Chances for Life Sciences or Arts & Sciences?

Colleges and Universities A-Z McGill University
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<p>Hi I'm an American student applying to McGill hoping to major in wildlife biology or ecology. I have read that McGill doesn't look at freshman year GPA which is hugely helpful to me, but I'm still really nervous about getting in! Would someone mind giving me input based on my scores and things?</p>

<p>Weighted GPA is 3.76. My school doesn't do unweighted, but I heard that is what McGill does. I have no idea what it is because I've taken literally all honors and APs forever. Freshman year it was 3.5. sophomore year was 3.7, junior year was almost 4.0. Right now senior year I have a 4.3. Would they break it down like that and look at it as improvement?</p>

<p>SATs First time-
Reading 630
Math 590
Writing 610
Second time-
Reading 530
Math 630
Writing 700
Taking them for a third time tomorrow! Hopefully won't have a migraine this time like I did the past two so I feel my scores will be better.
Taking ACTs in a few weeks instead of subject tests. For some reason I plan on getting a 30.</p>

<p>I'm also going to send a letter of extenuating circumstances about the migraines the past few years, now managed.</p>

<p>Anyone let me know if I have a shot at Life Sciences? I know it's so selective. Is Arts likely to accept me when life sci doesn't?</p>

<p>Thanks to all!!!!!!</p>

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<p>Here are the minimum requirements for Americans:
<a href=“http://www.mcgill.ca/applying/admissionsguide/standards/unitedstates”>http://www.mcgill.ca/applying/admissionsguide/standards/unitedstates&lt;/a&gt;
For life sciences, they require a minimum of 680 in each section of the SAT I and II.</p>

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<p>Hopefully you did well on yesterday’s SATs. Otherwise, you will be borderline, at best, for Life Sci. Why don’t you consider the school of environmental sciences at McGill instead. You will have some hurdles there also, but you might have a better chance. A friend who just interviewed up there was told unequivocally that they only consider the “numbers” – grades then scores.</p>

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<p>@Leyland does Mcgill care more about grades or test scores or 50/50?</p>

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<p>Grades first. Senior year very important. Then test scores; and, there is some “give” it seems. If you have great grades in your stated major field of study and just so-so overall, there may be some “give.”</p>

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<p>Thanks. Also are you aware on how mcgill calculates it’s “A- or B+ average”??</p>

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<p>You may have a 30 as a target ACT score but you have to score a 26+ and better on all subscores…</p>

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<p>The numeric-to-letter-grade conversion isn’t clearly stated on their website, but I found this from 2006:
<a href=“http://shelbycearley.files.■■■■■■■■■■■■■/2010/06/mcgill-gpaconverterchart1.pdf”>http://shelbycearley.files.■■■■■■■■■■■■■/2010/06/mcgill-gpaconverterchart1.pdf&lt;/a&gt; It is specifically for McGill. I don’t know if the undergraduate conversion is for a college transfer into McGill or for a first year applicant, but it may help. If it is applicable, then a B+ is a 3.3/75-79% and A- 3.7/80-84%</p>

<p>It also says,
If you are sure that the other institution’s scale is identical to McGill’s (i.e., the 0 to 4.0 GPA Scale) both in its range
and each of its equivalencies (e.g., B+ = 3.3 and B- = 2.7), follow the procedure for McGill transcripts described above.
For institutions using no Grade Point System or a different one (such as, 0 to 4.2, 0 to 4.5 or 0 to 4.0, but with
different equivalencies), ignore any point grades provided and convert the actual grades on the transcript (letter or
percentages or numbers). For letter grades, first convert these to McGill grade points using Table 2’s conversions, then
convert the McGill letter grades to McGill grade points using Table 1…</p>