Grad students 2018?

[robclem21]

On 2/5/2018 at 9:36 AM, sowhat said:

The additional letter does not speak about research productivity, it just confirms that you are in a good position in your program and that you will graduate on time.

This is not accurate. The letter from your supervisor should definitely contain more information than simply stating you are in good standing and will finish your degree on time. This is an important part of the application to UofT as an MSc student (as are your regular LoRs for UofT), and should speak to all things indicated on the list above as stated on their application website.

Just because someone who wrote this letter told you what they included, does not mean it was a comprehensive letter that meets the standards that the admissions reviewers are looking for.

[sowhat]

39 minutes ago, robclem21 said:

This is not accurate. The letter from your supervisor should definitely contain more information than simply stating you are in good standing and will finish your degree on time. This is an important part of the application to UofT as an MSc student (as are your regular LoRs for UofT), and should speak to all things indicated on the list above as stated on their application website.

Just because someone who wrote this letter told you what they included, does not mean it was a comprehensive letter that meets the standards that the admissions reviewers are looking for.

Could you re-read what I wrote carefully?!!
I didn't say any where that my information  is based on what "that person" included in their letter!!! I just said that "the person" told me this information! Now was this information based on what she included? NO! It was based on what information they asked for in the letter template that was sent to her.
As you might not realize, the letter has specific fields and is formed in a specific template, not just "free to write whatever you want" style.
Anyways...no point of arguing really, because no one here has definitive information...so whatever.

[sowhat]

43 minutes ago, robclem21 said:

This is not accurate. The letter from your supervisor should definitely contain more information than simply stating you are in good standing and will finish your degree on time. This is an important part of the application to UofT as an MSc student (as are your regular LoRs for UofT), and should speak to all things indicated on the list above as stated on their application website.

Just because someone who wrote this letter told you what they included, does not mean it was a comprehensive letter that meets the standards that the admissions reviewers are looking for.

Also, since you are really interested in what the website says... well the website says considering you as a graduate student depends only on your academic CV and what you mention in it...not on the graduate reference letter...
Here is what the website says:
"In some cases, graduate applicants may undergo a separate graduate application review if you are able to demonstrate substantial productivity on your academic CV. Aside from presentations, posters and conferences, we are looking to see if you have completed at least one first author publication. When applying to the MD Program after completing a one or two year course-based Master’s program, you will likely be assessed as an undergraduate applicant."

I don't think they mention the graduate reference letter anywhere in considering you as a graduate applicant...as per what they say...only depends on what you mention in your academic CV.

[Meridian]

Not trying to cause sowhat's CAPS keys to get stuck further  (smile)  --- the Supervisor's letter is very important for the U of T Graduate application pool.

[sowhat]

6 minutes ago, Meridian said:

Not trying to cause sowhat's CAPS keys to get stuck further  (smile)  --- the Supervisor's letter is very important for the U of T Graduate application pool.

Well since you guys like to totally believe what the website says...the website only mentions your academic CV and the achievements it includes as the only factor in considering you as a grad pool candidate and doesn't mention the reference letter at all as I quoted above, let alone considering it as a (very important) factor 
Anyways, I am done talking about this, it is actually not related to the main point of the topic. Good luck for everyone and sorry if I don't reply anymore about this point because I have nothing more to add..

[robclem21]

10 hours ago, sowhat said:

Also, since you are really interested in what the website says... well the website says considering you as a graduate student depends only on your academic CV and what you mention in it...not on the graduate reference letter...
Here is what the website says:
"In some cases, graduate applicants may undergo a separate graduate application review if you are able to demonstrate substantial productivity on your academic CV. Aside from presentations, posters and conferences, we are looking to see if you have completed at least one first author publication. When applying to the MD Program after completing a one or two year course-based Master’s program, you will likely be assessed as an undergraduate applicant."

I don't think they mention the graduate reference letter anywhere in considering you as a graduate applicant...as per what they say...only depends on what you mention in your academic CV.

The section you are reading and quoting on the website is what is required to be considered a graduate applicant.  However, consideration in graduate pool does not equal competitive for admission. I never said that you need a good letter from your graduate supervisor to be considered a graduate student. Just as you don't need a good application to apply. However, it is not most peoples sole goal to be considered a graduate applicant. It is there goal to get in. That is why I addressed the issue of what the letter should contain to make you a strong applicant.

I'm not going to argue with you further because I reviewed quite a few of these letters last year for the admission committee and it seems like you've already made your decision on what constitutes a good letter.

[sowhat]

59 minutes ago, robclem21 said:

The section you are reading and quoting on the website is what is required to be considered a graduate applicant.  However, consideration in graduate pool does not equal competitive for admission. I never said that you need a good letter from your graduate supervisor to be considered a graduate student. Just as you don't need a good application to apply. However, it is not most peoples sole goal to be considered a graduate applicant. It is there goal to get in. That is why I addressed the issue of what the letter should contain to make you a strong applicant.

I'm not going to argue with you further because I reviewed quite a few of these letters last year for the admission committee and it seems like you've already made your decision on what constitutes a good letter.

Well that's exactly what this discussion in this topic was about; what's required to be considered for grad pool. So, I suggest you go read the discussion again more carefully because the point of the discussion was about "being considered in the grad pool" not about being competitive for admission...and I have not discussed what makes you competitive even once in this topic..,I was only discussing what makes them consider you in the grad pool...
And that was the question to which I replied by the sentence you quoted...someone asking about "being considered for the grad pool"...

And thank you for not arguing more, I also decided not to argue about this point anymore...just wanted to make it clear that you were speaking about a different point,..

