Anyone on here applying to Waterloo??

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pre_opt_sku

2010 O.D.
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Hello all!

I was just wondering if any of you on here are applying to Waterloo. I got my application in a few weeks ago...and the waiting begins! Good luck to all :luck:

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I did. I dropped it off this morning :)
Going to PCO this fall if not.
My roommate is also going to ICO this Fall.
 
still pondering whether or not to apply there..if you wouldn't mind sharing, what are your your guys' stats?
 
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I'm applying to Waterloo. Applied last year and received an interview invite. They actually came to my hometown to interview 10 people from my province. My GPA and OAT have increased this year so hopefully I get in. If not, I will be US-bound...
 
powerpuff said:
still pondering whether or not to apply there..if you wouldn't mind sharing, what are your your guys' stats?

GPA 90.3%
OAT TS 360
OAT AA 360

I will be US bound if I get rejected. I really don't want to spend all that money though......
 
powerpuff said:
still pondering whether or not to apply there..if you wouldn't mind sharing, what are your your guys' stats?

You know that the deadline is over right? It was today!




Hey preoptsku, did you get in last yr? With 90% you should definitely get in. OAT's just have to be above 320. That's all. You juts write a decent essay. You don't even extracurricular. I know people in there with just high marks and no optometrist shadowing experience. Just a letter from when they went to check their eyes.
 
ML1983 said:
You know that the deadline is over right? It was today!
The deadline for external applicants is the end of February.


Hey preoptsku, did you get in last yr? With 90% you should definitely get in.
This will be my first year applying...and I sure hope you are right!! :laugh:
 
Ohmigosh, i almost crapped my pants thinking that I screwed up deadlines! :( But I am an external applicant so I have a couple more weeks *PHEW*

And this might be a really silly question, but I got sent the waterloo appl in a pdf file..is there a way I can actually TYPE my text in there? Cuz they prefer you to type everything! I am looking for a way out rather than cut and paste >_<

pre_opt_sku: your stats are amazing! mine are much much lower than yours; that's why i am too scared to apply :(
 
powerpuff said:
Ohmigosh, i almost crapped my pants thinking that I screwed up deadlines! :( But I am an external applicant so I have a couple more weeks *PHEW*

And this might be a really silly question, but I got sent the waterloo appl in a pdf file..is there a way I can actually TYPE my text in there? Cuz they prefer you to type everything! I am looking for a way out rather than cut and paste >_<

pre_opt_sku: your stats are amazing! mine are much much lower than yours; that's why i am too scared to apply :(

I'm not sure of any other way to do that application other than old school cutting and pasting. I just photocopied the two pages after I taped my text on to make it look less ghetto :p . You should definitely just go for it and apply! You'll never know unless you do. Have you applied to any American schools??
 
You already applied to OUAC right?
 
pre_opt_sku said:
I'm not sure of any other way to do that application other than old school cutting and pasting. I just photocopied the two pages after I taped my text on to make it look less ghetto :p . You should definitely just go for it and apply! You'll never know unless you do. Have you applied to any American schools??




That's what I was thinking of doing..just going to cut paste. But I thought maybe someone on here found a way out. I didn't think of the whole "less ghetto" thing by photocopying! Thanks for the tip :) Yeah I will prolly just apply and if i get rejected, then I won't have any regrets. I am also applying to ICO and Pacific.
 
ML1983 said:
You already applied to OUAC right?



Hmm..I am thinking you are referring to me? Yes, I've already applied and have gotten permission - they won't send you an application unless u've been approved i think anyways. waterloo's process makes me so bitter! :thumbdown:
 
powerpuff said:
Hmm..I am thinking you are referring to me? Yes, I've already applied and have gotten permission - they won't send you an application unless u've been approved i think anyways. waterloo's process makes me so bitter! :thumbdown:

You think that's bad, its even worse for internal students. I have to get verified that i'm a Waterloo student and than they send me a special form, which only UW students can use. Did you like the essay part? I could only fit 380 words in it. That's so dumb.

Oh well, they only look at GPA anyways.
 
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ML1983 said:
Oh well, they only look at GPA anyways.

The above is soo true... They accept people without interviews very early on just purely based on GPA.
 
CDN_twin said:
The above is soo true... They accept people without interviews very early on just purely based on GPA.



:eek: is that just a rumour? i've never heard of anyone being accepted based purely on grades!
 
ML1983 said:
You think that's bad, its even worse for internal students. I have to get verified that i'm a Waterloo student and than they send me a special form, which only UW students can use. Did you like the essay part? I could only fit 380 words in it. That's so dumb.

