New Yorker Posted April 14, 2015 Report Share Posted April 14, 2015 Hi I'm a grade 12 student who was thinking of going to uwo medical sci. Then I hear all these "advices" not to go to uwo med sci because its super competitive. Many people are telling me to go to York biomed or Guelph for the easy GPA's they give. What should I do? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
xkittens Posted April 14, 2015 Report Share Posted April 14, 2015 York's biomed isnt actually easy, do kinesiology if you want an easy program Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
_ _ Posted April 14, 2015 Report Share Posted April 14, 2015 if you want to go to western medsci, then go. You;ll be fine, and you'll find yourself rising to meet whatever standard you're around. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
New Yorker Posted April 14, 2015 Author Report Share Posted April 14, 2015 if you want to go to western medsci, then go. You;ll be fine, and you'll find yourself rising to meet whatever standard you're around. York's biomed isnt actually easy, do kinesiology if you want an easy program if you want to go to western medsci, then go. You;ll be fine, and you'll find yourself rising to meet whatever standard you're around. Thank you everyone To MeGusta: By easy do you mean the tests are easy for kin and health sci at York? I'm kinda more inclined towards Western but if York is very easy to get good grades, I want to go there. To Flipflopped :You're right I shouldn't keep lowering my standards (not saying york is a bad school or anything) . I guess anything becomes the norm when you adapt to the situation. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
_ _ Posted April 14, 2015 Report Share Posted April 14, 2015 I gave up an easier program at a local school in my home province for a notorious ON biomed/lifesci program and I wouldn't change a thing. Yeah, its been harder to get the grades I need for med, but I wouldn't change a thing because of the opportunities I've had to be a part of some really amazing projects and teams here that I would never have had at a smaller school. And I've pushed myself way harder than I thought I could because I'm motivated by the other students in my program and how passionate they are about achieving their goals Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Edict Posted April 14, 2015 Report Share Posted April 14, 2015 Go to Western Biomed, its the most relevant program to medical school in general in the 3rd and 4th years. Don't be afraid of med school, a lot of people from Western get into medical school anyways. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NutritionRunner Posted April 14, 2015 Report Share Posted April 14, 2015 I wouldn't call Guelph biomed easy. It is, however, fair. That is, grades are not curved or adjusted. How well you do is entirely dependent on you, and not on your performance relative to your peers. They also don't adjust grades. If grades are, on average, too high, going into a final exam, then the final becomes more difficult. Plenty of people don't maintian the 75% average needed to stay in the biomedical science program at Guelph, which is why there are openings for people with 80%+ averages to transfer into biomed after first year. If Guelph was "easy" then there wouldn't be such large numbers dropping out of the program. Also, plenty of my syllabi at Guelph had notices stating that marks would not be adjusted because someone needed to get into vet college, medical school, teacher's college, etc. So the mark you received would be the mark you received (unless there was an actual error in marking your assignments or exams). I've heard of students "begging" for marks at other universities, and getting them. What Guelph does offer is an incredibly supportive environment, with lots of programs in place to help students suceed, such as Supported Learning Groups, the Peer Helper Program, and the Office of First Year Studies. Guelph human kinetics and biomed students also have the opportunity to take a human anatomy course which involves actualy dissection of human cadavers, in small teams. Yes, undergrads get to do the dissections themselves. At other schools, frequently the undergrads only get to examine prosections that have previously been dissected by others. So at Guelph you will get a fair evaluation of your knowledge and abilities. If you work smart and efficiently, it is possible to do really well at Guelph. But it won't be "easy." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Quin172 Posted April 14, 2015 Report Share Posted April 14, 2015 York's biomed program is restricted in terms of course flexibility and not the best option if you want "easy" grades. York's kinesiology or psychology program are easier and more flexible Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sigmund Freud Posted April 14, 2015 Report Share Posted April 14, 2015 If you want to go to Western, then go there. You'll have a much better time at a school you chose for the school itself and the program you'll be taking, and not the fact that it's considered "easier" to get a high GPA. Honestly, I'd really only worry about two things: Program and the school itself as a community (as well as personal stuff like finances and whatnot). Ask yourself: What program sounds more interesting? What school has the kind of atmosphere I want to be