Low GPA Acceptance Stories

[panda999]

Hello,

Have any of you been accepted to UofT, or at least called for an interview with a lower GPA between 3.8-3.89?
If so, what other aspects in your application do you think made up for it? 

Thanks in advance!

[NopeNope]

Hello, I was accepted to UofT with a GPA on the low end of that range! I'm not fully sure how they weighted my GPA, but it was for sure under 3.9 and likely closer to 3.8. 

For getting the interview, I have to assume that it was some combination of my essays and my research background. I had one published paper at the time, which was probably unusual in the undergraduate pool. Looking back at my essays, I'm not thrilled with them, but I had a strong community service background to draw on and I think that building that storyline of my life was helpful for the reviewers. After the interview, I don't think your GPA matters as much as the rest of the factors. 

I would recommend that applicants try to resist the urge to follow a "standard" premed path (unless you happen to be very passionate about hospital volunteering, I guess). Realizing that my GPA was a little bit on the low end for Ontario schools, I definitely felt pressure to try to conform better in other parts of my application. In the end, I chose not to pursue that tug.

My research was nice, and I suspect gave me a leg up, but plenty of people in my class have no research background at all. If you're interested in research, don't be afraid to approach small labs with newer profs - I got a lot of opportunities (that my friends in big name labs with superstar PIs didn't get) just because I had face time with my PI and I asked about them. I cared about community service for my own marginalized population, so it wasn't a chore to put in lots of hours and initiative the way that, for example, volunteering with the science outreach program that all my undergrad friends volunteered with. I think the parts of you that matter will come through if you give them the path. 

Good luck!

[panda999]

On 10/23/2018 at 9:49 AM, NopeNope said:

Hello, I was accepted to UofT with a GPA on the low end of that range! I'm not fully sure how they weighted my GPA, but it was for sure under 3.9 and likely closer to 3.8. 

For getting the interview, I have to assume that it was some combination of my essays and my research background. I had one published paper at the time, which was probably unusual in the undergraduate pool. Looking back at my essays, I'm not thrilled with them, but I had a strong community service background to draw on and I think that building that storyline of my life was helpful for the reviewers. After the interview, I don't think your GPA matters as much as the rest of the factors. 

I would recommend that applicants try to resist the urge to follow a "standard" premed path (unless you happen to be very passionate about hospital volunteering, I guess). Realizing that my GPA was a little bit on the low end for Ontario schools, I definitely felt pressure to try to conform better in other parts of my application. In the end, I chose not to pursue that tug.

My research was nice, and I suspect gave me a leg up, but plenty of people in my class have no research background at all. If you're interested in research, don't be afraid to approach small labs with newer profs - I got a lot of opportunities (that my friends in big name labs with superstar PIs didn't get) just because I had face time with my PI and I asked about them. I cared about community service for my own marginalized population, so it wasn't a chore to put in lots of hours and initiative the way that, for example, volunteering with the science outreach program that all my undergrad friends volunteered with. I think the parts of you that matter will come through if you give them the path. 

Good luck!

Thank you so much!