Questions about admissions process

[LordBONSAI]

Hi. A lot of thanks to this forum--it's quite helpful to me. I'll start my application to law schools this fall and I've got some questions about the admissions process under the general category. I understand a couple of schools like Osgoode, Western and UofT are explicitly holistic. But when I read posts on UBC and UofA, I felt their admissions are much more numbers-heavy. In particular, that "index score" thing throws me. Does passing it make applicant a shoo-in if he's got a good GPA/LSAT combo but mediocre ECs and PS?  Secondly, how much weight do those holistic schools put on applicant's grades versus the weight on softs? Is it like 50-50 or more on GPA/LSAT?

I'm applying broadly across Canada but mostly to Ontario schools, FYI. All your replies are appreciated.

Edited September 4, 2021 by LordBONSAI

[RIP-Joel]

I don't think western is holistic. They are very numbers-based.  Even uoft and osgoode aren't as holistic as windsor or ryerson. I think that uoft says that GPA, LSAT, and PS have 1/3 weight. But even then, softs aren't a deal breaker. If you have the grades, you will likely get in. 

[Renerik]

8 hours ago, LordBONSAI said:

Hi. A lot of thanks to this forum--it's quite helpful to me. I'll start my application to law schools this fall and I've got some questions about the admissions process under the general category. I understand a couple of schools like Osgoode, Western and UofT are explicitly holistic. But when I read posts on UBC and UofA, I felt their admissions are much more numbers-heavy. In particular, that "index score" thing throws me. Does passing it make applicant a shoo-in if he's got a good GPA/LSAT combo but mediocre ECs and PS?  Secondly, how much weight do those holistic schools put on applicant's grades versus the weight on softs? Is it like 50-50 or more on GPA/LSAT?

I'm applying broadly across Canada but mostly to Ontario schools, FYI. All your replies are appreciated.

This might throw you too: UManitoba only looks at LSAT+GPA for regular admissions. They won't ask for a resume, PS, or references.

1 - The consensus on this forum is that if you pass the index threshold at UBC/UofA, and don't have any red flags in your PS, you'll be admitted. The thresholds vary each cycle. 

2- The weighting changes for each school. UMan is 50/50. UBC say they weigh LSAT and GPA equally. As for UofA, GPA*22.5+LSAT has been shared over the years as the index formula. No idea where that came from, can't find an official source, and their LSAT policy has changed last cycle. But based on that formula, GPA is weighted at 33% and LSAT at 66%.

[LordBONSAI]

21 hours ago, MA1199 said:

I don't think western is holistic. 

On western's admissions webpage it says they will consider factors other than gpa and lsat. I know queens uses softs like a tie-breaker, is it the same for western?

14 hours ago, Renerik said:

This might throw you too: UManitoba only looks at LSAT+GPA for regular admissions. They won't ask for a resume, PS, or references.

1 - The consensus on this forum is that if you pass the index threshold at UBC/UofA, and don't have any red flags in your PS, you'll be admitted. The thresholds vary each cycle. 

2- The weighting changes for each school. UMan is 50/50. UBC say they weigh LSAT and GPA equally. As for UofA, GPA*22.5+LSAT has been shared over the years as the index formula. No idea where that came from, can't find an official source, and their LSAT policy has changed last cycle. But based on that formula, GPA is weighted at 33% and LSAT at 66%.

I'm not applying to UMan but thanks for letting me know it. Is there any Ontario school that applies this formulaic admissions procedure? 

Edited September 5, 2021 by LordBONSAI

[RIP-Joel]

1 hour ago, LordBONSAI said:

On western's admissions webpage it says they will consider factors other than gpa and lsat. I know queens uses softs like a tie-breaker, is it the same for western?

I'm not applying to UMan but thanks for letting me know it. Is there any Ontario school that applies this formulaic admissions procedure? 

Every school says they are holistic but again, from what I know, they use the holistic thing when you are below both medians (because that's the only thing that might be competitive with your application at that point). If you have the grades, you will get in. 

[luckycharm]

Windsor is really holistic. 

[Thrive92]

On 9/4/2021 at 6:12 AM, LordBONSAI said:

Hi. A lot of thanks to this forum--it's quite helpful to me. I'll start my application to law schools this fall and I've got some questions about the admissions process under the general category. I understand a couple of schools like Osgoode, Western and UofT are explicitly holistic. But when I read posts on UBC and UofA, I felt their admissions are much more numbers-heavy. In particular, that "index score" thing throws me. Does passing it make applicant a shoo-in if he's got a good GPA/LSAT combo but mediocre ECs and PS?  Secondly, how much weight do those holistic schools put on applicant's grades versus the weight on softs? Is it like 50-50 or more on GPA/LSAT?

I'm applying broadly across Canada but mostly to Ontario schools, FYI. All your replies are appreciated.

You are correct; there are some schools in the country that has a specific index score that if an applicant is on or surpasses that score, they are considered to be a shoe - in regardless of the EC's. Another example on top of UBC and U of A is Dalhousie, where they also calculate based on an index score.

Good luck