Oh well, they only look at GPA anyways.


wow i didn't think it was so tedious for internal applicants either. the essay is so stupid, i've been cutting and snipping chunks out of my essay but i still can't make it fit! i seriously have no idea how you can fit all that you want to say in that tiny amount of space they give you
 
powerpuff said:
:eek: is that just a rumour? i've never heard of anyone being accepted based purely on grades!

It's true. I know quite a few people in the program right now. I go to UW as well. Aslong as you have an OAT 320 and 90s u're guaranteed a spot. You don't even have to be outgoing. Just answer all the questions they ask you and you're set. Ask JC1984. (Come out of the closet).
 
powerpuff said:
:eek: is that just a rumour? i've never heard of anyone being accepted based purely on grades!

Actually, I asked them a question during my interview last year and asked if they already accepted people. They said, "Yes, we have accepted some students already. They are the ones with the highest GPA's"
 
I am in first year at Waterloo right now and I can tell you that the rumours are true. Really its just marks, if you are anywhere above an 85% you're pretty much guaranteed as long as you can speak english somewhat clearly. Its very much just marks based, lots of people with great extra-curric and shadowing experience are not even interviewed if they don't have the marks. Sad process but that's the way it is I guess
 
hmm. weird. i thought i had a decent GPA/OAT score and they denied me last year. i didn't have 1 pre req though.

what's the 85% business anyway? ie 3.4/4.0, or??...
 
Looman said:
I am in first year at Waterloo right now and I can tell you that the rumours are true. Really its just marks, if you are anywhere above an 85% you're pretty much guaranteed as long as you can speak english somewhat clearly. Its very much just marks based, lots of people with great extra-curric and shadowing experience are not even interviewed if they don't have the marks. Sad process but that's the way it is I guess



this is so depressing! i am sure waterloo loses out to a lot of GREAT potential OD's to the US. but then again, it's their school and their admissions process unfortunately. any underdog's in these forums that go to Waterloo???! needing some inspiration here :(
 
powerpuff said:
this is so depressing! i am sure waterloo loses out to a lot of GREAT potential OD's to the US. but then again, it's their school and their admissions process unfortunately. any underdog's in these forums that go to Waterloo???! needing some inspiration here :(

Don't despair! There are indeed some students at UW that didn't have GPA's quite that high - though you should aim pretty close...

Its definatly true, Waterloo misses out on some potential greats - I'm glad to call many of them classmates. :D
 
I totally agree. Waterloo is missing out....and now, most of us who graduated are scrambling to make something of our degree, and many of us are left bitter! And after taking Optom 100 as an elective course, I didn't find our optometry school all that special. All I remembered was poor lighting, and the prof was uninteresting. Plus there's a lot of online quizzes they give their first years, a lot more theory! And the environment.... I don't know about you fellow alumni, but I'm done! After four years...man, I don't think I could gung ho for another 4 in that place!

I told my friend the other day, "Guess what? I'm smart enough to be a doctor, I got into ICO!" and he was like, "Not by WATERLOO STANDARDS!" :laugh:
 
Yep, Optom 100 was ever so boring. PRobaly top 3 of my boring courses. If i remeber correctly, my friend said she hasn't even seen a patient yet. And she's in 2nd yr. And they won't see any till 4th yr! Plus i don't even see a wide variety patients that come through the doors. PCO gets 75,000. I wonder how much they get... 1000? hehe
 
IceNine said:
I totally agree. Waterloo is missing out....and now, most of us who graduated are scrambling to make something of our degree, and many of us are left bitter! And after taking Optom 100 as an elective course, I didn't find our optometry school all that special. All I remembered was poor lighting, and the prof was uninteresting. Plus there's a lot of online quizzes they give their first years, a lot more theory! And the environment.... I don't know about you fellow alumni, but I'm done! After four years...man, I don't think I could gung ho for another 4 in that place!

I told my friend the other day, "Guess what? I'm smart enough to be a doctor, I got into ICO!" and he was like, "Not by WATERLOO STANDARDS!" :laugh:


Did you just graduate this year? And you're having troubles finding a job? Yikes.
 
gee now waterloo doesn't sound too hot :thumbdown: but tuition is a huge deciding factor for me :(

and for those who've already finished their applications, did you also type up the info for the "academic record" section where you list your courses and grades? from what i can assess of the application, you only type the autobiographic sketch and the essay?

just want to make sure. thanks :)
 
Looman said:
I am in first year at Waterloo right now and I can tell you that the rumours are true. Really its just marks, if you are anywhere above an 85% you're pretty much guaranteed as long as you can speak english somewhat clearly. Its very much just marks based, lots of people with great extra-curric and shadowing experience are not even interviewed if they don't have the marks. Sad process but that's the way it is I guess

Waterloos standards must be slipping. I graduated in 1996 and I knew people who had averages above 85% with great recs and extra curriculars who weren't even getting interviews much less guaranteed admissions.

