BizMarkie Posted May 29, 2014 Report Share Posted May 29, 2014 I'm wondering if NOSM would calculate my GPA if I sent them my transcripts. My educational background is unique, and, while there is definitely a significant upward trend in grades, my I did not do well in my first undergrad. I don't think I could accurately calculate it myself based on the information from the website. I'm also wondering if I'm the kind of applicant they are looking for. I'm definitely a non trad! I've lived/worked/volunteered in northern communities (albeit in Manitoba not Ontario). Right now I'm a public health nurse in one of these northern communities. I also have rural volunteer experience from growing up in Newfoundland. So when it comes to community involvement, I'm all over it. I can also get excellent LORs and verifiers for all of the activities I have been involved in. I have quite a bit of life experience that I know is valued at this school, but depending on how they calculate my GPA, I might not even meet the cut off. As well, if I do just make the cut off, would I still be considered a decent applicant due to my experience? (I'm OP btw) Any advice is appreciated Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jojoluvsu2 Posted May 29, 2014 Report Share Posted May 29, 2014 Do you have a second UG (your mention of your first leads me to believe you have a second?). NOSM uses all marks across all semesters (summer, part-time etc) to calculate GPA. However, if you have completed 2 UGs (or are in the process of completing your second) they will calculate each degree separately and will use the best of the two. Your experiences sound just like what NOSM is looking for. Context is always a mystery but if you have been in a northern rural community for a significant period of time (assuming you weren't born in one) that will definitely help. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BizMarkie Posted May 29, 2014 Author Report Share Posted May 29, 2014 I do have 2 degrees, but the way it works is kind of funny. I did a 3 year BA when I was young and came out of it with a pretty crappy gpa (so much partying, I don't know how I even graduated!). But when I went into nursing, I did a 1.5 year certificate in practical nursing at a community college then did a bridging program through Athabasca (all theory courses on line and did my clinical training in Alberta) and achieved a BN (4 year houours). My nursing marks were awesome. There is stuff on the website about not taking transfer credits (like how my LPN college credits transferred to by BN program) so I'm not sure if they will use my BN for my GPA calculation. If they do, I'm looking great. If they use my BA, I'm screwed. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Real Beef Posted May 29, 2014 Report Share Posted May 29, 2014 Complicated ... call NOSM. They wont accept your LPN marks ... so really wonder if you even have a whole 2nd degree for them even to consider. Beef Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BizMarkie Posted May 29, 2014 Author Report Share Posted May 29, 2014 I'm kinda thinking they would base my GPA on my BA, in which case I wouldn't even bother applying. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Real Beef Posted May 30, 2014 Report Share Posted May 30, 2014 I'm kinda thinking they would base my GPA on my BA, in which case I wouldn't even bother applying. i would still call and see if you can speak with someone who knows how your marks will be considered. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BizMarkie Posted June 4, 2014 Author Report Share Posted June 4, 2014 From the website: My university degree program is a ‘transfer’ or collaborative program that combines community college credits with university degree credits. Will my college course credits be used in the calculation of my GPA? No college credits will not be used. NOSM requires the minimum completion of a 4 year recognized university undergraduate degree (3 year, if applying as a Mature Student). Only university degree level course credits are used in the calculation of the GPA. NOSM recognizes the programming partnership and collaboration that exists between many universities and community colleges. College Transfer students or Collaborative program students must have completed a minimum of the equivalent of one full year of undergraduate degree level course credits at the time of application to medical school. Ok, so they want at least a full year of university courses when using a transfer degree. I have that with my BN. Does this mean that they would just use the grades from Athabasca? If this is the case, I am above the cut off. Also, does NOSM use the grading scale where A+=4.5, A=4.0, B+= 3.5, etc? I couldn't find it on their website. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
z12345 Posted June 4, 2014 Report Share Posted June 4, 2014 From the website: My university degree program is a ‘transfer’ or collaborative program that combines community college credits with university degree credits. Will my college course credits be used in the calculation of my GPA? No college credits will not be used. NOSM requires the minimum completion of a 4 year recognized university undergraduate degree (3 year, if applying as a Mature Student). Only university degree level course credits are used in the calculation of the GPA. NOSM recognizes the programming partnership and collaboration that exists between many universities and community colleges. College Transfer students or Collaborative program students must have completed a minimum of the equivalent of one full year of undergraduate degree level course credits at the time of application to medical school. Ok, so they want at least a full year of university courses when using a transfer degree. I have that with my BN. Does this mean that they would just use the grades from Athabasca? If this is the case, I am above the cut off. Also, does NOSM use the grading scale where A+=4.5, A=4.0, B+= 3.5, etc? I couldn't find it on their website. NOSM uses the OMSAS scale: http://www.ouac.on.ca/docs/omsas/c_omsas_b.pdf Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BizMarkie Posted June 4, 2014 Author Report Share Posted June 4, 2014 NOSM uses the OMSAS scale: http://www.ouac.on.ca/docs/omsas/c_omsas_b.pdf Hmmm... Well according to this scale my GPA is not as good as I thought, but still above the cutoff. Is it possible my experience could overcome this? