What are my chances of getting in? MPH 2014 Canada

[kimber]

I'd really appreciate any/all input on what my chances are for getting in Fall 2014 and how to improve my application

I'm looking to apply to UofSask and maybe UofAlberta for now, just because I have a really bad GPA and will probably take another year to boost it, but wanted to apply for 2014 just to see?

 

 

School

University of Manitoba

Major: Microbiology, co-op option

GPA: 2.7 cumulative (I did fantastic in first year and its fallen every year since.. my last 60 credits are terrible.. I'm looking at ~2.4, but will be redoing some courses this winter to boost it up)

 

 

Experience

12 months work experience at the Canadian Science Centre for Human and Animal Health/National Microbiology Laboratory (Public Health Agency of Canada)

• 4 months full time in Enteric Research Section
• 4 months full time in Special Bacteriology/Applied Biosafety Research Program
• 4 months part time in Special Bacteriology

Currently doing a 4 month work term full time at the Centre for Food-borne, Enviromental and Zoonotic Infectious Diseases (Public Health Agency of Canada)

• Outbreak Management Division

Not sure if this counts for anything, but I've also been volunteering wtih St. John Ambulance as a Medical First Responder since April 2011

 

 

Publications

• co-author of an article in BMC Microbiology
• first author of an article to be published in Applied Biosafety (ABSA)

 

Potential LOR

• PI from Enteric Research Section
• PI from Special Bacteriology
• Senior Epidemiologist or Division Manager from Outbreak Management Divison

 

[asiangirl52]

Your experience sounds really impressive and your references are solid.

I'm hoping to get in as well. 
Good luck to you!

[surefire]

Hi kimber,

 

I'm not in your field, but would recommend that you check out the results search for a straight read of the stats of those accepted to the schools that you are interested in. It's a good place to start on this forum! Then you lurk through old posts through the search function or pose some more specific questions here!

 

I can briefly speak to your question as someone who is a Canadian grad student and has been on an addcomm (again, not in your field, but hopefully this is still helpful):

 

That GPA is rough. Most schools will cite minimum entrance requirements for GPAs and will speak to cut-offs of 3.0. It IS entirely possible to get in with a sub-3.0 GPA if you have something compelling to accompany it (like interesting experience, which you seem to have). HOWEVER, bumps in your GPA are hopefully explained by a "rough start" to undergrad or some kind of jarring event or some ill-strategized course selections. What you are describing is a general DOWNWARD trend, which is a big red flag for addcomms. It would be difficult to ameliorate if you don't have higher marks yanking you upwards that you can display at the time of application (will you have some higher marks by then? I think I understand that you are applying for entrance into the Fall 2014 session right?). Waiting another year to yank up the GPA, and more importantly reverse the trend, might be best.

 

I don't say the above to discourage you, I just think that you should know that it is not necessarily the GPA as a strict number that will put adcomms off, it's the trend that it suggests. I think that you should touch base with some of your potential letter writers and gaugue their reactions.

 

Best of luck!