What Determines Interview Invites?

[ayang55]

Quick question - does Ottawa look at an overall combination of GPA and ECs in terms of determining who gets interviews (similar to UBC's way of having a total score made of academic and non-academic achievements), or is it that once you meet Ottawa's GPA cutoff they don't care about your marks anymore, and instead only focuses on your ECs? I'm just wondering because my GPA portion is stronger than my EC portion. 

 

Thanks!

[Hopefullll]

Ummm for some reason I think it's the EC's that get you the interview  (after you qualify for a full file review, that is).... BUT I could be mistaken... I think I read that a few times on this site though.

 

However, if you do get an interview, they will use your strong GPA to break any ties in interview scores.

[ballislife123321]

They also look at volunteering, work experience, research and awards. ECs is just 1/5 things they look at besides gpa of course.

[cr7bale11]

So they look at GPA just as a cut off prior to interview? And then Post Interview they factor the GPA in when making decisions?

Could someone confirm this? Thanks.

[thsc]

They look at your GPA first to see if it meets the cut-off. Then they look at your ECs. If they feel that your ECs are sufficient or meets a certain score based on whatever scoring system they use, then they will send you an interview. Meeting the GPA cut-off is not alone sufficient to get an interview. 

 

I'm not sure what the above poster meant by "ECs is just 1/5 things besides GPA". ECs and GPA are the only two things that determine whether you get an interview invite. 

[medafter30]

On the note to this topic, so then your CAF and reference letters do not weigh anything in the assessment process?

 

Thanks

[ballislife123321]

They look at your GPA first to see if it meets the cut-off. Then they look at your ECs. If they feel that your ECs are sufficient or meets a certain score based on whatever scoring system they use, then they will send you an interview. Meeting the GPA cut-off is not alone sufficient to get an interview. 

 

I'm not sure what the above poster meant by "ECs is just 1/5 things besides GPA". ECs and GPA are the only two things that determine whether you get an interview invite. 

What do you mean what do I mean lol? There are 5 categories you have for your ottawa application each with 3 things you can place. Research, ecs, volunteering, awards and work experience. A total of 3x5= 15 things you can put on your ABS. 3 of those are your ecs. Are you saying ottawa only looks at gpa and 3 out of the 15 total ABS items? I don't think that's true. 

[Hopefullll]

I think when we say EC's we mean the entire ABS. Sorry for the mix up

[SpencerV]

I might be mistaken but I am pretty sure uOttawa put a good amount of emphasis on GPA preinterview.

 

Last year I only had 1 employment, 2 research, 2 volunteer, 3 awards and got an interview.

 

But my GPA was 3.96-7....and that was the lowest GPA that earned a uOttawa interview out of any third year on this forum.

[thsc]

I agree with SpencerV. I have friends that have around 3.9, which meets their cut-off and amazing/excellent ECs, much more than what SpencerV said he put down, but didn't get interview even after 2-3 application cycles in a row. 

[Prof.A.DumbleDore]

It's mostly GPA. Most interview invites the past 3 + years have been 3.9+ wGPA and above.

[Aetherus]

I would go as far stop day that uOttawa does not care about ED'S very much I know people with subpar ED'S who have gotten interviews although that was for the french stream.

 

I think the formula is 50%Gpa, it is most definitely not a cutoff uOttawa is considered a GPA centres school.

[bruhh]

look at the invite/regret thread. Most people who have below 3.9 didn't even get an invite. 

 

I think it's utterly stupid and arbitrary to base most of your admission critiera on ridiculuously high GPAs, but whatever. 

[Aetherus]

look at the invite/regret thread. Most people who have below 3.9 didn't even get an invite. 

 

I think it's utterly stupid and arbitrary to base most of your admission critiera on ridiculuously high GPAs, but whatever. 

 

UofT has a 3.9 GPA average for the entering class.

 

I am not sure how grades is arbitrary? What else are they going to base it on? EC can be considered arbitrary as well.

 

No system is perfect, I think each school is trying to find their niche of applicants.

[bruhh]

UofT has a 3.9 GPA average for the entering class.

 

I am not sure how grades is arbitrary? What else are they going to base it on? EC can be considered arbitrary as well.

 

No system is perfect, I think each school is trying to find their niche of applicants.

I think all ontario medical schools have flawed admission criteria. 

