The latest updates from the MD Admissions team.
Pre-Interview Evaluation Information & FAQs 2024/2025
By Admissions on Dec 11, 2024
For those of you who received letters of regret this year, or those of you wondering what information you may receive if you do not receive an invitation to interview, we hope the following information helps to clarify some of the information we release to applicants about how their application was evaluated in the pre-interview assessment. Please note that on occasion we do make changes to how we share information and what information is shared, but we hope it provides some useful insight into the types of information provided this year (2024-2025).
OGPA = Overall GPA in UBC percentage
AGPA = Adjusted GPA in UBC percentage
NAQ Score Range = In order to make sure applicants receive a fair score for this section, all file reviewers are carefully trained, there are various checks throughout the process to ensure consistency in scoring, and results are standardized to make up for any scoring variations between reviewers. Due to these safeguards we do not accept requests for re-evaluation of the non-academic section.
My Result = The combination of your academic and non-academic evaluations, in comparison to the BC resident and out of province cutoffs. It may look like your result is very close to the cutoff. We have double-checked these files for accuracy, so unfortunately, your result may be close, but not quite at the level to be invited to interview this year.
FAQs
Feedback
I was not invited for an interview; can I talk/meet with someone to discuss my application? I would like some more feedback
Due to limited resources, we regret that we are not able to offer any feedback advising to applicants who were not granted an interview; nor can we provide any further information about the evaluation of your file. More information about how we assess academics and non-academics can be found on our Evaluation Criteria page. The Interim Statistics on our Statistics page contain the average GPAs of the applicant pool and the group invited to interview.
I can tell why I didn’t get an interview, but how can I improve that area of my application
Unfortunately, we cannot give you individual feedback about improving specific sections of your application – each person’s situation and application is unique and we do not have the resources to offer this type of advising to all applicants who would like it.
In general terms, improving one’s GPA seems fairly straightforward, in that the only way to improve a GPA is by taking more classes and achieving higher grades in those classes. It’s the related if/how/when/why/is it worth it type of questions that are much more complicated. You know your situation, capacities, future plans, and personal resources the best, and you are the best person to make this kind of decision. We cannot tell you what impact improving your GPA would have on your ultimate chances of acceptance.
If you do decide to take more classes, please keep a few things in mind: 1) all classes you take must be university transferable and have grades associated with them in order to count towards your GPA; 2) only classes completed before the summer term of the year you apply (for next application cycle this is prior to Summer 2025) will be counted towards your GPA.
For the non-academic portion, we look for several things: longstanding, meaningful commitments; leadership; work experience; service ethic and altruism; ability to work with others, especially people outside of your peer group; and diverse interests and experiences. We also recognize exceptional achievements in some areas. When looking at your non-academic range it is important to remember that the applicant pool isn’t made up of the same people you might normally compare yourself against, like your classmates or coworkers – it is made up of highly accomplished individuals just like you. Unfortunately, we cannot offer specific ways to improve your non-academic score. You may find it helpful to reflect on areas of the non-academic section you felt confident completing, along with the areas of your application you felt were more difficult to fill out. Additionally, we strongly encourage you to re-read the non-academic information posted on the Evaluation Criteria page and use this self-reflection to guide potential future action.
GPA
I think that there has been a mistake in the academic evaluation of my file.
The academic evaluation was based on the credits and grades entered by applicants. If you believe that there has been a specific error in the calculation of your GPA, please send an email via the application system detailing what you believe the mistake to be. Please note that some applicants entered wrong information – e.g. did not include all courses, excluded failed courses or used letter grades instead of percentages. In these instances, the Admissions Office had to correct these mistakes by verifying courses and grades on official transcripts. Therefore, there may be a discrepancy between averages calculated by an applicant and the grades as they appear on the Application Status page of their application. Additionally, please remember that any courses taken in the Winter Term 2 of the 2019-2020 academic year (or equivalent semester) were not counted as part of your GPA assessment. This policy is listed in the Academic Criteria section of the Evaluation Criteria page on our website. We also wrote a blog entry about it in the summer of 2020. If you are wondering how it was implemented in your specific case, please review this website for more information.
