Uoft Interview Discussion 2015

[1919]

Is it possible that the only reason for their rolling admissions is that everyone who gets an interview finds out the same amount of time before their interview and thus has an equal opportunity to prepare? If you interview on the 21st you find out now, 29th would be next week etc. Does anyone know if the interviews sent now are exclusively for the first weekend?

[evans]

Is it possible that the only reason for their rolling admissions is that everyone who gets an interview finds out the same amount of time before their interview and thus has an equal opportunity to prepare? If you interview on the 21st you find out now, 29th would be next week etc. Does anyone know if the interviews sent now are exclusively for the first weekend?

 

That would make sense, yes. All the ones on the interview page said the Feb 21 wkd and all are IP. If anyone knows someone that doesn't follow this trend please correct me.

 

The thing that doesn't make sense fundamentally to me is the fact that they don't send most of the invites to a specific interview at once. 

From what I understand, UofT claims that they review all applications and then sends out offers of interviews? If that was the case, we would expect that for each interview weekend, they would send the large majority of offers all at once to be as fair as possible and later send out the few interview offers that may become available if people retract their application.

 

I have a feeling that UofT applications are reviewed on a somewhat rolling basis, so it would be advantageous to submit your application as early as possible. 

[Leon]

That would make sense, yes. All the ones on the interview page said the Feb 21 wkd and all are IP. If anyone knows someone that doesn't follow this trend please correct me.

 

The thing that doesn't make sense fundamentally to me is the fact that they don't send most of the invites to a specific interview at once. 

From what I understand, UofT claims that they review all applications and then sends out offers of interviews? If that was the case, we would expect that for each interview weekend, they would send the large majority of offers all at once to be as fair as possible and later send out the few interview offers that may become available if people retract their application.

 

I have a feeling that UofT applications are reviewed on a somewhat rolling basis, so it would be advantageous to submit your application as early as possible. 

 

I believe they are assessed on an on going basis but date of submission has no impact on when it's assessed. AFAIK all assessments begin well after the Oct deadline for OMSAS anyway. I think this has been stated before somewhere.

[Leon]

While I am usually one of the more pessimistic people around here, I want to clear something up. The point behind their saying that Feb dates will be mostly for local applicants is because they want to give non-local applicants more time to arrange for travel accommodations to Toronto for interviews, hence "mostly local" for Feb. (I read this info somewhere on the U of T site)

 

They are not saying that "most" local applicants will be interviewed in Feb, which would mean that locals that did not receive an interview invite yet might be in bad shape. Careful reading and analysis is important here  so don't panic............ yet 

 

Yes. I think the freak out over this statement is unnecessary- they are most likely trying accommodate last year's complaints of insufficient time to make travel arrangements for OOP applicants.

[snacks]

So from the U of T MD Admissions FB page, I'm assuming "local applicants" refers to those who put down "Toronto" as their Home City in OMSAS? brb changing my personal info on SAM........

 

I have a couple friends from Toronto who got invites yesterday. I haven't heard anything from UofT yet and I'm SWOMEN. So wildly extrapolating from that it might be at least GTA, if not Toronto!

[SirachaLover]

I don't think local necessarily means from Toronto or Ontario. I got the invite yesterday for Feb. 22, and I'm studying at McGill right now (although I did live in Ontario before university...but not in Toronto). I also know a couple other students from McGill who got the same invite, except they live in BC, Alberta, etc. 

 

Also I don't know how the rolling admissions works exactly, but they mentioned in the invite email that 600 applicants were being interviewed this year. I don't know if this means that they've already selected 600 students and are just sending invites out at different times, or if 600 is just an approximate number.

[evans]

I don't think local necessarily means from Toronto or Ontario. I got the invite yesterday for Feb. 22, and I'm studying at McGill right now (although I did live in Ontario before university...but not in Toronto). I also know a couple other students from McGill who got the same invite, except they live in BC, Alberta, etc. 

 

Also I don't know how the rolling admissions works exactly, but they mentioned in the invite email that 600 applicants were being interviewed this year. I don't know if this means that they've already selected 600 students and are just sending invites out at different times, or if 600 is just an approximate number.

Thanks for the reply. And would you mind clarifying whether or not those people studying in other provinces and got the interview were MD or MD/PhD?

[SirachaLover]

Thanks for the reply. And would you mind clarifying whether or not those people studying in other provinces and got the interview were MD or MD/PhD?

They're all MD applicants too. 

[Fleming]

While I am usually one of the more pessimistic people around here, I want to clear something up. The point behind their saying that Feb dates will be mostly for local applicants is because they want to give non-local applicants more time to arrange for travel accommodations to Toronto for interviews, hence "mostly local" for Feb. (I read this info somewhere on the U of T site)

 

They are not saying that "most" local applicants will be interviewed in Feb, which would mean that locals that did not receive an interview invite yet might be in bad shape. Careful reading and analysis is important here  so don't panic............ yet 

 

That only makes sense if they give non-local applicants more than the 2 weeks they've said they would (or the 1 month they've given people for the Feb. 21 weekend). If they're just going to end up giving us the same notice as everyone else, but at a later date, then it doesn't really make a lot of sense.

[new2018]

I don't think local necessarily means from Toronto or Ontario. I got the invite yesterday for Feb. 22, and I'm studying at McGill right now (although I did live in Ontario before university...but not in Toronto). I also know a couple other students from McGill who got the same invite, except they live in BC, Alberta, etc. 

 

Also I don't know how the rolling admissions works exactly, but they mentioned in the invite email that 600 applicants were being interviewed this year. I don't know if this means that they've already selected 600 students and are just sending invites out at different times, or if 600 is just an approximate number.