As a Torontonian, I consider myself very very disadvantaged as compared to someone who lives ANYWHERE outside of ontario, or even outside of Toronto. My chances of acceptance to Northern, Calgary, Alberta, UBC, Mcgill, Western, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, and French schools are significantly lower than anyone who lives in those regions. The truth of the matter is that people in any province other than ontario have a near 50% chance of getting an interview invite. But UofT, Ottawa, Western, Queens, Northern - all ontario schools - place no special consideration as to where you live. (Of course, Ottawa will place special consideration on bilingual applicants, Western likes their southwestern kids, and northern likes their northern applicants, so even ontario schools like to be a-holes)

 

Or I am just wrong in that out-of-ontario residents are more qualified to become doctors? 

 

This is why I think GPA is arbitrary; becuase a 3.7 to calgary is ok, but a 3.8 to ontario schools is crap unless you're from southwestern ontario or from a rural area, which again gives exponentially higher chances. I guess living in toronto makes you a shittier candidate. Or Medical schools realize that there is a lot of immigrants in Ontario and don't want us to represent a huge part of their student population?

 

Also, UofT's entering average was 3.94 for this year lol

[ArchEnemy]

I think all ontario medical schools have flawed admission criteria. 

As a Torontonian, I consider myself very very disadvantaged as compared to someone who lives ANYWHERE outside of ontario, or even outside of Toronto. My chances of acceptance to Northern, Calgary, Alberta, UBC, Mcgill, Western, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, and French schools are significantly lower than anyone who lives in those regions. The truth of the matter is that people in any province other than ontario have a near 50% chance of getting an interview invite. But UofT, Ottawa, Western, Queens, Northern - all ontario schools - place no special consideration as to where you live. (Of course, Ottawa will place special consideration on bilingual applicants, Western likes their southwestern kids, and northern likes their northern applicants, so even ontario schools like to be a-holes)

 

Or I am just wrong in that out-of-ontario residents are more qualified to become doctors? 

 

This is why I think GPA is arbitrary; becuase a 3.7 to calgary is ok, but a 3.8 to ontario schools is crap unless you're from southwestern ontario or from a rural area, which again gives exponentially higher chances. I guess living in toronto makes you a shittier candidate. Or Medical schools realize that there is a lot of immigrants in Ontario and don't want us to represent a huge part of their student population?

 

As a fellow Torontonian, I can empathize with why you are feeling this way, but unfortunately this is the reality. You really need to check your privileges. Living in Toronto most certainly does not make you a worse  applicant. If you are a truly "competitive" applicant, you will excel regardless of where you are from. 

[bruhh]

As a fellow Torontonian, I can empathize with why you are feeling this way, but unfortunately this is the reality. You really need to check your privileges. Living in Toronto most certainly does not make you a worse  applicant. If you are a truly "competitive" applicant, you will excel regardless of where you are from. 

But the definition of a "competitive" applicant is changing every year. 

When I entered university 3 years ago, a 3.85+ GPA was pretty competitive.

 

Now, I have a 3.87 GPA and I doubt that's competitive for any school.

I know what you mean, but this journey is starting to seem almost impossible to me. 

[ArchEnemy]

But the definition of a "competitive" applicant is changing every year. 

When I entered university 3 years ago, a 3.85+ GPA was pretty competitive.

 

Now, I have a 3.87 GPA and I doubt that's competitive for any school.

I know what you mean, but this journey is starting to seem almost impossible to me. 

Although the minimum standards required to be a "competitive" applicant have been increasing, the definition certainly has not been changing every year. The most competitive applicants have always been the ones with GPA 4.0 + 11/11/11 MCAT + well-rounded ECs. 

[Simmba]

Although the minimum standards required to be a "competitive" applicant have been increasing, the definition certainly has not been changing every year. It has always been GPA 4.0 + 11/11/11 MCAT + well-rounded ECs. 

 

I'm sorry, but are you saying in order to be competitive for medical school, you need a 4.0 GPA? I'm not sure this was the case in 2008, or 2004, or 2014, or any year. Maybe I'm misinterpreting what you're trying to say.  

[ArchEnemy]

I'm sorry, but are you saying in order to be competitive for medical school, you need a 4.0 GPA? I'm not sure this was the case in 2008, or 2004, or 2014, or any year. Maybe I'm misinterpreting what you're trying to say.  

