Why 99.5% isn’t enough to get into these university programs

But last May, only weeks before finals, Dante got the devastating news. He was rejected. “I was shocked because I knew I exceeded what was asked for on the admissions site.”

He was one of more than 2,000 hopefuls — including 24 with an average of more than 99 per cent — who did not get into software engineering at Waterloo last September.

Just over five per cent of applicants did.

Chances were even slimmer for students who applied to study computer science at Waterloo or health sciences at McMaster.

In an inside look at the admission process at some of the province’s most competitive undergraduate programs, the Star found intimidating odds, but also a holistic approach where academic perfection is no guarantee of an offer and student expectations don’t always mesh with reality.

It’s little wonder then, that at this time of year, even the most accomplished Grade 12 students are anxiously waiting to see if they’ve been accepted, rejected or waitlisted.

Between now and then, social media forums will be full of teens trying to figure out the alchemy of the admissions process, wondering if they have what it takes to secure a seat: They compare marks and extracurriculars; they float rumours about cut-off averages; they inquire whether interviews have been easy or tough.

When McMaster University warns on its website that “there is a lot of misinformation about our admissions process on the internet based on spurious information, rumours and anecdotes,” it could really be speaking for the entire sector.

To counteract this, universities urge students to attend post-secondary fairs, open houses and any of the many in-person and online outreach opportunities they offer across the country, as well as take advantage of campus admission counsellors.

Yet not all of the programs contacted by the Star provided requested admissions data. Officials argued the pool of applicants can differ year to year and the process is nuanced. They don’t want students to be put off by statistics and count themselves out before even trying.

But when grades are not the only measure and universities are wary of publicizing this information, the decision-making process can seem opaque, leaving some students at a loss as to why a stellar application gets passed over.

Post-secondary institutions set up kids with false expectations of getting in, said Dante’s mother, Cindy Capobianco. “You go to these open houses, they’re a big splash. The kids get all excited. They work bloody hard just trying to achieve, with much tears and sweat, and they get rejected because there aren’t enough spots.

“So if there are not enough spots, then where are the majority going? Are they communicating clearly about criteria?”

While Waterloo publishes robust enrolment statistics, it would not share admission averages with the Star. The engineering faculty provides “admission probabilities” on its website, but André Jardin, Waterloo’s associate registrar, admissions, warns “tying probability figures to a student’s grades is an oversimplification of admissions and doesn’t include multiple factors that play a role in providing an offer.”

Such multiple factors are captured in supplementary applications, which can consist of anything from an essay to an interview. While the Ontario Universities Council on Admissions confirms the number of programs requiring such additional information is still relatively small, all of the highly competitive ones highlighted by the Star say they have been employing supplementals for years, if not decades.

As a portal into a candidate’s life experience, a strong supplementary application can go a long way in explaining why someone with an 89 per cent average might best someone with 95. But it also adds to the mix subjectivity — the human element of having real people review applications and make judgment calls. Decisions become as much art as science.

“The unknown of that (process) definitely provides stress for students,” said Susan Lawson, owner of an educational consulting company based in Oakville. “It’s something they can’t control, and it’s frustrating for them.”

That might seem baffling to some, but in an era when grades have been sloping upwards, the pool of applicants in the top percentile is deep. And for programs in the fields of engineering, health sciences and business, where post-graduate employment is near certain, competition is fierce.

The current crop of first-years in the University of Toronto’s prestigious engineering science program came in with a class high-school admission average of 97 per cent. The lowest incoming average was 92.

But students also had to complete a supplementary application that included listing extracurriculars with verification references and answers to four timed written and video questions.

“We believe that success is not just found at the top of the class,” said Helen Bright, faculty registrar for UofT’s Faculty of Applied Science and Engineering.

Beyond all demanding prerequisite courses, none of the university programs examined by the Star do supplementary applications or score them the same way. Some look at school clubs and recreational sports, others, for equity reasons, do not. Some give students months to consider essay questions while others require video interviews that force kids to think on their feet.

Leadership experience is weighed equally to grades by Western University’s Ivey School of Business for high-school applicants seeking pre-admission status in the Honours Business Administration (AEO) program. At Queen’s University, 87 per cent is the cut-off to be considered for commerce, but after that, admission scores are based exclusively on a grades-blind supplemental application.

Waterloo engineering arrives at its score by applying an adjustment factor — based on historical performance data — to a student’s grade, and adding in points for a mandatory personal profile and an optional video interview.

Meanwhile, applicants to McMaster’s Bachelor of Health Science (Honours) program must provide written responses to two questions provided months in advance and designed to showcase a student’s critical thinking skills.

“When evaluating candidates at the very high end of the grade distribution, really everyone who has a GPA (grade point average) of 90 per cent or higher is a very strong student,” said Stacey Ritz, assistant dean of the program, which last year received 6,636 applications for 222 spots.

“We think a diversity of perspectives and experiences is both valuable to cultivating a rich learning environment in the program but also for fostering equity. A supplemental application tells us more about that than the GPA can, and it helps us to identify applicants who are likely to thrive in the program.”

But whereas an admission algorithm based on grades is simple, judging a supplementary application is not — it requires people and time and training, and the process, universities say, is constantly tweaked.

