Waterloo 2014

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I got the email at for the interview too! I'm so excited! Hope to actually meet you guys in person during the half day session.

Yeah hope to meet some of you there!

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yayyy i got my invite too!

Does anyone happen to know the number of invites they generally send out each year?

also, for those who are from Waterloo, how do you calculate your average in GPA?
 
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From what I've
yayyy i got my invite too!

Does anyone happen to know the number of invites they generally send out each year?

also, for those who are from Waterloo, how do you calculate your average in GPA?

Congrats!

From what I've seen on Waterloo's website, they usually receive 300 applications, invite 200 students for interviews and have 90 spots in the program. So, if you're invited for an interview, you've basically got a 45% chance of getting in.
 
I got the email too! Pumped and nervous.

Are there any current Waterloo optometry students or second time applicants that have done the external interviews? I'm not quite sure if I'm going to fly out to Waterloo from Alberta. On one hand it seems to be more logical to do the external interview, but on the other hand I want to go experience the half day events. Do you think there would be any favoritism towards those that made it out to the university?
 
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aww I got my interview email as well :D is anyone doing the campus tour at Waterloo?
 
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I got an interview as well! I personally won't be doing the campus tour, msyou192. I am sooo excited!:)
 
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Hi,

Got my interview for the 11th of Jan at 8.30am. I'm from Toronto and was wondering whether anyone is interested in prepping up for the interviews.

Current Education level: Graduated during summer with an honours in cell and molecular biology and french
OAT score: 370 TS / 360 AA
GPA: 3.70 out of 4.0
Optometry Experience: Since July I've been volunteering at a practice and been shadowing the 3 optometrists that work there (8-12hr per week)
EC: Volunteered at multiple clinics during my summer holidays for the past 4 years, worked on campus for past 2 years, 1 year research experience in an evolutionary behavioural lab. Currently working part-time in retail (30hr/week)
 
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I got the email too! Pumped and nervous.

Are there any current Waterloo optometry students or second time applicants that have done the external interviews? I'm not quite sure if I'm going to fly out to Waterloo from Alberta. On one hand it seems to be more logical to do the external interview, but on the other hand I want to go experience the half day events. Do you think there would be any favoritism towards those that made it out to the university?

Hey! I was wondering the same thing. I go to school in New Brunswick and therefore would be attending the Fredericton one but am unsure if it's the right decision!
 
I got an interview as well! I personally won't be doing the campus tour, msyou192. I am sooo excited!:)

I am on the edge about the campus tour, I've never been to Waterloo, so I'd like to see the campus but my interview is at 1pm and the tour starts at 11:30. I don't know if I'll have enough time after the tour to grab a bite and change for the interview :thinking:
 
I am on the edge about the campus tour, I've never been to Waterloo, so I'd like to see the campus but my interview is at 1pm and the tour starts at 11:30. I don't know if I'll have enough time after the tour to grab a bite and change for the interview :thinking:

Hmm, I was under the impression that interviews were all going to be done by 12:30 pm. From my email it says: "The introduction to the School and interview process is a half day and will finish approximately at 12:30 p.m."

But I guess some are being done in the afternoon during the tour...

I also wonder if the 2 person limit (for guests) also applies to the University tour (or is that only for the School of Optometry tour?) - I'll be bringing my entire family along :D haha
 
Hi,

Got my interview for the 11th of Jan at 8.30am. I'm from Toronto and was wondering whether anyone is interested in prepping up for the interviews.

Current Education level: Graduated during summer with an honours in cell and molecular biology and french
OAT score: 370 TS / 360 AA
GPA: 3.70 out of 4.0
Optometry Experience: Since July I've been volunteering at a practice and been shadowing the 3 optometrists that work there (8-12hr per week)
EC: Volunteered at multiple clinics during my summer holidays for the past 4 years, worked on campus for past 2 years, 1 year research experience in an evolutionary behavioural lab. Currently working part-time in retail (30hr/week)

I'm in the GTA - maybe we can meet up for interview prep! PM me :)
 
Hmm, I was under the impression that interviews were all going to be done by 12:30 pm. From my email it says: "The introduction to the School and interview process is a half day and will finish approximately at 12:30 p.m."

But I guess some are being done in the afternoon during the tour...

