Students Accepted to NOSM GPA question

[thedoc]

Does anyone know if its worth it to apply if you have a GPA just under 3.0 (like 2.9, 2.8,2.7)?

[Wayward son]

Originally Posted by thedoc

Does anyone know if its worth it to apply if you have a GPA just under 3.0 (like 2.9, 2.8,2.7)?

3.0 is the cutoff. I don't see any way around that.

[Real Beef]

Originally Posted by Aronek

I have been offered an interview two years in a row at NOSM, both times waitlisted. My GPA is 3.3. After not moving much on the waitlist and doing significantly better on my interview this year I spoke to an admissions officer at NOSM. I was told that our initial score that gets us an interview is based on three areas: Context, GPA and Autobiographical Sketch. She said that each section is scored basically evenly and to think of each section out of 10. She said that the way they score the GPA is that if you get a score of 3.0 you would get 0/10 and 3.1 = 1/10...and so on. So having a lower GPA gives you a significantly lower score on the GPA portion of your score. I was told that due to living in the north my whole life I would have a 10/10 on my context and that the autobiographical sketch is usually at least an 8/10 to be asked to interview as the average GPA of this years' applicant pool was very high (I should add that I have a significant amount of work/volunteer experience all in northern Ontario and on reserves, I also had a wide variety of work, extracurricular and volunteering which is what I was told they look for, so she said my sketch score was probably a 10). I was told that even with such high scores in my other areas and having done exceptionally well in the interview, I would not be able to overcome my GPA score. In previous years, the average GPA was much lower (usually around 3.6) and I was told that in those years, I would have likely been accepted. The advice I was given was that if I keep applying its basically like playing Russian roulette with my application. So her advice to me was to go back to school to get a second undergrad or masters...as all three sections are weighed equally and you need to be highly competitive in every area. I only wish I would have known this information sooner, and I would have gone back to school right after my undergrad instead of waiting. I hope this is helpful and good luck to everyone applying this year!

Thanks for the great post. Good luck with your application!

Im hoping this will be "my year" as well. I will be finishing my grad degree so I will get the extra 0.2 which will put me to a 3.9 (3.7 with my second undergrad). The big one for me though is that this application cycle I will be considered a northern ontario resident, or so is my understanding, as I have lived in NE Ont for going on 6 years now. So this year is the best chance of getting into med school since being waitlisted back home at Dalhouse Med, never getting in.

Real Beef

[Real Beef]

Originally Posted by thedoc

Does anyone know if its worth it to apply if you have a GPA just under 3.0 (like 2.9, 2.8,2.7)?

Go back do more school, thats the only way I see it .... getting your marks up. You might want to consider a second undergrad to totally wipe away those low marks. With the avg GPA being quite high there isnt much hope with those marks. If you want it bad enough you will do whatever it takes to get in and you may have to resort to that.

If the earlier post is correct than you would get a 0/10 on your GPA score for that area of your application and you would be greatly disadvantaged in trying to get an interview.

Real Beef

[drwanabe]

Anybody ever get into here OOP with a 3.0 GPA or below 3.5, just curious??

[Real Beef]

Originally Posted by drwanabe

Anybody ever get into here OOP with a 3.0 GPA or below 3.5, just curious??

I cant confirm that however I suspect if you were from one of the Canadian territories or other very remote/rural places in parts of Canada as well as had one or both of the affirmative action categories of Aboriginal status or French plus a 3.49 (below 3.5 ) you would probably be competitive.

However if you have a 3.0, OOP not highly remote/rural and not Aboriginal or French I suspect you would have a very hard time. Just my two cents; however I am just another applicant so what do I know

Beef

[kylamonkey]

Originally Posted by thedoc

Does anyone know if its worth it to apply if you have a GPA just under 3.0 (like 2.9, 2.8,2.7)?

Originally Posted by Wayward son

3.0 is the cutoff. I don't see any way around that.

You will be ineligible and I think you will not even get your application looked at, so it's a waste of money.

When they reject you they just send you a form letter saying that you were rejected, and they don't give a reason why.

[taiga gal]

Anne posted this under 'what's the class average?' thread...gives me hope! it's 3am on the nite shift, omg....


"I think context counts for a lot because two of my friends who graduated with me graduated with honours, which at my school means a cGPA of a B or under. (High honours = B+ and Highest Honours = A- and above). Using OMSAS that would be around the 3.0 minimum to apply. They both haven't really been involved too much during university - the odd thing here and there- and applied for the regular applicant stream. They both have gotten multiple interviews at NOSM and are from different rural northern Ontario communities. they are both great people and would make great physicians, but on paper they look very different from the "traditional" Ontario med-school applicant. That makes me think that context must be very, very important, at least pre-interview."