Ontario Graduate Scholarship

[qwerty1234]

Hi guys,

I was thinking of starting a blog with tips on how to make your application successful, and perhaps a service for editing people's statements. Please let me know if anyone would be interested. I just want to see hoe many people would actually follow the blog if I spend time on it

[ashleyv]

Would those of you who received OGS be willing to post your average? I am going to be applying next year and I am curious to see what kind of averages have won awards! Thanks

[jferreir]

Would those of you who received OGS be willing to post your average? I am going to be applying next year and I am curious to see what kind of averages have won awards! Thanks

I could be wrong, but I think you're placing too much emphasis on grades. I was successful with both OGS and SSHRC and my grades were mediocre at best (I think they're used more as a cut off). What's really important is to have an overall strong application package. Naturally, some parts of the application package will be more important that others (e.g. research statement, LORs), but no single piece is sufficient to establish academic merit. I had crappy grades, but I also had merit-based awards, advanced coursework, service to the discipline, etc.

To my knowledge, most departments keep a record of their successful applications. Perhaps you should request to view those applications to get a feel for what constitutes a "strong application" in your chosen field. It's also a good idea to solicit feedback from some professors who have served on OGS/SSHRC committees. Best of luck!

[Generic_Applicant]

Could people who got it please share tips? My personal statment letter is good I think. I saw that we should really inform our referees and make sure they know our work well. Any other tips? Recommendations? I'm an MA counselling psych applicant and hoping to get it!

 

Huma

[sparrowbirdie]

Could people who got it please share tips? My personal statment letter is good I think. I saw that we should really inform our referees and make sure they know our work well. Any other tips? Recommendations? I'm an MA counselling psych applicant and hoping to get it!

 

Huma

@Syedahum,

 

I applied for OGS and then declined the award because I went out of province for my MA. I'm currently applying to various PhD and second MA programs, so I'm in the same boat.

 

When I applied, I was told that the graduate committee at the home school/department looks at your grades first (for cutoff), then statement of interest to see importance of work or competitiveness of proposal compared to others, then recommendations to support your potential to be a good researcher/student. Since the OGS is now awarded through the home school, and not through a central association, it seems to be important to appeal to the home school's style of writing and research...

 

Although, who knows; I could be totally off-base. I've submitted one OGS app already (I applied to OISE and their OGS was due a few weeks ago), and haven't really heard anything, so I only know as much as you with all of these new changes to the system.

[reinhard]

Can someone help me? In my university it asked if I want to be considered for the OGS, I didn't apply for anything because I thought I was automatically considered. I am not from Ontario...a stupid question.

[Sevenoffs]

Can someone help me? In my university it asked if I want to be considered for the OGS, I didn't apply for anything because I thought I was automatically considered. I am not from Ontario...a stupid question.

In my Ryerson application it specifically asked if I wanted to be considered, and I had to check it off. As long as you did that they will consider you from what I know (which is very limited knowledge). However, at Carleton I had to write a little proposal...so you need to check with each of the school's requirements to really get an answer. Hope that helps!

Edited February 26, 2014 by Sevenoffs

[nakuu]

You should ask the department because it seems like you have to submit an OGS application for each university that you apply to.

 

I needed two LOR and a SOP to submit my OGS application for U of T.