Applying with a low wGPA

[flowerspice]

Have people with low wGPAs gotten accepted? The average is ridiculously high, but I know that there are some success stories. I'd be applying with a wGPA of 3.75, but with stellar extra-currics and LORs. Realistically is there any hope?

[metacarpal]

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[ToughLuck]

Never say never. I got accepted with a gpa that is pretty far from our class average. UofT is a lot about you being a well rounded person and not just the academics.

[scoobydoo1623]

11 hours ago, addison sheps said:

Have people with low wGPAs gotten accepted? The average is ridiculously high, but I know that there are some success stories. I'd be applying with a wGPA of 3.75, but with stellar extra-currics and LORs. Realistically is there any hope?

If I'm being honest, I think the chances are unrealistic. Yes, they say they look at the applicants holistically, but that doesn't necessarily equate to them actually granting you an interview. Instead, that probably means they'll look at your file, which technically means that admission is not 'impossible', but still highly unrealistic. There are a bunch of applicants with great wGPAs COUPLED WITH great extracurriculars and letters unfortunately. 

In conclusion, a 'holistic' review of applicants (as UofT prides themselves in) could mean a lot of different things, but still probably favours applicants with higher wGPAs. Their holistic review is probably to distinguish talent/competencies among applicants with high wGPAs, and not really to give those with lower wGPAs a chance at admission. But this is just my thinking. 

[billy55555]

look at stats in the interview invites thread for UofT. I dont think I've ever seen a low wgpa posted there. I know this wont prove Tor rejects low wpa but it sure makes the odds look very high for rejection

[koifish]

On 4/26/2019 at 6:49 AM, scoobydoo0216 said:

If I'm being honest, I think the chances are unrealistic. Yes, they say they look at the applicants holistically, but that doesn't necessarily equate to them actually granting you an interview. Instead, that probably means they'll look at your file, which technically means that admission is not 'impossible', but still highly unrealistic. There are a bunch of applicants with great wGPAs COUPLED WITH great extracurriculars and letters unfortunately. 

In conclusion, a 'holistic' review of applicants (as UofT prides themselves in) could mean a lot of different things, but still probably favours applicants with higher wGPAs. Their holistic review is probably to distinguish talent/competencies among applicants with high wGPAs, and not really to give those with lower wGPAs a chance at admission. But this is just my thinking. 

I'm a U of T med student (now resident) that has been on the file review end and the interview end. The average GPA average is high because of the pool of students as well as the fact that U of T uses a weighted GPA, dropping your lowest marks each year if you have a full course load. The GPA counts for a fraction of the mark but you'd be surprised at the amount of time we take to review and grade LORs/essays/extracurriculars and how many different rounds of people grade each person's application to get a fair and representative average.

So in short, yes I have classmates that got in with a 3.8. I also have classmates that got in with no research. They were stellar in their other aspects of their application. Also don't be fooled by the posts on premed101 because it's only a very select subset of people who tend to post all their stats/ECs onto a forum.

[treasurer]

1 hour ago, koifish said:

I'm a U of T med student (now resident) that has been on the file review end and the interview end. The average GPA average is high because of the pool of students as well as the fact that U of T uses a weighted GPA, dropping your lowest marks each year if you have a full course load. The GPA counts for a fraction of the mark but you'd be surprised at the amount of time we take to review and grade LORs/essays/extracurriculars and how many different rounds of people grade each person's application to get a fair and representative average.

So in short, yes I have classmates that got in with a 3.8. I also have classmates that got in with no research. They were stellar in their other aspects of their application. Also don't be fooled by the posts on premed101 because it's only a very select subset of people who tend to post all their stats/ECs onto a forum.

How about for grad applicants? Could you please give some insight if you knew anyone get in with a lower GPA as stated on the website? Or, how it might be different? Thanks!

[metacarpal]

1 hour ago, koifish said:

I'm a U of T med student (now resident) that has been on the file review end and the interview end. The average GPA average is high because of the pool of students as well as the fact that U of T uses a weighted GPA, dropping your lowest marks each year if you have a full course load. The GPA counts for a fraction of the mark but you'd be surprised at the amount of time we take to review and grade LORs/essays/extracurriculars and how many different rounds of people grade each person's application to get a fair and representative average.

So in short, yes I have classmates that got in with a 3.8. I also have classmates that got in with no research. They were stellar in their other aspects of their application. Also don't be fooled by the posts on premed101 because it's only a very select subset of people who tend to post all their stats/ECs onto a forum.

Are first-year students involved with file review or is it just upper years like the interview?

[koifish]

On 4/29/2019 at 3:43 PM, metacarpal said:

Are first-year students involved with file review or is it just upper years like the interview?

First years are not involved but second years can take part in file review. Fourth years can do file review and interview.