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Law Degree
TSR Wiki > University > Choosing a Subject > University Courses > Law Degree
Contents |
Frequently asked questions
There is an alternative FAQ at http://www.thestudentroom.co.uk/showthread.php?t=607571
GCSE results
View 1: It is unlikely you'll need to worry about GCSEs again unless you're going for the one of the top institutions so don't worry about them. A profile of mainly As and Bs, with Cs in English and Maths, should do you fine. Your A levels are far more important, so focus your energies on them.
View 2: GCSE results are an extremely important piece of information, even for universities which use other factors such as the LNAT and interviews. For those such as Warwick and LSE which do not use the LNAT, GCSEs may well be decisive because it is difficult to see how else they can select between too many AAA applicants. However, many universities will put your GCSE results in the context of your school and background, and other factors may outweigh them where they are present.
View 3: Believe it or not, GCSEs are good secondary predictors of student performance on degrees. Good GCSEs and poor AS/A2s may often signal a good student who has had bad luck. Some of the pickier firms and universities will look at your GCSE results.
AS level grades
If you're starting your AS levels this September, don't make the mistake of not working because you have the opportunity to resit. A friend of mine did this and had to sit 11 exams in January whereas I only had to sit 2. Work hard. If you've found out your AS level results and are disappointed with the grades, whether to resit some of your modules is a dilemma to be considered carefully. If you resit modules from all your subjects then this can be off putting for universities because they have to rely solely on your predicted grades to decide whether to make you an offer (but only if you want to resit to improve the AS grade, not the final A Level grade), and some universities are now even requiring that grades are obtained at the first sitting (but UCAS does not currently allow them to do this). If your university is not one of these, then resitting the odd easier AS level module as opposed to relying on the more difficult A2 modules may be an option, but try to keep this to a minimum. Having to prepare for both AS level resits and your A2 level exams will make you stressed and reduce your performance.
A level subjects
View 1: It's true that universities tend to prefer Law applicants to have taken "traditional" subjects, such as History, English etc. Often it develops in students depth of subject skill, especially in language use and analysis. However, just because you've taken an A level in Media Studies doesn't mean you'll be rejected. The official line is that all A-Levels are equal (except General Studies)! It's all about balance. I have to be honest and say I'd try to choose at least 2 of the more traditional subjects, but if you love a "new" subject, then don't drop it just on the ground that universities wont like it. Psychology and Sociology are both fine. Business Studies shouldn't be too much of a problem. Law A level seems to be a bit of a Marmite subject. Having taken this A level myself, what I have experienced is that universities sometimes make their offers slightly higher for Law A level students. But if you decide to take it, and you're willing to work hard for your grades, go ahead. If you're a good student then universities are hardly going to reject you. There seems to be a common misconception that students who re-sit their A-Levels during their gap years will be disadvantaged. This doesn't always seem to be the case. As long as you have very good predictions and a viable reason for your re-sits, Universities will make offers. Oxbridge seem to be a bit skeptical on this though.
View 2: A-Level Law. Anyone who teaches first year undergraduates loathes A-Level Law. It gives students a superficial knowledge of information, but fundamental misunderstandings about the law itself. It's a bit like knowing the plot without having read the book. For some it whets the appetite, but for most it seems to deaden the brain, A-Level Law students will do well in the first year and then wonder why their grades are slipping as they have failed to learn to do things the right (hard) way. It's a bit of a vast generalisation, but it's a well-held prejudice amongst some Uni teachers. (Arts subjects)
Making your 5 choices
Don't just chase the league tables. Visit as many universities as you can and use your impressions as part of the criteria for your choices. A degree from a top institution may look impressive on your CV, but if you hated living there, then you haven't made the most of three years of your life. Obviously prestige is a factor for consideration, but remember you'll be living in this place, so you have to make sure you look at non academic factors. (UCAS course finder)
NB If you are looking to practice in England or Wales then you will need to do a degree in England or Wales. If you do your law degree in Scotland you will be able to practice in Scotland but not in England and Wales. Moving jurisdiction would require a conversion course, with the exception of Dundee who offers an English Law LLB.
Writing your personal statement
Universities will look at hundreds of applications when deciding whom to make offers to, and this is your only opportunity to make an impression and demonstrate your individuality. Most law students will say "I read the Times on a Thursday to keep up with the law". You have to make yourself stand out. You have a limited amount of space with a PS and need to make it work in your favour. Looking at other people's personal statements can be useful, but if you more or less copy what they say, then you're not really showing universities what you personally have to offer. If possible, have your teacher back up what you say. Statements should also show a good command of the English language, with a clear and logical structure. Things I would recommend including:
- Where your interest in law stems from.
