Entrance Requirements for UBC Law School
The faculty of law at the University of British Columbia offers one of the largest legal programs in the country, a three-year Juris Doctor (J.D.), that prepares student for careers in the law profession or in business, politics, government or academia. Requirements for entrance into the J.D. program include obtaining an undergraduate degree and passing the standardized Law School Admissions Test (LSAT), which is a prerequisite for legal education for all schools in Canada.
Undergraduate University Degree
In order to be considered for admission, prospective students must hold or be currently completing an undergraduate degree from an accredited university. Diploma or certificate programs are not eligible for consideration. Most applicants earn a Bachelor of Arts, but students from all backgrounds may be accepted. In the past, UBC has accepted students from a variety of undergraduate degree programs such as architecture, science, engineering and forestry. Students must have completed at least three years, a minimum of 90 credits, at the time of application. Applicants who are in the process of completing their third year and would like to apply may do so, but any offer of acceptance extended to them will be conditional on upholding the academic average achieved during the first two years of their studies. While it is possible to be admitted with a three-year undergraduate degree, the vast majority of successful applicants have completed a four-year degree. Finally, students should have a strong academic record. According to the university's website, in 2008, the academic average of accepted applicants was 82 percent or approximately 3.8 on a 4.3 scale.
Law School Admissions Test (LSAT)
As with all J.D. programs in Canada, applicants must successfully pass the Law School Admissions Test (LSAT). The LSAT is a standardized exam that evaluates reading comprehension skills and analytical and logical reasoning abilities. LSAT scores are weighed alongside a prospective student's GPA. This means that if an applicant's GPA is lower than average, they may rectify it by earning a higher-than-average LSAT score. Accordingly, an applicant's higher-than-average GPA may cancel out a lower-than-average LSAT score. According to the university's website, in 2008, the average LSAT score of successful applicants was 164.
Personal Statement
A personal statement of no more than 750 words is the final requirement for admission into UBC law school. Applicants should express their interest in studying law and provide reasons why they are a suitable candidate for admission by, for example, highlighting extracurricular activities or previous work experience. While academic record and LSAT scores are given greater importance in assessing an applicant, the personal statement may also be used to judge admissibility and to decide entrance scholarship offers.
Tags: undergraduate degree, Admissions Test, Admissions Test LSAT, LSAT score, School Admissions, School Admissions Test, Test LSAT