Technically speaking, it is 50% GPA, 50% interview. GPA is given a score out of 4 and interview is also given a score out of 4. Interview: Interviews are given a discrete score from 1-4. The exact intervals (e.g 3, 3.5, 4.0) are not publically disclosed. This means your interview score is placed in a “bin”. So you can be in the 3.0 bin or 3.5 bin or 4.0 bin for example (we don’t know if it progresses in 0.5 intervals, that was just for illustration purposes). GPA: The GPA range for interviewed applicants is around 3.8-4.0. GPA only makes a difference for people in your same interview bin because a 3.8 GPA with 4.0 interview score (7.8 total) beats a 4.0 GPA with 3.5 interview score (7.5 total) which beats a 3.9 GPA with 3.5 interview score (7.4 total). Therefore, interview is the main determinant of whether you get in, and GPA is used as a tie breaker for people who have the same interview score as you. Does that answer your question?
Nothing wrong with having an idea of what type of medicine you want to pursue based on your personal interests. However, you can add a little bit of maturity to your answer by saying something along the lines of “that being said, my preferences may change during medical school where I will have more exposure to various medical specialities and will be able to make a more informed decision”.
How does U of T scoring works after interview?
Post-interview scoring: 50% file score (pre-interview), 50% interview. Source: 2018 U of T Applicant Recap Session posted on their website. Not sure about the grad student question. What we do know is that many grad students are admitted to U of T so they probably do not have 'lower file scores'.
Medical student with a passion for helping students improve their interview performance and extensive experience preparing applicants for interviews. Offering to provide you with objective feedback on your interview performance and give you honest suggestions for improvement. I have space for 2 more students. Please note: I have no conflicts of interest and will not break any confidentiality agreements signed during the interview process.
Medical student offering to give you objective feedback on your ABS and provide suggestions for improvement.