- How you've developed your interest, e.g. reading books, visiting court, work experience, mock trials. Develop on these - why did they inspire you?
- Areas of law that interest you in particular, and why.
- Personal attributes - what are you like as a person? Why are you desirable for the university to make an offer to?
- Any non-legal work experience. Try to relate the skills used in this to prove your desirable attributes i.e. time management, coming to reasoned solutions, coping under pressure.
- Any awards or certificates that aren't already included in your application.
- Hobbies and interests. It's important to show that you are well-rounded.
- A closing statement, most likely including why you want to attend university/achieve this degree, and what you would do with it.
Sample Law Personal Statements
LNAT
If you are applying to a university that requires the LNAT, take that requirement seriously. The results are used, although the way they are used varies. In many places a good LNAT score will be used to admit some people who would not otherwise have got in, and in some a poor LNAT score will be used to exclude some who would otherwise have got in. Therefore make sure you take the time to practise before the exam. (LNAT preparation) Do remember when you take the LNAT that the universities will be judging your performance over both halves of the test and that you only receive a mark for the multiple choice questions. A low LNAT score therefore does not necessarily mean you have performed badly on the LNAT overall
Standard Offers & Admissions Procedures
The following is a table of standard university offers for *LLB degrees for 2013 entry, sorted in points order. It must be noted that institutions with a points score, maybe, or are willing to accept subjects including General Studies and Critical Thinking. It is advised you research further prior to applying. In addition, please note that TSR user input is typically not verified from an official source, and may be speculative.
- You can also click here to see what offers were made to TSR members applying in 2007.
A*AA-AAA
| University | Published requirements | Input from TSR users (use with caution) |
|---|---|---|
| Birmingham | AAA + LNAT | |
| Bristol | AAA + LNAT | Bristol sometimes give offers of AAB to candidates who shine in the LNAT. |
| Cambridge | A*AA + Cambridge Law Test (sometimes AAAA or EE) | There is evidence to show Cambridge are sceptical of the LNAT. For 2007 entry, the cover sheet that summarises information tutors consider when taking people from the Pool included specific instructions not to write the LNAT score on it. See here. However, the score and essay would have been available further inside the file.
Cambridge have announced that from 10/11 entry they are scrapping the lnat as in their own internal statistics it did not correspond well with classification at the end of the degree. See here. The LNAT has now been replaced with a Cambridge law test. http://www.law.cam.ac.uk/admissions/cambridge-law-test.php |
| Durham | A*AA + LNAT | Durham has increased its standard offer for law to A*AA from 2012 onwards. The university also requires candidates to sit the LNAT and it has been rumoured that candidates are only considered if they achieve over 20 on the multiple choice component, please note that this is mere speculation based on a small sample of data from the 2007 admissions cycle. |
| Kings College London | A*AAa + LNAT (2011) | For 2007 entry, KCL rejected all M100 applicants with a score below 16. This was an official policy that was disclosed to TSR members when unsuccessful applicants requested feedback. Source: posts 1-14 on this thread. This can also be verified by User: Stick Man
For 2007 entry, KCL seemed to give a large amount of AABB offers to TSR applicants studying 4 A-levels. While this certainly isn't to say that other universities won't do this, the amount of times KCL gave out these offers makes it appear as though they do so as standard. Though this is all speculation, of course. This was written in 2007 so applicants for 2010 entry should bear that in mind |
| Lancaster | AAA | Lancaster accepts General studies as part of the AAA offer. (Offer changed to AAA only from AAA-AAB in 2010)See Admissions Website |
| Leeds | AAA | Leeds included General Studies and Critical Thinking as part of their AAA offer in 2007.
In 2005-2006 entries, Leeds accepted everyone who firmed them and went on to achieve AAB at A-level (despite giving AAA offers). Source. Of course, this does not guarantee that they will continue to do so in future years. |
| Leicester | AAA | Including General Studies |
| LSE | A*AA | LSE officially states that the A* grade should be achieved in a 'generally preferred' subject. Candidates should achieve a 'good range of grades' at GCSE and have taken a fourth AS level. LSE is extremely competitive for law, in the 2010 admissions cycle over 2,500 candidates applied for LLB law with only 150 gaining admission. |
| Manchester | AAA + LNAT | Manchester now requires students to sit the LNAT (Law National Admissions Test) to help differentiate between candidates. This measure was introduced in the 2012 application cycle. |
| Newcastle | AAA | |
| Nottingham | A*AA + LNAT | Nottingham has increased the standard offer for its LLB and BA Law courses to A*AA. The university's admissions policy also places strong emphasis on LNAT scores.
