Does a 157 LSAT give me a near 0% chance of admission in Ontario?

[ClarkGriswold]

Looking for some (brutally honest - this site’s specialty) feedback on my chances with a 157 LSAT. It was my score from the June 2021 flex, and since I’m not very confident my August 2021 writing will much better if at all, it’s the score that I’m assuming will be my highest for the upcoming cycle. Other stats below:

- GPA: 3.55 cGPA, 3.9 B2/L2

- EC’s: TA and RA in undergrad, exec in a student club, gov’t internship 

- Starting a masters program in the fall

I plan on applying everywhere in the province except for UofT, but with a 157 are my odds very low across the board? Would like some feedback on chances. Also, should I use my third and final write for the year and take the LSAT again in October or November? 

Edited August 16, 2021 by ClarkGriswold

[Telephantasm]

Windor and Lakehead are probably doable. Not sure what Ryerson's entrance average was for it's first cycle, but perhaps that's doable too, given that it's a newer school and you seem to have good stuff on the non-numerical front. Western and Queens will be longer shots. Osgoode is probable a no-go.

Edited August 16, 2021 by Telephantasm

[Lsat Struggles]

Hi, I got into queens with a cgpa of 3.59, b2 of 3.83 and a highest lsat score of 158 this cycle. 

your best/last 2 is a factor for queens. 
 

I think you have a chance for queens, less so for Ottawa as it’s a gpa focused school. 

Edited August 16, 2021 by Lsat Struggles

[NowOrNever]

157 is OK for Ottawa but you need 3.7 cGPA.

Make your LSAT 160+ then you will be good for Western and Queen's (3.9 B2/L2 GPA is really good).

[EmplawmentLaw]

If I was in your shoes, I would rewrite with the aim of getting 160+. A 160+ would make you competitive for L2/B2 schools (e.g. Western).

If I bombed the next LSAT write, I would apply broadly and then get the 1L grades necessary to transfer where I want to be.

It sucks that an otherwise strong application is dragged down by a single test score, but you'll figure it out. Good luck!

[ClarkGriswold]

16 minutes ago, Lsat Struggles said:

Hi, I got into queens with a cgpa of 3.59, b2 of 3.83 and a highest lsat score of 158 this cycle. 

If you don’t mind sharing this, did you apply general?

19 minutes ago, Telephantasm said:

Windor and Lakehead are probably doable. Not sure what Ryerson's entrance average was for it's first cycle, but perhaps that's doable too, given that it's a newer school are you seem to have good stuff on the non-numerical front. Western and Queens will be much longer shots. Osgoode is probable a no-go.

Unfortunate that Ryerson hasn’t been around long enough for anyone to know what a fairly “safe” application would be GPA and LSAT-wise. FWIW, my best 20 courses are a 4.0 and virtually all of them come from 3rd and 4th year courses, but I’m unsure if the course year has any impact. Gotta love unpredictability 

[ClarkGriswold]

14 minutes ago, EmplawmentLaw said:

It sucks that an otherwise strong application is dragged down by a single test score, but you'll figure it out. Good luck!

Thank you for the reassurance! I purposefully chose to pursue a graduate program that I can get a career in that I’ll enjoy, so it’s nice knowing that if things don’t go smoothly this round I can figure it out, re-test if needed, and re-apply.

[OntheVerge]

My friend got into Osgoode with a 157 LSAT, but he also had a 4.0 GPA and an interesting career pre-law school that may have helped, since Osgoode's approach is more holistic than other law schools.

[EmplawmentLaw]

1 minute ago, ClarkGriswold said:

Thank you for the reassurance! I purposefully chose to pursue a graduate program that I can get a career in that I’ll enjoy, so it’s nice knowing that if things don’t go smoothly this round I can figure it out, re-test if needed, and re-apply.

You got this!

[luckycharm]

Hire a private tutor

[Lsat Struggles]

Yes I got in under the general category. And I’d say I have above average references from two professors from law courses during my undergraduate. 

[AllRise]

I was admitted with a 157. I am a mature student with senior management experience and a decent business undergrad (3.2 cGPA, 3.7 L2, 3.76 B2). You can get in with a 157, but it will be much easier with a higher LSAT and you'll likely have more choices (with regards to offers from schools). 

