What is competitive for grad applicants

[1218kat]

Hey guys,

Anyone a Masters applicant with a wGPA in the high 3.8s or low 3.9s and decent ECs successful at U of T? Or know of anyone? I am in that range and not sure how to feel because its definitely not a hopeless wGPA but the 3.96 average is giving me anxiety. 

[scoobydoo1623]

On 5/21/2020 at 4:53 AM, 1218kat said:

Hey guys,

Anyone a Masters applicant with a wGPA in the high 3.8s or low 3.9s and decent ECs successful at U of T? Or know of anyone? I am in that range and not sure how to feel because its definitely not a hopeless wGPA but the 3.96 average is giving me anxiety. 

I think that's more than a competitive wGPA. But not sure how much wGPA is weighted when you're a grad applicant. An insider told me it matters less, they care about how you're going to use that masters in medicine, which is extrapolated from your research productivity during your program. Apparently they'd take someone with a lower wGPA but more compelling productivity metrics over someone with a high wGPA and less productivity. 

[drager]

46 minutes ago, scoobydoo1623 said:

I think that's more than a competitive wGPA. But not sure how much wGPA is weighted when you're a grad applicant. An insider told me it matters less, they care about how you're going to use that masters in medicine, which is extrapolated from your research productivity during your program. Apparently they'd take someone with a lower wGPA but more compelling productivity metrics over someone with a high wGPA and less productivity. 

How would they measure productivity with a course-based masters?

[TheFlyGuy]

As of this past cycle U of T simplified their grad applicant system, such that no academic CV is required to judge productivity anymore, and instead you get credit based on which of the categories below you fall into. My understanding is that it's judged equally within each category regarding the grad applicant credit specifically, but how you talk about your research activities in the ABS & essays, what your research-based references say in the LOR/CAF, etc, can have additional impact elsewhere in the application, as U of T tends to value research.

From the U of T admissions website:

"Graduate applicants will receive credit for their graduate work based on the following categories:

• Doctoral degree conferred
• Doctoral degree in progress
• Research-based Master’s conferred
• Research-based Master’s in progress
• Course-based Master’s conferred"