173 Lsat Chances-Canadian

[Mckenzie H]

Hi Everyone,

I am a Canadian student in my last year of business school with a major in Finance. Can I please get some help on my chances at tier one law schools in the U.S? Most of my family is in the United States and I would much rather live in the US even though I am aware Canadian schools are cheaper.

LSAT: 173-taken only once

Let me explain my GPA situation: I went through a bit of a tough time in my first two years of university (nothing traumatizing that can be explained in the application process) and ended up with a 3.0 GPA 1st year and a 3.2 second year. However, I got my act together third year and ended with a 3.83. I'm in my last year and from how it's going so far, I predict something along the lines of a 3.85 - 3.9 gpa. I know my first two years are atrociously low but does a much better GPA in my last two years and a high LSAT make up for it?

I attended a top business school in Canada and have 2 strong leadership extracurricular activities. As well, I worked two paid internships in the business field.

It would also be greatly appreciated if you can list some schools I may have a change at getting into.

Thank you in advance!

[Doorkeeper]

What's your total GPA from all 4 years (assume a 3.8 or 3.9 for senior year)?

[Mckenzie H]

It would be around a 3.5 I believe. Canadians do grades a little differently but I'll be a high B+ student. Perhaps admissions would notice a dramatic upward trend?

Also just wanted to add that one of my internships was at one of the top Canadian banks as a summer analyst. Not sure if maybe that would help my case.

[John_rizzy_rawls]

Dude, a 3.5/173 makes you competitive at the majority of the T14. Check out the 2011-2012 application cycles for CCN on down on LSN.

[brownpride]

Fellow Canadian here, with a 173 too. You've got a shot at CCN for sure, and are competitive for the rest of the T-14.

Check out http://www.lawschoolpredictor.com

Feel free to PM with questions.

[Mckenzie H]

Thank you everyone for the insight and very useful link brownpride!

I'm just concerned because I've been on a few of the Canadian law school boards and my stats apparently are iffy for the Canadian top schools so I thought I probably don't have a big chance at the T14

And it's crazy how some bad decisions during the first two years of university when I was 18 screws everything up

[CanadianWolf]

For which Canadian law schools are your stats iffy ? Some of your lowest grades will be discarded under the Canadian law school admission system.

US law schools favor LSAT scores 75% to 25% weight given to one's GPA (the opposite is true for most Canadian law schools, but Canadian law schools adjust GPAs by discarding the lowest semester or two).

Northwestern University is possible because it is forgiving of low GPAs, but it favors high LSAT scores combined with post-undergraduate work experience. Michigan & Cornell should be considered (assuming a 173/3.44 under the US LSDAS grade calculation system). Georgetown is likely to admit you, as well. Virginia ED is likely to admit you. In my opinion, these are your safest bets among the Top-14 US law schools, but you should also reach for NYU & Penn.

[Mckenzie H]

I'm definitely iffy or for sure not getting into U of T. I also think I'm quite iffy for Osgood-saw some people with similar stats not get in. Although they do claim to look at the best two or last two years...heard they're pretty much about the cumulative anyways. I'm thinking I have a decent chance at queen's and western?

NYU is definitely at the top of my list for the possible T14s I can get into. Actually, I'll be quite happy if I get almost any of the T14

Thank you for your help, definitely a little reassuring to hear that the LSATS is valued more in the states.

[Ramius]

What are your goals for attending a US law school? This seems incredibly important, given your focus on the major Canadian B-schools. With those numbers, in this shrinking legal economy, you can absolutely snag a fantastic US law school, but will that serve your purpose? Seems far-fetched that you want to be on the outside looking in while others make the deals. Just a thought, but worth the pondering.

[Bfalcon]

I'm definitely iffy or for sure not getting into U of T. I also think I'm quite iffy for Osgood-saw some people with similar stats not get in. Although they do claim to look at the best two or last two years...heard they're pretty much about the cumulative anyways. I'm thinking I have a decent chance at queen's and western?

NYU is definitely at the top of my list for the possible T14s I can get into. Actually, I'll be quite happy if I get almost any of the T14

Thank you for your help, definitely a little reassuring to hear that the LSATS is valued more in the states.

Spoke to an admissions guy at U of T: with your LSAT score and gpa, you're pretty much guaranteed in. (and you'll be guaranteed in at all the other canadian schools).

[PurpleMustang]

I'm definitely iffy or for sure not getting into U of T. I also think I'm quite iffy for Osgood-saw some people with similar stats not get in. Although they do claim to look at the best two or last two years...heard they're pretty much about the cumulative anyways. I'm thinking I have a decent chance at queen's and western?

