How important are academic references? (Ontario)

[missing_references]

Hi everyone,

I am planning on applying to law schools in Ontario for Fall 2022. I graduated from UofT undergrad in June 2020, and haven't kept in touch with any of my professors. Truthfully, I wasn't close with any of them, and reckon I'd have a hard time getting a good reference letter from any prof, even on the off chance they remember who I am.

How important are academic references? I plan on asking two of my managers from work to write reference letters, will my application be competitive if I lack academic references? (3.4 GPA, 169 LSAT)

[RIP-Joel]

Tbh, I just asked profs whose classes I got a high grade in. You should do the same. Email ALL the profs from your 3rd and 4th years and ask them if they are willing to write you one. Say "I dont know if you remember me but I got a high grade in your class...I thoroughly enjoyed having you as my prof...the class was very fun thanks to you...(continue kissing ass)" and 1 of them will. 

I think you need 1 academic reference for most programs in Ontario so you pretty much must ask a prof. 

Edited September 8, 2021 by MA1199

[MapleLeafs]

I did the exact same thing as @MA1199 and it worked for me. Profs are humans too and some are willing to write a solid reference letter even if you just got a high grade in their class. 

[Rashabon]

39 minutes ago, missing_references said:

Hi everyone,

I am planning on applying to law schools in Ontario for Fall 2022. I graduated from UofT undergrad in June 2020, and haven't kept in touch with any of my professors. Truthfully, I wasn't close with any of them, and reckon I'd have a hard time getting a good reference letter from any prof, even on the off chance they remember who I am.

How important are academic references? I plan on asking two of my managers from work to write reference letters, will my application be competitive if I lack academic references? (3.4 GPA, 169 LSAT)

https://www.ouac.on.ca/guide/olsas-program-requirements/

Some schools make it mandatory, others strongly recommend academic. Others don't care. The only school that doesn't require references at all is U of T but your GPA isn't very competitive for U of T.

[scooter]

With a 3.4 they will want some reassurance that you can succeed academically in their program. An academic reference would help, assuming you can get a good one.