I thought I should have been eligible for the AGPA to determine my academic score, but it does not seem to have been used.
The AGPA was calculated based on the courses and grades entered by applicants. The application system automatically determined whether the applicant was eligible for the AGPA, as outlined on the Evaluation Criteria page. Please note that the AGPA is based on completed courses with grades only, and does not include courses completed after June 1, 2024. The Admissions Office verified that grades had been entered accurately by comparison with the official transcripts.
My overall GPA (or adjusted GPA if applicable) is slightly below the 75%/85% cut-off but I still feel my non-academic experiences are very strong and should have been reviewed.
Although we look for excellent non-academic qualities, these must also be accompanied by very good academic qualities to demonstrate an applicant’s ability to successfully handle the rigorous MD Undergraduate curriculum. It was determined that GPAs below 75% for BC residents and below 85% for out of province applicants cannot be offset by a strong NAQ score. Hence, the non-academic portion of these files were not reviewed.
I attended a university that did not use percentages for its grading scheme. How did UBC calculate averages from universities with different grading schemes?
Information on grade conversions, including our grade conversion tables, can be found on the Evaluation Criteria page of our website.
Non-Academics
I am not happy with the non-academic range I received. Can I request another review?
We understand that you may be dissatisfied with the range you received, but we would like to assure you that the non-academic portion of your application was reviewed and evaluated fairly and consistently. We will not re-evaluate the non-academic section of your file. At the beginning of each cycle, with guidelines provided by the MD Admissions Subcommittee, we establish a profile of an average applicant as a benchmark and points are allotted accordingly. Reviewers are trained and files are cross-checked. Although there cannot help but be a degree of subjectivity involved, we feel the standardized process keeps this to a minimum.
General
I was not invited for an interview and would like to appeal the decision.
We realize the importance of your application and appreciate that the results may be disappointing. Please be aware that we do our best to ensure that our evaluation practices are fair and consistent. Files are often double and sometimes triple checked to ensure accuracy. While we are unable to discuss your application over the phone, you may message Admissions through the application system if you have any specific concerns regarding your file evaluation. Please note that we will not re-evaluate the non-academic section of your file. We will not make appointments with the Dean, Assistant Dean, or Admissions staff to discuss your application.
I’m not sure if I am seeing the right thing under the scores line on my Application Status page
This is what you should see, depending on your application status:
Ineligible: no results
Regrets, Partial File Review: OGPA, AGPA (if applicable)
Regrets, No Interview: OGPA, AGPA (if applicable), NAQ Score Range, and My Result indicator
Invited to Interview: no results
MED 2028 Class is Full
By Admissions on Aug 19, 2024
With classes beginning today all spots in MED 2028 have been filled! We are now excitedly looking ahead to the 2024/2025 application cycle, and wish all applicants the best of luck over the coming months. Please remember to check the Applicant Guide and Document Checklist as you are working your way through your application!
The 2024 application deadline is Friday, September 13th at noon Pacific Time.
2024/2025 Application Cycle Open
By Admissions on Jun 27, 2024
The 2024/2025 application is open! Please take note of these important changes and announcements:
- A new Applicant Guide has been posted! This guide contains step by step instructions for opening, providing information correctly, and submitting your application. It is a great resource and you should use it extensively as you work on your application to the UBC MD program. Please also use it as your first resource when you have a question. We have tried to anticipate most questions applicants have and have written detailed instructions in this guide. We hope you find it informative!
- Communication: Once you have created an applicant profile, if you need to ask the MD Admissions Office a question, please communicate through the applicant portal inside the Online Application System (OAS). This helps us ensure we keep track of our conversations with you and that all of our communications are in once central place. Additionally, while we prefer communicating with applicants through the portal, if you do wish to speak with someone about your questions, you may call the MD Admissions Office on Tuesdays from 9:00 AM-4:00 PM Pacific Time. Our phone number is listed on the Contact and Resources page of our website.
