Applying to law school in Canada can be overwhelming at best. Here is everything you need to know about applying.
As you probably already know, getting into a decent law school in Canada is challenging, competitive, and requires a lot of hard work. You’ve got to really want it!
Since we want to boost your odds of acceptance, we’ve compiled a comprehensive guide to putting together your law school application. Here’s everything you will need to impress the admissions team.
The GPA requirements.
Most Canadian schools that offer law degrees will require at least a 3.6 GPA. However, some law schools require a GPA of 3.7 – 3.9 to compete with other applicants.
The selection process.
Recently, approximately 5,000 – 7,000 applicants competed for the 2,350 first-year enrollment spots at Canada’s law schools. When it comes to choosing applicants, law schools carefully consider a variety of factors. No single qualification can guarantee an acceptance or rejection from the school. So, admission committees make assessments based on relative factors like academic achievements, LSAT scores, GPA averages, and more.
Getting your reference letters.
How many reference letters do you need?
It depends on where you are applying. Most law schools will request two reference letters to accompany your application.
Who should you ask?
Effective letters of recommendation are typically written by work supervisors or professors who know you well enough to write one. They should be able to positively discuss your personal, professional, or academic achievements with detail and objectivity.
How much time should you give your referees?
Enough time to sufficiently write the letter without feeling rushed. This can depend on your current situation and how much time you have before the deadline.
What should be in a letter of recommendation?
It should concisely outline your qualifications and work habits to convince the admissions committee that they deserve to attend law school.
The important dates and timelines.
Every law school has its own deadlines for submitting applications, LSAT scores, etc. So, here’s a general breakdown of application and LSAT score deadlines so you can prepare your submission in advance.
- University of Alberta Faculty of Law
- Admission Deadline: December 1st
- Latest LSAT Score Allowed: January
- University of British Columbia Allard School of Law
- Admission Deadline: December 1st
- Latest LSAT Score Allowed: January
- Bora Laskin Faculty of Law
- Admission Deadline: November 1st
- Latest LSAT Score Allowed: January
- University of Calgary Faculty of Law
- Admission Deadline: December 1st
- Latest LSAT Score Allowed: January
- Dalhousie University Schulich School of Law
- Admission Deadline: February 28th
- Latest LSAT Score Allowed: February
- University of Manitoba Faculty of Law
- Admission Deadline: December 1st
- Latest LSAT Score Allowed: January
- McGill University Faculty of Law
- Admission Deadline: November 1st
- Latest LSAT Score Allowed: January
- University of New Brunswick Faculty of Law
- Admission Deadline: March 1st
- Latest LSAT Score Allowed: January
- Osgoode Hall Law School, York University
- Admission Deadline: November 1st
- Latest LSAT Score Allowed: January
- University of Ottawa Faculty of Law
- Admission Deadline: November 1st
- Latest LSAT Score Allowed: January
- Queen’s University Faculty of Law
- Admission Deadline: November 1st
- Latest LSAT Score Allowed: February
- University of Saskatchewan Faculty of Law
- Admission Deadline: February 1st
- Latest LSAT Score Allowed: January
- Thompson Rivers University Faculty of Law
- Admission Deadline: November 1st
- Latest LSAT Score Allowed: January
- University of Toronto Faculty of Law
- Admission Deadline: November 1st
- Latest LSAT Score Allowed: January
- University of Victoria Faculty of Law
- Admission Deadline: January 15th
- Latest LSAT Score Allowed: January
- Western University Law
- Admission Deadline: November 1st
- Latest LSAT Score Allowed: February
- University of Windsor Faculty of Law
- Admission Deadline: November 1st
- Latest LSAT Score Allowed: January
Things to know about the admission tests.
What admission tests are necessary when it comes to applying to law school? The LSAT.
The Law School Admission Test, also known as the LSAT, is an essential part of law school admissions in Canada and the United States. These test results help an admission committee select applicants for enrollment. In fact, studies prove that the LSAT is the best predictor of first-year law school performance and demonstrates this better than an undergraduate GPA. The test is broken down into two exam parts:
Multiple Choice
The multiple-choice exam focuses on analytical reasoning, reading comprehension, and logical reasoning questions.
LSAT Writing
The written essay portion is called the LSAT Writing exam. This is conducted separately. It uses secure proctoring software on the candidate’s computer and can be completed up to eight days prior to the multiple-choice exam.
The LSAT will test your skills to determine if you will likely be successful in your first year of law school. Necessary skills for law school include writing, reasoning, and reading comprehension.
Registration for the October 2021 – June 2022 LSAT administrations is currently open.
The gist.
Ultimately, applying to law school requires hard work and focus. You will have to maintain a high undergraduate GPA and obtain a solid LSAT score to be considered for enrollment. It is important to note ALL deadlines for Canadian law schools, so you are prepared when the time comes to submit. Good reference letters are essential to your application as they will showcase you as a person and all that you accomplish (and can accomplish in the future). A reference letter might not seem important, but it humanizes you to an admissions committee that reads through hundreds of applications a week. Basically, all of this works towards making your law school application stand out. You can do this!
