Guest WhiteTiger Posted May 3, 2005 Report Share Posted May 3, 2005 Hey guys, I must say I'm a little dissapointed with myself. In my first year at university (and since im in quebec and did CEGEP, that means I only need 3 to graduate). I got a cGPA of 3.57 or 3.64 depending on the 2 grades I still need to receive. I kind of feel bad about that, while it's still above the overall cut off for McGill and many schools I feel like I could of done a lot better. Assuming I work my ass off next year and get all As, that'd bring up my cGPA to a 3.80 which is what med schools will be looking at by the time I make my application. Meh. I feel like I've let myself down... Assuming I did get pure As next year (and that'd be quite a feat considering it's supposed to be hardest year of my program)...do you guys think I'd still have a pretty competitive application for schools like McGill (inprov) and some of the Ontarian schools? Atleast I'd be showing an upward trend... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest theclevername Posted May 3, 2005 Report Share Posted May 3, 2005 Of course you're not doomed!!! Many people (including myself) do not do as well in their first year for many different reasons. 3.5ish isn't that bad either!!! Upward trends show that you can improve study habits, etc. so increasing your marks will help you're application. You are definately NOT DOOMED! . Some schools such as queens don't even count your gpa once you have made the cut-off to the interview. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest CoconutSmasher Posted May 3, 2005 Report Share Posted May 3, 2005 Hey, Just thought I'd give a couple of cents worth. Firstly, I'm an "older" student going back to start over at 35! I have a degree already but not competetive GPA and it's too old. So if I'm not doomed you certainly aren't. Also, I know that most people on this forum are hyper-focussed pre-meds who have a timeline for medschool and such, but my best advice is to relax a little. Sit back and look at your options, talk to lots of people and realize that medical school is looking for some kind of balanced capable person--not necessarily a super child. I know people who have gotten in with a cGPA of 2.75 and I know people with perfect 4.0/4.0 GPAs and research out the nose, who didn't! Look at the minumums of the schools you want to consider, then see if you're above that somewhat. If you are and you have some time to improve and experience life, you'll be just fine. Also, remember that schools are very different. I'm on the west coast and UBC has a minimum of 2.8 (although entrance generally requires higher), while I think some of the schools out east (like western) have much much higher GPA requirements. The important thing now is to really evaluate whether you WANT medicine, and if you do, then make some good choices now (one year at your GPA--which is pretty decent I might add--is really nothing to worry about). I didn't make those good choices so I have to make them now...But I am just as confident as ever. Best of luck. Smash the coconut!!! Peace, Stuart Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest active2010 Posted May 3, 2005 Report Share Posted May 3, 2005 yep.... actually i am jealous of you i think that medical schools getting in is sort of like "luck" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest UWOMED2005 Posted May 3, 2005 Report Share Posted May 3, 2005 I think my 1st year GPA according to OMSAS was 3.54. I just finished medical school. Good luck - you WILL need to pull those marks up in order to have a very good chance of getting in, but definitely is possible! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest noncestvrai Posted May 4, 2005 Report Share Posted May 4, 2005 Sorry Mr. CoconutSmasher, Somehow I doubt a 2.75 cGPA making it in a canadian med school, but there might be the exceptional people like olympians and the such. Well, just to show you that 1st year is not all that matters, and improvements are possible, I had a cGPA of 2.6 after 1st year in McGill biology. I worked hard and finished with a 3.5ish cGPA (close to 4.0 the years after). I did make it to McGill. I concur that chance also has a lot to do with med school admissions, but you take yours nevertheless, and hope for the best. If I were you I would relax, still do well, but have a life. noncestvrai Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest wattyjl Posted May 4, 2005 Report Share Posted May 4, 2005 not to be argumentative, but why wouldn't a cGPA of 2.75 make it in if they had two great (or two great last) years? western and queen's (at least) look at your two best years, same with calgary for OOP anyway. seems possible that a 2.75 could make it in. i know someone with a 2.98 cGPA from undergrad who made it in, mind you they have an advanced degree so it may take a little more but it's doable (or at least, it's been done). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest chemgirl Posted May 4, 2005 Report Share Posted May 4, 2005 Hi WhiteTiger, I'm pretty sure that was my first year GPA... don't worry, you're still doing fine! Keep it up! Do your best but don't forget to have fun, too (I think I got my worst marks the years that I was most neurotic abotu studying and wouldn't let myself take a break). