a bad year...

[Guest hurricanekrishna82]

Hi ~

 

I am aiming to enter Western MEDS one day. I am going into fourth year. My situation has become a little complicated because of some family problems and it costed me dearly...my third year marks dropped substantially. However, I already have one year above the requirements for UWO MEDS and I am doing an extra year to make up for this year and I am positive I can meet above the cutoffs. I have significant volunteer and clinical experience as well. I have assisted surgery, observed, and also have a paper under review and a presentation coming up. I have not done the MCAT yet, planning to do it next summer. I was wondering whether this bad year will affect my chances at Western. Thanks...

[Guest Gill0927]

Hi,

 

Western looks at your two best full years and only those two best full years. As long as you have two full years that are both above the cutoffs for whatever year you're applying, you're good to go. One bad year doesn't make a difference at all -- they won't even look at it.

 

Hope this helps,

 

Gill

[Guest T dawg 2004]

Don't worry! There is hope!!

 

Your story seems a lot like mine. I did 4 years of undergrad and in my 3rd year I bombed completely (Annual GPA was abysmal - like, 2.72). As a result, I did not have the guts to apply in my 4th year. Instead, I applied this past year (while I was at Teacher's College). Therefore, they considered my past years' GPA - and took my best two years (my first and second). My Teaching degree did not count because it was not a two year program - so I had locked in all my grades for my undergrad and they only considered my two best years.

 

Pretty sweet.

 

If you are continuing on and doing a "special year" (i.e. a 5th year) you even have a better shot - they will only take into consideration your BEST year - and then, so long as your final year ALSO makes the cut off, or ONE OTHER YEAR MAKES THE CUT OFF - you're good.

 

So ya. No worries. Do your best this year! It is highly they won't even know about your bad year.

 

Remember - at Western marks only get you so far... if you meet the cut offs, you get an interview. and its at the interview that you can redeem yourself. So even if you have a really bad year in your last two years, it is possible to get in first round - just like me.

[Guest makdaddy08]

Like everyone else said, u're good to go...

 

But just a reminder that UWO changes to only accepting Honors degrees after next year, so next year is kinda the "last window of oppurtunity" for those that are not enrolled in an honors program. So I dunno if u're in an honors program right now..but maybe good to switch into it? if its not too late?

[Guest aneliz]

That is correct.

 

UWO looks at your two best full time undergrad years (from your most recent degree). They must each (independently) meet the cut off for the year you are applying in and they must both be from the same degree program. (cuts are determined in January of each year). They do not look at any other years. A special year (after you have graduated) must include 5.0 full courses, 4.0 of them must be at the 300 level or higher (ie senior courses) to be acceptable for GPA calculation. You are only allowed one special year.

 

As of the fall 2006 application cycle, you will be required to have a full 4-year HONOURS level degree completed before you enroll. This will replace all of the other pre-reqs. As of right now, they will continue to calculate your GPA in the same way as they do now (best two years). So, there is only one more application cycle (fall 2005) that will not require a 4-year honours degree.