Low cGPA + Removal of UofT's wGPA... What do I do?

[StressedPreMed1]

Just finished my third year and my cGPA is 3.41 because I had one really bad year due to personal reasons. UofT used to have the wGPA which would have bumped me to a 3.65 (not a competitive GPA, but still making their 3.6 cutoff and have my fourth year ahead so I wasn't too worried). They announced recently that they are removing their wGPA calculation and are basing admissions off of cGPA from now on, while keeping this 3.6 cutoff. Doing the math, even if I manage straight As in my fourth year, I won't meet the 3.6 cutoff, let alone have a competitive GPA. 

I haven't taken the MCAT yet because my original test date was cancelled due to COVID. I worked in clinical research for about a year at a major hospital in Toronto, worked as a volunteer EFR (emergency first responder), taught several subjects in neuroscience to elementary students, am currently completing research at another hospital in Toronto, did some shadowing with various healthcare workers in different fields, was Vice President of a pre-medical organization for a year and have plans to complete a thesis soon. I am comfortable with my ECs and research experience thus far, but am well aware med schools will likely not even glance at my application considering my cGPA. 

I am also concerned because my original plan was to apply this year and I have already secured some solid LORs. How do I tell them I'm not applying this year? Will I completely lose the reference considering I don't work with these people anymore? If I wait another year or two to apply, do you think they would still be willing to write me LORs?

Is it worth even applying after my fourth year? Should I take a fifth year? Master's? Give up? I'm literally spiralling please help :(

[sheeeeesh]

I'm gonna be blunt for your sake. As an undergrad applicant anything under a 3.9 wGPA makes your odds quite unlikely. With the wGPA removal and assuming you get a 4.0 in your 4th and 5th year, you would have a 3.65 which would stand 0 chance at UofT unfortunately. However, you could still be competitive for other Ontarian medical schools with more favorable GPA weightings (i.e. Queens, Western) if you can pull your grades up. Just keep in mind this is easier said than done.

[StressedPreMed1]

On 5/17/2022 at 2:21 PM, sheeeeesh said:

I'm gonna be blunt for your sake. As an undergrad applicant anything under a 3.9 wGPA makes your odds quite unlikely. With the wGPA removal and assuming you get a 4.0 in your 4th and 5th year, you would have a 3.65 which would stand 0 chance at UofT unfortunately. However, you could still be competitive for other Ontarian medical schools with more favorable GPA weightings (i.e. Queens, Western) if you can pull your grades up. Just keep in mind this is easier said than done.

I appreciate your honesty, thanks for keeping it real! As sad as I am, I needed someone to help me REALLY take a look at my options, so I can know how to move forward as oppose to staying in some sort of delusion, preventing me from moving towards a different path to reach my goal.

I definitely hear what you're saying and have made peace with the fact that I likely will not make it into UofT Med, but I was so flustered and upset that I considered giving up on medicine completely because I thought I was too stupid to get in. While I prefer to attend a med school in Ontario for personal reasons, I am not completely opposed to attending med schools elsewhere in Canada or even the US. I just need to know where to go from here in order to get into ANY medical school. Hopefully, I can bring up my GPA and do relatively well on my MCAT to qualify elsewhere. Thanks for your insight!