Basis for interview

[Guest ioncannon97]

Having not recieved an invite yet, I am now fearing the worst (although, since im in Sask., im holding on to a bit of hope). I have gotten interviews from Queen's, Toronto, and will get one from Western so, in case I didn't get one for U of O, i'm wondering what their reason would be. Are the people who make the cutoffs all invited for an interview? I ask because i'm sure my GPA was above the cutoff. So can they not invite you based on just the detailed autobiographical sketch?

[Guest glo]

From what I've understood, unlike Western and Queens, Ottawa sets a cutoff, and then reviews the sketches of those applicants above the cutoff. They then decide who gets an interview. Good luck:)

[Guest Kirsteen]

Hi there,

 

Ottawa's selection process does, indeed, involve the review of the personal sketch. Of those applicants who breach the WGPA cut-offs, (which incidentally, have not yet been announced for this cycle), only those applicants who have the top 450 sketch scores are then invited for an interview. I recall a few folk last year who made the WGPA cut-offs, but did not receive interviews. :rolleyes

 

Cheers and best of luck,

Kirsteen

[Guest mistah anderson]

Hi Guys,

 

One thing that people are very confused about is that Ottawa is very different from the other med schools in that meeting academic cutoffs alone in no way guarantees an interview.

 

The faculty of medicine first establishes the WGPA cutoff and the candidates who meet this cutoff (in addition to course load and prerequisite course requirements) advance to the next stage.

 

Next, the sketch review takes place. The faculty hires an outside firm to come in and mark the sketches. A sketch score is assigned to each candidate. The marking criteria used is not released to the public. However, all candidates are graded with the same standard scheme to ensure fairness.

 

Next, composite scores are calculated for the candidates who made it as far as the sketch review. These composite scores are calculated based on the WGPA and the sketch scores.

 

The candidates with the top ~450 composite scores are given interview offers.

 

Hope this helps to conceptualize Ottawa's weird and wonderful admissions process.

 

mr. anderson - meds07