Chances at Waterloo optometry?

[neuronerd1337]

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Unfortunately UW doesn't release detailed stats about their accepts/rejects. I was wondering what kind of an advantage having an MSc carries with it. Are there ppl out there who have an MSc and were rejected from Waterloo Optometry? My undgrd average is not super high (83%) and my OAT isn't super high either (AA340 TS360) but I have an MSc and lots of extracurrics (varsity sports) and a couple journal publications...just wondering if anyone out there (with more knowledge about the application process than I) has any idea of what my chances are...

Also I think the interview went well too!

Thanks!🙂

 

[Physio101]

i think you have a good chance! after talking to some current students on the interview day, they had said that GPA and OAT scores weren't everything. they had said that a lot of the students that were accepted were involved in sports, clubs, entrepreneurship, etc. i think waterloo is looking for a well-rounded individual who is able to balance school with extracurriculars.

i haven't heard anything about having an MSc and it effecting your admittance at waterloo but i know it does in the states.

sorry, i can't really give you more information about the selection criteria. what's important is that your interview went well! now all we have to do is wait......

 

[KHE]

Unfortunately UW doesn't release detailed stats about their accepts/rejects. I was wondering what kind of an advantage having an MSc carries with it. Are there ppl out there who have an MSc and were rejected from Waterloo Optometry? My undgrd average is not super high (83%) and my OAT isn't super high either (AA340 TS360) but I have an MSc and lots of extracurrics (varsity sports) and a couple journal publications...just wondering if anyone out there (with more knowledge about the application process than I) has any idea of what my chances are...

Also I think the interview went well too!

Thanks!🙂

Waterloo is just one of those hypercompetitive situations where a lot of otherwise qualified applicants are going to be rejected because they simply don't have the class size.

You could have straight As, a PhD, and 400 on the OAT and still get rejected. It's just the nature of a program like that.

I would suggest applying. Don't reject yourself. If you're going to get rejeced, let them reject you.

 

[Dr Becker]

I'm not sure if there is any specific advantages of having completed an MSc. I applied last year with a MSc and didn't get in. Granted my stats were just shy of yours (3.3 GPA, OAT TS350) and no publications. I did however have alot of academic conferences and extracurriculars under my belt. But then again, I didn't do so well with one of my interviewers last year. I reapplied this year and kept thinking "what can I possibly change in my application for this year?"

But hey, who knows what Waterloo is thinking!

 

[outsidechance]

SOrry to hijack the thread but i just wrote my OAT today just before the deadline and I am stressing after my oat result.

I scored a 290 on QR which freaked me out. I know I didnt do well but I didnt think it would be that bad. But I have a TS of 400 and overall OAT score of 370. I have a pretty high gpa and my interview went alright. I also have really good EC's not sure if it even matters though. (I know waterloo is a tough school to crack.)

I checked the waterloo website tonight to see how the OAT is factored into the app and they had written if your OAT is below 300 or section is below 300 they "recommend re writing..." so my question is do you guys think this is a deal breaker or could my other OAT sections compensate for this disaster and save the rest of my app?

 

[Moptometry]

With those scores and GPA, if they ask you to re-take it again.....you know 1- there is something wrong with that school and people who run it 2- All they care about is perfect score and numbers 3- Waterloo is not good enough for you. I have shadowed optometrists who have graduated from waterloo and basically told me they were scared to see patients bcz they were not exposed to many during their studies...even a couple of my friends wish they had gone to US school after a year at waterloo. However, they might say you are fine which totally makes sense to any wise individual, then you gota decide if you really wana go to waterloo. All the best

 

[neuronerd1337]

Hey, from what I gather from other people, I would bet that they wont ask you to rewrite, since they seem to look at the OAT at the last stage of deliberation, and since your other sections are great, they shouldn't care about a bad QR section.

Thanks everyone for replying...I'm still not sure what to think, but I guess I will find out in a couple months :S

Happy New Year!

 

[OptomHope]

I agree. your other scores are fantastic, and they definitely make up for getting below 300 on one section. If i were to guess, i would even say that the QR section is one of the least important sections anyways. If you rewrote the test you could risk getting a lower score than the first time since it was so good, i'd say not to rewrite if i were you. Waterloo is extremely competitive but if they were to not accept you because of something so insignificant as that, then it's not even worth going to be honest.

 

[outsidechance]

I agree. your other scores are fantastic, and they definitely make up for getting below 300 on one section. If i were to guess, i would even say that the QR section is one of the least important sections anyways. If you rewrote the test you could risk getting a lower score than the first time since it was so good, i'd say not to rewrite if i were you. Waterloo is extremely competitive but if they were to not accept you because of something so insignificant as that, then it's not even worth going to be honest.

I hope everyone had great new years eve festivities last night. I also wanted to thank everyone for their responses above. I will not re-write either way its too late for that anyway lol. I guess the consensus is if they throw my application out over that 1 terrible section its not worth going there. I guess we will all see what happens in the end. Best of luck with your applications everyone. Hopefully everyone on here gets in.

 

[ratatat]

Hey everyone, we now have a forum for Canadian Optometry schools:

http://premed101.com/forums/forumdisplay.php?f=57