That was back in the day that they only took 60 students per year. Is that the same? I heard that they were considering starting to take 90 per year but I have no idea if that's true or not.
 
powerpuff said:
gee now waterloo doesn't sound too hot :thumbdown: but tuition is a huge deciding factor for me :(

and for those who've already finished their applications, did you also type up the info for the "academic record" section where you list your courses and grades? from what i can assess of the application, you only type the autobiographic sketch and the essay?

just want to make sure. thanks :)

Yeah, I only typed the autobiographic sketch and the essay. I hear you about tuition being a huge deciding factor! I don't have the luxury of the "bank of mom and dad" and the thought of taking out that much money in loans to go to school in the US is scary! I loved ICO but there is no way I will go there if I get into Waterloo.
 
I think it's at 70 for this yr. Every year they are supposed to increase the class by 5 seats till it reaches 90. In a few years, I think Entering Class 2008, it'll be even tougher to get in. All the "recommended courses" will now be required, such as immunology. Killer! And no 2nd yrs will be allowed in! Entering Class 2005 had 5 - 2nd yrs out of 65 spots! (or 70 spots). That's a lot.
 
powerpuff said:
Did you just graduate this year? And you're having troubles finding a job? Yikes.

I graduated last june, and I got a job, I work at a medical lab company. But in my opinion the Biomedical Sciences degree UW offers is trash. The courses we took were all over the place, vague and non specific, it is definitely more of a pre-degree. I don't see how it can be any use to anybody unless your planning on post graduate studies. And that's what a lot of people in our program are doing, adding on a masters, or going into radiology, etc...Ultimately, in the real world, its experience which will get you through the door, NOT this degree.
 
Hey guys this is my first post here. I'm a student at UW and just applied as well. It's really the only option I have due to the tuition in the states :scared:

I'm hoping it's true what you say about grades and OAT being basically the only stuff they look at.....because that's about all I got :laugh:
 
powerpuff said:
:eek: is that just a rumour? i've never heard of anyone being accepted based purely on grades!
Yeah, I heard that too. Some people they don't even bother interviewing, they just accept.
 
ML1983 said:
You think that's bad, its even worse for internal students. I have to get verified that i'm a Waterloo student and than they send me a special form, which only UW students can use. Did you like the essay part? I could only fit 380 words in it. That's so dumb.

Oh well, they only look at GPA anyways.
The essay was a pain....the first one I wrote turned out to be twice as long as the allowed space. I started cutting it down till it eventually fit, and mine ended up 380 words long as well. All you can do is just list stuff, not really go into any detail. I didn't like all the cutting and pasting we had to do, either.
 
ML1983 said:
I think it's at 70 for this yr. Every year they are supposed to increase the class by 5 seats till it reaches 90. In a few years, I think Entering Class 2008, it'll be even tougher to get in. All the "recommended courses" will now be required, such as immunology. Killer! And no 2nd yrs will be allowed in! Entering Class 2005 had 5 - 2nd yrs out of 65 spots! (or 70 spots). That's a lot.
They're actually accepting 80 students this year, not 70. The plan is to increase to 85 next year, and 90 the year after that.
 
powerpuff said:
gee now waterloo doesn't sound too hot :thumbdown: but tuition is a huge deciding factor for me :(

and for those who've already finished their applications, did you also type up the info for the "academic record" section where you list your courses and grades? from what i can assess of the application, you only type the autobiographic sketch and the essay?

just want to make sure. thanks :)
Hi. The only part I typed up was the sketch and the essay. The other stuff I just wrote in.
 
I have all of the prerequesites, but I haven't taken a stats class. I had an analytical chemistry class where we were doing statistical calculations. My GPA is 3.98 and I had great OAT scores too. I was just wondering if this statistics thing will be an issue anywhere. I applied to Indiana, Illinois, Ohio, Ferris and Waterloo. Aslo does anyone know what kind of scholarships are available for these schools?
 
K3127P said:
I have all of the prerequesites, but I haven't taken a stats class. I had an analytical chemistry class where we were doing statistical calculations. My GPA is 3.98 and I had great OAT scores too. I was just wondering if this statistics thing will be an issue anywhere. I applied to Indiana, Illinois, Ohio, Ferris and Waterloo. Aslo does anyone know what kind of scholarships are available for these schools?

i have similar grades to you, and hadn't taken linear algebra. they denied me solely on the basis i did not have linear algebra (i also took methods in chemical analysis, filled with statistical analysis, provided a course outline, took the class in the spring, and they ddi not let me in; but who knows)
 
ICO has fairly generous scholarships available: one for ~$15 000/yr. and a few others for about $7 000. The catch is, they are typically awarded early in the process to those that both apply early and have good stats and are likely all awarded at this point in the game.

