Minimum pre-interview stats and final acceptance?

[newbie_01]

Hello Everyone,

 

For UWO, I've heard at the breakdown for the final acceptance is 25% GPA, 25% MCAT and 50% Interview. I am quite low on both GPA and MCAT.

 

My question is, does having the very minimum GPA/MCAT scores hinder your shot at getting a final acceptance? I have heard of people who say that sometimes the pre-interview is so heavily weighted that it's practically impossible to get that final acceptance even if you do really well in the interview.

 

Is this also the case at UWO? Have you heard of people that beat the very minimum requirements but have also been accepted?

[trymeover]

Hello Everyone,

 

For UWO, I've heard at the breakdown for the final acceptance is 25% GPA, 25% MCAT and 50% Interview. I am quite low on both GPA and MCAT.

 

My question is, does having the very minimum GPA/MCAT scores hinder your shot at getting a final acceptance? I have heard of people who say that sometimes the pre-interview is so heavily weighted that it's practically impossible to get that final acceptance even if you do really well in the interview.

 

Is this also the case at UWO? Have you heard of people that beat the very minimum requirements but have also been accepted?

________________________________

[house_md]

When you say 50% interview, does that include your autobiographical sketch and reference letters? Any ideas on how those come into play for the final evaluation?

[hate_physics]

can some of the current medical school students comment on this?

[Dante]

Pretty sure 50% interview means just the interview... I don't know if/how your abs or reference letters are taken into account at UWO. I'm tempted to say that they just aren't.

 

I think the interview thoroughly mixes things up, so you definitely have a shot. Can't imagine the school wasting your time/money as well as their own to interview you if you don't have a shot. Obviously starting at a higher gpa/mcat helps a bit, but that doesn't mean that it's impossible to accept people that just meet the cutoffs. Focus on your interview, because I imagine that's where the greatest variability in the applicants ends up being. MCAT and GPA are bound in a pretty tight range. You need at least the minimums, and a 4.0 + 45T are probably not all that common. You still have an excellent chance!

[lostintime]

I thought they only looked at your best year for the final calculation?

[In_Valid]

I kinda like it that they don't count your ABS.

[kjys]

I thought they only looked at your best year for the final calculation?

 

I'm pretty certain that they look at TWO of your best years for the final calculation, for that 25%.

 

I agree with Dante above, I don't think the ABS or LORs have that much of an impact. I went to a presentation by a couple meds students where they explained the whole 25% 25% 50% process and they weren't allowed to reveal ALL the details... or maybe they just didn't know... but if the ABS and LORS do count, it should be "included" in that 50%.

 

If you meet the minimum requirements and rock the interview, you likely have a better chance of getting in than someone with a much higher GPA + MCAT score + a mediocre interview.

[dizzle]

I'm pretty certain that they look at TWO of your best years for the final calculation, for that 25%.

 

if that was the case, then how would they rank students who are 'conditional'? (their other best year is their current year)

[supafield]

Word has been over the last several years that they only use your 1 BEST YEAR in the GPA weighting because of people that received conditional interviews that don't have a 2nd year of grades until after they've been offered an acceptance.

[mcpherv]

Word has been over the last several years that they only use your 1 BEST YEAR in the GPA weighting because of people that received conditional interviews that don't have a 2nd year of grades until after they've been offered an acceptance.

 

Yeah, this is what I've heard as well, although I do not have any first hand information to back that up.

 

As far as the original question in this thread - it is definately possible to gain acceptance with stats on the lower end of the spectrum. If you look at the acceptance thread, you'll see that I posted that I got in with a best year of 3.82, and a 31 MCAT. I will say that I felt my interview was very strong and I still had to wait to gain acceptance off of the waitlist. I'd say concentrate on performing well in the interview - it is the one thing you still have control over, and it can definately make the difference.

[kjys]

really?

so you can get accepted BEFORE your marks for the current year are released??

in that case, then I guess it's safe to assume that they only take into account your one best year...

 

I thought that you get asked for an interview if ONE of your years meets the cutoffs, but to get ACCEPTED, that they'd consider TWO of your years for that final post-interview calculation of 25% 25% 50% ranking.