in? What school offers me more opportunities? etc. If you're going to a school primarily because you think it'll be easier, then let me be the first to say that you'll probably be making a bad decision, or at least an ill informed one, that will possibly lead to unhappiness. School isn't all studying and grades. Yes, these things are important, but keep in mind that you'll possibly be at this institution for the next 3-4 years, which means that you'll be doing your EC's there, and it will become a part of your every day life. I guess what I'm trying to say is that it's a very personal choice, and you need to be happy with where you are and what you're studying to be able to perform your best. I'm just saying that it's rather arbitrary to choose a school because it's "easier" to get a high GPA as you're also choosing a place that you'll be spending a significant amount of the next 3-4 years at - in other words, something that's not very personal, such as whether or not the program is "easier" to get a high GPA, isn't going to help you at all with such a personal decision. Two things I would definitely do if you haven't already: 1. look at the courses for the program's you're considering. You may find that one is way more interesting to you than the other. 2. Visit the campus. I'd make sure you like how you feel on campus. Also, check which school/city offers you more opportunities in things that you're interested in, such as EC's (maybe you're into the arts, sports, volunteering etc.) and whatnot. Hopefully I was able to offer you some insight. Best of luck with your decision! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MathewsMD Posted April 14, 2015 Report Share Posted April 14, 2015 Hi I'm a grade 12 student who was thinking of going to uwo medical sci. Then I hear all these "advices" not to go to uwo med sci because its super competitive. Many people are telling me to go to York biomed or Guelph for the easy GPA's they give. What should I do? I'm not too sure where you've heard that from. I go to Western and have taken a lot of the med sci courses. Although the class sizes are generally pretty large, it's no more competitive or harder than York would be. It all depends on the course and prof(s) teaching it; less so on those in the class itself when the class sizes go up to 1000 students for many of the 1st- and 2nd-year courses. If you work hard you'll do well at either school. Pursue the program and school that you enjoy more. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
xkittens Posted April 14, 2015 Report Share Posted April 14, 2015 Thank you everyone To MeGusta: By easy do you mean the tests are easy for kin and health sci at York? I'm kinda more inclined towards Western but if York is very easy to get good grades, I want to go there. To Flipflopped :You're right I shouldn't keep lowering my standards (not saying york is a bad school or anything) . I guess anything becomes the norm when you adapt to the situation. As someone mentioned before, kin gives you a lot more flexibility. The real difference between kin and biomed is that they're not training you assuming your'e going to be a scientist in kine. The science is a lot simpler but I personally find it unbearably boring. If you're into sports and fitness then maybe you'd like kine. I don't know if the tests are easier, from the couple classes that I've taken and what I've heard from bio people that are in kine classes (and vice versa), the consensus is that bio is a lot harder. The good thing about bio is that the classes are a lot smaller and you'll have labs where you can pick up new skills and learn how to write, which could come in handy if you end up liking research. If I were you I wouldn't chase what people tell you is "easy", it's a trap. I thought orgo was easy but some people will hunt me down for saying that. There are probably a lot more courses offered in Western's program, if you don't like how York's biomed program's structured then don't commit yourself to it. Also keep in mind that it's a lot easier to switch programs within a university than to transfer between schools, Western has a lot of different streams and programs but York's life science department's comparatively small. The only reason I went to biomed was because I live really close to York and I liked the variety of random courses you got to take in the program (and they gave me a ton of moneyz). If I could go back in time I'd do neuroscience at UofT, but I might not have found out I liked neuroscience if I hadn't signed up for a "buffet" program haha You're going to spend 4 years and countless hours studying something, the classes you'll get to take and what you want out of your degree is a lot more important than how easy a program is. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Varsity Posted April 14, 2015 Report Share Posted April 14, 2015 York's biomed program is anything but easy. for all the reasons ppl mentioned above. I'm at UofC right now and the CMMB/Biology courses i've taken so far are much easier than what I had to deal with in senior year biomed courses at york. But then again that's just my experience...and keep in mind I took random courses that I could get into at UofC last minute so this is just a small sample size.. Ohhhh and like someone said above kine is the way to go Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Falling Posted April 14, 2015 Report Share Posted April 14, 2015 York Biology would be a better option at York. More variety in course selection. York Kinesiology is apparently really easy, but it sounds really boring. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
