How competitive am I so far?

[extrawhite]

I went through some school websites some time ago and I came across a lot of cutoff values but no "mean" values (except for schulich).

 

I am just working now, but I have 5 years of school and I got to shadow my dentist and I am pretty interested in it now.

 

My marks are:

year 1: 81.5%

year 2: 81.7

year 3: 85

year 4: 87.8

year 5: 86 (just bummed around and did some courses trying to figure out what I wanted to do)

 

My GPA (well the only way I know how to calculate it, not 100% sure if it is right, is the one where the 90-100% is a 4.0, the 85-89 is a 3.9, and the 80-84 is a 3.7) is 3.75.

 

I still have to write the DAT, and my ExtraCurrics are OK, but how competitive am I so far and how well do I need to rock the DAT?

 

I am from Mississauga ON, so how does IP and OOP status work?

[juba]

You don't even have to ask!! You are practically in. Just do well on the DATs and your interview and you should be fine.

[extrawhite]

Hey,

 

r u sure? that sounds great but I feel like a 3.75 GPA might be too low?

 

What about IP/OOP advantage?

[smilee]

If you are IP for Ontario, then UWO looks at your best 2-year average (in percentages) and UofT will drop your worst year (at long as it is not your most recent) in calculating your GPA.

 

The cutoff for an interview at UWO is usually ~84% for the best 2 years. For UofT it is ~3.84.

 

Figure out your 2 years percentage average and GPA (based on the OMSAS conversion chart) and see how you compare.

 

I'm not to discourage you (just trying to be realistic with you) but what the previous post said is incorrect.. you are not "practically in". That's not to say that there is no chance.. but realistically unless you have a 4.0 GPA or a 95%+ average you cannot be "practically in"; dentistry is really competitive. But don't let that discourage you (basically no one who applies is "practically in" is what I'm saying)

 

OOP is really hard to get into since class sizes are so small (there are only usually about 3-5 spots within a class). If you want to apply to a few more schools than just the 2 Ontario ones, I would recommend the states. They look at your cumulative GPA and I can say with certainty that you would be more than competitive there.. they have a very generous GPA conversion scale for Canadian schools.

 

If you have any more questions feel free to post. Good luck!

[Kittyp]

They look at your cumulative GPA and I can say with certainty that you would be more than competitive there.. they have a very generous GPA conversion scale for Canadian schools.

 

If you have any more questions feel free to post. Good luck!

 

 

Hey Smilee Can you send any link or information about how american schools calculate your GPA.

[extrawhite]

Btw, The UofT weighting, is it best 3 years as in you figure out year 1,2,3,4 gpa and drop one or drop 1 year's worth of credits?

[eebee]

Btw, The UofT weighting, is it best 3 years as in you figure out year 1,2,3,4 gpa and drop one or drop 1 year's worth of credits?

Yes, unless your most recently completely year (so if you are in fourth year, this would be your 3rd year) is your lowest, then it cannot be dropped. So basically, if you are in fourth year right now, your lowest mark can only be dropped if it is your first or second year mark.

[extrawhite]

So wait, when I will be applying, I will have 5 GPA values (did 5 years - 5 credits each). Will they still look at best 3 or will it be best 4 in my case (5, drop 1 to get 4)?

[smilee]

Hey Smilee Can you send any link or information about how american schools calculate your GPA.

 

I think I read before that you go to UWO.. if that's the case you have to convert your percentages to letters. This is the conversion scale western uses (on the back of the transcripts):

 

90-100 = A+

80-89 = A

70-79 = B

60-69 = C

50-59 = D

< 50 = F

 

Once you convert each course to a letter, you use the AADSAS scale to convert it to GPA. It's not as simple as using OMSAS, because they also factor in "credit hours" to determine the overall GPA. You don't actually calculate your GPA.. AADSAS does it for you. I'm not sure if you can access the AADSAS scale now, otherwise you can access it as of June 1 when the next cycle opens.

 

Just one thought though Kittyp - if you're in second year, you might want to look at whether the schools require you to complete your degree. Most of the schools I applied to required a completed bachelor's degree prior to matriculation, so you had to be either done your undergrad or currently in fourth year. Definitely something to look into.. it's not exactly the same as Canada.

[smilee]

So wait, when I will be applying, I will have 5 GPA values (did 5 years - 5 credits each). Will they still look at best 3 or will it be best 4 in my case (5, drop 1 to get 4)?

 

They'll look at your best four, provided that your most recent year wasn't your lowest (which it wasn't).

[Kittyp]

I think I read before that you go to UWO.. if that's the case you have to convert your percentages to letters. This is the conversion scale western uses (on the back of the transcripts):

 

90-100 = A+

80-89 = A

70-79 = B

60-69 = C

50-59 = D

< 50 = F

 

Once you convert each course to a letter, you use the AADSAS scale to convert it to GPA. It's not as simple as using OMSAS, because they also factor in "credit hours" to determine the overall GPA. You don't actually calculate your GPA.. AADSAS does it for you. I'm not sure if you can access the AADSAS scale now, otherwise you can access it as of June 1 when the next cycle opens.

 

Just one thought though Kittyp - if you're in second year, you might want to look at whether the schools require you to complete your degree. Most of the schools I applied to required a completed bachelor's degree prior to matriculation, so you had to be either done your undergrad or currently in fourth year. Definitely something to look into.. it's not exactly the same as Canada.

 

Thanks Smilee. I checked AADSAS website and they have the conversion scale in their instructions. It says like-

 

Grade on Transcript “AADSAS Grade” and Value

(No alpha grade key on transcript)

100-90 A (4.0)

89-80 B (3.0)

79-70 C (2.0)

69-60 D (1.0)

>60 F (1.0)

Grade on Transcript “AADSAS Grade” and Value

(No alpha grade key on transcript)

>4.00 A+ (4.3)

4.00-3.80 A (4.0)

3.79-3.60 A- (3.7)

3.59-3.40 AB (3.5)

3.39-3.10 B+ (3.3)

3.09-2.80 B (3.0)

2.79-2.60 B- (2.7)

etc.

 

Now I believe UWO includes your percentages in transcripts. So if I have lets say 88% in some course will it be 3.0 on AADSAS scale or UWO will also include A with it so that it can be taken as 4.0? I am really worried about that as its dropping GPA quite a lot.

Also regarding the completion of degree thanks for reminding me about that but though I am in second year right now but I am going into fourth year directly after this because this is my second degree (I have MD from overseas university) and I need 15 credits instead of 20 to finish it (though I will be finishing 20 by the time of finishing my degree as I am taking atleast 2 courses every summer).

Thanks a lot for your help.

[smilee]

Hey Kittyp I sent you a PM.. check your inbox