I'm from McGill too, got an invite but lived in Ottawa before. 

[medhopeful2015]

Does anyone have any guesses on when the next round of interview invites might be coming out? The suspense is making me crazy!! 

Congrats to those of you who have already received an invite so exciting!

[PurpleS]

Does anyone have any guesses on when the next round of interview invites might be coming out? The suspense is making me crazy!! 

Congrats to those of you who have already received an invite so exciting!

 

Looks like invites come out approx. 3 weeks prior to the interview date, which would put the next round of invites to come out around Feb. 11th for interviews happening March 7th and 8th. Good luck!

[MrSchwartz3]

That would make sense, yes. All the ones on the interview page said the Feb 21 wkd and all are IP. If anyone knows someone that doesn't follow this trend please correct me.

 

The thing that doesn't make sense fundamentally to me is the fact that they don't send most of the invites to a specific interview at once. 

From what I understand, UofT claims that they review all applications and then sends out offers of interviews? If that was the case, we would expect that for each interview weekend, they would send the large majority of offers all at once to be as fair as possible and later send out the few interview offers that may become available if people retract their application.

 

I have a feeling that UofT applications are reviewed on a somewhat rolling basis, so it would be advantageous to submit your application as early as possible. 

That is not true.  Yes, they review apps on a rolling basis but there is absolutely no advantage to submitting your application say August 1 vs. October 1.  That only applies to US schools. 

[swell9]

That is not true.  Yes, they review apps on a rolling basis but there is absolutely no advantage to submitting your application say August 1 vs. October 1.  That only applies to US schools. 

 

I don't understand how it is possible to review applications on a rolling basis and still be able to make a decision that is fair to all applicants (even to those whose application hasn't been reviewed yet)... Unless they set "invitation" criteria a priori, which I doubt....

[Cristiano Ronaldo]

UofT's Facebook update:

 

"Congratulations to the applicants who got interview invitations for the February weekend today! This will be an ongoing process over the next week. Most of the February invitations will go to local applicants, so don't give up! And remember to check your spam folders."

Nerve-wracking to know that more invites will be going out this week! Hopefully, we all get it! 

[Aetherus]

Pretty sure UofT  gives interviews based on a set criteria. They look at the applicant as a whole and if they think you are good enough they give you an interview. This makes sense since they add interview dates if needed (meaning that they aren't just interviewing the top 600 applicants but rather interviewing all applicants they think are good).

[thsc]

Pretty sure UofT  gives interviews based on a set criteria. They look at the applicant as a whole and if they think you are good enough they give you an interview. This makes sense since they add interview dates if needed (meaning that they aren't just interviewing the top 600 applicants but rather interviewing all applicants they think are good).

I certainly hope this is the case. To me, the whole idea of 'holistic' review goes out the window when I see that 90% of interviewees have 3.99 or 4.0.

[swell9]

Pretty sure UofT  gives interviews based on a set criteria. They look at the applicant as a whole and if they think you are good enough they give you an interview. This makes sense since they add interview dates if needed (meaning that they aren't just interviewing the top 600 applicants but rather interviewing all applicants they think are good).

 

 

I certainly hope this is the case. To me, the whole idea of 'holistic' review goes out the window when I see that 90% of interviewees have 3.99 or 4.0.

 

Yeah.. I too tend to place trust in U of T's admission committee and think that they are doing the best possible in order to treat everyone holistically and fairly. It is just hard to stay calm at this time of the year

[BeeDoc]

I certainly hope this is the case. To me, the whole idea of 'holistic' review goes out the window when I see that 90% of interviewees have 3.99 or 4.0.

 

It's important to note that those are people's weighted-GPAs, which may be significantly higher than their cumulative GPAs. Of all the schools, I think that U of T's weighting formula is one of the most generous.

[thsc]

It's important to note that those are people's weighted-GPAs, which may be significantly higher than their cumulative GPAs. Of all the schools, I think that U of T's weighting formula is one of the most generous.

That depends on how you look at it. With U of T, you have to maintain a full course load every year otherwise that formula doesn't apply. I would say that Queen's and Ottawa have more generous formulas in that respect. 

[Leon]

That depends on how you look at it. With U of T, you have to maintain a full course load every year otherwise that formula doesn't apply. I would say that Queen's and Ottawa have more generous formulas in that respect. 

 

I'd say the different formulae work well for different people. Queens and Western would suit you well if you messed up, say, an entire year (1st yr?) and did well otherwise. UofT would suit you well if you consistently did well but did not so well on maybe one course every year. This is why I like the ON admission system- each school caters to specific weaknesses allowing some leniency for everyone when considering the schools across the province overall.

[jmira]

is the office of admissions closed today?

[PurpleS]

is the office of admissions closed today?

 

No, St. George campus is open. We are always open... No matter how hard it snows.

[PurpleS]

I certainly hope this is the case. To me, the whole idea of 'holistic' review goes out the window when I see that 90% of interviewees have 3.99 or 4.0.

 

It could be just that it's getting more competitive. There are probably more applicants now that are well-rounded and have 3.99s and 4.0s - at least it seems that way from the people who have posted with their interview invites. And if given two applicants with the same ECs and equally great essays, they would pick the one with the higher GPA.

[peace2014]

It could be just that it's getting more competitive. There are probably more applicants now that are well-rounded and have 3.99s and 4.0s - at least it seems that way from the people who have posted with their interview invites. And if given two applicants with the same ECs and equally great essays, they would pick the one with the higher GPA.

The GPA is just insane. I mean a 3.99 or 4.0 meant all except maybe 6 of your courses is not 90+. Do you guys think someone with a 3.89 would still have a chance at interviewing?