How does Ottawa Admissions Work?

[Guest freakisd]

For the selection process for the interview, does anyone know how it works?

 

Its it like Queen's, if you meet the cutoffs, you automatically get an interview?

 

My wGPA is 3.96 and live in Ontario...I would say that I have above average (though perhaps not stellar) extracirrcus..

 

is it possible to get an idea of my chances for an interview?

 

Cheers!

[Guest silvanabolano]

You get a score for your autobiographical sketch, letters of reference and GPA. But you are not guaranteed an interview based only on your GPA. But your GPA is very competitive and if all other areas are all right your chances of an interview seem good to me (but I am not in the admissions committee). Good luck!

[Guest V]

Do you have Research? If you don't, you really hinder your chances of admission at U of O. Why you ask... the application (in the past 2-3 years) has taken a huge weighting in the admissions process. It used to be purely marks like U of T, but no more.

 

The application is based on Volunteer, Work Experience, Extra-currics, Awards, Research.... If you lack in any of these sections, your application score will suffer. I have been told that only those with a high application score (along with marks > 3.82 ) get an interview. Again, I am not the admissions committee, this is just what has passed to my ears through the grapevine.

 

For schools like U of T, a high GPA like that will count for a HUGE portion of your score (~60%).

 

Best of luck, and I'm sure you will do fine.

 

V

[Guest freakisd]

As a matter a fact, I'm doing a reaserch job right now at UWO as an NSERC Undergrade....is that what you mean by "resaerch?"

 

I'm not really sure you mean by that term....could you elaborate on that a bit more?

 

Thanks!

[Guest tutifruiti]

You can't do much research during undergrad except during the summer time. The best thing to get then in an undergrad NSERC scholarship. It's not easy to get it, that is why many people do volunteer work in theirs teachers labs during the summer to get some research experience though they don't earn money.

 

I don't know if V is right about the importance of Research, but the admission did ask me 2 questions about my NSERC summer job. Since an interview lasts 45 minutes, you don't get more than 15 questions. So, indeed, research experience is important. I believe EC is more important at U Ottawa.

 

WHAT'S VERY IMPORTANT, and I am sure most successful applicant did that: fill all 48 fields on your autobio. sketch!!!

 

good luck, with such a competitive GPA you'll do fine! (o.

[Guest freakisd]

wow thanks for the info? Is there anyway I could email you with a private question? Mine is jenwyndham@yahoo.com

 

Thanks

[Guest tutifruiti]

I finally signed up for an account. By clicking on my nickname you'll be able to find my email.

 

By the way I was a French applicant, thus not the typical applicant.

[Guest maxell]

"V"'s statements are not that accurate.

 

First, research is a big factor at the U of Toronto, unlike what is implied in V's statement. The UofT is well-known for this.

 

As far as Ottawa is concerned, I don't know if having research really has that much weight as V claims since they did not ask me a single question in my interview even though I was currently finishing a graduate degree. Subjectively, I thought that they could not care less about all the research I did. I thought they were much more interested in extracurricular activities and then volunteer work as those are really the factors that reveal your personality. And, the vast majority of all the students I know who get in are those who are active in volunteering and have tons of extracurricular activities, not those who have spent years in research.

 

Secondly, a lot of undergrads don't have research. To expect a second year university student to have research is unreasonable. In fact, Ottawa (when deciding on who to interview) defaults all applicants to undergraduate status if they can make the GPA cutoffs, then interviews them in the undergrad group. Witness the fact that I was not asked about my research (I made it into the undergrad cat). Only if your GPA is low and you are a grad student, do they start looking at your research and publications to decide if they should interview you. That is why I believe one reason they put down space in the application form for "Research".

 

Third, I think the admissions people are intelligent. They know a lot of people spend a summer working as Man Friday rinsing test tubes, then claim to have done a "research project in so and so" - face it, the only time when your research achievement becomes credible is when you have you name on a paper, and most undergrads do not have this. To expect it from them would be unreasonable.

 

Fourth, my subjective feeling is that a good doctor, which is what all medical schools wish to turn out, is not synonomous with being a good researcher, and medical schools know this (in fact, I think it is the opposite is true. The nicest and best doctors I have even met are those who do not do any research at all and have had their minds warped in the process, but I digress). My personal feeling is that a lot of medical schools that are not big on research, but stress community, believe that people who have research (and hence grad students) are those who either could not get in med school and have defaulted to grad school to try to improve their prospects, or are people who are discontented and are thinking of being in a profession that is rewarding. Doing research is not a glamorous job - working for mean professors in their lab and spending time reading papers and mixing stuff and being among social rejects does not do credit to your personality.