I also wonder if the 2 person limit (for guests) also applies to the University tour (or is that only for the School of Optometry tour?) - I'll be bringing my entire family along :D haha

I think the 2 person limit is for everything, as for my email, my interview is at 1pm and they said it would be done by 4:30 approximately (interview and round table discussion) as for the campus tour they changed it for me from 9:30am to 11:30 am. I did email them for more information, but I think that I'll just skip the campus tour and use the time for final interview prep :p
 
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Hi everyone, I just found this thread, but I got an interview too!

Current Education level: 3rd year Biomedical Sciences at uWaterloo
OAT score: 360/360
GPA: I have no idea...Waterloo uses percent, I have an 83 average total
Optometry Experience: 3 summers working in a retail optometry office. On my spare time I would shadow the doctors (there were 4)
EC: Mentoring team for science students, Orientation week, TA for intro bio classes (but that is paid work)

My grades maybe aren't that great, and I know I need to improve my EC, but I think I have an okay chance. Looking forward to the interview, but completely terrified at the same time!
 
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Hi everyone, I just found this thread, but I got an interview too!

Current Education level: 3rd year Biomedical Sciences at uWaterloo
OAT score: 360/360
GPA: I have no idea...Waterloo uses percent, I have an 83 average total
Optometry Experience: 3 summers working in a retail optometry office. On my spare time I would shadow the doctors (there were 4)
EC: Mentoring team for science students, Orientation week, TA for intro bio classes (but that is paid work)

My grades maybe aren't that great, and I know I need to improve my EC, but I think I have an okay chance. Looking forward to the interview, but completely terrified at the same time!

sounds great :) looking forward to meeting you. Where is your interview? mine is Jan.11 at 1pm
 
Hey guys! Congrats on getting an interview! :) Hope to see some of you January 11 at 8:30 am (fun stuff) I was just wondering how you guys are going about preparing for the interview? Recommend any books or videos?
 
How has everyone been prepping?

Also, question for the girls, what are you going to wear to the interview?
 
How has everyone been prepping?

Also, question for the girls, what are you going to wear to the interview?

1st year UW optometry student here! I suggest you wear flats especially if you have the school tour before the interview :) Good luck!
 
How has everyone been prepping?

Also, question for the girls, what are you going to wear to the interview?

personally I'm brushing up on my medical ethics and making sure I can articulate an argument with support in the 6 min we have. As for outfit, I'm thinking maybe a suit? still not so sure :/
 
Hey Guys

I know interviews are this week! I know you guys will all rock it.

If anyone is looking to do some practice, I don't mind helping where I can spare some time. PM me and I'll try to get back to you. I can't get you any of last years questions because of waiver agreements, but I can certainly help guide you with constructive critic!
 
Hey Guys

I know interviews are this week! I know you guys will all rock it.

If anyone is looking to do some practice, I don't mind helping where I can spare some time. PM me and I'll try to get back to you. I can't get you any of last years questions because of waiver agreements, but I can certainly help guide you with constructive critic!


Hey that's great, I just can't find how to send you a PM on here for some reason. any tips ? Also, did you get in last year?
 
Hey that's great, I just can't find how to send you a PM on here for some reason. any tips ? Also, did you get in last year?

I did get in :) and now I'm in first year! I sent you a PM! Good luck this weekend and it's nerve racking, but also can be enjoyable at the same time.
 
I think I Sent you a PM as well!

As for everyone else, are you guys getting as nervous as me?! I don't know what to expect or how else I could possibly prepare! Good luck everyone :)
 
I did get in :) and now I'm in first year! I sent you a PM! Good luck this weekend and it's nerve racking, but also can be enjoyable at the same time.

Hey I couldn't PM you either. I was also wondering if you had any tips - I don't really know how prep myself for it!

Good luck to everyone interviewing!
 
Good luck to everyone interviewing in this next week! But, honestly, dibs on one of those 90 spots! :p
 
Good luck to everyone interviewing in this next week! But, honestly, dibs on one of those 90 spots! :p


Goodluck everyone tomorrow and next week! I had mine today, it went by quick and was fun actually :)
 
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The drive there was scarier than the entire day itself. I was the first batch of students to get interviewed that day... The tour guide told us we were lucky so we could actually enjoy the rest of the day without worrying hahaha. Loved it!
 
I saw someone with a # in the high 60's at the 8:30 Saturday session. I would bet around 200 like last year. They said Saturday was for locals so perhaps that was why there were some many people there?
 