[mcpherv]

really?

so you can get accepted BEFORE your marks for the current year are released??

in that case, then I guess it's safe to assume that they only take into account your one best year...

 

I thought that you get asked for an interview if ONE of your years meets the cutoffs, but to get ACCEPTED, that they'd consider TWO of your years for that final post-interview calculation of 25% 25% 50% ranking.

 

No, they will require your final transcript after the decisions are released, so the initial decision is definately based upon the GPA for the year they already had data on in that case.

[kjys]

oh wow, i didn't know that. thanks!

 

so how about for all those applicants that do have their 2 best years chosen? do you think they'd only consider the better of the two and ignore the other?

[mcpherv]

oh wow, i didn't know that. thanks!

 

so how about for all those applicants that do have their 2 best years chosen? do you think they'd only consider the better of the two and ignore the other?

 

I'm not entirely certain, but it seems likely to me. Hope that helps!

[Dante]

I think I made the argument last year that because they accept people who have only one year above the cutoff on May 15th, (provided they ultimately submit a transcript proving they met the cutoff in their current year) to be fair to those who do have 2 years above the cutoff, they should only use your top year for ranking.

 

Consider:

 

Person A: gpa: 3.75, 4.0 = avg for the two years is 3.88

Person B: gpa: 3.90, second year above cutoff still pending, so all you can use for ranking is the 3.90

 

if they performed identically in the MCAT & Interview, it would be unfair to applicant A to use their top 2 years, while ranking them against applicant B who only has 1 year above the cutoff, and only needs to get a 3.75 to hold on to their acceptance (provided they are in fact accepted).

 

That's my reasoning as to why I think they use only your top year for ranking, but require 2 years above the cutoff for acceptance.

[DOC_Ma]

I think I made the argument last year that because they accept people who have only one year above the cutoff on May 15th, (provided they ultimately submit a transcript proving they met the cutoff in their current year) to be fair to those who do have 2 years above the cutoff, they should only use your top year for ranking.

 

Consider:

 

Person A: gpa: 3.75, 4.0 = avg for the two years is 3.88

Person B: gpa: 3.90, second year above cutoff still pending, so all you can use for ranking is the 3.90

 

if they performed identically in the MCAT & Interview, it would be unfair to applicant A to use their top 2 years, while ranking them against applicant B who only has 1 year above the cutoff, and only needs to get a 3.75 to hold on to their acceptance (provided they are in fact accepted).

 

That's my reasoning as to why I think they use only your top year for ranking, but require 2 years above the cutoff for acceptance.

 

Makes perfect sense

[Carabiner]

To anyone who got a "conditional" interview acceptance email:

Did the email explicitly state that you've been invited to interview but that you've only satisfied one year above the cut-off?

 

My background: I have two years that go above the cut-off, but when I was re-reading the FAQ, it stated that each year has to have a certain number of high-level courses corresponding with it. Because my degree is kind of a wonky interdisciplinary degree, I'm still taking some 200-level intro courses even in my 3rd and 4th years! So I'm not sure if the year that I had a GPA above the cut-off is actually counted in UWO's calculation.

 

However! They didn't state in the invitation email that I only satisfied 1 year of cutoffs or not. So my question is: How can I actually know for sure that I'm above the cut-offs for both years? (This is my last year of school and I *know* I won't be able to make the cut-off. )

[lostintime]

I think you should e-mail the office and ask. I did that last year and they clarified it for me.

[crockett]

 

I think the interview thoroughly mixes things up, so you definitely have a shot. Can't imagine the school wasting your time/money as well as their own to interview you if you don't have a shot. Obviously starting at a higher gpa/mcat helps a bit, but that doesn't mean that it's impossible to accept people that just meet the cutoffs. Focus on your interview, because I imagine that's where the greatest variability in the applicants ends up being. MCAT and GPA are bound in a pretty tight range. You need at least the minimums, and a 4.0 + 45T are probably not all that common. You still have an excellent chance!

