U of Waterloo applicant GPA and OAT averages

[Dry Fish]

Hi all,
Just came back from interview with U of W. They had just closed their application deadline and gotten the chance to analyze this year's applicants. One of the professors I spoke with mentioned that this year's applicant pool has a GPA average of 88.9 and overall OAT average of 375. I was wondering if this is normal or they are having an extremely strong applicant pool this year.
Thanks for helping!

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[TheZoosh]

that is crazy high!!!

 

[gossipgirl]

Hi all,
Just came back from interview with U of W. They had just closed their application deadline and gotten the chance to analyze this year's applicants. One of the professors I spoke with mentioned that this year's applicant pool has a GPA average of 88.9 and overall OAT average of 375. I was wondering if this is normal or they are having an extremely strong applicant pool this year.

Thanks for helping!

Are you serious??? This is really high! This doesn't seem normal...wow. Now I'm freaking out. Are the professors even allowed to reveal this information? It seems a bit unrealistic.

 

[OATeater]

Theres a problem with your logic here:

You said the 'applicant pool' ahd a GPA of 89% and an OAT of 375.

First off, the GPA of the APPLICANT POOL cannot possible be higher than the previous years ACCEPTED CLASS. Thats blatantly nutso.


Secondly, assuming you meant 'Accepted Class' averages -- thats impossible as well because they don't know their acceptance class yet. So they therefore wouldn't know their scores.

So I conclude thusly: You are a troll.

OR

You know something I don't. Which is doubtful. Because I'm a freaking genius


Finally: SOMEONE CHECK!! I'M SCARED GENIUS!! I can't do it myself because Marie Amodeo would recognize my voice and I've already asked too many questions!

 

[ToePUG]

So I conclude thusly: You are a troll.

Heheh, a troll he says!

 

[rangifer]

Although average of the admitted class may be close to those numbers this year (maybe a bit lower), i think it impossible that the "application average" was in that range.

Dryfish... either you are blowing smoke to try to get a laugh, or you had a prof with a sense of humour give you some misleading info.

 

[Andrea87]

Although average of the admitted class may be close to those numbers this year (maybe a bit lower), i think it impossible that the "application average" was in that range.

Dryfish... either you are blowing smoke to try to get a laugh, or you had a prof with a sense of humour give you some misleading info.

haha. well I have no idea what the averages are like this year....

All I can say is that on Waterloo's website their accepted OAT score average from last year was 370....and 360 the year before that. who knows what it will be this year with 90 people accepted though...

 

[gochi]

The only reason Waterloo students have such high entering GPA's is due to the easiness of there classes. I read somewhere that there organic class averaged somewhere in the high 90's. My orgo class averages 55-60%.

 

[gossipgirl]

The only reason Waterloo students have such high entering GPA's is due to the easiness of there classes. I read somewhere that there organic class averaged somewhere in the high 90's. My orgo class averages 55-60%.

Your so off base its kind of hilarious.
I don't know where you get your info but the average in organic classes was usually 55-70%. Midterm averagge in my year was 51%.
All science classes have NEVER had an average of 90%...more like around 60%.

 

[armstrong77]

For those of you in Ontario, this year is the year the "double-cohort" year is applying. Marks will be very high for entering class for professional schools.

Waterloo undergrad probably isn't as hard as it could be. I was quite surprised at the averages some of my classmates had during their undergrads there.

 

[gochi]

Your so off base its kind of hilarious.
I don't know where you get your info but the average in organic classes was usually 55-70%. Midterm averagge in my year was 51%.
All science classes have NEVER had an average of 90%...more like around 60%.

I got my info from the archives so its pretty reliable. Also, a student with a 70% avg got in just because her dad was a member of something at Waterloo. Now, that's ridiculous!

 

[OATeater]

Last year was double cohort year, Armstrong.


This year there will be residuals tho---it will take a couple years for the hump to pass.



****ing OACs!

 

[aDubs]

The only reason Waterloo students have such high entering GPA's is due to the easiness of there classes. I read somewhere that there organic class averaged somewhere in the high 90's. My orgo class averages 55-60%.

