Advice

[jjsaidit]

Hey, guys. I was suffering from an Anxiety Disorder when I came to undergrad and it caused me some problems. I'm a uOttawa student. Here is a timeline explaining what happened to me, any advice would be great.

 

1st year - Suffering from Anxiety issues: got a D average taking 8 courses for the whole year (4 per semester) -> Kicked out of school

2nd year - Was a part time student who was not in any faculty, took 4 courses to reapply to school afterwards

summer of 2nd year: reapplied successfully and got back into school

3rd year - Was able to take control over a lot of my anxiety issues, took 10 courses in the year (5 per semester - full coarse load) - 3.8/4 gpa for the year

 

Hopefully this trend of grades should continue. I have full medical history and certification of this situation and have been very progressively working all my issues out with me and my doctor (who is an awesome guy who I owe a lot to).

 

 

Any advice? I'm thinking since my first school year was not a full course load (nor my second year for that matter), it won't count (as I took only 4 courses per semester) for U of T, Western (focusing on best year), Queens (best two years), OttawaU. Is this correct? Also, if I can successfully lobby for U of T to drop my two lowest marks for my last year, I will have a 3.9 gpa for that year, I think.

 

I have two more years of University left. A 4th year and a 5th year.

 

Anyway, any advice and help would be greatly appreciated. I just want to sort my life currently out, to know what steps to take in the future.

 

 

Thanks.

[future_doc]

Hey, guys. I was suffering from an Anxiety Disorder when I came to undergrad and it caused me some problems. I'm a uOttawa student. Here is a timeline explaining what happened to me, any advice would be great.

 

1st year - Suffering from Anxiety issues: got a D average taking 8 courses for the whole year (4 per semester) -> Kicked out of school

2nd year - Was a part time student who was not in any faculty, took 4 courses to reapply to school afterwards

summer of 2nd year: reapplied successfully and got back into school

3rd year - Was able to take control over a lot of my anxiety issues, took 10 courses in the year (5 per semester - full coarse load) - 3.8/4 gpa for the year

 

Hopefully this trend of grades should continue. I have full medical history and certification of this situation and have been very progressively working all my issues out with me and my doctor (who is an awesome guy who I owe a lot to).

 

 

Any advice? I'm thinking since my first school year was not a full course load (nor my second year for that matter), it won't count (as I took only 4 courses per semester) for U of T, Western (focusing on best year), Queens (best two years), OttawaU. Is this correct? Also, if I can successfully lobby for U of T to drop my two lowest marks for my last year, I will have a 3.9 gpa for that year, I think.

 

I have two more years of University left. A 4th year and a 5th year.

 

Anyway, any advice and help would be greatly appreciated. I just want to sort my life currently out, to know what steps to take in the future.

 

 

Thanks.

 

Hi jjsaidit

 

Firstly, I wish to congratulate you for an amazing turnaround, I cannot even imagine what you have been going thru and are going thru. Life is about taking it one day at a time, getting thru each day, doing the best we can in the circumstances.

 

I do not know how the first 2 years may affect you. For starters you should examine the OMSAS Booklet of what each med school requires. And go to

their webistes. Given your medical condition, I would imagine there would be special consideration and perhaps the first two years can be wiped away. Your situation is quite unique. I believe that U/T will only cut one full course for each year of full course load after 3 years, so I don't know if that will help you all that much. I am going to PM you.

 

Firstly, I wish to congratulate you

[rmorelan]

Yes good work!

 

Ok now for the schools. If you keep up that good GPA you can expect in Ontario to be able to apply to Queens, Western, and ultimately Ottawa based on their policies regardless of whether they accept your reasons for poor early performance. (wester and queens have best and last 2 year policies respectively, and otttawa talks last 3 years with a wGPA calculation).

 

Unless Toronto and Mac consider your situation (which is very hard to get feedback about) those schools' policies will work against you and it would be very hard to get into them. I am not saying they won't consider your case, it is just hard to know.

 

In any case the Queens, Western, and Ottawa would give you an excellent shot if you can keep up the good work. Best of Luck!

 

Hey, guys. I was suffering from an Anxiety Disorder when I came to undergrad and it caused me some problems. I'm a uOttawa student. Here is a timeline explaining what happened to me, any advice would be great.

 

1st year - Suffering from Anxiety issues: got a D average taking 8 courses for the whole year (4 per semester) -> Kicked out of school

2nd year - Was a part time student who was not in any faculty, took 4 courses to reapply to school afterwards

summer of 2nd year: reapplied successfully and got back into school

3rd year - Was able to take control over a lot of my anxiety issues, took 10 courses in the year (5 per semester - full coarse load) - 3.8/4 gpa for the year

 

Hopefully this trend of grades should continue. I have full medical history and certification of this situation and have been very progressively working all my issues out with me and my doctor (who is an awesome guy who I owe a lot to).

 

 

Any advice? I'm thinking since my first school year was not a full course load (nor my second year for that matter), it won't count (as I took only 4 courses per semester) for U of T, Western (focusing on best year), Queens (best two years), OttawaU. Is this correct? Also, if I can successfully lobby for U of T to drop my two lowest marks for my last year, I will have a 3.9 gpa for that year, I think.

 

I have two more years of University left. A 4th year and a 5th year.

