Lts say I get like a 5 average (not saying I will). What happens if i don't get into any of the level 2 programs i applied to? Also Can I switch programs in level 3?

if you don't get into anything they'll just put you in Science level II. Then you can just shadow whatever program you're trying to get into and then apply for it in 3rd year.

so its not a big deal if one doesn't get in? will I loose anything ?

No, it's not a big deal. There are other students who were in regular Life Sciences but shadowed other programs and re-applied the following year.

But again, don't feel like you HAVE to specialize in anything. I don't think they have a general science level 2, but I do know that if you don't get your specialization that you want, Life Sci Level 2 is always open and sounds really great from what my friends tell me.

Originally Posted by ThatGuy

if you don't get into anything they'll just put you in Science level II. Then you can just shadow whatever program you're trying to get into and then apply for it in 3rd year.

I'd just like to add a caveat to that. You can't just shadow any program. You have to carefully select courses that do not require you to be in a certain program.

e.g. You could definitely shadow courses in Life Science or Biology course list in your second year, but you can't take PNB courses, or most Biochem courses. Later, you can apply to transfer into that program if your GPA is high enough and there are enough spaces. Speak with an academic advisor or undergraduate advisor of that department.

You can definitely take their antirequisites, however. For example, the PNB courses on that link have antirequisites that are just Psychology courses.

@Celia: They do have a General Science (B. Sc.) for Level II, and you can't get into Life Sci Level II with a 5. You'd need at least a 6.0. Life Science is special in a way that it has no limit in its student numbers, so it's something you can definitely switch into as long as you get a GPA of 6.

it says I need a 6, my issue is not the cumulative average, My cumulative will be around 8-9ish. But I got 2 marks below 6. Do they look at them individually or just average them out?

They average them out.

Originally Posted by lifesciman1

it says I need a 6, my issue is not the cumulative average, My cumulative will be around 8-9ish. But I got 2 marks below 6. Do they look at them individually or just average them out?

Depends, some programs will need a certain average for some courses, like for example BioPsych needed a minimum 7 cumulative average between the two chems, and the same for the two psychs but only needed a 6 total cumulative average. look up the specifics for the program you are interested in.

what about life sci^??

Originally Posted by lifesciman1

what about life sci^??

That's not the case for Life Science. Don't worry. Just read the undergraduate table. It's almost all the info you'd need to apply in upper year courses.

http://registrar.mcmaster.ca /CALEN...nt/pg1957.html

Originally Posted by justinsftw

You can definitely take their antirequisites, however. For example, the PNB courses on that link have antirequisites that are just Psychology courses.

I'd just like to point out that not all anti-requisites can count as transferable credit (they may or may not). Anything that is a cross-list should be fine.

For instance, First year anatomy is cross-listed as Kin 1A03 and 1AA3 (For Kinesiology I students) and Kin 1Y03 and 1YY3 (For everyone else). These courses are called cross-listed because they operate at the same times, and cover identical material and are literally the same course, being called two different names.

However, Kin 1A03/1AA3/1Y03/1YY3 is an anti-requisite for Med Phys 4XX3 (Human Biology for Physical Scientists). These are called anti-requisites because they contain much of the same material, but are ultimately different courses. Med Phys for instance, covers how and why the body reacts the way it does, to radiation, whereas Kin does not....but Kin goes into far more depth regarding muscle origins, insertions and other stuff that can't be covered in a single semester (or that medical physicians don't care quite as much about).

Take home point: Even though these courses are 'similar,' they're different enough to prevent anyone who's taken Med Phys 4XX3 from passing into Level 2 Kin (unless the student chooses to waive credit in 4XX3 and take Kin 1A/1AA...which is ultimately a waste of time). This is because Level 2 Kin requires very specific knowledge that's left out of the Med Phys course.

But this is only one such example...there are some cases where anti-reqs are 'close enough' to transfer credit. Go talk to a counsellor before taking any anti-requisites.

I think if your average is below 6 but above 3.5 they will offer you to BA programs rather than honors and after that in third year once your average is 6 or above you will get into honors program.