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nismodrifter
02-28-2005, 10:42 PM
ok so heres the dilly, I'll just ask here before I waste time at a later date.

The U of S uses a straight up percentage system as their grading scheme (ie: high school style). No letters, no GPA score etc, you get your actual percent score, very straightforward IMO and I love it.

I did my first year at the U of C and obviously they use a 4 point scale/letter system etc.

Ok, so next year I am going to probably apply to dentistry. In order to do so you need a min 70% prerequisite average. I did some of my pre-reqs at the U of C and now have also done half of them at the U of S. How the hell are they going to calculate whether I have a 70% average in the pre-reqs or not??

I can see its very easy to calculate it using the U of S's marking scheme...add them up and divide to get your percent average for those courses.

But how do they get an XX number for my average from my U of C marks? I log onto Infonet and all I see is letter grades and I know what the GPA score was for those classes since I wrote them down last year. I know for most of my classes I obviously did get an actual percentage which was then converted into a letter...which was then converted into a GPA score out of 4. Are actual percent scores shown on official transcripts? I look at my transfer credit sheet when I applied to the U of S and it looks exactly like infonet, just letters.

Reason for me needing to know is that if I don't have a 70% pre-req average (due to some shitty phyics courses last year :guns: ) then I can upgrade that average during summer time. If I do have a 70 average then to hell with summer courses and I am ready to apply.

I am just wondering if anyone has a clue (GTSJeff? I know you had some messed up situation like this as well, anybody else going into med/dent?) as to how this is done before I go wasting my time firing emails at dentistry which take like 2 years for them to send a reply back. Any idea if it is a very simple thing for them to find out or is it a huge process? Thanks!

eblend
03-01-2005, 12:26 AM
no idea, i recommend calling the folks at u of s and ask about how ur gpa from a 4 point system would get transfered to their percentage.

As far as i know, the whole school is based of gpa..your actual percentage noone knows about, all they know is a final grade. If you got 85 percent or 89 percent it all looks the same in the gpa cuz it falls into the range. So if u ask me, i bet the way they convert it is they would for example take a B (3/4) and make it 75 percent, or a A- (3.7/4) into a 92.5 %

thats just my guess

buh_buh
03-01-2005, 12:40 AM
each class varies, but typically,

http://www.utoronto.ca/cat/services/faqs/courseware/faq-lettergrade-ss.jpg

Letter Grade Grade Point Value
A+ 4.0
A 4.0
A- 3.7

B+ 3.3
B 3.0
B- 2.7

C+ 2.3
C 2.0
C- 1.7

D+ 1.3
D 1.0

F (including incomplete failure) 0.0

of course there are some classes that don't give you an A- unless you have an 85, and some classes don't fail you unless you score under 40, but for the most part that is correct.

GTS Jeff
03-01-2005, 12:47 AM
aight aight, i ran into a similar problem when the dental schools i applied for wanted a gpa out of 4. my first 2 years at the u of a all my marks were on a 9 point system and my last 2 have been on a 4 point system.

what i did was visit the faculty office to pick up a conversion table. u should visit your faculty office or registrar office to pick up the conversion. otherwise, just call the u of s dental school and straight up ask them. the number is: 306-966-6718

nismodrifter
03-01-2005, 12:53 AM
yeah I know about the whole basic range thing...but in cases like this I think each each and every percent pretty much matters and I need to know if I get fair credit for my marks (which doesn't look like will happen)
Ie: I know that I got like a 69 in physics.....but that doesn't matter because I get the same letter grade whether I get a 65 or 69.4 which is why I hate that god damn system.

Guess I'll just have to ask these bastards and await a useless reply sent back in like 5-10 years...

Edit: Jeff, Yeah I was thinking of having a meeting with an advisor or somebody there to discuss this issue and some other things that I need to get clear. I didn't know that they have a conversion table for marks. Thanks man!

I'll probably be alright considering that my marks this year are kickin serious buttocks but I just like to plan ahead incase the worst happens and I have to take some summer courses. Thanks for the replies guys!

2002civic
03-01-2005, 09:49 AM
you only need 70% for dental school?

Weapon_R
03-01-2005, 10:15 AM
Originally posted by 2002civic
you only need 70% for dental school?

That's laughable. You need far higher, but that is the minimum.

GTS Jeff
03-01-2005, 11:42 AM
Originally posted by 2002civic
you only need 70% for dental school? minimum average doesnt mean shit. its the competitive average that u have to worry about.

t-im
03-01-2005, 12:30 PM
and have to worry about the interview...

nismodrifter
03-01-2005, 01:39 PM
um no...its the minimum PRE REQUISITE average (average of all the prereq courses) that you need to apply. They don't look at your pre req marks at the U of S for admission considerations. As long as you have a 70 in the pre-req courses then you can apply and thats that.
They do obviously look at your 2 best year marks and you need a need A MINIMUM 80% average of those 2 years to even be considered, anything lower than 80 and your application is tossed. Competitive average is around 85ish+.

oh and I just re-read my post and I had already clearly stated that 70 was the minimum pre-req average, may I recommend a trip to your optometrist

2002civic
03-01-2005, 03:40 PM
hah ok thats what i thought, i dont want to be a dentist but my g/f is deciding between dental and med school, and she figures she needs at least a 3.7 with alot of volunterring and a good interview for a decent school

GTS Jeff
03-01-2005, 08:28 PM
talking to some insiders, it seems that interviews arent very important at all. theyre worth like 10 percent of the consideration score.

t-im
03-01-2005, 08:32 PM
Originally posted by GTS Jeff
talking to some insiders, it seems that interviews arent very important at all. theyre worth like 10 percent of the consideration score.

true, but it can still be a deciding factor in if they should accept you or not

GTS Jeff
03-01-2005, 11:29 PM
Originally posted by t-im


true, but it can still be a deciding factor in if they should accept you or not of course it is, its just that everything else counts for 9 times more.