http://www.thestudentroom.co.uk/showthread.php?t=365301 http://www.thestudentroom.co.uk/showpost.php?p=7678612&postcount=2 |
| Oxford | AAA + LNAT | Please note that the following comment is in dispute. More here.For 2007 entry, Oxford used the LNAT to narrow down which candidates would be invited for interview. Source: here. Also, for 2010 entry they said they would only take the top 18% of LNAT scores. |
| Queen Mary | A*AA | Although it has previously been AAA, from 2011 onwards, they will be making the standard Law offer at A*AA, and possibly they may start using the LNAT also. |
| Sheffield | AAA | Accept General Studies and Critical Thinking when combined with two more 'academic' A Levels. |
| SOAS | A*AA | From 2012 onwards SOAS increased the conditional offer for both BA and LLB Law from AAA to A*AA due to the increasingly competitive nature of the course. |
| Southampton | AAA | |
| Warwick | AAA(c) | |
| UCL | A*AA(e) + LNAT | From 2012 onwards UCL introduced A*AA as the standard offer for law.
For 2007 entry, UCL rejected all M100 applicants with LNAT scores below 14. (citation needed) |
| York | AAA | York also interviews potential candidates before giving a conditional offer. |
AAA-AAB
| University | Published requirements | Input from TSR users (use with caution) |
|---|---|---|
| City | AAA - AAB will be considered | See university's official data |
| Exeter | AAA-AAB Streatham campus
AAB-ABB Cornwall campus | The university no longer requires the LNAT as of 2009 |
| Queens Belfast | AAA-AAB(a) | |
| Sussex | AAA-AAB | |
| Liverpool | AAA | |
| Reading | AAA | The standard offer for 2013 entry is going to be AAA, not AAB as it used to be in previous years. |
| UEA East Anglia | AAB | UEA withdrew from LNAT in 2007, saying that it did not prove to serve their goal of widening participation. |
AAB-ABB
| University | A Level | UCAS Score |
|---|---|---|
| Aberdeen | ABB | N/a |
| Aberystwyth | ABB | 320 |
| Birkbeck | AAB | N/a |
| Bournemouth | N/a | 320 |
| Bradford | N/a | 300 |
| Bristol, West of England | N/a | 320 |
| Buckinghamshire | N/a | 300 |
| Cardiff | AAB | N/A |
| Derby | N/a | 320 |
| Dundee | ABB | N/a |
| East Anglia | AAB | N/a |
| Essex | AAB | N/a |
| Glamorgan | N/a | 300 |
| Glasgow | AAB | N/a |
| Hertfordshire | N/a | 320 |
| Hull | ABB | 320 |
| Keele | ABB | N/a |
| Kent | AAB | N/a |
| Kingston | N/a | 320 |
| College of Law | ABB | 320 |
| Leeds Metropolitan | N/a | 300 |
| Lincoln | N/a | 300 |
| Liverpool John Moores | N/a | 300 |
| London Metropolitan | N/a | 300 |
| Manchester Metropolitan | N/a | 320 |
| Northumbria | N/a | 320 |
| Nottingham Trent | N/a | 300 |
| Oxford Brookes | ABB | N/a |
| Plymouth | N/a | 300 |
| Portsmouth | N/a | 320 |
| Salford | N/a | 320 |
| Sheffield Hallam | N/a | 300 |
| Staffordshire | N/a | 320 |
| Surrey | AAB | N/a |
| Swansea | AAB | N/a |
| Ulster | ABB | N/a |
| West London | N/a | 300 |
| Westminster | ABB | N/a |
| Winchester | N/a | 300 |
BBB
- Coventry BBB
- Brighton BBB
- Edinburgh BBB (absolute minimum - usually AAA if no contexual factors apply)
- Hertfordshire 300pts
- Keele BBB-ABB (300-320pts)
- Nottingham Trent BBB (ABB for sandwich course)
- Plymouth BBB
BBC and Below
- Glamorgan 280-320pts
- University of the West of England BBC-BBB
- Bradford 200-300pts
- Chester 260-300pts
- Central Lancs BBC
- University of Central England BBC (280pts)
- Sunderland BBC (280pts)
- Derby BCC-BBC
- Abertay BCC
- Leeds Met 280pts
- Salford 280pts
- Sheffield Hallam 260pts
- Staffordshire BCC (260pts)
- Bangor 240-280pts
- Anglia Ruskin 220-260pts
- Northampton 220-260pts
- Gloucestershire 200-260pts
- Buckingham 240-280pts
- Greenwich 240pts
- Huddersfield 300pts
- Liverpool John Moores 240pts
- London South Bank CCC (240pts)
- Teeside 240pts
- Thames Valley 240pts
- Lincoln 220pts
- Bournemouth 180-280pts
- University of Bedfordshire 160-240pts
- Wolverhampton 220pts
- East London 200pts
- London Met 190pts
- Southampton Solent 180pts
Grades N/A
BPP Law School
Law in Scotland List of Standard Offers
University of Aberdeen
ABBBB - AABB (higher), BBB (Advanced Higher)
Highers required at one sitting are AABB or ABBBB. Those seeking to qualify over two sittings must normally get H at BBBB at first sitting, and over two sittings must aggregate not less than AABBB or ABBBBB. In either case, applicants must have achieved B in Higher English.