No, you certainly do not need a 4.0 GPA to be competitive for med school. What I meant was the closer you are to the stats mentioned previously, the more competitive you are as an applicant.

[Aetherus]

I think all ontario medical schools have flawed admission criteria. 

As a Torontonian, I consider myself very very disadvantaged as compared to someone who lives ANYWHERE outside of ontario, or even outside of Toronto. My chances of acceptance to Northern, Calgary, Alberta, UBC, Mcgill, Western, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, and French schools are significantly lower than anyone who lives in those regions. The truth of the matter is that people in any province other than ontario have a near 50% chance of getting an interview invite. But UofT, Ottawa, Western, Queens, Northern - all ontario schools - place no special consideration as to where you live. (Of course, Ottawa will place special consideration on bilingual applicants, Western likes their southwestern kids, and northern likes their northern applicants, so even ontario schools like to be a-holes)

 

Or I am just wrong in that out-of-ontario residents are more qualified to become doctors? 

 

This is why I think GPA is arbitrary; becuase a 3.7 to calgary is ok, but a 3.8 to ontario schools is crap unless you're from southwestern ontario or from a rural area, which again gives exponentially higher chances. I guess living in toronto makes you a shittier candidate. Or Medical schools realize that there is a lot of immigrants in Ontario and don't want us to represent a huge part of their student population?

 

Also, UofT's entering average was 3.94 for this year lol

I understand your view however I don't believe you can say the admission criteria is flawed because you are disadvantaged. The system is not made to be equal or fair to the population, it is meant to be fair to the populations that medical school is suppose to serve. The reason that Ontario medical schools do not have provincial preference is because they have no problem attracting physicians.

 

So yes the admissions system is not fair towards you, but it isn't made to be, it is meant to ensure proper healthcare is given to the population. There is already significant amount of amount of Torontonians in medical schools across Ontario, there is no need to give preference to applicants to increase this number since most of these applicants will want to return to Toronto, which already has enough physicians.

[SheltonOrtiz]

admissions is made to be fair for the population as a whole

[Aetherus]

The admission criteria is flawed because there is no penalty for having advantages in the admission process. For example, there is nothing compelling Southwestern students to stay in the Southwestern region. The offer is gratuitous at best. I think you can truly call it fair if in exchange for an advantage, a disadvantage(for example regional restriction, minimum time served,etc) is also made. But I'm pretty sure that's unconstitutional so....

 

I understand where you are coming from. However I think the reason the system is like this is that they do no want to force people into practicing X amount of years at a certain location because this causes multiple problems for these communities. For example, if there is a lack of physicians in northern ontario, you want physicians who are in those communities because they want to not because they need to be there for 5 years for a contract. If they are there because they want to, those people will invest in the community and become part of it. Furthermore, if the physician is already from that community, he will be able to further understand the problems and hardship of this community. Finally, the biggest problem with forcing someone to practice there is that as soon as time is up, they will move back to where they would like to practice. This means that there is no continuity of care in these communities which is overall detrimental if you are changing GP every 5 years.

 

Is the system perfect? Of course not, but I don't think adding penalties as you call them would make the system better.

[rmorelan]

The other reason it simply does not force you is that action would drive perspective students away (if you were a strong candidate would you want to limit yourself to an area immediately? You would have people preferring the very schools regions would prefer their student not to go to), the current system actually works, you don't actually need all of London's/ottawa etc students to stay put as it would actually overload the area (TO puts out 250 students, Western does 170 but of course western swomen area population is not 170/250 of TOs. ) The cma/Oma will oppose those sorts of restrictions as it suggests they could eventually also be restricted to a location (has happened in the past for some new grads in particular) and it can be disruptive to patients as any ROS has people fleeing as soon as they are done. As far as I know from the ways this has been applied it isn't actually unconstitutional

 

It isn't fair - it's the price we pay for a socialized education system. any system paid by the public has a corresponding responsibility to serve their needs. As someone not from any biased area I remember thinking how it sucked - and to a degree it does. The harsh reality is any particular candidate is just not that important to the entire system - hence they can be selective in the ways they are. Plus they know by know it works - they have been tracking this stuff now for a long time.

[rupchatt]

I think some people would have no problem practicing in the North for their entire lives (signed agreement) only if they could get a fair chance to gain admission.