New Yorker Posted April 15, 2015 Author Report Share Posted April 15, 2015 I can't thank everyone enough for all the detailed answers you've given me! Thanks so much! It really helped. I should have used this site to ask questions in the first place rather than relying on Yconic (formerly known as Studentawards) haha. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aang Posted April 15, 2015 Report Share Posted April 15, 2015 Make sure to have a suitable backup in mind in case you don't get into medical school. It is highly competitive and does require a very high GPA to be considered, thus the reason that most people say to go to the easier school and program. Med schools want to see a great GPA and good MCAT score. What are your career options with a Western Med Sci degree if you don't get into med school or another health-related professional school? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
New Yorker Posted April 15, 2015 Author Report Share Posted April 15, 2015 Make sure to have a suitable backup in mind in case you don't get into medical school. It is highly competitive and does require a very high GPA to be considered, thus the reason that most people say to go to the easier school and program. Med schools want to see a great GPA and good MCAT score. What are your career options with a Western Med Sci degree if you don't get into med school or another health-related professional school? I'm thinking of biomedical research or epidemiology at an NGO ( I know not much of a backup but one of my dreams ) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zaxop Posted April 18, 2015 Report Share Posted April 18, 2015 Guelph BioMed is not easy. Our class averages are routinely in the high 50s-low 60s and we lose significant amounts of people every year due to students not being able to make the maintenance average (75%) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ameltingbanana Posted April 19, 2015 Report Share Posted April 19, 2015 Guelph BioMed is not easy. Our class averages are routinely in the high 50s-low 60s and we lose significant amounts of people every year due to students not being able to make the maintenance average (75%) The same thing applies for Western Biomed - they take in roughly 800-900 kids from high school for the first year of the program (which is very general), but there are roughly ~350 spots in the upper year modules (dictated mainly by thesis project availability). The cutoff is usually at a 78% average each year based on your core courses (1st year: bio/chem/calculus, 2nd year: genetics/cellbio/orgo1+2/scientific methods/stats), but some modules (e.g. pathology/toxicology) require higher marks. It's quite possible to keep the maintenance average - just remember that you're not really in biomed until 3rd year. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
New Yorker Posted April 20, 2015 Author Report Share Posted April 20, 2015 The same thing applies for Western Biomed - they take in roughly 800-900 kids from high school for the first year of the program (which is very general), but there are roughly ~350 spots in the upper year modules (dictated mainly by thesis project availability). The cutoff is usually at a 78% average each year based on your core courses (1st year: bio/chem/calculus, 2nd year: genetics/cellbio/orgo1+2/scientific methods/stats), but some modules (e.g. pathology/toxicology) require higher marks. It's quite possible to keep the maintenance average - just remember that you're not really in biomed until 3rd year. That's one of my problems about Western. They make you apply to either the biological or Medical Science program, and you end up in the same situation. Med Sci's entering average is 90+ this year when the Gen Sci program is mid 80s and up. And yet you have to take almost identical courses in your first and second years, and re-apply to the medical sciences program in your 3rd year. I'm pretty dang sure that most of the biological science students will apply to the med sci program in the 3rd year along with the 1st and 2nd year "medical science" students for the 350 or so spots. Actually not just bio sci students but students from the chem and physics department as well. It is a good thing that Western does this since everybody has an equal chance at the "special" program, but if I'm not guaranteed a spot at 3rd year med sci its a problem for me since it was the only selling point about Western for me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ameltingbanana Posted April 20, 2015 Report Share Posted April 20, 2015 That's one of my problems about Western. They make you apply to either the biological or Medical Science program, and you end up in the same situation. Med Sci's entering average is 90+ this year when the Gen Sci program is mid 80s and up. And yet you have to take almost identical courses in your first and second years, and re-apply to the medical sciences program in your 3rd year. I'm pretty dang sure that most of the biological science students will apply to the med sci program in the 3rd year along with the 1st and 2nd year "medical science" students