How to Calculate your OMSAS GPA
TLDR:
Calculating your OMSAS cGPA is a crucial but important step as part of your Canadian medical school application. In short, it can be broke down into the following steps:
Grade to GPA conversion: Convert your letter grades and/or percentages to individual course GPAs using the OMSAS Conversion Table below. Most schools will go by scale 3 or 7, check which scale to apply here.
Multiply by course weights: Multiply each course’s individual GPA by its respective course weight. Per OMSAS guidelines:
a) Full year course: 2.0
b) Half-year course: 1.0
c) Three-quarter course: 1.5
d) Lab course: 0.5
Calculate cGPA: Add up each courses' individual GPA and divide by the total number of courses weights
The most common mistake
The most common mistake students make is to mix up steps 1) and 3). If you calculate your average using the percentage grades of your individual courses before converting to OMSAS GPA, you will end up with a completely different value! However, as long as you remember to convert each individual grade to OMSAS GPA before multiplying by course weights, you should be in the clear!
Example:
Bob’s grades:
Bob is applying to medical school out of his 3rd year of university. In the first 2 years, he got the following grades:
1st year courses
Biology I (1 semester): 91%
Biology II (1 semester): 92%
Calculus I (1 semester): 93%
Calculus II (1 semester): 96%
Chemistry I (1 semester): 95%
Chemistry II (1 semester): 97%
Physics I (1 semester): 80%
Physics II (1 semester): 90%
Introductory Psychology (2 semesters): 90%
2nd year Courses
Biochemistry (1 semester): 97%
Statistics (1 semester): 96%
Research Methods (1 semester): 93%
Cell Biology (1 semester): 97%
Genetics (1 semester): 88%
Organic Chemistry I (1 semester): 98%
Organic Chemistry II (1 semester): 93%
Introduction to Philosophy (1 semester): 100%
Human Physiology (2 semesters): 96%
Calculating Bob’s cGPA:
To calculate Bob’s cGPA he would follow the 3 step formula as outlined above
Grade to GPA conversion: Convert percentages to individual course GPA using the OMSAS Conversion Table
1st year courses
Biology I (1 semester): 4.0
Biology II (1 semester): 4.0
Calculus I (1 semester): 4.0
Calculus II (1 semester): 4.0
Chemistry I (1 semester): 4.0
Chemistry II (1 semester): 4.0
Physics I (1 semester): 3.7
Physics II (1 semester): 4.0
Introductory Psychology (2 semesters): 4.0
2nd year Courses
Biochemistry (1 semester): 4.0
Statistics (1 semester): 4.0
Research Methods (1 semester): 4.0
Cell Biology (1 semester): 4.0
Genetics (1 semester): 3.9
Organic Chemistry I (1 semester): 4.0
Organic Chemistry II (1 semester): 4.0
Introduction to Philosophy (1 semester): 4.0
Human Physiology (2 semesters): 4.0
Multiply by course weights: Multiply each course’s individual GPA by it’s respective course weight
1st year courses
Biology I (1 semester): 4.0 x 1.0 = 4.0
Biology II (1 semester): 4.0 x 1.0 = 4.0
Calculus I (1 semester): 4.0 x 1.0 = 4.0
Calculus II (1 semester): 4.0 x 1.0 = 4.0
Chemistry I (1 semester): 4.0 x 1.0 = 4.0
Chemistry II (1 semester): 4.0 x 1.0 = 4.0
Physics I (1 semester): 3.7 x 1.0 = 3.7
Physics II (1 semester): 4.0 x 1.0 = 4.0
Introductory Psychology (2 semesters): 4.0 x 2.0 = 8.0
2nd year Courses
Biochemistry (1 semester): 4.0 x 1.0 = 4.0
Statistics (1 semester): 4.0 x 1.0 = 4.0
Research Methods (1 semester): 4.0 x 1.0 = 4.0
Cell Biology (1 semester): 4.0 x 1.0 = 4.0
Genetics (1 semester): 3.9 x 1.0 = 3.9
Organic Chemistry I (1 semester): 4.0 x 1.0 = 4.0
Organic Chemistry II (1 semester): 4.0 x 1.0 = 4.0
Introduction to Philosophy (1 semester): 4.0 x 1.0 = 4.0
Human Physiology (2 semesters): 4.0 4.0 x 2.0 = 8.0
Calculate cGPA: Add up each courses' individual GPA and divide by the total number of courses weights
cGPA = (Sum of individual course-weighted GPAs)/(Total course weights)
cGPA = (4.0 + 4.0 + 4.0 + 4.0 + 4.0 + 4.0 + 3.7 + 4.0 + 8.0 + 4.0 + 4.0 + 4.0 + 3.9 + 4.0 + 4.0 + 4.0 + 8.0)/(1.0 + 1.0 + 1.0 + 1.0 + 1.0 + 1.0 + 1.0 + 1.0 + 2.0 + 1.0 + 1.0 + 1.0 + 1.0 + 1.0 + 1.0 + 1.0 + 1.0 + 2.0)
cGPA = 79.6/20.0
cGPA= 3.98
Therefore, Bob’s OMSAS cGPA is 3.98!
Let’s look at what would happen if we made the mistake most students make…
What NOT to do:
Let’s look at what happens if Bob calculates his course-weighted average before converting the final value GPA using the OMSAS Scale
Course Weighted Average:
Weighted Average = [(91 x 1) + (92 x 1) + (93 x 1) + (96 x 1) + (95 x 1) + (97 x 1) + (80 x 1) + (90 x 1) + (89 x 1) + (97 x 1) + (96 x 1) + (93 x 1) + (97 x 1) + (88 x 1) + (98 x 1) + (93 x 1) + (100 x 1) + (96 x 1)]/20.0
Weighted Average = 93.3%
Conversion to OMSAS GPA:
93.3% = 4.00
In this case, converting your course-weighted average to your OMSAS GPA results in a 4.00 GPA, but medical schools will use 3.98 in their decision to offer you an interview or not.
What does the mean for me
Applying to OMSAS this year?
If you’re applying to medical school this year, you’ll want to ensure you correctly calculate your cGPA so you know how competitive you will be for each school you’re applying to. Additionally, you’ll want to make sure you meet their minimum cutoffs for those schools before paying your application fee!
While having a good GPA is very helpful, it is only one component of your application.
You’ll also want to make sure your autobiographical sketch and personal statements stand out from the crowd. We recommend showing these documents to as many people as possible to get feedback. Once you’re ready to have it professionally reviewed by one of our Canadian Premed Consultants, please reach out! We’d love to help you craft a compelling narrative that secures you an interview invitation at your dream medical school.
Not ready to apply yet?
Understanding how your cGPA is calculated means that you can effectively decide how much time and effort to dedicate to your courses. In most cases, any grades above 90% will be considered a 4.0. Additionally, grades between 85 - 89% will be considered a 3.9 and grades between 80 - 84% translate to 3.7 on the OMSAS scale. Therefore, it not only helps to have high grades, but the cGPA system means that it is often beneficial to dedicate more time & energy to prop up your lower grades, as opposed to focusing on classes you are already doing well in.
Make sure you bookmark this page so you can ensure that when you apply, you’ll remember how to calculate your OMSAS cGPA and avoid the common mistakes that students often make!
