1 Reference letter

[youngprod 3]

Considering that I am applying for the access category when available, having supporting documents of the reasons behind my troubling times during certain years, and have an upward trending GPA (L2/B3). How impactful would it be for having only one referee. My referee is a very establish lawyer in many fields and gave a really well recommendation. Unfortunately I was unable to obtain a second letter of recommendation. 

[MountainMon 322]

I’m not well-versed in access category requirements but off the top of my head most OLSAS schools require that you have at least one academic reference and at least two references overall. I think the non-academic references are intended to be used by mature applicants with singificant work experience for whom an academic reference would be odd / pointless. Given that references don’t make a huge impact on your application idk how not fulfilling this requirement will work out for you but, truth be told, you should be focusing on trying to get a second referee right now. Again, idk your circumstances but I can’t see any reason why you couldn’t have emailed 1-2 profs asking for LORs when they’re a specific requirement for law school apps.

[erinl2 4742]

Where are you applying? Don't all schools require at least one academic LOR?  It's true that LORs may not have a big impact on your chances for admission but not following the rules and submitting what is required may cause your app not to be assessed. It's now Nov. 10 and it's very late to be considering this question. Profs should be given the courtesy of ~6 weeks advance notice when requesting they write a letter for you. The app deadline in ON and I believe for other schools outside ON was Nov. 1. As of now, your app is incomplete. You likely should get on this ASAP to obtain an academic LOR from one of your profs!

[swizzlem12 51]

1 hour ago, erinl2 said:

Where are you applying? Don't all schools require at least one academic LOR?  It's true that LORs may not have a big impact on your chances for admission but not following the rules and submitting what is required may cause your app not to be assessed. It's now Nov. 10 and it's very late to be considering this question. Profs should be given the courtesy of ~6 weeks advance notice when requesting they write a letter for you. The app deadline in ON and I believe for other schools outside ON was Nov. 1. As of now, your app is incomplete. You likely should get on this ASAP to obtain an academic LOR from one of your profs!

not all schools. off the top of my head UBC and UVic do not require references, but this is just for the general category... for access I'd assume they would ask for them 

[erinl2 4742]

5 hours ago, swizzlem12 said:

not all schools. off the top of my head UBC and UVic do not require references, but this is just for the general category... for access I'd assume they would ask for them 

Yes, I should have made myself more clear. I know that not all schools require LORs. I attended U of T which does not. I should have specifically said - all schools that require LORs want to see one of them be an academic LOR.

[youngprod 3]

I was not able to have competitive years until my last 2 years. One of the last year is now so I guess since last year. But before my competitive years I was diagnosed with major depression, anxiety and PTSD. Additionally I lost both my grandparents before this time and have also provided their death certificates. I was hoping all this was would sufficient to why I was unable to obtain an academic LOR. I believe one should be better than none with all of the following

[CleanHands 2052]

36 minutes ago, youngprod said:

I was not able to have competitive years until my last 2 years. One of the last year is now so I guess since last year. But before my competitive years I was diagnosed with major depression, anxiety and PTSD. Additionally I lost both my grandparents before this time and have also provided their death certificates. I was hoping all this was would sufficient to why I was unable to obtain an academic LOR. I believe one should be better than none with all of the following

I don't understand. If for two years of undergrad you achieved grades that are competitive for law school admissions, how would you be unable to find a single professor to write a LOR?

I sympathize with the issues you describe and would of course encourage you to apply access/discretionary, but I fail to see how that's relevant to a complete inability to obtain any academic references.

[Luckycharm 1874]

On 11/10/2020 at 1:29 AM, youngprod said:

Considering that I am applying for the access category when available, having supporting documents of the reasons behind my troubling times during certain years, and have an upward trending GPA (L2/B3). How impactful would it be for having only one referee. My referee is a very establish lawyer in many fields and gave a really well recommendation. Unfortunately I was unable to obtain a second letter of recommendation. 

Do you know any TA that can write it for you?

You didn't post any stats. "an upward trending GPA (L2/B3" means nothing.)  which schools are you applying and your LSAT? 

[Policywonk 60]

If schools require 2 reference letters and you only submit one,  you are not meeting their application requirements. Why should they make an exception for you? You are applying for access admissions but pretty much all applicants manage to get 2 reference letters. I'd echo the other posters and try to get an academic reference ASAP. Surely you did well in one class and could ask that professor.