Dropping Lowest Year

[drejto]

Hey, I am a Canadian student and I know that for a lot of Dentistry Schools here, your lowest year is dropped providing you do 4 years of undergraduate. I was wondering if any schools in the US do that as well (obvs schools that accept Canadians)? Thanks!

---

Members don't see this ad.

 

[amanda9717]

Hey, I am a Canadian student and I know that for a lot of Dentistry Schools here, your lowest year is dropped providing you do 4 years of undergraduate. I was wondering if any schools in the US do that as well (obvs schools that accept Canadians)? Thanks!

I've never heard of a US school doing that.

 

[white fang]

I think I remember reading that at Roseman they will look only at your last 2 years if you have been out of school for awhile (i.e. non-traditional). But, that may have just been something for their first class, not sure if that policy still exists.

 

[Tootyfruity]

i don't think they do

they might show discretion in your favour if you have an upward trend or something, but the official requirements count everything, including summer sessions

 

[white fang]

Found a policy they have now, it is specific to science courses. I really think this was even more extensive for the last cycle. Here is what they have on their website.

When evaluating the student's success in science courses, CODM will consider the higher of the AADSAS Science GPA or the GPA for science courses completed within the last three years in its admissions decisions.

 

[WastedTime]

Found a policy they have now, it is specific to science courses. I really think this was even more extensive for the last cycle. Here is what they have on their website.

When evaluating the student's success in science courses, CODM will consider the higher of the AADSAS Science GPA or the GPA for science courses completed within the last three years in its admissions decisions.

What school webpage is that from?

Nevermind... got it

 

[CantonCowboy]

What school webpage is that from?

Nevermind... got it

It still probably means they'll be able to see your overall GPA (i.e. no dropped years), but an upward trend could still go a long way.

 

[white fang]

It still probably means they'll be able to see your overall GPA (i.e. no dropped years), but an upward trend could still go a long way.

It means they will look at your inclusive overall GPA. However, to evaluate your science GPA, they will use either the inclusive science GPA or your 3 most recent years, whichever as higher.

 

[drejto]

Also does anyone have any idea how Canadians get evaluated on the American GPA scale? I have heard stories that some Canadians marks get bumped up a little :S...but not too sure.

 

[MAdental]

Also does anyone have any idea how Canadians get evaluated on the American GPA scale? I have heard stories that some Canadians marks get bumped up a little :S...but not too sure.

Only way you get higher GPA is to land a few A+ . I am a Canadian too and my 3 A+ made a little difference.

 

[BobLoblawDDS]

Also does anyone have any idea how Canadians get evaluated on the American GPA scale? I have heard stories that some Canadians marks get bumped up a little :S...but not too sure.

Based on letter grades. A+'s help everyone, not just Canadians (they're a 4.33 rather than a 4.0).

The dropping of worst grades/lowest years etc. is a unique phenomenon for Canadian medical and dental schools, and is my saving grace (I got an interview at U of T coming up for this very reason).

 

[WastedTime]

Based on letter grades. A+'s help everyone, not just Canadians (they're a 4.33 rather than a 4.0).

The dropping of worst grades/lowest years etc. is a unique phenomenon for Canadian medical and dental schools, and is my saving grace (I got an interview at U of T coming up for this very reason).

how does this work?

 

[MAdental]

They take your best 2 or 3 years of undergrad and use that as your GPA for your application. Anything below a 3.7 is lame according to that system !!
Cleanup , I hope you make it to u of t dude. Ur marks r great, ur EC r great . Ur DAT is good , I don't know what else they want from u !!!

 

[BobLoblawDDS]

how does this work?

You mean the dropping of the lowest year? For UToronto, at least, the lowest academic year will be dropped from the GPA calculation provided that it's not the most recently completed year of study. So say you apply in your fourth year before you graduate. As long as your lowest year was either your 1st or 2nd, and not your third, it won't count.

Other medical and dental schools have other policies. For example, U of T Medicine will drop the worst single grade from each year as long as you maintained a full courseload in that year. UWO Dental will take only your best two years, but will apply a penalty for a less-than-full courseload. Other schools will weight GPAs such that more recent years count more than years further in the past. All in all it means that while there is standardization of grades, your academic record and its patterns can produce different likelihoods of obtaining interviews/acceptances at different schools. It's a confusing process, really.

They take your best 2 or 3 years of undergrad and use that as your GPA for your application. Anything below a 3.7 is lame according to that system !!
Cleanup , I hope you make it to u of t dude. Ur marks r great, ur EC r great . Ur DAT is good , I don't know what else they want from u !!!

Thanks, MAdental. Let's hope it goes well.

By the way, 3.7 is quite low for Canadian dental schools (for Ontario ones at least). Last year the average interviewee at UToronto had a GPA of 3.85; the average matriculant had 3.9. This is WITH the lowest year dropped, but it's also standardized according to the OMSAS scale (where 85-89 is 3.9, and 90-100 is 4.0, and 4.33 doesn't exist). So you can see why grades matter.