 

In summary, "How does Ottawa Admissions Work?", my judgement is that all factors are important, but foremost GPA, extracurricular, volunteer activities. If you are a good candidate, not having research will not hinder your chances to the extent that V claims.

[Guest V]

I think Maxell you may have to go to your sources again.

 

If you call the admissions office at Ottawa, the will tell you that HAVING AN INCOMPLETED SECTION ON THE ADMISSIONS APPLICATION WILL SEVERELY HINDER YOUR CHANCES AT AN INTERVIEW. Hence, not having one section filled, means an unlikely shot at an interview. They will also state that GPA is now only one component of deciding who gets an interview. The application (in the past 2 years) has taken a really large weighting in the interview selection process.

 

Again, after calling the office, they had specifically told me that majority of the interviewees do have SOME SORT OF RESEARCH. It is true that research experience does not correlate being a good doctor, however, some of the skills you can gain from research are requisites for being one. EXAMPLES, the ability to problem solve, use resources efficiently, and use the scientific method to analyze problems, are all at the heart of a research position. This is why many schools like research.

 

And maxell, for your information, just because they never asked you about your research at your interview DOES NOT mean it is not important. What WAS implied by my statement in the thread above, was that research is strongly favored at U of O because it entails ONE ENTIRE PORTION OF THE APPLICATION. It is not one "space" as maxell states, it is an entire section.

 

Again, if you dont agree, just clarify this at the admissions office.

 

Another problem with Maxell's statement, is his idea that NOT A LOT OF 2nd YEARS HAVE RESEARCH.... Well Im not sure where you live, but at my university majority of students have some sort of research opportunity in their summer of their 2nd year. In fact, a canadian publication has stated that 80% of all matriculants into medicine have some sort of research experience.... of which 49% of them begin some sort of experience by the summer between 2nd and 3rd year of post-secondary education (Galles et al., 2002, Canadian Medical Association Journal). I can post a link here if required.

 

This thing about "cleaning test tubes" and "publishing papers" in Maxells statement is rediculous. Having a great laboratory experience, and gaining valuable skills for future endeavors can be achieved whether or not you produce results good enough for publication. In fact, programs like CIHR, NSERC and other nationally funded programs are designed to get canadian students doing real research - not for publication but from learning valuable skills, as mentioned above. On the NSERC website, they clearly state that this program is designed for " students wishing to persue a career in clinical or laboratory medicine, teaching and research".

 

 

I would like to also clarify, that research does not have to be laboratory "test tube" research. The admissions office has stated that things like clinical research and psychological research can count as research experience. So you do not have to clean test tubes. Rather, you just have to tackle a problem using the scientific method, and aproach it in a systematic and methodical way, JUST LIKE DOCTORS DO EVERYDAY.

 

V

[Guest tutifruiti]

nah research is far from just cleaning test tubes! It would be a waste pf public funds to give an NSERC scholarship to a student just to clean test tubes or just to do routine work. And anyways... And I doubt universities have enough test tubes to keep 8-10 full-time-NSERC-funded student busy during a whole summer!!! (o.

 

Moreover it is a wrong assumption to say summer research positions for undergrad are in molecular bio or any subject that has a lab component. I never did that and would be quite unsatisfied by my job if I did had such a job.

 

I remember my teacher told me that all his NSERC summer students who wanted to get into med, did. That supports V's statement.

 

(o. why are we clingging stubbornly to the "importance of research" question anyways? (o. Applicants, get an NSERC if you have the opportunity. Everybody who are intereted in U Ottawa meds, has competivite GPA and good ECs should apply anyways!

[Guest smokeacigar]

I'll probably apply to U of O meds in the fall, and my research experience consists of 2 NSERC awards (2001, 2002), and a paper submitted (but no published yet) by the end of this summer, and my honours thesis research project this coming year will be hopefully fulfilling. I hope it helps me out....

[Guest V]

Thats more than enough research. I only had 1 NSERC summer student position, and I did my 4th year thesis. They asked me about my research for about 10 mins, and it was enough to get me in.

