 5 years of non-academic experience?

If you don't satisfy those two things, then you can't apply for Osgoode under that category.

Ah, I just realized most universities in Ontario have those requirements. Not just Osgoode. Thanks for the information. 

[scooter]

Just take an extra course next year, or take one online this summer?

Edited March 19 by scooter

[Himommies]

8 minutes ago, scooter said:

Just take an extra course next year, or take one online this summer?

I'm in a co-op program so it's a bit difficult to take courses in the fall since they have to be at night. The course also isn't offered at my school in the summer. I was thinking of doing online school at Athabasca over my co-op term though it might be a bit of a pain to get my school to recognize that.

[sleepylawstudent]

I believe UofT accepts students that have only completed three years of undergrad when entering law school. Very rare but possible. Not sure if this is still the case now so please check the UofT website.

[tobi]

38 minutes ago, sleepylawstudent said:

I believe UofT accepts students that have only completed three years of undergrad when entering law school. Very rare but possible. Not sure if this is still the case now so please check the UofT website.

https://www.law.utoronto.ca/jd-admissions-policies

General Applicants

To be considered for admission, applicants must have successfully completed three full-time years (or equivalent) of an approved course leading to a degree at a recognized university, no later than the end of May in the year of entry. However, prospective applicants should be aware that almost all of our students have completed a four-year degree.

Here's what it says from UofT's website.

[Dghoul]

I think you should email UofT Admission for an answer. I vaguely remember they discussed this issue during the info session this year. The requirement seems that you need to complete your undergraduate degree before their 1L starts. So taking the last course during the summer of 2025 might work.

[Ob16]

I only completed 90 credits before starting law school, couldn’t see myself staying for a 4th year of undergrad. Just wanted to finish up schooling ASAP. However, not sure if I completely understand your situation, I didn’t have any CO-OPs.

[Rashabon]

23 hours ago, tobi said:

Answering for Ontario schools since my knowledge base is primarily on that: from my understanding, your degree has to be conferred. So, if not finishing that last course from the 11 will make you ineligible to graduate, then you won't be able to attend law school in the fall since there's stipulations of degree conferral in Ontario offer letters.  

https://www.ouac.on.ca/guide/olsas-transcript/ OLSAS about transcripts and degree conferral.

https://www.osgoode.yorku.ca/programs/juris-doctor/juris-doctor-admissions/eligibility-requirements/ Osgoode for example lists it like this:

Academic Requirements

Complete a minimum of 3 years of study (90 credits) at a recognized university in a program leading to a degree by June of the year of admission.

If you're applying to other schools, state which schools and other people can chime in.

 

I'm not sure the emphasis is in the right spot or that's how it reads. I think it says that you need to Complete a minimum of three years of study, at a recognized university in a program leading to a degree, by June of the year of admission - i.e. your third year can't end in August per se. I don't think you are actually required to obtain your degree by June of the year of admission, although admission without an undergraduate degree completed is fairly rare outside the mature applicant categories.

I could be wrong but it's similar to the U of T language you quoted and that is more clear that you don't actually need to have finished undergrad:

#5.  How much of an undergraduate program do I need in order to apply?

Applicants must have successfully completed three years of an approved course leading to a degree at a recognized post-secondary institution, no later than the end of May in the year of entry. However, prospective applicants should be aware that almost all (99%) of our students have completed a four-year degree. In recent years, fewer than five applicants (<2%) a year have been admitted without a four-year undergraduate degree.

https://www.law.utoronto.ca/getstarted

Finish your degree

Eligibility
Undergraduate degrees are typically designed to be completed in three or four years of full-time studies. In general, to be academically eligible to enter most common law schools in Canada requires the completion of coursework that totals three academic years' worth of undergraduate study.

Three-year or four-year undergraduate degrees from accredited, recognized higher education institutions across the world are generally eligible. Consult the desired law schools to be certain.

Competitiveness
Even if the law school you are applying to does not require it, your application will be more competitive if you have completed your undergraduate degree, most especially for holders of three-year degrees.

At the University of Toronto almost all law students who undertook undergraduate programs in Canada or the USA, have completed at least a four-year degree.  From that North American education, in recent years, approximately three very exceptional applicants a year have been admitted without completing a four-year undergraduate degree.

[Himommies]

1 hour ago, Ob16 said:

I only completed 90 credits before starting law school, couldn’t see myself staying for a 4th year of undergrad. Just wanted to finish up schooling ASAP. However, not sure if I completely understand your situation, I didn’t have any CO-OPs.

I currently have 87/120 credits required for my program. Though I actually have 93 credits due to some electives I don't really need. I am on a study term in the summer, so I will be taking 5 courses over the summer. However Fall 2024 is a co-op term for me which means I am not allowed to take courses during the day. Winter 2025 is a another normal study term for me, though the problem is that I need to do two courses (Microecon II and Microecon III) one of which is a prerequisite for the other, and since Microecon II isn't offered at my school over the Summer and sometimes over the Fall, it means I might be doing a course over the summer if I don't manage to get the credit somewhere else. 

However I guess the second part of this question is now will this affect my competitiveness for law school. My cGPA and LSAT aren't that high (3.8/162) that I would be confidently admitted as a third year applicant I think, so do you know if law schools would view me the same as a general applicant?

Edited March 20 by Himommies

[Ob16]

3 hours ago, Himommies said:

I currently have 87/120 credits required for my program. Though I actually have 93 credits due to some electives I don't really need. I am on a study term in the summer, so I will be taking 5 courses over the summer. However Fall 2024 is a co-op term for me which means I am not allowed to take courses during the day. Winter 2025 is a another normal study term for me, though the problem is that I need to do two courses (Microecon II and Microecon III) one of which is a prerequisite for the other, and since Microecon II isn't offered at my school over the Summer and sometimes over the Fall, it means I might be doing a course over the summer if I don't manage to get the credit somewhere else. 

However I guess the second part of this question is now will this affect my competitiveness for law school. My cGPA and LSAT aren't that high (3.8/162) that I would be confidently admitted as a third year applicant I think, so do you know if law schools would view me the same as a general applicant?

Sent dm