Good Luck
 
K3127P said:
I have all of the prerequesites, but I haven't taken a stats class. I had an analytical chemistry class where we were doing statistical calculations. My GPA is 3.98 and I had great OAT scores too. I was just wondering if this statistics thing will be an issue anywhere. I applied to Indiana, Illinois, Ohio, Ferris and Waterloo. Aslo does anyone know what kind of scholarships are available for these schools?

I'm pretty sure you won't even be considered for Waterloo since you are missing a pre-requisite. I'm not sure how fussy the other schools are about pre-reqs. I received a scholarship from ICO, but I also applied in August.
 
What do you guys think of putting extracurriculars and volunteer from prior to University? ie. playing highschool basketball?
 
The question that begs to be asked then is why has UW Optometry not figured out that their darling feeder programs, that you attest to producing their C level students, are a "joke?"

While I'd love to be the first to address my "joke" of an education, I fail to see the reason in espousing (or denouncing) the merits of either UT, UW or any others - how can they really be compared when all anyone has is personal opinion and anecdotes. Unless of course you have a report demonstrating correlation between OAT scores of UWSO students and their undergraduate institution...
 
Overall, I must admit that the majority of waterloo undergrad students are what I like to call "memorizers". They simply memorize powerpoint slides for course material, kill the multiple choice exam (almost all exams are multiple choice since the class sizes are huge, thank you double cohort :)) Then the second the exam is done it is forgotton. But I don't think this was just a waterloo thing, I assumed all schools were like this. I do know of at least 4 students last year who had interviews and did not get into UWSO even though their academic record is fine. Consequently, I know of 1 student who didn't have an interview and got in (undergrad at UW). I am a UW undergrad and I'm doing just fine at UWSO getting 90's and 80's so I guess your theory of all UW undergrad being inferior is false too. Bottom line, everyone ends up with the same degree, you with your great U of T degree, in the end will have a UW opt degree just like the other 60 people in your class and no one will ever care where you did your undergrad or if you remember what a standard deviation is. That's the beauty of professional school, the dumbest person in your class is called doctor.
 
14_of_spades said:
waterloo science is a joke. people come out with 100% in organic chemistry (and then u talk to them and they don't *understand* why u CAN'T get 100% in orgo...). in the optom class i was in, the students who came from UW in the same year said their orgo class average (the advanced class apparently) was 86%. i did my undergrad at UT. i had the 2nd highest mark in my section (over 300 students). i got an 87. i also got 400 on orgo on the OAT with no specific preparation (just taking the course at UT).

take a walk through the UW science buildings - u'll see all these courses with class averages in the Bs. ALL UT science courses average in the Cs - and UT is a pre-med undergrad (having been at both schools, i can say that UTs were smarter students).

.

Don't know what to tell you about that except to say that I graduated UW in 1996 with a degree in biochemistry and virtually all science classes at that time had averages in the mid to upper 60s. A few upper year physics courses had averages in the low 70s but they were usually taken by people who were "super smart" and able to handle advanced quantum mechanics and crap like that.

Certainly NOBODY was getting 100 in organic chemistry.
 
14_of_spades said:
to looman,

i didn't suggest that there weren't any UW undergrads with good marks in UWSO. i said the two curves overlapped. further - i didn't say that CURRENT CLASSES of UWSO are as bi-modal as when i went through (quite recent, but not current) - so i can't say about today. but for my year, yes. out of a passing interst to see whether any professors had noticed - do u know Dr. A. Cullen? i think he retired last year. anyhoos - i went to him in 4th year about this topic, just to see if he ever knew about any trend. afterall - he had been at the school for so many years. he immediately pulled out his mark book, perused the marks quickly, and agreed with me. yes, ur right he told me. no, he had never even stopped to think about it. do u think it mattered to him at all? do u think it would matter to ANY of those 50+, 60+ y.o. faculty there?

So you are basically saying that you, as a 4th year student had a conversation with a Professor Emeritus in which said professor casually pulled out his grade book and indicted half of his class as being academically inferior to the other based on the inquiry of you, the 4th year student.

Hmmmmmm. You're going to have to pardon my skepticism of this story.
 
Whoa, you went to Dr. Cullen to discuss mark trends?? And you memorize ID numbers to look at people's marks? I think the greater question here is don't you have anything better to do? Why are you so concerned with other people's marks, just take care of your own business and let others take care of theirs. You would have fit in nicely had you done your undergrad at UW since all the pre-opt's are concerned about is marks. Remember, there is more to life than marks, loosen up.
 
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