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest cutieyellow Posted May 4, 2005 Report Share Posted May 4, 2005 I had a cGPA of 2.6 after 1st year in McGill biology. I worked hard and finished with a 3.5ish cGPA (close to 4.0 the years after). I did make it to McGill. I concur that chance also has a lot to do with med school admissions, but you take yours nevertheless, and hope for the best. Keep in mind that you have a grad degree also NCV. I dunno if that actually fits into White Tiger's plans. CY Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest UWOMED2005 Posted May 4, 2005 Report Share Posted May 4, 2005 Somehow I doubt a 2.75 cGPA making it in a canadian med school, but there might be the exceptional people like olympians and the such. Quick question. . . why is everyone throwing the 'c' in front of cGPA in this thread? I thought cGPA was a term used specifically at a few schools to denote either a cumulative or calculated on cumulative GPA. The reason I'm bringing this up is that I have to agree that it is essentially impossible for someone to have one degree with an overal GPA of 2.75 and get into medicine (without doing another degree.) But I have NO doubt someone could have one year's GPA at 2.75 and still get in. . . I think quite a few schools will drop one or two bad years. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest spitfireMkIX Posted May 4, 2005 Report Share Posted May 4, 2005 But what if... Y1 = 1.50 Y2 = 1.50 Y3 = 4.00 Y4 = 4.00 Therefore the (overall) cGPA = 2.75 (roughly anyways). Schools like Queen's or Western will look at your 2 best years, which are 4.00, so you should make the cut-offs. Right? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest richmond604 Posted May 4, 2005 Report Share Posted May 4, 2005 1.5 won't get you into any programs :lol Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest UWOMED2005 Posted May 4, 2005 Report Share Posted May 4, 2005 Spitfire is correct. . . this would be a acceptable scenario for admission to UWO. I think Dal as well looks only at the last two years. . . can't remember, it's been a long time since I applied! :\ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest WhiteTiger Posted May 4, 2005 Report Share Posted May 4, 2005 Well thanks for the replies everyone. I guess what it boils down to is in the next 2 years I'll need to work my butt off and get As in every course. That'd bring my cGPA up to ~3.8 and atleast show an upward trend which most med schools enjoy seeing. I guess I could also argue that since is my first year at university (from CEGEP). And on top of that, I've gone through a french schooling system all my life and am now attending english university. I guess that could explain my overall "dissapointing" GPA. Hope is not lost it seems! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest UWOMED2005 Posted May 4, 2005 Report Share Posted May 4, 2005 Definitely not lost. And as has been stated above several times, you are not even truly 'behind' for most schools. . . don't put TOO much pressure on yourself. You'll want/need a GPA a bit higher than the current year for your next three years of undergrad. . . but for most admissions criteria you don't really need to 'make-up' for your first year. Just my 2 cents. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest CoconutSmasher Posted May 5, 2005 Report Share Posted May 5, 2005 Hey guys, Apparently, this is far too much about "I'm right and you can't possibly be right" than it is discussing the issue. My comments were made from experience. The two examples that I gave are real people that I attended SFU with. The "minimum" GPA to apply to UBC is 2.8 (was 2.7 at one point). Consequently, the guy with a 2.75 was able to make the cutoff. I don't know his exact transcript but I'm sure that it must have been consistent if not a high GPA. I do know that he wasn't an Olympian, but was a very interesting guy, who was well rounded and managed to prove his dedication to medicine. I'm not suggesting that you go out and be satisfied with a 2.75 and you'll be ok. Keep the post in context please. It was simply a demonstrative example for the original poster to indicate that GPA is not as rigid a requirement as you might think. I just think that this is the problem with many pre-medical students. They are brainwashed into thinking that the 0.01 difference in GPA that they got last semester because they looked at a girl instead of finishing that bonus question has sunk their med school battleship. Should you strive for a great GPA? Absolutely! Just remember that there are so many ways to get this thing done. Note: I realize that 2.75 will not meet the cutoff for Canadian schools now. But relax, it was just an example. Perhaps if I'd said 3.0 (which I've also seen), the wolves would have refrained. Peace, Stuart Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest noncestvrai Posted May 5, 2005 Report Share Posted May 5, 2005 Keep in mind that you have a grad degree also NCV. I dunno if that actually fits into White Tiger's plans. It actually played very little at McGill for my admission as far as GPA. I did ask admissions prior to applying, but the experience, present in my AB might have. I just wanted to tell the OP that his chances are really still good, and he/she should keep working hard, and I cannot over emphasize, have a LIFE too. In addtion, people should not care about so and so who had a 2.whatever, do what YOU need to do. If you end up having a 2.low, you know very well this is below average entering class cGPA, so either beef up the GPA (last two years as people mention at some schools) or the non-academics, either way, show commitment. noncestvrai Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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