University of Abertay Dundee
Higher BBBB
Higher English at grade B is required.
University of Dundee
264 - 312 Points
4 Highers totalling 264 points (Grades AABB) or 5 Highers totalling 312 points (Grades ABBBB) required
University of Edinburgh
BBBB (higher) BBB(Advanced Higher)
For a full list of approved subjects please refer to the undergraduate prospectus. Grades specified are for first sitting. Core Skills achievement is welcomed but is not part of the formal assessment of applications. higher English at Grade B is required.
The prospectus claims that for most students to get an offer, they will need AAA at A level, or AAAA at Higher. However, the Edinburgh University Admissions Officer said in a letter to unsuccessful applicants that "for those presenting SQA Highers, offers were typically made to applicants who had achieved AAAAA in their first sitting."
Students who are in the first in their family to go to university, who had a serious disruption to their formal education, or who come from underrepresented groups might get an offer with the minimum required BBB. The BBB minimum requirement does not apply to many students. In 2009, the average UCAS tariff of accepted students was around 480, suggesting that BBB is not sufficient to get an offer without other, extenuating circumstances.
University of Glasgow
AAAAB (higher)
Higher English and LNAT is required.
Glasgow Caledonian University
AABBB (higher)
Higher English is required.
Napier University
240 points (Higher BBBB)
higher English is required.
Robert Gordon University
ABBB (higher)
Must have Higher English at Grade B.
University of Stirling
AABB (higher)
Must be taken in one sitting.
The University of Strathclyde
AAAAB (higher)
Acceptable only when combined with other qualifications. Must include Higher English and be sat in one year. More Highers are needed if taken over two years.
Law Open Days 2006
University of Abertay Dundee - 28 June 2006 11-4PM
The University of Wales, Aberystwyth - Wednesday 5th July 2006
Anglia Ruskin University – 24th June, 14th October 2006
University of Wales, Bangor - 8 July 2006
The University of Birmingham - Friday 23rd June 2006 (10am - 3.30pm).
Bournemouth University - Saturday 24th June, Wednesday 20th September, Saturday 21st October, Saturday 11th November 2006
The University of Bradford – 1st July, 7th October 2006
University of Bristol - Thursday 29 June 2006
Brunel University - Tuesday 20th June 2006, Friday 8th September 2006
The University of Buckingham – “do not have official open days but are happy to show prospective students, their parents, teachers and other guests around the University on an individual basis”
University of Cambridge – Law Department open day – 5th July 2006. For college open days, see website.
Cardiff University - Wednesday 25th April 2007
University of Central England in Birmingham - Wednesday 7th June 2006
University of Central Lancashire – depends on the campus. Campus tours every Monday, Wednesday and Friday afternoon at 2:00pm
University of Chester - Saturday 20th May 2006, 10am - 3pm, Chester Campus
City University, London - Saturday 7th October 2006
Coventry University - Wednesday 5 July, Saturday 15 July, Saturday 16 September, Saturday 14 October, Saturday 28 October 2006
De Montfort University - Thursday 22 June and Saturday 16 September 2006
University of Derby - Saturday 24 June 2006, Saturday 14 October 2006, Wednesday 25 October 2006, Wednesday 15 November 2006, Saturday 9 December 2006
University of Dundee - 20 Sept 2006
Durham University - Thursday 31st August 2006 (booking required)
University of East Anglia - Friday 7th July 2006, 7th October 2006
University of East London – Saturday 17th June 11am – 4pm (Docklands campus only)
Edge Hill – 27th June, 19th August, 30th August
The University of Essex – (site down, will post when available)
The University of Exeter - Tuesday 20 June 2006, Saturday 16 September 2006
University of Glamorgan - Wednesday 5 July, Saturday 2 September, Wednesday 20 September
The University of Gloucestershire – 20th May, 16th September
University of Greenwich – see website http://www.gre.ac.uk/prospective/opendays/index.html for details - information days, open days, campus open days – so many to choose from!