[King of Queens]

I got into Queens with a similar LSAT and a slightly better GPA, not a mature student or access. Although I do have a feeling I might be the lowest LSAT score in my class except for maybe access applicants. My ECs I would say were different but equivalent to yours. I have friends in Ottawa with lower than that.

[Electricity]

You're probably a lock for Lakehead. Ryerson and Windsor admissions are less predictable but you're well within reach of both. I'd say you have around a 40-50% shot of making it into one of Queen's, Western, or Ottawa late in the cycle. 

A 160+ would make a huge difference in your application. Are your recent practice tests ranging below your current score of 157? If so, have you considered changing your study strategy? 

[ClarkGriswold]

5 hours ago, Electricity said:

A 160+ would make a huge difference in your application. Are your recent practice tests ranging below your current score of 157? If so, have you considered changing your study strategy? 

I’ve used the LSAT Trainer and LSAC’s LawHub for my study resources so far. After completing the LSAT Trainer I did a practice test every 2-3 days for just under two months, where my practice test scores increased from 154 to 161. A week out from both the June and August tests I was consistently hitting 158-160.

Moving forward I might switch to 7sage, but I’m unsure if that’s the right move with such a short window between now and the October/November writing. 

Has anyone found success with 7sage shorter term (2-3 months during school), or should that be something that is used over a longer period (ex: next summer)?

Ive also considered getting a tutor instead, because I already know that my weak points are LR parallel flaw questions, RC inference questions, and RC “most likely to agree” questions. 

Edited August 18, 2021 by ClarkGriswold

[Meryl]

You should rewrite, but don’t be too disheartened. People on this website are always overly critical. We can’t see your whole application so it’s really impossible to judge how successful you will be just off stats, especially when you sit more in the middle between competitive and uncompetitive applicants. Your GPA is fine for most schools, it’s not low. I wouldn’t say it’s particularly high either, but it’s definitely not a hindrance to your application. 
 

I had a cGPA 3.5x, L2 3.7x and an LSAT of 158, 157, and 159 (in chronological order). 
 

I got into Lakehead, Ottawa, and Osgoode. The only schools that rejected me were Ryerson and UofT since I was waitlisted at Western and never got a response from Queens. When I posted my chances thread (albeit on the old forum), I was told I might get into Lakehead or Windsor and that I stood NO chance at any other Ontario schools without improving my LSAT. That obviously wasn’t true. So take what you read here with a grain of salt. Nobody knows your strengths and your application like you do. Have a little faith in yourself, give the application your best shot, and hope for the best. 
 

I’m rooting for you! 

[CleanHands]

9 minutes ago, Meryl said:

The only schools that rejected me were Ryerson and UofT since I was waitlisted at Western and never got a response from Queens.

lol at this logic.

(The rest of your post is helpful and all well and good, I just found this sentence amusing.)

Edited August 18, 2021 by CleanHands

[DonPablo]

Take this however you will, but I got accepted to both U of T and Osgoode with a 3.57 CGPA (OLSAS) and a 159. 

[ClarkGriswold]

**UPDATE**
 

I am in shock because I thought I was going to score terribly, but it turns out I got a 160 on the August LSAT!

Does a 160 change my odds substantially for any of the schools I am thinking of applying to compared to a 157?

[Telephantasm]

2 minutes ago, ClarkGriswold said:

**UPDATE**
 

I am in shock because I thought I was going to score terribly, but it turns out I got a 160 on the August LSAT!

Does a 160 change my odds substantially for any of the schools I am thinking of applying to compared to a 157?

First off, congratulations! Second off, yes, it improves your odds.

[CleanHands]

58 minutes ago, ClarkGriswold said:

**UPDATE**
 

I am in shock because I thought I was going to score terribly, but it turns out I got a 160 on the August LSAT!

Does a 160 change my odds substantially for any of the schools I am thinking of applying to compared to a 157?

Yes and the numbers can be deceptive about how big a difference that is. With just those three points, you went from a 71st percentile score to an 80th percentile score, to put it in proper perspective. Congrats.