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TarCalion Posted June 4, 2014 Report Share Posted June 4, 2014 I have been interviewed with a 3.36 but never wait listed. I now am applying with a 3.56 (MSc) and am wait listed at #24. So it's possible experience can overcome a lower GPA, but in my experience being just over the cutoff is not enough. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BizMarkie Posted June 5, 2014 Author Report Share Posted June 5, 2014 I have been interviewed with a 3.36 but never wait listed. I now am applying with a 3.56 (MSc) and am wait listed at #24. So it's possible experience can overcome a lower GPA, but in my experience being just over the cutoff is not enough. Do you know much about your context? From what I gather, I'm really good in that area. But once again, my GPA is the issue (and I thought it wouldn't be at this school until I found out about the OMAS calculation rules, disappointed ) My problem with my GPA is that since I have over 200 credit hours, it's really hard to make any movement with it. I could take a bunch of bird courses to boost it, but unless I did at least a full time year of 4.5s, it would barely move. So I'm just trying to trying to do the most I can with what I've got. But I will make a call to NOSM, if they are willing to take my BN as my qualifying degree, I do think I will at least give it a shot and apply. Can't hurt, really. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jojoluvsu2 Posted June 5, 2014 Report Share Posted June 5, 2014 Make sure you're converting your grades properly (a few comments you have made confused me just a bit). If your degree was with Athabasca they work on the letter grade scale and it gets converted to a 4.0 scale and that is what NOSM looks at. A+ = 4.0, A = 3.9, A- = 3.7. I believe column 7 on the conversion scale. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BizMarkie Posted June 5, 2014 Author Report Share Posted June 5, 2014 Make sure you're converting your grades properly (a few comments you have made confused me just a bit). If your degree was with Athabasca they work on the letter grade scale and it gets converted to a 4.0 scale and that is what NOSM looks at. A+ = 4.0, A = 3.9, A- = 3.7. I believe column 7 on the conversion scale. Lol, my comments probably confuse you because I'm confused! This is what I'm going to do, if there are any kind lurkers with some extra time on their hands. These are my Athabasca marks. They are ok I guess, but the best of my nursing marks came from college where I finished my program with a 4.0 (unfortunately they don't care about those ) The credits for each grade is in brackets. Also, I earned a lot more credits in this degree, but they were P/F so I didn't include them. A-(3) C (3) B+(3) B+(3) B+(3) A(3) C(4) A(4) B-(3) B-(3) B(4) A-(3) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
benhc911 Posted June 6, 2014 Report Share Posted June 6, 2014 A-(3) C (3) B+(3) B+(3) B+(3) A(3) C(4) A(4) B-(3) B-(3) B(4) A-(3) I'm not sure how they deal with different credit lengths, but I just took a weighted average of your courses and got 3.08 Anything under an A- really brings things down, with B being a 3, and C being a 2. You're right that your path has been a bit complicated, but if I'm going to be honest here, your marks don't look convincing... I would never say that someone should or shouldnt apply, its not my place, thats for the adcoms to decide... but it doesn't seem like you pass the lowest cutoff. That said I'd try to get NOSM's opinion more directly Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BizMarkie Posted June 6, 2014 Author Report Share Posted June 6, 2014 I'm not sure how they deal with different credit lengths, but I just took a weighted average of your courses and got 3.08 Anything under an A- really brings things down, with B being a 3, and C being a 2. You're right that your path has been a bit complicated, but if I'm going to be honest here, your marks don't look convincing... I would never say that someone should or shouldnt apply, its not my place, thats for the adcoms to decide... but it doesn't seem like you pass the lowest cutoff. That said I'd try to get NOSM's opinion more directly I think you're right. The OMAS scale really hauled me down, and like I said before, my best marks were when I did the college portion of my nursing (4.0). Nursing education at the degree level is so subjective, it's hard to get As. I think my best option is to do another degree next year and do very well. I would only need 30 credit hours and that is all they would calculate my GPA from. I think that plus my context, ECs, northern/rural work/volunteer experience, and LORs would make me a really good candidate. I don't think I'll apply to NOSM this year, but if I don't get into the U of M this year (and that is a definite possibility), I will spend the year setting myself up to be a better applicant for both schools (taking 30 credit hours to get another degree for NOSM and boost my GPA for the U of M as well as take a few extra shots at the MCAT to get as high of a score as I can. Nobody said getting into med school was going to be easy, or quick! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jojoluvsu2 Posted June 6, 2014 Report Share Posted June 6, 2014 Yes another degree looks like your best bet to make you a competitive candidate. I did mine through athabasca: a General degree in Arts and Science. After my transfer credits I only needed 16 courses to complete the degree. At the time of application I had 30 credits (10 courses) so that is all they looked at on my application, and the remaining 6 were done during that application year and I just had to maintain close to the same GPA as the first 10 courses. The Gen A&S degree let me take pretty much any course I wanted (math, financial planning, health and healing, alternative medicines, spanish etc.) so I found the courses interesting and on the easy side (no courses with essays for me!) Good luck! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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