NYU is definitely at the top of my list for the possible T14s I can get into. Actually, I'll be quite happy if I get almost any of the T14

Thank you for your help, definitely a little reassuring to hear that the LSATS is valued more in the states.

Spoke to an admissions guy at U of T: with your LSAT score and gpa, you're pretty much guaranteed in. (and you'll be guaranteed in at all the other canadian schools).

Wrong. They probably won't get into UofT. UofT requires a best 3 of ~3.8 or so (at the bare minimum a 3.7). The OPs first two years makes this improbable.

[Bfalcon]

I'm definitely iffy or for sure not getting into U of T. I also think I'm quite iffy for Osgood-saw some people with similar stats not get in. Although they do claim to look at the best two or last two years...heard they're pretty much about the cumulative anyways. I'm thinking I have a decent chance at queen's and western?

NYU is definitely at the top of my list for the possible T14s I can get into. Actually, I'll be quite happy if I get almost any of the T14

Thank you for your help, definitely a little reassuring to hear that the LSATS is valued more in the states.

Spoke to an admissions guy at U of T: with your LSAT score and gpa, you're pretty much guaranteed in. (and you'll be guaranteed in at all the other canadian schools).

Wrong. They probably won't get into UofT. UofT requires a best 3 of ~3.8 or so (at the bare minimum a 3.7). The OPs first two years makes this improbable.

Sorry to play it back at you purplemustang, but you're wrong http://lawstudents.ca/forums/topic/31454-accepted-2013/. There's a guy there who was admitted with a 3.41/169. Furthermore, a user named "purplemustang" offered him "fucking congratulations" on that thread...wonder who that coulda been? The thread further states that a 3.4 is about the bottom cut-off for gpa.

OP has 3.2, 3.83, 3.85ish for his top 3 years: gives him about a 3.63 average for T3 for the application which is decent (and he shows an upward trend). With the U of T LSAT median at 168 (believe 169 is the 75th), this guy should be good to go. I literally talked stats to an admissions guy at the uni. A 169 is a bit better than a 168. A 172 is exponentially better! Furthermore, I have many friends at U of T law right now, and several of them had GPAs along these lines (and lower LSATs).

Another person on that board got a 3.67/170. Though that may be due to softs, I still feel this guy certainly has a good shot! (as opposed to "probably won't get into UofT")

Thought U of T has a fairly high gpa requirement, it still is an easier school to get into than most, if not all, of the T14 in the states.

-

[PurpleMustang]

I'm definitely iffy or for sure not getting into U of T. I also think I'm quite iffy for Osgood-saw some people with similar stats not get in. Although they do claim to look at the best two or last two years...heard they're pretty much about the cumulative anyways. I'm thinking I have a decent chance at queen's and western?

NYU is definitely at the top of my list for the possible T14s I can get into. Actually, I'll be quite happy if I get almost any of the T14

Thank you for your help, definitely a little reassuring to hear that the LSATS is valued more in the states.

Spoke to an admissions guy at U of T: with your LSAT score and gpa, you're pretty much guaranteed in. (and you'll be guaranteed in at all the other canadian schools).

Wrong. They probably won't get into UofT. UofT requires a best 3 of ~3.8 or so (at the bare minimum a 3.7). The OPs first two years makes this improbable.

Sorry to play it back at you purplemustang, but you're wrong http://lawstudents.ca/forums/topic/31454-accepted-2013/. There's a guy there who was admitted with a 3.41/169. Furthermore, a user named "purplemustang" offered him "fucking congratulations" on that thread...wonder who that coulda been? The thread further states that a 3.4 is about the bottom cut-off for gpa.

OP has 3.2, 3.83, 3.85ish for his top 3 years: gives him about a 3.63 average for T3 for the application which is decent (and he shows an upward trend). With the U of T LSAT median at 168 (believe 169 is the 75th), this guy should be good to go. I literally talked stats to an admissions guy at the uni. A 169 is a bit better than a 168. A 172 is exponentially better! Furthermore, I have many friends at U of T law right now, and several of them had GPAs along these lines (and lower LSATs).

Another person on that board got a 3.67/170. Though that may be due to softs, I still feel this guy certainly has a good shot! (as opposed to "probably won't get into UofT")

Thought U of T has a fairly high gpa requirement, it still is an easier school to get into than most, if not all, of the T14 in the states.

-

I didn't say OP wouldn't get in, for the record. I said that it's unlikely. There is a BIG difference between a 3.67 and a 3.4 or so. Just for the record.

And sure, I congratulated the guy who got in with 3.4/169. But if you read the thread, you would notice that he included sufficient reasons for his GPA being on the low side. There were legitimate reasons for this. Regardless, apparently you choose to use selective reading to justify your post.

I wish the OP of this thread all the best, though.