Going below full course load...

[have1goal]

Hi,

 

1st year: full course load (FCL) (5.0 credits)

2nd year: almost FCL (4.0 credits)-experienced some problems that is documented

3rd and 4th year: will do FCL

I completed 1.0 credits in the summer which makes up for the missing 1.00 credit in 2nd year.

 

The med schools I'll be applying to during 4th year are:

U of Alberta: The year without the FCL will not be used in the GPA calculation?

UBC: The lack of one FCL year will not impact my application

UofT: I can submit an explanation of why I did not do a full course load in 2nd year to still get the Weighting formula applied? (according to their website)

UWO: The year without the FCL will not be used in the best 2 year GPA calculation

Queens: The lack of one FCL year will not impact my application

U of Ottawa: Will U of Ottawa use only my 1st year and 3rd year marks? They have a x1, x2 for 3rd year applicants and x1,x2,x3 for 4th year applicants. But since my 2nd year is below FCL, how will my GPA be calculated?

 

Thanks,

[JB.]

I'm pretty sure U of A counts any year that has over 18 credits in your GPA calculation provided the courses are taken during the regular school year (not summer courses). You must have at least one year that has a full course load though. I'm not sure about the rest.

[IamIDP]

I'm in a similar position as you. I did not take a full courseload 2nd year but will be taking a FCL every year. Sadly I know alot of people who think they can get away without taking a FCL (you can but you must have a killer GPA to make up for it).

 

But anyways, I think as long as you have 2+ years of FCL, you are ok applying to any school. If you never take a FCL, that's another thing and looks terrible on your application.

[have1goal]

Is it better to have bad marks and not take a full course load or to have worse marks and still be in a full course load? Note none of these are good positions to be in.

 

Semester 1 of 2nd year: 3.05 GPA based on 4 courses.

Semester 2 of 2nd year (to be completed): at most 3.95 on 4 courses, or lower GPA if I continue in the 6 courses I'm in. About to Withdraw from 2 courses because I may get 60%-70%.

Therefore, the average for the year would be <3.55 regardless of my semester 2 GPA or how many courses I take in total.

 

Should I just take 4 courses this 2nd semester (avoid getting a bad mark in the 1 prerequisite course for UBC, given that there is a prerequisite GPA) considering that the year is already a bad year and it can't be improved due to the 3.05? or maintain a full course load and get <<3.55?

[IamIDP]

Is it better to have bad marks and not take a full course load or to have bad marks and still be in a full course load? Note none of these are good positions to be in.

 

Semester 1 of 2nd year: 3.05 GPA based on 4 courses.

Semester 2 of 2nd year (to be completed): at most 3.95 on 4 courses, or lower GPA if I continue in the 6 courses I'm in. About to Withdraw from 2 courses because I may get 60%-70%.

Therefore, the average for the year would be <3.55 regardless of my semester 2 GPA or how many courses I take in total.

 

Should I just take 4 courses this 2nd semester (avoid getting a bad mark in the 1 prerequisite course for UBC, given that there is a prerequisite GPA) considering that the year is already a bad year and it can't be improved due to the 3.05? or maintain a full course load and get <<3.55?

 

To be honost, the lower the amount of courses you have every year is worse. 8/10 courses is alright and can be explainable, but anything under is tough to explain. At the end GPA matters alot and will get you your interview, but your courseload is what will get you your acceptance. Please correct me if i'm wrong.