One of the most challenging aspects of law school is the admission process itself. It is highly competitive across the country, with a limited number of spots available for thousands of applicants. For many candidates, it may require multiple rounds of applications before they can secure a seat in an incoming class.
If a candidate is unsuccessful in obtaining admission to a Canadian law school, another option is to apply to a foreign law school and seek accreditation for their foreign credential in a Canadian province. For instance, some students may choose to study abroad in countries like England or Australia, which can offer a smoother transfer process. However, it is important to note that pursuing education in a foreign country may be more expensive compared to attending a Canadian law school directly.
Successfully securing a spot in law school is largely determined by two main factors: academic achievement and performance in the Law School Admission Test (LSAT). We will discuss both of these factors below.
Academic Achievement
As a starting point, Canadian law schools generally require applicants to have completed a bachelor’s degree from an accredited university. While there are rare instances where some students are permitted to enroll in law school without a completed degree, such cases are uncommon.
Regarding the type of degree, it does not determine whether you will be accepted into a law program. Students from all disciplines are eligible to apply, and it is common to see a wide range of study programs represented in law school. For example, students with backgrounds in arts, business and commerce, engineering, and other fields can all be considered for admission to law programs.
Law schools also take into account the grades obtained during a student’s degree program. The overall or weighted average tends to be an important factor in the admission process. Each individual law school will have its own specific average requirements, so applicants will need to conduct some research to determine if they meet the criteria.
Law School Admissions Test (LSAT)
The Law School Admission Test (LSAT) is a standardized test that is widely used by Canadian and American law schools as part of their admission process. The purpose of the LSAT is to assess a candidate’s critical thinking and reading comprehension skills.
The scoring of the LSAT is done on a scale ranging from 120 to 180. The typical entrance LSAT score for law schools in Canada varies, but a competitive score is generally considered to be around 160 or higher. If you are interested in learning about registration or the scoring, you can visit the official Law School Admission Council (LSAC) website: https://www.lsac.org/
The LSAT consists of a writing sample (see more below) and also multiple-choice questions that are divided into three separate sections designed to test on different skills. The multiple choice component includes sections on logical reasoning, analytical reasoning (also known as logic games), and reading comprehension. If you are interested in trying a few sample LSAT questions, we have compiled a few of each type; just click on the appropriate section below:
Logical Reasoning
Analytical Reasoning
Commonly known as "Logic Games". They assess your analysis of deductive reasoning.
Reading Comprehension
Assesses your ability to read, understand, and analyze complex written passages.
In addition to these three multiple choice sections, the LSAT also requires a writing sample which is time and remote-proctored. The writing sample consists of a single prompt that presents a specific issue or situation. Test takers are required to provide a written response to the prompt within a 35-minute time limit.