Well, I can tell you first hand that last year, around 30% of my organic chemistry class had failed. The continuation class of organic chem had to close one of its two classes because they could fit everyone into one class after seeing how many people failed. But of course, the continuation class was alot easier.

As for other science courses, I can say that there are some easier ones than others, but there are hard courses. So it evens out. I would say that in a comparison between OAT scores and marks at Waterloo, a low 80 would be about a 350, and a high 80 would be a 370. Thats about the general consensus I get from talking to alot of other waterloo/pre-optometry students

 

[gochi]

Weird...maybe I misread or something.

 

[armstrong77]

Honestly, 30% fail for orgo seems about right. I don't think orgo is easy anywhere. But I distinctly remember not getting the impression UW undergrad was particularly tough marks-wise, and some UW grads even conceded that much.

FWIW, at my school the 1st half exam avg was a fail (49%). They didn't bell. Eventually, only 3 people got >85, with no final marks over 90. This was for a section of about 400 students.

 

[IndianaOD]

Waterloo has the highest averages in North America. Quite a bit higher than the average MD school. Its why Canadian ODs are doing well. Low supply and high demand. Its the opposite in the USA.

 

[gochi]

Waterloo has the highest averages in North America. Quite a bit higher than the average MD school. Its why Canadian ODs are doing well. Low supply and high demand. Its the opposite in the USA.

Im not aware of the tax system in the states...but its pretty high here in Canada. I think if you make 100k, you actually take home 70k after taxes and whatnot.

 

[Andrea87]

Im not aware of the tax system in the states...but its pretty high here in Canada. I think if you make 100k, you actually take home 70k after taxes and whatnot.

What are you talking about?!?!?!?!?! IndianaOD was talking about the academic averages for Waterloo!

 

[mtrlOATgal]

Im not aware of the tax system in the states...but its pretty high here in Canada. I think if you make 100k, you actually take home 70k after taxes and whatnot.

yes gochi, and to make up for our lost, as a member once pointed it out, when Canadians apply to optometry schools, we are given a 30% increase on our grades- so that we feel compensated for our financial lost of immense incomes in the future....

btw 88.9 is too high no? They told me they were interviewing 120 ppl, why does this number change?

 

[Pre Opt Student]

is that true about the grades thing..or was that sarcasm..i cant tell..lol

 

[jefguth]

Well, I can tell you first hand that last year, around 30% of my organic chemistry class had failed. The continuation class of organic chem had to close one of its two classes because they could fit everyone into one class after seeing how many people failed. But of course, the continuation class was alot easier.

As for other science courses, I can say that there are some easier ones than others, but there are hard courses. So it evens out. I would say that in a comparison between OAT scores and marks at Waterloo, a low 80 would be about a 350, and a high 80 would be a 370. Thats about the general consensus I get from talking to alot of other waterloo/pre-optometry students

That's what happened the year I took orgo. Hardly anyone continued onto the second semester so they only held one section. Naturally, the students that did well passes and moved onto the second semester, those that fared poorly either failed or decided to stay away. Surprise surprise, the average for the second semester was considerably higher, about a mid 70 If I remember correctly.

The one class that was real farce was first year physics. Waterloo offers two different courses, one intended for physics majors and one for everyone else. Waterloo optometry makes no distinction and has no preference. So most pre-opts take the easy one. I did the calculus based course the first semester, and the easier one next semester. Well, the calculus based course was difficult, but not impossible. I made an 84, not bad. Next semester was considerably easier... my grade was 98.

 

[KHE]

Hi all,
Just came back from interview with U of W. They had just closed their application deadline and gotten the chance to analyze this year's applicants. One of the professors I spoke with mentioned that this year's applicant pool has a GPA average of 88.9 and overall OAT average of 375. I was wondering if this is normal or they are having an extremely strong applicant pool this year.
Thanks for helping!

I'm not surprised by this.

