Requirements for students currently in graduate school

[Guest snoopychan]

I am currently doing my M.Sc. and am on track to finish by this coming August. However, I am curious as to U of T's policy for student who choose not to finish their current graduate degree if accepted inot medicine (in case the research falls off the time course). Would they hold out sending your acceptance letter until you prove to them that you finished, or does it matter whether you finish or not?

[Guest Biochem10]

I think it says somewhere that you have to finish your graduate studies before entering medicine, but I'm not 100% sure on this. You should call and ask. Personally, I would think that just dropping your graduate studies would make you seem irresponsible especially if you were so close to finishing.

[Guest fox]

I think U of T even goes as far as saying if you switched graduate programs (ie. say from physics to a different faculty) they won't accept your application (but don't quote me on this). I am pretty sure Biochem10 is right, if you don't defend by the time school starts you lose your acceptance. Check out their webpage, I am sure it is on there.

[Guest soapyslicer]

Hi,

 

Most schools now have a clause in their acceptance that states you must have your thesis "accepted" ie signed off by your committe prior to June or July of the year you are entering. Be careful....many schools look very negatively on students dropping once in. This was in response to many students signing up for graduate school to look better and then drop it once they were in. The problem was that the supervisors and University complained that they fund you for the time you were there but it is wasted if you don't complete as they then have to train someone else. Also I have been told by many that there is a big difference in perception of the accomplishment between being in a graduate program and having finished one. Many start, not nearly as many sucessfully defend. I know of others who thought they could get around it and ended up lossing their seat in med. Subsequent years they were not even offered an interview.

 

Having said all that I do not know what UofT specific policy is on grad studies and acceptance.

 

Soapy

[Guest Pop 999]

Hi, I was in the exact situation last year at UoT. I was writing up when I got the letter June 1st. The deal is that they expect you to defend by July-August. If you are close (i.e. thesis submitted and defense date set), you can most likely ask for a change in the condidtion (that's what I did) and defend deep into the summer months. I even know a few in the class who defended after school started. But you got to be reasonalbe and proof that you are indeed close. If not, your best bet is to ask for a deferal.

 

Hope that helps!

[Guest BrainDrain]

A guy from my lab kept telling UofT that he was really close to finishing his Masters.....4 years later, he is an MD and still no MSc.

[Guest snoopychan]

Thanx for the input everyone. I contacted the U of T admissions office and they told me that although a candidate may be offered an acceptance in June prior to completion of the M.Sc., a deferral will be granted if he/she fails to defend by August. I was just curious as U of T will be my best chance given the "# interviewed : # accepted" ratio. I also had interviews at 5 other schools but U of T is my first choice. Ironically, it is also the only one so strict on this issue.