Western Law School accepts applications under four categories.
Western Law School is affiliated with the University of Western Ontario and is located in London, Ontario. Western Law School offers first-year admission under four categories: "mature," defined as candidates who have at least five years of non-university experience since leaving high school and have attended university for at least two years; "access," defined as candidates whose undergraduate performance has been affected by some significant disability; "Aboriginal," defined as members of First Nations, Inuit and Métis; and "general," which encompasses everyone not in the other three categories.
Admissions Test
Applicants in all four categories are required to take the Law School Admissions Test (LSAT) before being considered for admission. According to Western Law School's admissions website, the February test date is the last LSAT score the school will accept for admission in September of the same year. The median LSAT score for admitted applicants in the general category is 161, which is the 82nd percentile. Competitive applicants in the Aboriginal category score above the 60th percentile, while those in the mature and access categories score above the 65th percentile. The admissions committee will consider all LSAT scores if the applicant has taken the test more than once within the past five years, but will place more emphasis on the higher score.
Undergraduate Degree
All applicants must hold an undergraduate degree to be considered for admission, with the exception of applicants in the mature category, who may apply if they have completed two years of study. The admissions committee requires at least a three-year undergraduate degree for the general, Aboriginal and access categories, although most successful applicants in the general category hold at least a four-year honors degree. The admissions department places more emphasis on grades earned in the last two years of undergraduate study. The median grade point average for admitted students in the general category is 3.7, according to the school's admissions website. Competitive applicants in the Aboriginal, mature and access categories have an overall grade point average of 3.3.
Personal Statement
All applicants are required to write a personal statement, the purpose of which is to allow candidates to show the admissions committee information that does not appear on other parts of the application. The admissions website suggests using the personal statement to show the applicant's strengths in academic or other achievements, or to show how the candidate has overcome significant obstacles.
Letters of Recommendation
Applicants in the general category must submit two letters of recommendation. One of these letters must be an academic reference. Letters of recommendation are not required for the other categories, but will be considered if sent.
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