There were 72 people at the 8:30 Saturday session!
 
I am already so anxious! These next couple months are going to feel like forever!
 
There were 72 people at the 8:30 Saturday session!

I was among the 72 people for the 8:30 am Saturday session! And yeah, when I signed the list, pretty much everyone was from ontario, so I guess it was for locals like AnthonyC mentioned.
 
I thought I heard them say Sunday was the day devoted for people in the area (GTA, I presume). I was on Saturday at 1pm and my group of 6 had people from Manitoba, Saskatchewan, BC, and Ontario (me; Ottawa). They pick 200 to be interviewed over the one week.

Regardless, it was all a lot more fun and relaxed than I thought, but now I just want the acceptance letter in my mail. Like, right now!
 
Saturday morning for me and my group was all from GTA.
I was among the 72 people for the 8:30 am Saturday session! And yeah, when I signed the list, pretty much everyone was from ontario, so I guess it was for locals like AnthonyC mentioned.

My group was all from Ontario... biggest surprise was two of them came from my school and we had never seen each other. Otherwise, other than GTA, I heard London and Hamilton so my group was all locals too.

What group were you btw? I was in the second group with interviews first. I'm just glad the process wasn't as controlled as when we wrote the OAT, with all the fingerprinting scans and metal detectors.
 
Saturday morning for me and my group was all from GTA.


My group was all from Ontario... biggest surprise was two of them came from my school and we had never seen each other. Otherwise, other than GTA, I heard London and Hamilton so my group was all locals too.

What group were you btw? I was in the second group with interviews first. I'm just glad the process wasn't as controlled as when we wrote the OAT, with all the fingerprinting scans and metal detectors.

Oh I didn't get to ask everyone where they were from, and my tour guide never asked us :/ Two people in my group that I spoke to were also from the GTA like myself. I was in the third group! I had the tour first, round-table discussion second, and the interview last! I'm glad my interviews weren't first though - I was super nervous at the beginning but calmed down after meeting others and talking to the optom students haha.
 
How many of you have also applied to optometry schools in the state? If so, which ones did you apply to and how many acceptance you've gotten by far?
 
I applied to 4 other optom schools in the states, all on the east coast, specifically SUNY, NECO, ICO, and PCO. I got into the first three, and cancelled the interview at PCO.
 
Did anyone else receive an email from Waterloo regarding "potential information exposure"?
 
Did anyone else receive an email from Waterloo regarding "potential information exposure"?

Yeah, I got that e-mail a couple days ago or so. A little concerning, but no personal information was potentially leaked.
 
Has anyone made a quest account? Any updates on there?
 
Are we expected to make one? I thought we were being told by email
I heard from current optom students that it may be possible to see the status of your application about 2 weeks before they email everyone. Not sure if that's still the case!
 
I am currently a uwaterloo undergraduate, so I do have a quest account, and nothing has been posted yet. It still says that no decision has been made yet.
 
do you think they'll follow their deadline strictly like their interview emails? I think I'll die of suspense if they let us know on the 31st

EDIT: btw I was able to make an account on WatIAm for quest surprisingly. They even have our high school listed under education. Cool.
 
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They said the Admissions Committee would only be meeting in early March to review all the applications and make decisions. Thus, it's likely they only started on Monday so we've got a little while before anything will be known.

At my interview they did say decisions should be made by mid-March and they'd be sending out acceptance letters in the mail as well as e-mails around the same time. Whether those e-mails just say "a decision has been made" or "congratulations, you're in!", I don't know.

Waiting is the worst....
 
Hi, sorry this might be a poor question but I'm having trouble finding a definite answer,
When posting a gpa for reference here using the 4.0 scale, is it just the overall average % times 4 (eg. 0.86x4=3.44)? Or do you convert it to OMSAS format first? I'm confused because it looks like different schools use different methods for gpa calculation. For example at UBC, 87%=4.1, 86=4.0, 85=3.95, 84=3.90 etc.
Thanks in advance for the help!
 
Or do just we post the gpa calculated by each person's own respective university?
 
Correct me if I am wrong, but I believe University of Waterloo uses numerical grades only so I would not be surprised if they just averaged out every grade by percent rather than on a point scale.

I'm sure they have a way of normalizing the grades, but personally, I converted my GPA through the OSMAS system first even though its for med school.
 
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