In Need of CGPA Advice

[goldvase007]

Hey everyone,

I'd love some advice about my admission chances with my CGPA being what is it.

I tanked a few courses in my first year, so my CGPA is a pretty weak 3.46 on the OLSAS scale, but my grades have been on an upward trend, and my B2 and L2 GPA will be 3.89 if my midterm marks from this semester don't change. I plan on taking a year off after graduating this spring before applying for the 2025 admission cycle. I'm just wondering if it would be smart to delay graduating by a year to take a few more classes to boost my CGPA to at least a 3.5.

I took the LSAT in Jan and got a 168 after two weeks of self-study, but I'm thinking about retaking it in June since I was PTing in the 170s - plus, I'll have at least six weeks to study for it full-time.

My dream law school is Osgoode, but I know they're GPA-sensitive, so I feel like shooting for Western/Queens/UOttawa would be more realistic .

I had a pretty terrible education before coming to uni because I grew up in a poor, rural area, and I had some mental health issues relating to harassment I faced because of my sexuality that impacted my academic performance in 1st and 2nd year, so I hope to write about those factors in my personal statement as an explanation for my lower CGPA.

I'd really appreciate it if anyone could let me know how important raw CGPA is if my grades show an upward trend, and how badly a few Ds in first year will hurt my chances for admission.

Thanks!

[Renerik]

54 minutes ago, goldvase007 said:

My dream law school is Osgoode, but I know they're GPA-sensitive

A 3.46 cGPA won't disqualify you. It's not great, but a high LSAT helps make up for it. I think your chances getting in with a 3.46 and 168 are better than what you'd get from flipping a coin. People overstate how competitive it is to get into Osgoode.

57 minutes ago, goldvase007 said:

I'm thinking about retaking it in June since I was PTing in the 170s

Could be worth it - I'd do it if I was in your shoes.

57 minutes ago, goldvase007 said:

I'm just wondering if it would be smart to delay graduating by a year to take a few more classes to boost my CGPA to at least a 3.5.

The increase would be too marginal. A gap year isn't a bad idea, but you should get a job and save some money instead of taking classes to improve your cGPA by 1%.

1 hour ago, goldvase007 said:

I feel like shooting for Western/Queens/UOttawa would be more realistic .

I'd apply to Osgoode as well as the ones quoted above. I'd bet on you getting in but you should have a few safety picks.

1 hour ago, goldvase007 said:

I'd really appreciate it if anyone could let me know how important raw CGPA is if my grades show an upward trend, and how badly a few Ds in first year will hurt my chances for admission.

It'll depend on the schools you apply to. Osgoode won't disregard your cGPA, but the upward trend and discretionary factors will help to some extent. A few Fs or Ds won't disqualify you from most Canadian schools.

[luckycharm]

3 hours ago, goldvase007 said:

Hey everyone,

I'd love some advice about my admission chances with my CGPA being what is it.

I tanked a few courses in my first year, so my CGPA is a pretty weak 3.46 on the OLSAS scale, but my grades have been on an upward trend, and my B2 and L2 GPA will be 3.89 if my midterm marks from this semester don't change. I plan on taking a year off after graduating this spring before applying for the 2025 admission cycle. I'm just wondering if it would be smart to delay graduating by a year to take a few more classes to boost my CGPA to at least a 3.5.

I took the LSAT in Jan and got a 168 after two weeks of self-study, but I'm thinking about retaking it in June since I was PTing in the 170s - plus, I'll have at least six weeks to study for it full-time.

My dream law school is Osgoode, but I know they're GPA-sensitive, so I feel like shooting for Western/Queens/UOttawa would be more realistic .

I had a pretty terrible education before coming to uni because I grew up in a poor, rural area, and I had some mental health issues relating to harassment I faced because of my sexuality that impacted my academic performance in 1st and 2nd year, so I hope to write about those factors in my personal statement as an explanation for my lower CGPA.

I'd really appreciate it if anyone could let me know how important raw CGPA is if my grades show an upward trend, and how badly a few Ds in first year will hurt my chances for admission.

Thanks!

You have a very good chance with Western, Queens and Ottawa. OZ is also possible.

[SpaceTigerX]

They do a holistic approach, but strictly based on the information from their website a typical student is an A- cGPA and a LSAT score in the 80th percentile, so I don't think a 3.5 cGPA will make THAT much of a difference. Your current cGPA won't knock you of the running. Plus, you have an upward trend in terms of your grades, so those they won't care about a C+ in first year psych as much as those grades in the more advanced level courses. So, speaking on the numbers, I think you get a better bang for your buck if you spend the time on prepping for the LSAT and getting that higher score. Also, maybe depending on what your other activities look like it might be worth it to "boost" those up over the cGPA. 

But keep in mind, that the typical student cGPA and LSAT shift from year to year depending on the applicant pool and again cGPA is just one component of how they look at you. 

 

Edited March 26 by SpaceTigerX

[Spinnaker]

Wasting another year to go from a 3.46 to a 3.5 is definitely not worth it. As it stands, 3.46 and 168 is fairly competitive for Osgoode. If you only studied for 2 weeks and achieved a 168, you're basically a genius and should definitely aim for a 170+, which would give you overwhelmingly good chances at Oz. 

[blue134]

Admission to Osgoode with your GPA and a 170 (if you choose to retake) is completely plausible.

Taking another year in my opinion for such a small increase in your GPA is not worth it, just recognize that you have to kill the other parts of your application because your GPA does lack a little: great references, stellar extracurriculars, your autobiographical sketch in general, and a 170+ LSAT score. 

[saulgoodman17]

Anecdotally, I got into law school with a 3.1 and a 175. My B2/L2 were not great but my final year was a 4.0 and I highlighted this in my personal statement. Osgoode might be an uphill battle for you but it is certainly not out of the question.