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What do I do after 4th year?


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Hi guys,

 

I am so sorry if this is a repeated question. I am just so confused and unsure...

 

I plan to apply to western for their conditional acceptance in this coming cycle. I REALLY wanted to apply to UofT as well but my cGPA is just below the 3.6 cut off...I am sure my GPA will be better by the end of fourth year, but that means, I have to take a year off to apply...I am not sure what to do in this year?

 

Should I apply for masters programs and start a masters or should I take a 5th year with a full course load to improve my GPA?

 

This decision will affect my 4th year course selection because I will have to do courses from related masters program as opposed to courses I can easily get a 4.0 in ;)

 

sorry for the rant, I'd appreciate any input....

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You should probably plan for five years. You'll need to submit an application to graduate before you know your final GPA from 4th year, so you may want to have the victory lap available as a back up. The 5th year won't count as part of your degree in GPA determination at Western UNLESS it is done before your Bachelor is conferred. It's for this reason that you don't want to submit an application to graduate before your GPA is ready. You can always apply for fall convocation if your 4th year GPA turns out fine. It's also possible that your registrar will be able to provide confirmation of the completion of your degree requirements (before official convocation) to the school where you will be doing your Master's (if the Master's has a fall start, and if your 4th year GPA is OK).

 

This is a very subjective decision. You're going to need to do your own cost-benefit analysis. The above is simply what I would do if I were in your position.

 

Also, I hope you can follow my point! I feel like I may have written this confusingly..

 

Good luck! :)

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Also : You're going to need to have a competitive undergrad GPA whether you do a Master's or not. If you don't have confidence that you can perform well this upcoming 4th year while preparing for a Master's, then that's a good indication that you'll need to do a victory lap to get in to medical school. If you f*** up this year because you're taking tough Master's-oriented courses, then you'll HAVE to do the 5th year victory lap... and the 5th year grades are NOT going to count until the application for 2013 entry. I'm pretty sure you'll also need to have your degree officially conferred prior to enrollment at Western for 2012 entry (2012 entry is currently what you'd be aiming for if you need a high 4th year GPA). So, to get in for 2012, you'll need to have your BSc handed to you at your Spring Convocation...

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You should probably plan for five years. You'll need to submit an application to graduate before you know your final GPA from 4th year, so you may want to have the victory lap available as a back up. The 5th year won't count as part of your degree in GPA determination at Western UNLESS it is done before your Bachelor is conferred. It's for this reason that you don't want to submit an application to graduate before your GPA is ready. You can always apply for fall convocation if your 4th year GPA turns out fine. It's also possible that your registrar will be able to provide confirmation of the completion of your degree requirements (before official convocation) to the school where you will be doing your Master's (if the Master's has a fall start, and if your 4th year GPA is OK).

 

This is a very subjective decision. You're going to need to do your own cost-benefit analysis. The above is simply what I would do if I were in your position.

 

Also, I hope you can follow my point! I feel like I may have written this confusingly..

 

Good luck! :)

 

Hey, thanks for your response :)

 

I do see what you are saying...opting not to graduate and doing a 5th year right? I can either do that or hope to get 3.8+ in fourth year and just take a year off to work or whatnot...I don't know...:confused: :confused:

 

I'm writing MCAT aug 5th and won't know the results until sept 7th so I plan to apply to western's conditional acceptance thing this cycle, provided that I meet their MCAT cutoffs...I wanted to apply to Mac too but my cGPA is prbly too low...

 

sigh...

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Hey, thanks for your response :)

 

I do see what you are saying...opting not to graduate and doing a 5th year right? I can either do that or hope to get 3.8+ in fourth year and just take a year off to work or whatnot...I don't know...:confused: :confused:

 

I'm writing MCAT aug 5th and won't know the results until sept 7th so I plan to apply to western's conditional acceptance thing this cycle, provided that I meet their MCAT cutoffs...I wanted to apply to Mac too but my cGPA is prbly too low...

 

sigh...

 

I think you may be misinterpreting "conditional acceptance". You still need 2 full time years with a solid GPA before submitting your application this fall. These grades are used in the calculation for your invitation for interview. "Conditional acceptance" means that you need to keep up your GPA in your final year of university - these grades ARE NOT considered in your invitation to interview, but if your GPA drops below a certain point, then your offer (if you get an offer) is rescinded. You are accepted provided that you fulfill the condition that your GPA has not dropped significantly in your final year.