 

I think that with that amount of research you can talk about what you learned; it is also a great example of something you are passionate about; it can also serve as opportunities for group/team work and maybe experiences facing a tough situation.

 

 

Best of luck

 

V

[Guest MayFlower]

V,

 

I just wanted to thank you for the note you sent to me re: re-applying this year and not letting anybody discourage me from doing so. Yours, in addition to a bombardment of messages from others in this forum, convinced me to reconsider...I've already applied to Ottawa and will be applying to several more.

 

Cheers,

 

MayFlower

[Guest UWOMED2005]

Yeah I had about the same. . . one summer working in a lab (non-NSERC,) one honours thesis, and "one paper potentially to be published" that unfortunately never got accepted.

[Guest V]

Mayflower,

 

All the best to you. Its nice to see that you are re-considering. Keep that chin up, and always FOCUS ON THE POSITIVES. At the same time, learn from your mistakes, and turn them around into constructive experiences.

 

I wish you all the best,

 

Varun

[Guest maxell]

I good friend of mine had ZERO research - nothing at all.

He got in. He had many voluteer and extracurricular activiites.

 

I don't disagree with you, however from your initial post you seemed to suggest that if you don't have reserach, you are doomed. This is not the case.

 

Don't take words literally - when I say "washing test tubes" over the summer and claiming as research, it really happens, but not that they necessarily wash test-tubes. There are only so many NSERCs and other opportunities available, usually to those who are above average in certain courses(not everybody gets it). The fact is that many work as lab assistants (technicians or even below that) and claim do have done research. Working as a technician or as an assistant does not mean that you do research. Research means that you are a major participant in a scientific project and that you contribute to that project through original thinking (not just taking orders from others). Does Ontario provide 80% of 2nd year medical student applicants into medical school such an opportunity?

 

Well, if you think so.

[Guest right on]

does honours thesis (research project) count as research on the application?

 

I only ask this because in the Ottawa "detailed sketch" part it says that work done for courses is not considered research. I can understand that lab work for a course isn't research, but what about the honours thesis???

[Guest Sil]

In my application I put it as research. I figured if it wasn't they would probably just put it in another category. Although I did have two other research projects so I am not sure if in the end it made that much of a difference.

[Guest UWOMED2005]

I used put my honours thesis under "research". . . then again, I didn't apply to U of O so I'm not sure. I think what they're trying to avoid is people referring to a lab in 1st year chemistry as "research."

[Guest V]

I think it definately counts. Think about it... the number of hours, quality of research experience and the opportunity to get results is profoundly higher than a normal lab course. I used it, and it served as a foundation for questions during my interview. All the other people from my class used it on their application, and out of them, 7 of them got into U of O.

 

Use it to your advantage.

[Guest kk]

if selection is based on gpa and autosketch, does it really help to have a high gpa, or is it that as soon as you make the cut off, they toss it aside and look at your autobio sketch?

 

Or is it a 60/40 weighting...so if freakisd had a gpa 3.96, he would have a better chance getting an interview than someone with a 3.85?

 

Kk

[Guest kencork3]

Another question about what to include under 'research' on the app:

 

I'm a summer student in a research lab right now - getting paid.

 

Do I include this experience under research or employment?

 

Or can I do both?!

[Guest freakisd]

If anyone can answer the above question too thatd be great - I have an NSERC, which iM doing reasearch, and of course getting paid too...can that go under reseach, awards, and employment as well? (if not, what about the OMSAS auto bioggraphical sketch)

 

Oh yes, I have a website that I made myself that generates $$$ for me, as well created a lawn mowing business too.....do you think I should list both under "employment", or under "other"?

 

Thanks :rollin

[Guest V]

I too had the same predicament last year. Under awards I put SUMMER NSERC STUDENTSHIP. Under research I expanded and did whatever the criteria asked me to do. However, I did not put the NSERC as Employment.

 

I think Ottawa just wants you to EXPAND on the 50 Autobiographical entries. Thus, whatever you listed there, you should expand in the same headings in the Ottawa application section.

[Guest JSS02]

When I asked about how to include a paid summer research position, the Ottawa admissions people said to include it in EITHER employment or research, but not both. If you already have some other items to include under employment, then putting your research jobs in the other section would be a good way to avoid leaving the section blank, if you haven't done an honours thesis, etc.