 

Anyway, any advice and help would be greatly appreciated. I just want to sort my life currently out, to know what steps to take in the future.

 

 

Thanks.

[jjsaidit]

Thanks for the replies guys, I really appreciate the help.

 

 

I just wanted to confirm the following. I've spoken to the University of Toronto, and they said they do not count any years besides full coarse-load years in my cgpa calculation. I would just like to confirm this. As for this and their mark calcualtion scheme, I gathered this from their website:

"Applicants who have taken less than a full course load:

Applicants who have taken less than five full-courses (or 10 half-courses) in any given year will be considered on the average of all courses taken during the regular academic session on a full-time basis. The weighting formula will not be applied.

Applicants who wish special consideration for weighting due to unusual circumstances should submit their request in writing, supported by reasons. All requests for special consideration will be reviewed by the Admissions Committee and are assessed on a case-by-case basis. No decision will be released."

 

http://www.facmed.utoronto.ca/programs/md/admissions/0910/requirements/Academic_Qualifications/Calculation_of_GPA_Weighting_Formula.htm

 

 

Thanks

[rmorelan]

That matches my understanding, and what you are saying does match up with their website as well!

 

Your first year is technically full time which is what I was basing some of my thoughts on. Unless they give you some consideration for that year, the drop course policy wouldn't apply for you as you would have a full time year but less than 5 courses in it. You wouldn't be able to drop those courses, and with the D average in them you wouldn't be able to hit the rather high GPA requirement for Toronto pretty much no matter how much more school you did. Again not saying they will or will not take your circumstances into account, it is just hard to know what they would do mostly because as you mention they never release their decisions.

 

I wouldn't get hung up though on a particular school though - even if it is Toronto!

 

Thanks for the replies guys, I really appreciate the help.

 

 

I just wanted to confirm the following. I've spoken to the University of Toronto, and they said they do not count any years besides full coarse-load years in my cgpa calculation. I would just like to confirm this. As for this and their mark calcualtion scheme, I gathered this from their website:

"Applicants who have taken less than a full course load:

Applicants who have taken less than five full-courses (or 10 half-courses) in any given year will be considered on the average of all courses taken during the regular academic session on a full-time basis. The weighting formula will not be applied.

Applicants who wish special consideration for weighting due to unusual circumstances should submit their request in writing, supported by reasons. All requests for special consideration will be reviewed by the Admissions Committee and are assessed on a case-by-case basis. No decision will be released."

 

http://www.facmed.utoronto.ca/programs/md/admissions/0910/requirements/Academic_Qualifications/Calculation_of_GPA_Weighting_Formula.htm

 

 

Thanks

[The Law]

Your first year is technically full time which is what I was basing some of my thoughts on. Unless they give you some consideration for that year, the drop course policy wouldn't apply for you as you would have a full time year but less than 5 courses in it. You wouldn't be able to drop those courses, and with the D average in them you wouldn't be able to hit the rather high GPA requirement for Toronto pretty much no matter how much more school you did. Again not saying they will or will not take your circumstances into account, it is just hard to know what they would do mostly because as you mention they never release their decisions.

 

I am pretty sure U of T means 5.0 (i.e. 10 half course equivalents) for full course load... so the OP should be fairly safe.

[jjsaidit]

I am pretty sure U of T means 5.0 (i.e. 10 half course equivalents) for full course load... so the OP should be fairly safe.

 

 

This is good to know, thank you for confirming.

[xi88]

Does the academic suspension from school after your first year appear on your transcript? If so, it may be a drawback.

[rmorelan]

I am pretty sure U of T means 5.0 (i.e. 10 half course equivalents) for full course load... so the OP should be fairly safe.

 

Interesting! Ok, this is what I got from their FAQ

 

7) What if I carried a full course load in some years and not in others?

 

The weighting formula would not be applied. All years must have a full course load.

 

Hense as the OP didn't go full time in every year the weighting formula would not apply.

 

Now the question is how do they define full time, as they only consider full time years. Usually that is defined at most schools as 3.0 courses or more, but I can't see if specifically defined on the FAQ page. Elsewhere on the site though for Arts, science and engineering programs at uToronto it is 3.0 courses per year or more.

 

If that definition holds then his/her first year being full time would count, and has it is a low GPA year it will sink the appliction for Toronto.

 

BUT there is a good chance there is something wrong with my logic here so I think you will have to contact the admin office to clear it up any further

[jjsaidit]

Does the academic suspension from school after your first year appear on your transcript? If so, it may be a drawback.

 

You have a good point. Does anyone have any insight into how much this might affect me?

[rmorelan]

You have a good point. Does anyone have any insight into how much this might affect me?

 

That is going to be a hard question to answer as it very likely school and adcom specific.

 

One thing though, it you do well for long enough at your school there is a chance - particularly because it was a medically related problem - you can request to expunge your record at the school. Maybe even a good chance. In theory in the first place you should have been able to claim a medical reason for withdrawing from the year or course removal. Something to consider.

[jjsaidit]

That is going to be a hard question to answer as it very likely school and adcom specific.

 

One thing though, it you do well for long enough at your school there is a chance - particularly because it was a medically related problem - you can request to expunge your record at the school. Maybe even a good chance. In theory in the first place you should have been able to claim a medical reason for withdrawing from the year or course removal. Something to consider.

 

I'm considering this, thanks!