 

I think that's the important thing, they wouldn't be bringing people in for interviews if they didn't have a chance of getting in. Secondly, I think it's been mentioned before, but with a 3.75 cutoff, and if they do just look at VR/WS, there is probably going to be very little difference between someone who just makes the cutoff and the average student who gets in, (guessing maybe like 0.1 GPA difference, and a couple of points on the MCAT). Not that I have any factual basis for this math, but for the MCAT+GPA/ 50, im guessing your not going to see a huge spread between the bottom and the top, and especially the bottom and the average. However, if you interview significantly better than average, I would think that you have a pretty good chance of getting in...and like everyone else has said, why worry about your marks and mcat score, just control what you can and give your best at the interview!

[In_Valid]

I think that's the important thing, they wouldn't be bringing people in for interviews if they didn't have a chance of getting in. Secondly, I think it's been mentioned before, but with a 3.75 cutoff, and if they do just look at VR/WS, there is probably going to be very little difference between someone who just makes the cutoff and the average student who gets in, (guessing maybe like 0.1 GPA difference, and a couple of points on the MCAT). Not that I have any factual basis for this math, but for the MCAT+GPA/ 50, im guessing your not going to see a huge spread between the bottom and the top, and especially the bottom and the average. However, if you interview significantly better than average, I would think that you have a pretty good chance of getting in...and like everyone else has said, why worry about your marks and mcat score, just control what you can and give your best at the interview!

 

Do they actually on consider WS and VR? That's not good for me, considering the only reason I made the cutoffs is because I am SWOMEN. My overall score is good, but I got all my points in PS and BS. My VR and WS are rather lackluster.

[mrgreek]

In_Valid... noone actually knows those details because they are from indirect, and old sources. In fact, I believe the sources of that is prior the introduction to the swomen initiative. If I were you, I wouldn't worry about it for two reasons, a) it's out of your hands now anyways. And if that is how it is calculated, the way you describe it would be a swomener at a disadvantage and therefore no point to the swomen initiative, instead; IF that is how they use the MCAT, it would make sense they go based on differences (what I'm trying to say is a O from swomen, may be looked at as an Q from non-swomen).

Regardless, don't worry about it, you won't be put at a disadvantage, and more to the point, it is out of your hands.

[In_Valid]

In_Valid... noone actually knows those details because they are from indirect, and old sources. In fact, I believe the sources of that is prior the introduction to the swomen initiative. If I were you, I wouldn't worry about it for two reasons, a) it's out of your hands now anyways. And if that is how it is calculated, the way you describe it would be a swomener at a disadvantage and therefore no point to the swomen initiative, instead; IF that is how they use the MCAT, it would make sense they go based on differences (what I'm trying to say is a O from swomen, may be looked at as an Q from non-swomen).

Regardless, don't worry about it, you won't be put at a disadvantage, and more to the point, it is out of your hands.

 

Wise words. Thanks

[Alastriss]

In_Valid... noone actually knows those details because they are from indirect, and old sources. In fact, I believe the sources of that is prior the introduction to the swomen initiative. If I were you, I wouldn't worry about it for two reasons, a) it's out of your hands now anyways. And if that is how it is calculated, the way you describe it would be a swomener at a disadvantage and therefore no point to the swomen initiative, instead; IF that is how they use the MCAT, it would make sense they go based on differences (what I'm trying to say is a O from swomen, may be looked at as an Q from non-swomen).

Regardless, don't worry about it, you won't be put at a disadvantage, and more to the point, it is out of your hands.

 

See I agree with this post, but I just need to get this off my chest. People who say its out of your hands so there is no point in worrying. Worry is an emotion, to a stressful situation. If I came and told you you will be executed tomorrow morning, and then I said "oh but you cant do anything about it" does it really change the fact that you will stop worrying? we KNOW its out of our hands. What we worry about is that BECAUSE it IS OUT OF OUR HANDS and we can't do anything about it, that we face an uncertain future.

 

just a pet peeve of mine

[mrgreek]

I'm in the same boat as you guys. My marks worry me and how it will affect my overall outcome, but I don't try to analyze it because I think it will only cause more stress on me. I was only trying to be helpful, especially on a topic that nooone really knows (and if anyone does thats on the admissions committee [8 students at Schulich?] probably won't have the 'guts' to post something that would give away information).

 

Haha Alastriss, if you told me that, I would try to somehow escape my death, or fight to the death. So in that example, I can see how worrying and analyzing would be okay.