 

So yes, you still need 2 solid years before applying this fall. But... you can still try! Perhaps the average of your best 2 years will still make cut off. I can't remember what Western's cut-off was this year. It can't hurt to fill out the application once and get a feel for the process, even if it turns out that you do not meet the GPA cut off.

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DXO, your info is off quite a bit.

 

1) You can graduate after 4 years, take a special year, and it will still count towards your undergraduate degree GPA.

 

2) UWO conditional acceptance: where you can apply with 1 year above the cutoff, get an interview, and get accepted pending your current year (i.e. OP's 4th) is above cutoff as well.

 

OP: if you have taken a full courseload all 3 years, calculate your wGPA for UofT (not your cGPA).

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DXO, your info is off quite a bit.

 

1) You can graduate after 4 years, take a special year, and it will still count towards your undergraduate degree GPA.

 

2) UWO conditional acceptance: where you can apply with 1 year above the cutoff, get an interview, and get accepted pending your current year (i.e. OP's 4th) is above cutoff as well.

 

OP: if you have taken a full courseload all 3 years, calculate your wGPA for UofT (not your cGPA).

 

Crazy! News to me!

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DXO, your info is off quite a bit.

 

1) You can graduate after 4 years, take a special year, and it will still count towards your undergraduate degree GPA.

 

2) UWO conditional acceptance: where you can apply with 1 year above the cutoff, get an interview, and get accepted pending your current year (i.e. OP's 4th) is above cutoff as well.

 

OP: if you have taken a full courseload all 3 years, calculate your wGPA for UofT (not your cGPA).

 

Im confused by the first point..so you can officially graduate and yet come back for another year? How can that count towards your undergrad degree?

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Im confused by the first point..so you can officially graduate and yet come back for another year? How can that count towards your undergrad degree?

 

it doesn't have to actually - people take courses all the time not towards any particular degree. there are things like non-degree students, and people getting courses that they may or may not apply in the future towards a degree - basically just taking courses for interest. :)

 

I should confirm that conditional acceptance thing - for western you really do need only one year above cut off to apply, but will need to be getting the second one during the application year. Not many get in this way but it is a possibility, and even if you don't get in the two years you would then have would let you apply to both Queens and Western following.

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it doesn't have to actually - people take courses all the time not towards any particular degree. there are things like non-degree students, and people getting courses that they may or may not apply in the future towards a degree - basically just taking courses for interest. :)

 

I should confirm that conditional acceptance thing - for western you really do need only one year above cut off to apply, but will need to be getting the second one during the application year. Not many get in this way but it is a possibility, and even if you don't get in the two years you would then have would let you apply to both Queens and Western following.

 

Yeah, "unclassified" students. I would apply to a program or follow a program rather than taking random courses though (incase you end up having to reapply and consider putting together a 2nd UG).

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Yeah, "unclassified" students. I would apply to a program or follow a program rather than taking random courses though (incase you end up having to reapply and consider putting together a 2nd UG).

 

Have to be somewhat careful with that though - Western will make you finish any degree you start prior to letting you be admitted. Can leave you hanging!

 

So if following a program without actually being in it works for you GPA wise + backup plan then go over it I would say :)

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Have to be somewhat careful with that though - Western will make you finish any degree you start prior to letting you be admitted. Can leave you hanging!

 

So if following a program without actually being in it works for you GPA wise + backup plan then go over it I would say :)

 

And some schools won't accept the new GPA increase until the degree is finished, but will let you continue applying with the old GPA. Lol.

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Yeah, it's called a special year. It probably won't count towards your "degree", but you can use it help your undergrad GPA for medical admissions. I should have worded it better. I was wasted.

 

I see, thats pretty interesting. Its just that I didnt know it was possible thats why I was confused lol Ive usually heard of people being forced to graduate/convocate at certain schools once theyve met their degree requirements. So you can essentially graduateand still take more courses as "non-degree"?

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I see, thats pretty interesting. Its just that I didnt know it was possible - Ive usually heard of people being forced to graduate at certain schools once theyve met their degree requirements. So this non degree year would count like any other degree year (so use in cgpa, best 2 years etc)?

 

At every school except Ottawa, I think.

 

But it's always better to tack on a 5th year to your degree if possible. That way you get priority for courses, early course selection date, etc.

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