Engineers applying to law school

[Jeff_da_bomb77]

Hey

I've gone through a couple forums and this topics come up before but never with any amount of clarity. Just wondering but does anyone know how law schools in Canada view applications from engineers? What I mean is, considering the difficulty of certain subjects will they take that into account as a factor when they look at your GPA if its lower than the average acceptance?

Thanks!

[!закон и право!]

Law schools love students from sciences backgrounds - particualrily engineers for machine IP law.

Anyway, I've asked a number of Canadian law school admissions personnel if they consider the institution from which you earned your UG degree and the field(s) of study from which you come when making admissions decisions - and most, if not all have responded in the affirmative.

That being said, I wouldn't count on a 2.7 GPA from an engineering program to trump a 3.7 from a social sciences background - most schools will only give some leniance to moderate weaknesses in your undergraduate record.

But... it's sort of difficult to speculate in your particular case without the specifics (such as your LSAT score and GPA).

[Jeff_da_bomb77]

well I'm going to be writing my LSAT this june actually but im averaging around a 3.5 on my GPA but ive also been doing six or seven courses a semester since first year so I tend to have really fluctuating grades (high 90's or low 70's). I just wanted to see if this would be competitive if I do poorly on the LSAT, 155ish.

[!закон и право!]

Your grades aren't bad. Try to score a 160+ on the LSAT and you're a shoe-in at many decent law schools.

A 155 LSAT isn't competitive anywhere, with the exception of Windsor. I would suggest rescheduling to Sept if you feel the extra time will prepare you better for the test.

[CTL]

Listen to Mareja.  Don't make the mistake of taking an average LSAT score.  Prolong until you're practicing consistently around where you want to score, and cancel if you are really sure you blew it.  LSAT scores will haunt you.

[mtbrider59]

Don't write the 155 completely off, it won't get you into one of the top national schools but it's probably good enough to get you into a good regional school. I believe this is the first mistake prospective law students make(I know I did) is to get caught up in all the hoopla promulgated here and in various publications that is aimed at what it takes to get into one of the T15 schools, a worthy goal if you're trying to land a job at one of the biglaw national firms. However, finishing near the top of your class at a good regional school is probably going to get you the job in that region at some of the better regional firms. So my advice for any prospective law student is to really figure out where it is that you want to live and target the top regional school in the area and look at their LSAT numbers to figure out what you need to do to get in. And if more time ensures that you'll score high enough to do so, take the time. But if a 155 will do, go ahead and take it.

[!закон и право!]

Don't write the 155 completely off, it won't get you into one of the top national schools but it's probably good enough to get you into a good regional school. I believe this is the first mistake prospective law students make(I know I did) is to get caught up in all the hoopla promulgated here and in various publications that is aimed at what it takes to get into one of the T15 schools, a worthy goal if you're trying to land a job at one of the biglaw national firms. However, finishing near the top of your class at a good regional school is probably going to get you the job in that region at some of the better regional firms. So my advice for any prospective law student is to really figure out where it is that you want to live and target the top regional school in the area and look at their LSAT numbers to figure out what you need to do to get in. And if more time ensures that you'll score high enough to do so, take the time. But if a 155 will do, go ahead and take it.

I believe the OP is asking about Canadian law schools only - not American schools. In a country with only 15 common law schools, any Canadian law school is T15.

Most Canadian law schools have similar (numerical) admissions standards; i.e. an A- (3.7ish) GPA and a low to mid 160 LSAT score. The only exceptions to this, generally, are UofT and Windsor.

Anything less than a 160 is not competitive for most Canadian law schools unless you're a card carrying NDN applicant or otherwise exceptional individual. A 155 is a highly limiting LSAT score in Canada, since there is only one such school that accepts applicants within this range (e.g. the lowest median LSAT belongs to Windsor law, and it is a 156).

[CTL]

The kid speaks truth.  There is a lot more parity between Canadian law schools.  The only really exceptional schools are UofT and McGill, although for quite different reasons.  McGill seems like the Berkeley as far as admissions processes go.  You have to have great grades and probably outstanding softs, although LSATs aren't even required (last I checked).  UofT is more like a standard lower T14 school.  Once your numbers meet a certain range, you're probably in, barring egregious flaws in your application (LORs that damn you, no softs, or a personal statement written by chimps). 

[Jeff_da_bomb77]

thanks for the great advice all, just put my mind at ease

[MorningStar]

Work hard on your LSAT score, period.  Get into the best school that you can.  The post suggesting that you can just go to a lesser regional school, say Windsor, and simply finish top of your class is correct but I advise you to be weary of putting yourself in a position where you need to be in the top 20% to have a chance at the job you want.  When comparing schools assume you will be right at the 50th percentile and then ask yourself from there which one is more likely to contribute to your success.