- Can’t afford the application fee? Please contact our office at admissions.md@ubc.ca for more information and support. Or, once you have created an applicant profile in OAS, please correspond with us through OAS.
- UBC Transcripts: UBC students must submit UBC transcripts. Please follow the steps listed on the Student Services website to order your transcripts and send them to our office. Please check the Transcript Requirements section of the Admission Requirements page to learn more about submitting transcripts.
- UBC students who are using AP/IB etc. exam results to satisfy the English requirement: UBC students must submit an AP/IB/A Level/Cambridge Pre-U/CAPE transcript in order to use these exam results toward the English requirement. There is no longer an option for the Admissions Office to access these results via your student record. Information about submitting these transcripts can be found under the AP, IB and Other Exam Results section of the Admission Requirements
- Pass/fail credits taken in Winter 2019/2020 Term 2 (Jan – April 2020 or equivalent term): Pass/fail credits taken in this term will no longer count toward the 90-credit minimum requirement. As before, credits with grades from this term will count toward the 90-credit minimum requirement, and grades from this term will continue to be excluded from the OGPA and AGPA.
- MCAT validity period: MCAT exams taken from April 2015 – September 14, 2024 will be accepted this application cycle provided they are released by you and received by UBC MD Admissions by October 15, 2024 11:59 PM Pacific Time. Please note that the MCAT score release date for the September 13 and 14, 2024 sittings of the MCAT is October 15, 2024. Therefore, if you are planning to use the scores from those exams to meet our MCAT eligibility criteria you are taking the risk that these scores may not be received by the deadline. For peace of mind, we recommend that you write one of the earlier exams. For more information on the MCAT, please see the MCAT section of the Admission Requirements
- Transcript Deadlines: It is your responsibility to ensure that all transcripts are received by the appropriate deadline (see Applicant Guide and Documentation Checklist). Failure to do so may render your application ineligible. For confirmation of receipt of your transcript(s), please refer to the Application Status Page of the online application system. We can only acknowledge transcripts on your “Application Status” tab after you have created an application account and entered the institution int the “Transcripts” section. Please order your transcripts as early as possible, and well in advance of the application deadline. Please be aware that processing, sending and mailing delays from transcript institutions are common. UBC cannot take responsibility or make allowances for administrative delays on the part of other institutions, or mailing delays on the part of federal or private postal services. To ensure your transcripts are received on time, we recommend that you order all domestic transcripts at least one month in advance of the application deadline; more for international documents. International schools and the College Board (the Advanced Placement (AP) organization) can take quite a long time (even months) to process and send transcripts, and Canadian institutions may take a long time as well. Please account for World Evaluation Services (WES) or International Credential Evaluation Services (ICES) evaluation processing time as well, if you are required to submit these evaluations (see Applicant Guide and Documentation Checklist). You can start sending in transcripts as soon as the application opens, although we can only acknowledge these transcripts on your “Application Status” tab after you have created an application account and entered the institution in the “Transcripts” section.
- Want to connect with an admissions team member? While we don’t provide 1:1 advising, we do have many information sessions planned throughout the summer. These are typically small group information sessions and you can bring your questions. To register, please visit the Information Sessions page of our website.
The application will close September 13, 2024 at 12:00 PM (noon) Pacific Time.
Best of luck with your new application!
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Offers 2024 – Round 7 Offers Sent
By Admissions on
We have sent the seventh round of offers today; congratulations to everyone who received an offer! The deadline for this round is Wednesday, July 3rd at 12:00 p.m. (noon) PDT.
Offers 2024 – Round 6 Offers Sent
By Admissions on Jun 21, 2024
We have sent the sixth round of offers today; congratulations to everyone who received an offer! The deadline for this round is Tuesday, June 25 at 12:00 p.m. (noon) PDT.