“The core things stay the same, but we’re always trying to evolve with the times and make it a better experience for everyone involved,” said Waterloo’s Jardin. For the current cycle, engineering added an early admission round deadline to give administrators “more time to assess applicants fairly given the competitiveness of the applicant pool.”

This year, Ivey’s HBA (AEO) and Queen’s commerce and health sciences programs have also added a video component.

“With things like ChatGPT and the increasing usage of admissions consultants and even guidance counsellors helping kids, this is an opportunity where it’s the individual that’s doing (the answering),” said J.D. Clarke, executive director, recruitment and admissions for Ivey. “It allows the student to bring their personality out.”

The move toward more online, real-time supplementary application systems means “students are answering authentically and aren’t spending months and months massaging answers to questions,” education consultant Lawson explained.

These methods are not about trying to trick students, she added, “they’re really trying to find out who the student is; what makes them tick…There are no right answers; all they want to know is how your brain works.”

And they also want to know what students can bring to the table. “Universities want an exciting, engaging classroom experience and also want graduates who are going to go out and make an impact on the world.”

Hundreds of applicants serve on student council or are on a robotics or soccer team, so participation alone isn’t enough. Lawson and university officials stress how important it is for students to communicate what sets them apart, what initiatives they’ve implemented, how they have helped to change their school and community.

“Do things you love and get involved and you’ll find leadership, you’ll find initiative, you’ll find success,” said Lawson.

And it doesn’t have to be extracurriculars. There are students who have to rush home after school to care for siblings or work part-time to support their families, but, say university officials, those experiences can equally illustrate enterprise.

For Dante, a well-spoken and driven student, the video format was something he didn’t hesitate to tackle, even though it was optional. 

And he did do as well as he thought — Waterloo told him as much after he reached out for an explanation following rejections from the school’s software, computer science and computer science-business programs.

“You were flagged as a potentially strong applicant,” noted the email, which also shared he was one of 24 with over 99 per cent that didn’t make the cut. “It was simply a case that we had more potentially strong applicants than we had available spaces in the program.”

Expansion seems to be an obvious solution, but it is not a simple or even doable one, say university staff.

The limits and parameters of provincial funding are an obstacle to adding domestic students. (Universities deny they are prioritizing international students, who pay higher tuition. At five of the eight programs highlighted by the Star, international students make up less than 13 per cent of the current first-year class; UofT’s engineering science had a high of 30 per cent.)

More bodies require more physical space. And attracting professors can be a challenge in fields where the rewards of private sector work are high. Still, Ivey increased intake for its HBA program in the last couple years and Queen’s said it is actively looking to boost capacity in both health sciences and commerce.

But for now, with application pools strong and space limited, disappointment for thousands is inevitable.

“It’s a tough time for teens,” said Lawson. “This is one of the first times in a student’s life where they work hard for something and they don’t get it.”

The videos are nearly all the same: an expectant teenager reading a computer screen; family nervously hovering nearby. Then suddenly there’s an explosion of tears and hugs as the song “Latch” begins to swell.

“When it comes to these types of elite programs, you have to have a sense of maturity and sense of foresight,” said Cindy Capobianco. “(Dante) had to figure out his pathway in Grade 10″ in order to make sure he enrolled in the Grade 11 courses that would get him into Grade 12 prerequisites.

“Every mark counted,” she added. “If he had 99.5, maybe somebody had 99.56 and then that put them on top. It was insane. Think of the pressure these students are under.” (Dante ended up graduating with 99.67 per cent.)

Lawson said it is important students understand that if they don’t get into a coveted program, it doesn’t mean they aren’t capable or haven’t done good work.

“The most pernicious misunderstanding is that if someone didn’t get an offer of admission from us that it means their application was weak — it doesn’t,” said McMaster’s Ritz. “When you have an applicant pool as large and as strong as we do, an applicant can be in the top 10 per cent of all applications and still not receive an offer because we only have space for the top three or four per cent.”

Lawson and universities like Waterloo advise students to apply to multiple programs, which in fact, is happening. In Ontario, the number of applications per student has risen from 4.7 in 2016 to 5.8 in 2023. (The fee to apply through the Ontario Universities’ Application Centre is $156, which covers three choices; each additional application is $50 and a few schools have supplemental program fees including UofT and Waterloo engineering.)

“It suggests students … may be considering more options to find their perfect fit,” said Keshia Gray, chair of the Ontario Universities Council on Admissions. “They may also be increasing their chances for admission to their desired universities, particularly if they are interested in competitive programs.”

If students have done their research and applied to where they are eligible and likely to be competitive, “then at the end of the day, they’re likely going to receive an offer from a very strong program that lines up with their interests,” said Chris Coupland, executive director, undergraduate admission and recruitment at Queen’s. “There can be some disappointment during the admissions cycle, but focus more on the opportunities.”

Dante’s mom Cindy concedes that Waterloo’s rejection “was a sucker punch,” but getting some kind of explanation from the school helped give her son closure so he could move on.

Dante accepted an offer and scholarship from the University of Toronto. Now five months into his first year studying computer engineering, the 18-year-old is maintaining high marks, joined the autonomous drone racing design team and is excited about the school’s co-op program.

There is life after rejection.

“I have always wanted to apply my high degrees of work ethic and creativity towards computer entrepreneurship,” said Dante, “and these traits have landed me exactly where I need to be.”