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Countdown to interview decisions!

shearkha

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Guest humhum

Guest humhum

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I just have to say, as someone with only a 80% GPA, that you can't judge every applicant this way. I have a 42% average from one year (it gets dropped by UBC), but a bunch of other years with 60-ish percents from way back in 1999 or so. It has taken me YEARS of very hard work to get to the 80% level. I've had to work 5x as hard as a person starting with a blank slate. If you're looking for hard work and dedication, you will not see it demonstrated by the straight GPA number, at least not with me.

 

It indeed must have taken a lot of dedication to pull up from a rough year like that. You should be very proud of that accomplishment, and it should be acknowledged as a strong point of your application.

 

But it should also be noted that extreme dedication is not just demonstrated only from a strong come back like that. Sometimes it seems like forum users here are desensitized to 90% GPAs as if it is no big deal, and well-roundedness is automatically attributed to lower GPAs and non-traditionals. As an example, getting a 90% GPA in an undergraduate major such as engineering is nothing short of a Herculean feat. The whole engineering curriculum is designed around a 30% over full-time course load (which engineers HAVE TO take - yes, easily 7-8 courses per term). To add insult to injury, they can't even take ANY science courses for credit, so just about every single course on the UBC pre-req list had to be taken in addition to the uber full-time load they already have. But of course, they still end up having to compete with science, pre-med, and art majors for the on the same GPA number. UBC doesn't calculate the GPA any differently for different majors, and the crushing course load is not factored in anywhere. You probably know what a devastation a single 75% grade does to an otherwise 90+% GPA streak. Someone could study their ass off to ace a killer course like organic chem while taking 3 moderately difficult courses, but if you have 3 courses equally as brutal as organic chem (again, the standard time table says you have to take it), in addition to 3 other courses, can you really say maintaining a 90% is easy?

 

To say that straight GPA numbers don't demonstrate an uncanny persistence and dedication is just not the right perspective. A high GPA says a lot about a person's grit and industriousness; although yes, it does not guarantee they would make good future doctors, which is why UBC give such a strong weight to NAQ and the interview.

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arr Newbie

arr

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I'm thinking since nothing has gone out yet, the emails will start Monday... Last year was the three days of email survival and someone else mentioned the interview booking deadline changed from Dec 14 last year to Dec 18 this year.

 

Looks like we might have to hold tight for the weekend :(

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throwaway2014app Newbie

throwaway2014app

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I'm thinking since nothing has gone out yet, the emails will start Monday... Last year was the three days of email survival and someone else mentioned the interview booking deadline changed from Dec 14 last year to Dec 18 this year.

 

Looks like we might have to hold tight for the weekend :(

 

but someone phoned the office yesterday and they said they are sending stuff this week and next week

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esselle Newbie

esselle

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We know that you are waiting anxiously to find out if you have been invited for an interview and so that you do not have to constantly check over the next few days we wanted to let you know that notifications will not be sent out until next week.

 

Enjoy the weekend

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throwaway2014app Newbie

throwaway2014app

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This email is being sent to all applicants in the current cycle.

 

We know that you are waiting anxiously to find out if you have been invited for an interview and so that you do not have to constantly check over the next few days we wanted to let you know that notifications will not be sent out until next week. You may wonder why it has taken longer than last year and it is because we received more applications - over 2,000. Consequently it has taken longer to carefully review all the files and we are doing final checking to ensure all lists are accurate.

 

All notifications will be sent through the Online Application System. We will not be contacting you by telephone or letter, so please ensure that you can access your on-line application next week. Applicants not invited for interview will also be able to access their scoring information (with the exception of those applicants who have been made ineligible due to missing transcripts, MCAT scores etc).

 

We hope this update will help you to breathe a little easier over the weekend.

 

Thank you for your patience,

Your Admissions Team

MD Undergraduate Admissions

UBC Faculty of Medicine

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