University of Hertfordshire - Saturday 7th October 2006, Sunday 8th October 2006
The University of Huddersfield - Wednesday 21st June 2006, 10am to 4pm
The University of Hull - Saturday 1st July 2006, Saturday 7th October 2006
Keele University - Sunday 20 August 2006, Saturday 14 October 2006, Sunday 15 October 2006
The University of Kent - Saturday 8 July 2006, Saturday 7 October 2006
King's College London (KCL) - Friday 25th August, 12-5pm (booking required)
Kingston University – 21st June, 7th October, 28th October, 11th November
Lancaster University - Wednesday 23 August, 2006 and Saturday 23 September, 2006.
University of Leeds - 23 June, 24 June and 07 September 2006
Leeds Metropolitan University – commencing in October 2006. Dates to be confirmed.
University of Leicester - 5th July, 19th July, 26th July, 27th Sept, 7th Oct – booking required
University of Lincoln - Saturday, 13th May 2006, Wednesday, 5th July 2006, Saturday, 30th September 2006, Saturday, 28th October 2006, Saturday, 25th November 2006
The University of Liverpool - Friday 30th June 2006 - 10.00 - 16.00, Saturday 30th September 2006 - times to be confirmed
Liverpool John Moores University - 5 July 2006, 30 October 2006, 31 October 2006
London Metropolitan University – see website - http://www.londonmet.ac.uk/open-days/ lots to choose from!
LSE (University of London) - Wednesday 28 June 2006, 10.00 - 16.30
University of Luton - Saturday 15 July 2006
The University of Manchester - Saturday 24th June, Monday 4th September, Saturday 7th October (10.00 - 16.00)
The Manchester Metropolitan University - Wednesday 21st June 2006 - Manchester Campuses and Wednesday 28th June 2006 - Cheshire Campuses
University of Newcastle Upon Tyne - Wednesday 28 June and Saturday 7 October 2006 (booking required)
University of Northampton - Saturday June 24, Wednesday September 20, Saturday October 7, 2006, 10am - 3pm
Northumbria University - Wednesday 28 June from 10.00am until 3.00pm. Taster courses 21st June.
The University of Nottingham – 30th June, 1st July, 13th September
Nottingham Trent University – Saturday 15th July, 16th September, 24th October
Oxford University – see http://www.admissions.ox.ac.uk/opendays/open2.shtml
Oxford Brookes University – 17th June 2006
University of Plymouth - Wednesday 21 June 2006
Queen Mary, University of London – March/April 2007, but campus tours are available at request.
Queen's University Belfast - Thursday 7th and Friday 8th of September 2006
The University of Reading – 23rd and 24th June, 30th September 2006
The Robert Gordon University – Tuesday 3rd October 2006
School of Oriental and African Studies, London (SOAS) – 7th June 2006
The University of Sheffield – Law department: Saturday 17 June 2006, Tuesday 11 July 2006, Wednesday 12 July 2006, Monday 11 September 2006
Sheffield Hallam University - Sunday 25th June 2006, Saturday and Sunday 7th and 8th October 2006
University of Southampton – 10th June 2006
Staffordshire University – see website http://www.staffs.ac.uk/opendays/subject/bus_law/
University of Sunderland - Wednesday 28th June 2006, 9.00am-3.00pm and Thursday 24th August 2006, 9.00am-6.00pm
University of Surrey - Wednesday 5th July, Saturday 9th September, Saturday 7th October, Wednesday 25th October 2006
University of Sussex - Saturday 17 June 2006
University of Wales Swansea - Friday 14 July, Friday 22 September, Saturday 21 October 2006
University of Teesside – see website http://www.tees.ac.uk/sections/whats_on/opendays.cfm
Thames Valley University – see website http://www.tvu.ac.uk/prospective/Undergraduate/Open_days.jsp#6
University College London (UCL) - 12 and Wednesday 13 September 2006
The University of Warwick - Wednesday 27 September 2006
University of Westminster - Saturday 7 October, 11am - 4pm 2006
University of Wolverhampton – 24th June, 19th August, 15th September, 11th November 2006
