Question about how 3/5 courses have to corespond to year level

[btf1010]

According to UWO requirments, three of the five courses you take per term, have to corespond to your year level...

 

In the 2nd term of my 2nd year , 2 of the 5 courses were at the 2nd year level, and one was on the third year level. The other 2 were on the first year level. Will this be an issue that 3 are not 2nd year level courses?

[rmorelan]

According to UWO requirments, three of the five courses you take per term, have to corespond to your year level...

 

In the 2nd term of my 2nd year , 2 of the 5 courses were at the 2nd year level, and one was on the third year level. The other 2 were on the first year level. Will this be an issue that 3 are not 2nd year level courses?

 

No, I had that issue because of my accelerated program. My second year had a number of higher level courses like you did. What they don't want to see is a third year student with too many lower grade level courses (someone trying to take it easy basically).

[thatonekid]

It should be interpreted as "3/5 courses have to correspond to year level OR ABOVE"

 

Therefore, your 3rd year class, along with the 2 second year classes are 3/5.

 

Next year (in your 3rd year), 3/5 classes would have to be at the 3rd OR 4th year level (as long as no more than 2/5 of your classes are 1st and/or 2nd year classes).

[kjys]

If I've taken a 0.5 credit, 4th-year course in 3rd year, is it okay to take 2.5 fourth year courses + 0.5 third year course in my 4th year, to make up the 3/5 requirement?

[crockett]

in your 4th year the 3/5 just need to be upper-level classes, they can be 3rd or 4th year.

[ploughboy]

Would it be impressive if one were to to take courses that were higher than the 4th year level? I plan to take a few of those in my 3rd year.

 

I'm impressed. The UWO Admissions Committee won't care, though.

[thatonekid]

In my school, a lot of undergraduate students take 5th year level or higher level courses, like Biometry, and Immunology, to complete their major. They are not technically considered graduate courses. The class is usually 50% grad, 50% undergrad students.

 

Would it be impressive if one were to to take courses that were higher than the 4th year level? I plan to take a few of those in my 3rd year.

Sure it's impressive, but it won't matter in the grand scheme of the app. They'll consider it an upper level course, so you'll have 3/5 at your year level and above. However, all that matters is the grade you'll get in the class. If you have to choose between a 5th year class where you'll get an A- or a 3rd year class where you'll get an A+, I'd take the 3rd year class (assuming you enjoy both courses equally). The adcom won't care.

[FrontierPsyc]

I also have a question about this. I've changed majors a few time which means that for my third year (which I just finished) I had to take 2 third year, 1 second year, and 2 first year courses (all full credits). For my 4th and 5th years I'm going to have to take a combination of 2nd, 3rd, and 4th year courses. This was because I changed departments and had to take some first/second year prerequisites.

 

Would this cause any problems applying to Western?

[Handsome88]

No, I had that issue because of my accelerated program. My second year had a number of higher level courses like you did. What they don't want to see is a third year student with too many lower grade level courses (someone trying to take it easy basically).

 

rmorelan, I want to ask you this question since you seem to know best about UWO. I may have asked this somewhere else but I need direct answers!

 

I have read your medical school requirements however I cannot determine whether I meet the minimum requirements in regards to the rule which says:

"Applicants should note that the level of courses should correspond to the “year” of their program."

 

I have taken a full course load in all my years and my GPA statistics are as following:

 

cGPA 3.55 (I completed my third year)

3.38 first year

3.51 second year (without summer courses)

3.97 third year

 

I assume that my third year will be one of the two undergraduate years that will be used in my GPA calculation (since it meets the cutoff), so I will be conditionally accepted/competitive for acceptance as long as I obtain a GPA in my fourth year which meets the cutoff too. However, I have only 2.5 credits in my third year which are third year courses or above (the rest are second year courses). Does this mean I do not meet the requirement? Or does it only mean that I am required to take 3 fourth year courses out of 5 in my fourth year, since the requirements say that "Three full or equivalent senior courses (second year and above) must be included in at least one of the two undergraduate years being used to determine compliance with established GPA cutoffs."

