Don't make the wGPA cutoff? There's still hope for you!

[tooty]

I just got off the phone with UO admissions, the lady told me that each year before the applications are due, they set a "goal" for each wGPA cutoff based on previous cohorts. However, only after they have received all the applications do they set the actual wGPA cutoffs.

 

For those who do not meet the announced cutoff for this year, she recommends that they apply anyway because it will ultilmately depend on the applicant pool.

 

If you guys already know this, then sorry for the duplicate message.

[Dante]

hahaha for some reason this makes me think that they are inviting donations to their school why such a convoluted system?? why not base cutoffs on the actual applicant pool and clearly state this?

[Julie]

I think the idea behind the pre-applicant pool cutoffs is just to give people an idea of what they can expect (ie if you have a 3.5, are applying in the english stream & come from Toronto, don't bother). They have a certain amount of interview spots, which is why the exact numbers for the cutoffs can vary from yr to yr by a little bit (ie 3.82 or 3.85...)

[daryn]

So does it mean that because the Ottawa cutoffs have been somewhat consistently high, all the people with <~3.8 would not apply, thus driving up the cut off even more?

[MillerTime]

that wouldn't drive the cutoffs higher since they would base it on a certain number of people getting interviews, not an average of all the applicants. If less people applied below 3.8, the applying average would be the higher, but the cutoff would still be the same to get the same number of interviewees

[Saberial]

I'm also debating whether I should apply or not, I'm an OOP applicant with a wGPA of 3.83 but I think I might apply anyway.

[Talon01]

hahaha for some reason this makes me think that they are inviting donations to their school why such a convoluted system?? why not base cutoffs on the actual applicant pool and clearly state this?

 

How are they going to base a cutoff on the actual applicant pool and publically state what this cutoff is before people apply?

[raptors]

This is the response I got through email:

 

"For Ontario resident the minimum wgpa cut-off is 3.85/4.00.

 

 

 

The minimum wgpa cut-offs are strict if you do not meet the cut-off your file will not advance in the selection process.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Thank you for your interest,

 

 

 

Chantal Renaud

 

Adjoint scolaire / Academic Assistant

 

Admission - Faculté de médecine / Faculty of Medicine

 

Université d'Ottawa / University of Ottawa

 

451 Smyth Road, Room 2046

 

Ottawa, ON K1H 8M5

 

T: (613)562-5409

 

F: (613)562-5651

 

admissmd@uottawa.ca

 

http://www.medicine.uottawa.ca

 

"

[Saberial]

This is the reply I got when I asked about OOP wGPA cutoff:

 

The minimum wgpa cut-off is usually decided before the beginning of the new cycle of admission and I can confirm that for this up-coming cycle (2008) the cut-off for out-of-province candidates is 3.87/4.00 it has remained the same from last year.

 

 

Thank you for your interest,

 

 

 

Chantal Renaud

 

Adjoint scolaire / Academic Assistant

 

Admission - Faculté de médecine / Faculty of Medicine

 

Université d'Ottawa / University of Ottawa

 

451 Smyth Road, Room 2046

 

Ottawa, ON K1H 8M5

 

T: (613)562-5409

 

F: (613)562-5651

 

admissmd@uottawa.ca

 

http://www.medicine.uottawa.ca

[Dante]

How are they going to base a cutoff on the actual applicant pool and publically state what this cutoff is before people apply?

 

I think that's exactly what Queens and Western do. They post the previous year's cutoff so as to give applicants an idea of what to expect - the cuts change each year but the applicants know that if they're close enough to last year's numbers, they could have a chance. Giving a predetermined cutoff and saying at the same time through emails to people who inquire it's only a suggestion sends out mixed messages. Person X hears that their wGPA needs to be 3.85+ to get considered, they have 3.84 and don't apply. Person Y hears that the 3.85 is just a suggested cutoff and has a 3.84, applies anyway and get's an interview. How is that fair?

[Talon01]

I think that's exactly what Queens and Western do. They post the previous year's cutoff so as to give applicants an idea of what to expect - the cuts change each year but the applicants know that if they're close enough to last year's numbers, they could have a chance. Giving a predetermined cutoff and saying at the same time through emails to people who inquire it's only a suggestion sends out mixed messages. Person X hears that their wGPA needs to be 3.85+ to get considered, they have 3.84 and don't apply. Person Y hears that the 3.85 is just a suggested cutoff and has a 3.84, applies anyway and get's an interview. How is that fair?

 

Ottawa posts a cutoff to give you an idea of what to expect. If you are close enough to the Ottawa cutoff (.01 as you stated) just giver 'er. If person X doesn't even apply then I think it's fair person Y gets an interview, don't you?

[Orchid]

so in other words, if you are in province and have 3.83 or 3.84... APPLY! Is that a fair suggestion?

[phantom]

luckily by being from ottawa i make the g.p.a cutoff with a low 3.8 ish but nonetheless hearing the rumor mill of accepted applicant g.p.a im scared to apply to the english despite making the cut lol... counting on my french immersion skillz

[tweety2806]

I am in province and applied last year. I got to the interview stage with a 3.9 GPA. Does anyone know what the in-province cutoff was last year? Was it 3.83 or 3.85?

[Orchid]

hey all,

 

Just wondering... is this 3.85 business for in-province OFFICIAL and posted anywhere?

 

Or do you have to e-mail them for them to give you that number.

 

Thanks!

 

 

(and tweety last year I believe it was 3.83 wGPA for in-province).

[tweety2806]

Darn it! Why did they have to change it when MY GPA dropped to 3.83?

[raptors]

I think by email, well that's how I found out.

[Figure8s]

I'm pretty sure the IP cutoff has been steady at 3.83 for a few years at least.

[tweety2806]

I emailed them and got this reply.

 

"It has been decided that the In-Province wgpa cut-off change from 3.83/4.00 to 3.85/4.00 for this up coming cycle of admission. Once you meet the minimum wgpa cut-off, your file advances to the next step in the selection process which is the evaluation of the detailed sketch, only the top 500 scored sketches will be invited to an interview."

 

So I don't even see how they set the final cutoffs for each cycle AFTER looking at the applications. To me it seems they don't even look at your sketch if you don't meet the cut! I am thinking I should save myself the trouble.

[Dante]

I think they are pretty clear that they don't look at your sketch unless you meet the cutoff... I guess the only hope for getting an interview without meeting the cutoff is if the group that ends up meeting the cutoff falls below 500 people. I don't know how likely this is, since they tend to reject people who meet the cutoff but have less than stellar DABS... It also sounds like a 4.0 is equivalent to a 3.85 wgpa with respect to recieving an interview, so that might make some people happy