[robclem21]

3 minutes ago, sowhat said:

Well that's exactly what this discussion in this topic was about; what's required to be considered for grad pool. So, I suggest you go read the discussion again more carefully because the point of the discussion was about "being considered in the grad pool" not about being competitive for admission...and I have not discussed what makes you competitive even once in this topic..,I was only discussing what makes them consider you in the grad pool...
And that was the question to which I replied by the sentence you quoted...someone asking about "being considered for the grad pool"...

And thank you for not arguing more, I also decided not to argue about this point anymore...just wanted to make it clear that you were speaking about a different point,..

I realize the original point. I was just refuting your individual statement "The additional letter does not speak about research productivity, it just confirms that you are in a good position in your program and that you will graduate on time." because it was not accurate regardless of whether you are discussing grad pool vs. competitive. I don't want your statement to mislead other future applicants should they read this.

[sowhat]

58 minutes ago, robclem21 said:

I realize the original point. 

Doesn’t really seem so  but ok.

[masterofnone]

Are grad students traditionally interviewed on the last weekend? not sure how to feel as a grad student who hasnt heard anything yet :/

[erythrocyte]

12 hours ago, masterofnone said:

Are grad students traditionally interviewed on the last weekend? not sure how to feel as a grad student who hasnt heard anything yet :/

I think so. Also, to me, it makes sense. 

I'm not discrediting those without a M.Sc. or a Ph.D., however interviewing grad students on the same day as those with an undergrad I feel puts the undergrad candidates at a disadvantage. Imagine a set of interviewers who just finished interviewing a very qualified undergraduate student, and a person who has a M.Sc. with publications comes in afterwards. The person with the publications can overshadow the accomplishments of the undergraduate student, even though they are a stellar candidate. It's like comparing apples with oranges. 

Interviewing grad students on the same day(s) puts them all on the same playing field, and doesn't evoke biases towards each candidate.

[sowhat]

15 hours ago, masterofnone said:

Are grad students traditionally interviewed on the last weekend? not sure how to feel as a grad student who hasnt heard anything yet :/

I feel so...
If you check the 2018 invit/regret thread, there is not a single post from a grad student...I find it had to believe that there was not a single grad student interested to post the reponse he received...most likely none of grad students received any responses yet..

[KarlMarx]

Does this apply to course based grad students?

[Chels1267]

41 minutes ago, KarlMarx said:

Does this apply to course based grad students?

I do not believe UofT considers course-based MScs. You'd be classed as an undergrad.

[happybee]

1 minute ago, Chels1267 said:

I do not believe UofT considers course-based MScs. You'd be classed as an undergrad.

True. I heard this from the admissions office directly. 

[robclem21]

On 2/10/2018 at 11:39 AM, Monocyte said:

I think so. Also, to me, it makes sense. 

I'm not discrediting those without a M.Sc. or a Ph.D., however interviewing grad students on the same day as those with an undergrad I feel puts the undergrad candidates at a disadvantage. Imagine a set of interviewers who just finished interviewing a very qualified undergraduate student, and a person who has a M.Sc. with publications comes in afterwards. The person with the publications can overshadow the accomplishments of the undergraduate student, even though they are a stellar candidate. It's like comparing apples with oranges. 

Interviewing grad students on the same day(s) puts them all on the same playing field, and doesn't evoke biases towards each candidate.

This shouldn't matter. Each applicants qualifications should be able to stand up irrespective of the other interviewees. If there are graduate students who are more qualified, then they should be accepted. If undergraduate applicants interview and are more qualified, then they should be accepted. The whole point of the application is to compare applicants to each other and select the most appropriate ones regardless of what education they have completed.

I wouldn't necessarily say it is unfair since at the end of the day all applicants are being compared to each other, not only those who interview on the same day.

[V99]

is it confirmed that grad students are not invited until later dates?

[CLIC5A]

I am a grad student who was likely assessed in the undergraduate pool, but I've not heard back either. All my publications and conferences came a few months too late of this application cycle 

[Eudaimonia]

Perhaps grad applicants haven't heard back yet because their files (CV etc) take longer to evaluate, even if you end up being assessed as an undergraduate 

[insomnias]

6 hours ago, CLIC5A said:

I am a grad student who was likely assessed in the undergraduate pool, but I've not heard back either. All my publications and conferences came a few months too late of this application cycle 

Same

[medabe]

On 2/10/2018 at 1:23 PM, sowhat said:

I feel so...
If you check the 2018 invit/regret thread, there is not a single post from a grad student...I find it had to believe that there was not a single grad student interested to post the reponse he received...most likely none of grad students received any responses yet..

The original 2018 invite/regret thread for U of T was deleted for some reason. The current 2018 invite/regret thread starts on January 24, 2018, but there were lots of posts in the original 2018 invite/regret thread that pre-date January 24, 2018.

[attempt2]

Thought I would provide some insight as an interviewee last year. On the day I interviewed (April 8th and I was a 4th year UG), I interviewed along side applicants who were done their masters and even one who was done/finishing their PhD. As for whether we are all on the same playing field- well that depends on the questions you get and the discussion you lead. If research is something you want to highlight there will be opportunity to do in your interview assuming it's relevant to the topic at hand.

[lpg3]

On 2/23/2018 at 7:09 AM, attempt2 said:

Thought I would provide some insight as an interviewee last year. On the day I interviewed (April 8th and I was a 4th year UG), I interviewed along side applicants who were done their masters and even one who was done/finishing their PhD. As for whether we are all on the same playing field- well that depends on the questions you get and the discussion you lead. If research is something you want to highlight there will be opportunity to do in your interview assuming it's relevant to the topic at hand.

When did you receive your invite for the April 8th interview last year?

[attempt2]

7 hours ago, lpg3 said:

When did you receive your invite for the April 8th interview last year?

March 8

[MomMDhopeful]

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