 

Also, in my fourth year, there are not a lot of courses which I can take that are 4th year, can the three "senior courses" taken in my 4th year be of 3rd and 4th year courses?

 

I hope this is not confusing! I really need answers... I can't sleep!

[Jewels1986]

You need to email them directly - only way to get a definite answer about a specific situation.

[ladeeda]

So I'm slightly confused...if you apply in 3rd year, they just take into account your 3rd year GPA and then will wait to see if 4th year makes the cut? So they won't just look at 2nd and 3rd to see if u meet the cut?>

Thanks!

 

rmorelan, I want to ask you this question since you seem to know best about UWO. I may have asked this somewhere else but I need direct answers!

 

I have read your medical school requirements however I cannot determine whether I meet the minimum requirements in regards to the rule which says:

"Applicants should note that the level of courses should correspond to the “year” of their program."

 

I have taken a full course load in all my years and my GPA statistics are as following:

 

cGPA 3.55 (I completed my third year)

3.38 first year

3.51 second year (without summer courses)

3.97 third year

 

I assume that my third year will be one of the two undergraduate years that will be used in my GPA calculation (since it meets the cutoff), so I will be conditionally accepted/competitive for acceptance as long as I obtain a GPA in my fourth year which meets the cutoff too. However, I have only 2.5 credits in my third year which are third year courses or above (the rest are second year courses). Does this mean I do not meet the requirement? Or does it only mean that I am required to take 3 fourth year courses out of 5 in my fourth year, since the requirements say that "Three full or equivalent senior courses (second year and above) must be included in at least one of the two undergraduate years being used to determine compliance with established GPA cutoffs."

 

Also, in my fourth year, there are not a lot of courses which I can take that are 4th year, can the three "senior courses" taken in my 4th year be of 3rd and 4th year courses?

 

I hope this is not confusing! I really need answers... I can't sleep!

[ploughboy]

So I'm slightly confused...if you apply in 3rd year, they just take into account your 3rd year GPA and then will wait to see if 4th year makes the cut? So they won't just look at 2nd and 3rd to see if u meet the cut?>

Thanks!

 

They *will* look at all full-time years to see if you have two years above the cut-off. Unfortunately for Handsome88, his first two years will not meet UWO's cut-off (unless the sky falls, cats and dogs start living together, etc). That's why he is talking about needing to meet the cut-off in his 4th year as well.

[rmorelan]

rmorelan, I want to ask you this question since you seem to know best about UWO. I may have asked this somewhere else but I need direct answers!

 

I would never claim that Obviously western's staff know a lot more than me, and ploughboy would also be more knowledgable. Your case is a bit tricky so I would definitely check with them (direct answers by definition can only come from them).

 

My understanding (just from past examining things and the board) is that you would be fine if and only if that 4th year had at least 3 senior level courses in it. You would have met their stated requirements then. Most med schools are pretty clear about their regulations, and if that years for conditional had to have 3 senior level courses in it then they would have mostly likely clearly stated that.

 

Anyway I strongly suspect you are fine, but when you do find out absolutely for sure, please post back here to add to our collective knowledge pool

 

Also (and I do know this is hard! We are not zen monks here after all) try to relax a bit. You have plenty of time, and the road to med is long and stressful .

[ploughboy]

I may have asked this somewhere else but I need direct answers...I really need answers... I can't sleep!

 

Try calling admissions: 519-661-3744

[Handsome88]

I would never claim that Obviously western's staff know a lot more than me, and ploughboy would also be more knowledgable. Your case is a bit tricky so I would definitely check with them (direct answers by definition can only come from them).

 

My understanding (just from past examining things and the board) is that you would be fine if and only if that 4th year had at least 3 senior level courses in it. You would have met their stated requirements then. Most med schools are pretty clear about their regulations, and if that years for conditional had to have 3 senior level courses in it then they would have mostly likely clearly stated that.

 

Anyway I strongly suspect you are fine, but when you do find out absolutely for sure, please post back here to add to our collective knowledge pool

 

Also (and I do know this is hard! We are not zen monks here after all) try to relax a bit. You have plenty of time, and the road to med is long and stressful .

