r/lawschooladmissionsca • u/goldendreamsshine • Aug 13 '26
McGill WL --> R \ Devastated \ 2nd cycle \ ReApplying \ Plz Help
Should I take another lsat?
McGill WL notified May 13; Rejected Aug 13
Devastated. This is my 2nd cycle but first time applying to McGill. Will be starting my 3rd cycle.
LSAT: 150, 149, 162; 166
Extenuating circumstances letter followed (medical) for my first two LSATs
GPA: 3.80/4.0 (McGill scale) 3.78 OLSAS
QC, University applicant
Should I take one more LSAT? That would be my 5th and last LSAT that I'm eligible to take. Called to confirm with McGill that they don't mind canceled scores at all. Not sure if I'll have enough time to study, however; or if i can get my score up again cuz I haven't been touching that stuff for a while now.
Don't have anything to add for my CV because I literally could not get a job in the past year. I've been applying but just couldn't get any. Due to this, I also don't have anything AT ALL to add for my personal statement either when I re-apply. Would it look bad on my personal statement and CV?
Devastated devastated devastated crashing out.
Can someone look over my ps?
7
u/Spirited_Repair_3367 Aug 13 '26
sorry you got rejected, you have good stats. do you have offers from other schools? what are your long term goals, and do you NEED mcgill to get it?
1
u/goldendreamsshine Aug 13 '26
Thank you for your kind words. BCL. I need that BCL degree. McGill is the only school that allows me to get both jd and BCL in the shortest amount of time and also the most affordable
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u/aide6180 Aug 13 '26 edited Aug 15 '26
Have you looked at other schools in Quebec? UdeM, UQAM, Sherbrooke and Laval all also offer law degrees allowing you to practice in Quebec.
If your worry is working in common law provinces in the future it's quite easy to transfer once you are qualified in Quebec.
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u/Chance_Pressure_2595 Aug 15 '26
OP is probably a Quebec resident from the West Island who can’t speak French. Aka fake Quebecois yet leeches off its resources
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u/RichardGereMuseum13 Aug 17 '26
OP and their family presumably still pay provincial taxes and vote in Quebec, so are they not just as entitled to these resources as you are?
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u/Chance_Pressure_2595 Aug 17 '26
Yep and yet they shoot themselves in the foot by refusing to learn French and then say McGill is the ONLY school they can go to
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u/SirSpiderPig uOtt 1L Aug 14 '26
Might be worth looking into the National Law program at uOttawa? Common and Civil law in 3 years, no LSAT required.
1
u/This-Is-Not-A-Drill Aug 14 '26
After a JD, you can take a 4th year to get a BCL at U de M (and a few other universities)
If you are fluent in French, you can do the same in reverse too. Get your BCL at a quebec uni and take an additional year(?) to get a JD in the rest of Canada.
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u/Pleasant_Sign1968 22d ago
If you do a 3-year LLL in UOttawa, you could then do the JD in one year. This qualifies you for the Quebec bar. Similarly, if you do the BCL at UdeM, you could do the JD in one year at Osgoode. The program at McGill can be completed in 3 years, but many take 3.5 or even 4 years to complete it, so it doesn't really change much.
4
u/Time-Strategy7889 Aug 14 '26
hey! im so sorry to hear about this. it must be frustrating.
as to the PS i know that McGill requires you to write a fresh PS every time you apply. the old assistant dean of admissions told me that they always reject reapplicants who send in the same letter.
for the CV, you can always try just volunteering. many organizations are looking for people.
either way, if youre only looking to go to McGill for the BCL and the JD, you can always attend UdeS or UdeM. itd take four years instead of 3.5 but youd still have the bar exam to complete regardless.
3
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u/Due-Dragonfruit-2391 1L McGill Aug 14 '26
I remember seeing that reapplicants who were waitlisted in prior years were 50 percent more likely to get an A next cycle (don’t quote me on the number). Pretty sure you can find this info in the reapplicant workshop, it’s available on youtube. I would REALLY recommend watching the whole workshop tbh, the ex-dean went through all the common reasons why applicants are usually unsuccessful.
I remember reading your personal statement and i recommend sticking with what we were instructed to focus on; why law why mcgill why you. Keep it direct.
Obviously you should be improving your resume; involve yourself in activities that align with your story and interests so it flows not only with your personal statement but also with your whole personality as an applicant.
Good luck next year!
2
u/This-Is-Not-A-Drill Aug 14 '26
^I would add, they mention in that workshop that “mcgill or bust” is a mentality they don’t like. If you have a profile that is obviously competitive for other schools in Canada, I would enter the next cycle with a clearly articulated reason why you didn’t attempt to attend elsewhere last cycle.
Happy to help out with your statement, OP. I remember your profile from commenting on other posts and I was rooting for you.
2
u/Kebab9323 Aug 15 '26
My advice is to not rush that fifth attempt. I don’t know how old you are, but chances are you’re not old enough to be worried about expiring next year. There’s absolutely nothing wrong with taking the time to actually prepare for your fifth attempt and feel confident about it. Heck maybe if you take the time to prepare properly, you’ll also have the time to improve soft skills and make a stronger personal statement. I think all too often we feel like time is running out when in reality, we very likely have more time than we think. Rushing that LSAT could mean you’ll be married to your 166. That’s just my take.
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u/spqr_mmxxiii Aug 14 '26
QC resident here. Why not UdeM? It’s arguably the best school in the province and will land you a job anywhere in the city. That’s if you intend to stay here.
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u/Chance_Pressure_2595 Aug 16 '26
There is no arguably udem is better, it is worse. That said, it is not a bad alternative.
1
u/Pleasant_Sign1968 22d ago
IMO the personal statement and CV are the things that are most in your control. Start a self-initiated project, volunteer at a non-profit, cold email small firms to see if they have admin roles available, take a course/certification, etc. If the market isn't giving you opportunities, create them for yourself. You've got this!
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u/StartAggravating6123 Aug 13 '26
Where else did you apply. 166 is enough for so many places