Glasgow University Law Degree / LNAT

[Stormont03]

Just wondering if anyone has any experience or any advice in relation to the LNat test and successful Glasgow University law degree applications. DD has just completed Nat 5s and looking towards further education courses. She is keen to study law, with Glasgow her preference at the moment. Appreciate it is an extremely difficult course to get into therefore any advice on how to prepare for the LNat exam (preparation courses or materials?) and any work or voluntary experience undertaken would be much appreciated! Many thanks x

If she can get work experience with a legal firm that would be really helpful.

Dd did law and did the LNAT in S6 - think there are online sample papers.

Thank you both x

My daughter practised for LNAT using this course: https://www.arbitio.co.uk/

Would suggest starting to practise early so it can be done slow and steady.

Thank you so much for the link x

Encourage her to try to get best grades she can. It's an uphill struggle for any pupil not in a deprived postcode/ special circumstances to get in now to any Scottish university law course. Top grades essential. Many students whose financial circumstances allow are now applying to do English law at English universities. You may already know that places at Scottish universities are rationed for Scottish residents as Scotgov pay the fees ( and is a limit) plus of course the unis can charge much more for non Scottish students.
Not all law courses are equally valued. University of Glasgow is great. Ex polys/ colleges not so much. Old prejudice dies hard.
She needs to get as much experience as she can. If she has special circumstances, law firms run the 'Prime' initiative to widen participation. But if she isn't, doesn't necessarily exclude her but she'll have to be proactive. Look at websites of big law firms regularly for school kid work experience she can apply for - Dentons, CMS Law Tax, Pinsent Masons, Addleshaw Goddard are all big UK. firms all with Scottish offices, also big Scottish firms Shepherd& Wedderburn, Brodies, Burness Paull, Morton Fraser.
If uncle Bob is a company director can she take board minutes/ learn how company works? Can she help auntie sue who is a painter with her VAT/ credit control/ business letters? All good for CV etc. Is there a child law centre she can volunteer at etc.
Good luck.

Sorry - on LNAT specifically, you can purchase online practice I think. Tell her not to despair if scores low at start or variable - not unusual. Very experienced lawyer of my acquaintance tried to help his kid with practice and scored very poorly. Lots of practice needed.

My Scottish son graduated in law in 2022. He's now started his training contract.

He received all his five offers including Glasgow and Edinburgh.

He visited a sheriff court to view proceedings which he spoke about in his PS.

He also arranged to shadow a solicitor for a couple of days by calling in with his CV and introducing himself on spec.

He wrote about justice in his higher Modern studies assignment.

He also read widely and spoke about the books he read and his ideas in his PS.

He worked on his LNAT via Arbitio for months. He started off with a score of around 19 and ended up with 28.

Grades are the most important factor though. Unless contextual, many top unis will require at least four or five As at higher.

Good luck!

PS
He also volunteered at our local CAB.

Grades are the most important factor though. Unless contextual, many top unis will require at least four or five As at higher.

Or 6 As.

Ds's ex-gf is doing law at Glasgow, she obtained 5 As at Higher in S5 and her offer was another A at Higher (or a B in an AH) in S6. I can't remember her LNAT score, but I remember ds saying she did well.

DD is about to complete her traineeship having graduated from Glasgow. She had 5 Highers but needed to get an A and a B in Advanced Higher. She was told the personal statement was important as they were looking for "interesting people".

We had no legal connections but dd did an OU YASS course in law during S6. She did also do online practice for the LNAT. Would say it is worth contacting smaller firms to see if they'd offer work experience.

Would second @Aurea's advice to visit sherriff court and volunteer at CAB if possible. Agree that grades and LNAT score are very important - but it can be done.

Thank you so very much for the responses. I have shared the comments with DD and we have already begun contacting law firms. No success yet however we will keep going and will take up all your suggestions. Many thanks again x

There are also many MOOCs that your DC could take, some are not very long would also show interest, many are a few for the final certificate but you don’t need to pay that if you’re using them to show your interest in studying:

https://www.my-mooc.com/en/categorie/law?search%5Blocale%5D%5B0%5D=en

I have a law degree from Glasgow and am so glad my son wasn’t interested in doing law (has the grades) as I’d never have advised anyone else to go there for law. 😂😭

Would you be able to share your reasons for this?