Help: International - GDL Online or In-Person???

[rwb]

Hi everyone! I'm a Canadian national who has done a BAH and am currently finishing an MA in non-law subjects at Canadian universities.

My dream is to work at a commercial law firm in London.

My original plan was to complete the PGDL/LLM in-person at BPP Birmingham, regardless of whether or not I secure a Training Contract this cycle. I would be funding this almost exclusively using bank loans.

With all costs factored in, including visas, accommodation, travel, etc., this will cost me £25770 (PGDL) or £31148 (LLM).

If I do it online, living with my parents in Canada, it will cost me £11,938 (PGDL) or £16,480 LLM.

I'm worried that the major law firms prefer for us to do the course in-person. Do they really care or is that just in my head?

Should I even enrol in the course before I secure a training contract?

Should I do the SQE online preparation courses instead and go down that route?

What would you guys do in my position?

I'm freaking out lol

 

[Jessica Booker]

Hi everyone! I'm a Canadian national who has done a BAH and am currently finishing an MA in non-law subjects at Canadian universities.

My dream is to work at a commercial law firm in London.

My original plan was to complete the PGDL/LLM in-person at BPP Birmingham, regardless of whether or not I secure a Training Contract this cycle. I would be funding this almost exclusively using bank loans.

With all costs factored in, including visas, accommodation, travel, etc., this will cost me £25770 (PGDL) or £31148 (LLM).

If I do it online, living with my parents in Canada, it will cost me £11,938 (PGDL) or £16,480 LLM.

I'm worried that the major law firms prefer for us to do the course in-person. Do they really care or is that just in my head?

Should I even enrol in the course before I secure a training contract?

Should I do the SQE online preparation courses instead and go down that route?

What would you guys do in my position?

I'm freaking out lol

the firm won’t care how you do it - and it wouldn’t be obvious from an application form anyway, so most recruiters wouldn’t know unless you told them.

The issue is more the lack of access you have to careers events etc, but even that may be easier now a lot of being delivered online.

My biggest thing with the GDL is that 2021 will be the last year you can take it before the qualification process changes. There is going to be a risk that you take the GDL and then find a firm who makes you do the new SQE route anyway.

 

[Prairiepuffgirl]

Hi everyone! I'm a Canadian national who has done a BAH and am currently finishing an MA in non-law subjects at Canadian universities.

My dream is to work at a commercial law firm in London.

My original plan was to complete the PGDL/LLM in-person at BPP Birmingham, regardless of whether or not I secure a Training Contract this cycle. I would be funding this almost exclusively using bank loans.

With all costs factored in, including visas, accommodation, travel, etc., this will cost me £25770 (PGDL) or £31148 (LLM).

If I do it online, living with my parents in Canada, it will cost me £11,938 (PGDL) or £16,480 LLM.

I'm worried that the major law firms prefer for us to do the course in-person. Do they really care or is that just in my head?

Should I even enrol in the course before I secure a training contract?

Should I do the SQE online preparation courses instead and go down that route?

What would you guys do in my position?

I'm freaking out lol

Hi there! i recently learned about the law conversion option in the UK. I wanted more info on this especially from a fellow Canuck! How was your experience?