We get a lot of applicants asking whether we have a Mature Applicant Admission Stream at UVic Law. The short answer is that we do not. The long answer is that being a mature student can absolutely be a factor considered in your application.
As a Faculty, it is our goal to admit students with broad backgrounds and life experiences so that the legal field is more representative of Canadian society as a whole. It is commonplace and an every year occurrence that UVic Law welcomes qualified students in their 20s, 30s, 40s, 50s, 60s, or even their 70s, and many of our older graduates thrive during and after law school. We have students with children and grandchildren who have often had full careers in other fields. We recognize that law as a second or third career or phase of life is usually a well-thought-out decision that comes with a deep understanding of why they want to pursue a law degree and where they see their place in the legal landscape. Age and additional life experience are seen as strengths that bring unique skill sets and perspectives to the legal community. Common contributions from our mature students include things like wisdom from lessons learned, creative problem solving, critical thinking, empathy, forgiveness, and understanding. All of these attributes are necessary in the legal field and in law school classes.
Being a mature student can mean a lot of things. It could mean you are:
- An applicant who earned competitive undergraduate grades and a competitive LSAT score who happens to have been out of school for a number of years; or
- An applicant who either did not earn competitive grades in undergraduate school or a competitive LSAT score (or neither) and who has also been out of school for a number of years.
The first group of applicants are likely a good fit for the General Admission Stream. Likewise, if these applicants self-identify as Black or Indigenous, they are welcome (but not required) to apply through the Black Admission Stream or Indigenous Admission Stream. These applicants are encouraged to write about their world experiences and how they relate to the topics in their various admission statements. These experiences can absolutely strengthen and enhance a Personal Statement, Black Admission Statement, or a Statement of Connection. However, having been out of school for a number of years alone is not a factor for admission in any of these admission streams.
The second group of applicants will likely choose to apply in the Inclusive Admission Stream. Their experiences during their time away from school may be considered as factors that strengthen the Personal Statement or the Inclusive Statement. However, these experiences should not be the focus of why they are applying under the Inclusive Admission Stream. Rather, the focus in the Inclusive Admission Statement should be the reasons that the applicant did not earn competitive grades or LSAT score, and how things have changed for them. Perhaps this is because of experiences gained since undergraduate schoolwork.
Frequently mature students experience some overlap in the reasons they are applying for Inclusive Admission and their experiences as a mature applicant. For example, perhaps a mature applicant was unable to finish the last few units of an undergraduate degree due to family care responsibilities that were ongoing – and kept the applicant from returning to school. For these applicants, emphasizing experiences and knowledge gained because of their time away from school would be a benefit.
Generally speaking, all students, including mature students, must meet the minimum admission requirements to be considered for admission in any stream. The pursuit of a JD or a JD/JID is intended to be a post-baccalaureate professional program. As such, all students must complete an undergraduate degree or three years leading towards that degree at an accredited institution prior to commencing law school. If you have not completed the minimum number of academic units specified for General Admission, as one of your supporting documents, state the reasons why you believe that it would not be feasible for you to complete such academic units prior to commencement of law school. Your explanation should be no longer than 500 words.
As always, there are reasons that one might not still see themselves in this admissions process. If, of course, for any reason, you feel you cannot meet the admission requirements because you are a mature applicant, please contact the Manager, Recruitment & Admissions Lori Klear at lawadmss@uvic.ca to talk through the best way to proceed.