 

I emailed them and they said that EACH of the two years must fulfill the 3/5 rule. So my third year is practically useless. I do not know how they make up these stupid rules.

[janny_jan]

really? both years have to have the 3/5 rule? thats new. I thought only one of the two years must have 3/5 courses equivalent to the year you're in.

Guess thats changed for this year. suuucks!

 

From FAQs from last year: "Three full or equivalent senior courses (second year and above) must be included in at least one of the two undergraduate years being used to determine compliance with established GPA cutoffs."

 

http://www.schulich.uwo.ca/education/admissions/medicine/documents/FAQs20080930.pdf

[Handsome88]

really? both years have to have the 3/5 rule? thats new. I thought only one of the two years must have 3/5 courses equivalent to the year you're in.

Guess thats changed for this year. suuucks!

 

From FAQs from last year: "Three full or equivalent senior courses (second year and above) must be included in at least one of the two undergraduate years being used to determine compliance with established GPA cutoffs."

 

http://www.schulich.uwo.ca/education/admissions/medicine/documents/FAQs20080930.pdf

 

The quote you just put is another separate requirement, not the same one, it is to insure that you do not have too many first year courses.

Western was my last chance, now it is over for me (in Canada).

Does anyone know which US schools would consider me?

[Jewels1986]

They do sometimes give exceptions if there's a logical reason that you don't have 3/5 courses at your year level, but you need to explain the rationale to them rather than just asking about the rule. For example, if you needed the extra second-year course for your program requirements, or your program limits access to upper year courses and you couldn't get in to enough, tell them that and see what they say.

[Halcyon]

They do sometimes give exceptions if there's a logical reason that you don't have 3/5 courses at your year level, but you need to explain the rationale to them rather than just asking about the rule. For example, if you needed the extra second-year course for your program requirements, or your program limits access to upper year courses and you couldn't get in to enough, tell them that and see what they say.

 

By when would we need to do this? Before the application cycle begins? I'm worried they won't accept some of my years

[rmorelan]

By when would we need to do this? Before the application cycle begins? I'm worried they won't accept some of my years

 

I am going to contact them about all of this, see if I can figure it out.

[janny_jan]

rmorelan = awesome! thanks

 

Grad club nachos on me sometime! haha

[rmorelan]

rmorelan = awesome! thanks

 

Grad club nachos on me sometime! haha

 

mmmmmmmmmmm nachos

 

Right now this is just bugging me. Got a line on it, and should know more by tomorrow.

[Hypnotoad]

Hi all,

 

I sent the admissions dept an email during the application cycle asking a similar question about year equivalent course requirements. Below is my question and their reply. I hope it helps.

 

------------

 

Question:

I applied for the 2008 admissions round for medicine and am curious about the level of course required to be considered for interview. On the uwo website it indicates that 3 out of 5 courses each term in the years considered must be upper year (2nd year and above). However it also indicates that these courses must be equivalent to the year which I am enrolled in. So for example, if in fourth year, then I must take 3 out of 5 fourth year courses each term. I just want to verify that I do infact need to take 3 out of 5 fourth year courses this year and not simply upper year courses (2nd, 3rd or 4th year). Thank you very much for your help.

 

--------------

 

Response:

Both conditions must be met. The first condition, 3 of 5 full courses at the senior level means that we can not consider 2 years with an abundance of first-year level courses. In addition, 3 of 5 full courses must correspond with the year of study. In the fourth year, we will accept a combination of 3rd- and 4th-year level courses.

I hope this helps.

 

---------------

[Jewels1986]

By when would we need to do this? Before the application cycle begins? I'm worried they won't accept some of my years

 

Before the cycle begins is probably ideal, but it doesn't really matter that much. Makes sense to do it before you pay the application fee, but in my case I got exceptions from 3 or 4 different schools right around or after the deadline for applying. I'm not sure what the criteria are for when they will and won't give exceptions, but it does happen. Good luck!

[Handsome88]

I am going to contact them about all of this, see if I can figure it out.

 

thanx rmorelan. That would really help. I hope it all works out.