GPA Conversion for US Schools?

[IvyUndergrad]

Hey guys - I'm a 3rd year undergrad at Yale in the states, and thinking about coming back to Canada for med school. Only thing is, my GPA has suffered quite a bit due to my choice in school. It's sitting at a 3.64 right now, and I don't see it fluctuating out of the 3.6-3.65 range anytime soon. So, my question is: will Queen's/other med schools take into consideration the degree of difficulty of grading at the UG school when looking at GPA? I'm taking the MCAT this year and think I can do pretty well on it (I tend to get along well with standardized testing), but I'm worried that my GPA is going to force me to stay in the states for med school.

[jordan19]

No. Queens doesn't care where you did your undergrad. You are on equal terms with someone that went to... say Laurentian.

 

As long as your GPA makes the cutoff, either the cGPA, or the best two years (>3.7), and if your MCAT makes the cut-off, you should be fine.

 

With a 3.65ish, that's not THAT competitive for Canadian schools. I think for most schools it's at least a 3.7+... and other schools like UofT, McMaster, it is high 3.8's. It's unfortunate that your school is a lot harder than many here in Canada, but med schools here look at all undergrad univ the same. If you have 2 years over 3.7, you would make Western's cutoff.

 

I'd also look into McMaster too, because a high score on VR of the MCAT would offset your GPA, permitted you ace CASPER.

 

UofT would be good too, but Id say you have to have some pretty outstanding EC's.

[jordan19]

Oh.

Also your GPA's generally gonna go down when you come back.

For example, I have a friend who's going to a good American school. Has all A's and what not, which is a 4.0 there, but coming back, it's only a 3.9...

The GPA conversion is a little different... check the OMSAS for exact details.

[Ab_Med]

This is the problem with OMSAS. When they convert american grades, you get hammered on the other end. Typically a 3.66 GPA from the US is an average matriculating GPA for many med-schools. But in Canada, OMSAS and other schools alike will hammer you.

 

Unless you crush every class in your undergrad, you have no shot in Canada. You have a solid GPA, and one that is better than any 3.7 in Canada for sure. Your best bet is applying to some schools in the US.

 

Good luck

[IvyUndergrad]

Man, this is a huge bummer. What do you mean, Canadian schools will hammer my GPA? Yale doesn't give A+'s, so shouldn't it be A = 4.0, A- = 3.7, B+ = 3.3, etc?

 

I worked it out, and I think if I really step things up a ton and catch a few breaks I can make a 3.69 by the end of this year according to that scale - is that going to be good enough for the cutoff next year (best guess, of course)?

[jordan19]

Man, this is a huge bummer. What do you mean, Canadian schools will hammer my GPA? Yale doesn't give A+'s, so shouldn't it be A = 4.0, A- = 3.7, B+ = 3.3, etc?

 

I worked it out, and I think if I really step things up a ton and catch a few breaks I can make a 3.69 by the end of this year according to that scale - is that going to be good enough for the cutoff next year (best guess, of course)?

 

Also, I'm a D-I varsity athlete for a nationally competitive program, and devote 20+ hours a week to that... Do Canadian schools look kindly on stuff like that, or is that also shat on because it's a NCAA and not a Canadian institution?

 

Canadian schools do not care what specific activities you do (maybe for UofT they might look out for research; however). But generally, to each their own. As long as you are truly interested in your ECs, and they have helped you grow and develop as a person, I think that's the most important thing to take away. As long as you can justify it, and really explain it well - you'll be fine.

[Ab_Med]

Man, this is a huge bummer. What do you mean, Canadian schools will hammer my GPA? Yale doesn't give A+'s, so shouldn't it be A = 4.0, A- = 3.7, B+ = 3.3, etc?

 

I worked it out, and I think if I really step things up a ton and catch a few breaks I can make a 3.69 by the end of this year according to that scale - is that going to be good enough for the cutoff next year (best guess, of course)?

 

Also, I'm a D-I varsity athlete for a nationally competitive program, and devote 20+ hours a week to that... Do Canadian schools look kindly on stuff like that, or is that also shat on because it's a NCAA and not a Canadian institution?

 

Sorry to be the bearer of bad news. But the best converted grade you can obtain is a 3.9 on the OMSAS assuming you have straight As from the states.

If you take a full course load, and achieve straight A's, you'd have a chance under Ottawa's WGPA...maybe.....You should write a letter asking for considering under the 8th column scale.

 

I was in the same boat. Division I athlete and have nearly straight As and over 7 years of strong hospital and volunteers work(even hurricane katrina work too) and a graduate degree in Epidemiology. I crush the cut-offs in the US, but when they convert my grades in Canada, I get messed over. I am an Aboriginal applicant, so I make mostly all cutoffs across the country; however, I feel your pain.

 

Good luck with your apps and if you have any questions you can send me a private message.

 

Ab

[scissortail]

To the OP, what is your grade in percentage?

 

I have a friend who goes to school in the states and i got the impression that the conversion actually work in your favour. In canada a 3.65 would covert to approximately 75 to 80% but i assume at Yale 3.65 equals approximately 85 to 90? My friend was told that the med schools take your percentage and calculate their own GPA, so you would actually end up having 3.9 to 4.0, which is what 85 to 90 is equivalent to in Canada.

[IvyUndergrad]

We don't do grades in percentages; most courses, especially science courses, are curved.

[Chicago Love]

We don't do grades in percentages; most courses, especially science courses, are curved.

 

I know how you feel. I'm a student at UChicago, and IT IS HARD!! Virtually no grade inflation and no % at all. And UChicago doesn't give out A+'s either!

 

However, IvyUndergrad, I know a girl with 3.58 from Princeton (cGPA) who got in U of T. Her wGPA was not high either. I know a guy from Stanford. He had 3.65, and he got in UBC med. Despite what other people said, there have been success stories coming out of Canadian students studying in American universities! Apply!

[scissortail]

wow I'm surprised how many american universities don't do percentages. The friend I know goes to a small liberal arts college where they do percentage and letter. Although he has a 3.3 GPA at his school, his % is around 88 to 90, so canadian schools make it a 3.9-4.0. I was really jealous lol.