I left Waterloo in 1996. In my class there, there were students who had scores that averaged above 90 who weren't even getting interview, much less admitted. At that time, I beleive they were only taking 60 students per year for the whole country. Last I heard, the number of students has increased somewhat, but I'm sure the admission requirements are still incredibly astronomical. I'm glad I got out of there when I did.

 

[Habitual Rx]

Last I heard, the number of students has increased somewhat, but I'm sure the admission requirements are still incredibly astronomical.

90 students this year.

The requirements aren't really that astronomical.

 

[Andrea87]

90 students this year.

The requirements aren't really that astronomical.

higher than any other school in north america

 

[Habitual Rx]

higher than any other school in north america

Yeah, very true...

I was just trying to imply that you don't absolutely need a 90% or minimum 3.7 average and 370 on the OAT to even be considered.

That has been true in the past but I think they are beginning to look more and more for well-rounded individuals with passion and dedication... not just great marks.

Marks are still crucially important, though.

 

[jefguth]

Yeah, very true...

I was just trying to imply that you don't absolutely need a 90% or minimum 3.7 average and 370 on the OAT to even be considered.

That has been true in the past but I think they are beginning to look more and more for well-rounded individuals with passion and dedication... not just great marks.

Marks are still crucially important, though.

wasn't even true 4 years ago.

 

[Chuffsla]

Yeah, very true...

I was just trying to imply that you don't absolutely need a 90% or minimum 3.7 average and 370 on the OAT to even be considered.

That has been true in the past but I think they are beginning to look more and more for well-rounded individuals with passion and dedication... not just great marks.

Marks are still crucially important, though.

I went to an information session the year I was accepted into Optometry at UW (2006) and they flat-out said that marks are pretty much all they were after. That and OAT score. They even said the interview doesn't matter that much, yet they still do them.

The year before that the average OAT score for those accepted was 360, with an average of about 85%. They're taking more students nowadays but I imagine the numbers are about the same.

 

[Habitual Rx]

I'm pretty sure you don't need a 88.9% (or higher) average and a 360+ OAT to get in.

But I agree with Chuffsla, they really do look for marks much more than anything. After my interview day, they had said something along the lines of "thank you for being here today, but please keep in mind our admissions process is based heavily on grade point averages and OAT scores"

 

[Jay12]

Here are the stats for the 2007 entering class:

• Number of applicants in 2007: 225
• Number admitted in 2007: 90
• Required overall university grade average: 75%
• Actual overall grade average for 2007: mid 80's (with a range of 81%-94%)
• Minimum OAT score: 300
• Actual average OAT score for 2007: 370

Looking at these stats, its unbelievable how competitive it is.

http://www.optometry.uwaterloo.ca/prospective/od/fastfacts.html

 

[KHE]

Here are the stats for the 2007 entering class:

• Number of applicants in 2007: 225
• Number admitted in 2007: 90
• Required overall university grade average: 75%
• Actual overall grade average for 2007: mid 80's (with a range of 81%-94%)
• Minimum OAT score: 300
• Actual average OAT score for 2007: 370

Looking at these stats, its unbelievable how competitive it is.

http://www.optometry.uwaterloo.ca/prospective/od/fastfacts.html

I am incredibly surprised at how low the number of actual applicants are. When I attended in 1993, they told us that there was routinely over 500 applicants for what I believe at the time was 60 sports. Perhaps there is a lot more self selection going on.

I am also shocked at how low the average salary reported is. Is that true?

 

[jefguth]

I am incredibly surprised at how low the number of actual applicants are. When I attended in 1993, they told us that there was routinely over 500 applicants for what I believe at the time was 60 sports. Perhaps there is a lot more self selection going on.

I am also shocked at how low the average salary reported is. Is that true?

Waterloo has a pretty extensive list of pre-req's... that alone eliminates anyone that didn't start to think about optometry until the last few years of undergrad. A number of my friends in optometry school didn't even apply to UW because they didn't even think of applying to optometry until they had finished their degree's and at that point was not interested in taking linear algebra just to apply.

The salary figure is way out of date. Check the practice opportunities page for a better idea.