for the 350 or so spots. Actually not just bio sci students but students from the chem and physics department as well. It is a good thing that Western does this since everybody has an equal chance at the "special" program, but if I'm not guaranteed a spot at 3rd year med sci its a problem for me since it was the only selling point about Western for me. Agreed. I remember all the excitement about getting into medical sciences and then slowly figuring out in first year that I wasn't actually in Biomed (which I think is a bit scammy as Western does not make that explicitly clear in their advertising). I do remember however, a Dean's report back when Wardlaw was Dean of Science and he was saying only a very small percentage of people who miss the cutoff for biomed in first year meet it in second year. Kinda interesting as it suggests your first year average is a strong determinant of whether you'll make it into biomed (also maybe suggests that people tend to not change their study habits). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cookiemonster99 Posted April 20, 2015 Report Share Posted April 20, 2015 There's a lot of good points made already on this thread. I'll just give you a summary of my experiences at Western first 2 years-doesn't matter you'll be taking the same courses as anyone else in science. 3rd and 4th year- yes it's different but you can still take some of the courses that the medical science students take. You just don't have priority. Some courses are limited to specific people in specific programs. i.e pathology courses-students in path tox get first preference. I just want to keep emphasizing this point: no matter where you go make sure your marks are very good. It's relatively "easy" to do research and sports and stuff but if you have bad grades it's MUCH MUCH MUCH harder to change that. so no matter where you go make sure you keep your GPA up I'm personally biased so if i were to chose again I would definitely go to Western again but I never went to any other schools so......... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mrewmrew Posted April 20, 2015 Report Share Posted April 20, 2015 currently in pathtox @ western biomed battling through finals. Great program, fair, but be prepared to work very hard if you want good grades (but that certainly applies to all programs )!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
_ _ Posted April 20, 2015 Report Share Posted April 20, 2015 That's one of my problems about Western. They make you apply to either the biological or Medical Science program, and you end up in the same situation. Med Sci's entering average is 90+ this year when the Gen Sci program is mid 80s and up. And yet you have to take almost identical courses in your first and second years, and re-apply to the medical sciences program in your 3rd year. I'm pretty dang sure that most of the biological science students will apply to the med sci program in the 3rd year along with the 1st and 2nd year "medical science" students for the 350 or so spots. Actually not just bio sci students but students from the chem and physics department as well. It is a good thing that Western does this since everybody has an equal chance at the "special" program, but if I'm not guaranteed a spot at 3rd year med sci its a problem for me since it was the only selling point about Western for me. Queen's does the same with their Life Sci program-you think you get admitted out of high school only to find out that everyone is general science. It's easier than biomed at western it seems, but they still need a 3.3 out of chem/bio/calc/phys in first year. I remeber being so shocked when I found out I wasn't actually in lifesci technically during frosh week! It's never really explained during applying..... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
New Yorker Posted April 20, 2015 Author Report Share Posted April 20, 2015 Thanks guys. I really appreciate the input. I applied to York Kin based on what I've heard on this and other sites. Apparently it's very easy. I will definitely work hard at any university regardless of which program or school, but I really want to get into med school so I need a "guarantee" that my marks will be up there. Also waiting for McMaster Life Science. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cookiemonster99 Posted May 5, 2015 Report Share Posted May 5, 2015 Thanks guys. I really appreciate the input. I applied to York Kin based on what I've heard on this and other sites. Apparently it's very easy. I will definitely work hard at any university regardless of which program or school, but I really want to get into med school so I need a "guarantee" that my marks will be up there. Also waiting for McMaster Life Science. I honestly doubt there is a university that "guarantees" that your marks will be up there You have to remember that the transition from high school to university is different for everyone. You might be in a calculus class in 1st year with IB kids who have done all the material already..... or someone who already took AP biology or chemistry or people who come from private schools that have already learned most of what 1st year will teach you. My point is......doesn't matter where you come from or what background you have work hard! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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