Marks for Applicants - Minimum GPA

We interview only those applicants who achieved the minimum required grade point average for the program. Your minimum overall GPA includes all the courses you completed at Laurier in first year.

Applicants to Arts Co-op and Science Co-op need an overall GPA of at least 7.0 in first year, or a GPA of at least 7.0 in their honours discipline courses and at least 6.5 overall, to be granted an admission interview.

The minimum overall first-year GPA required for students applying for admission to Business and Economics Co-op was 8.0 out of 12 in 2012.

The actual average GPA of all students admitted to Business and Economics Co-op in 2012 was 9.8 out of 12.

We will set the minimum GPA for 2013 in July.

Students must achieve the overall GPA requirement by the deadline for applying to co-op.

We will let students know by email whether they are eligible for an admission interview. We will begin sending messages in late July, but it may take until early September to contact all applicants.

All students who meet the overall GPA minimum are eligible for an admission interview. During the assessment process after interviews are completed, students who achieved the GPA cut-off by the end of the winter 2013 term may be ranked higher in the marks category, which is one of four areas we assess.

If you completed courses after the winter term:

We will consider courses taken after the winter term only if:

a) they are repeated courses which are included as part of your first-year GPA in the marks we receive from the Registrar’s Office

OR

b) they are courses you had to take because you had completed fewer than the equivalent of five full credits by the end of the winter term, and they are included as part of your first-year GPA in the marks we receive from the Registrar’s Office.

If you took courses after the winter term, as in "a" or "b" above, please contact the Co-op Office once you have received your new marks. We are unable to consider marks we receive after Monday of the second week of classes in September.

If you took courses after the winter term, as in "a" or "b" above, we may give you less credit for your marks than we give students who met progression requirements by the end of April when we evaluate your academics during the interview process.
The Registrar’s Office sets limits on the number of courses that may be repeated; please check the academic calendar for regulations for your program.

More on courses taken after the winter term:

Once you repeat a course, the new mark replaces the earlier mark and becomes part of your GPA.

We will consider no more than the equivalent of five full credits.

If you are required to take a half credit, but replace it with a course worth a full credit, we will give the mark the same weight as a half credit.

We will first consider any courses you repeated and any required courses you took during the spring term.

If there are no such courses, we will then consider first-year elective course you took after the winter term. We will use the marks from the elective courses that you completed first. (For example, we would consider courses that you completed during intersession instead of those you completed during the summer term.)

If you completed three first-year electives at the same time and needed only two to progress, we would consider the two highest marks.

If you are eligible for an interview and wish to identify an extenuating situation for completing courses beyond the winter term of first year, you must submit a request for exemption form before your interview.

Transfer Students:

If you transferred from another post-secondary institution after your first year, we will determine your eligibility for an interview after receiving your previous transcripts from the Registrar’s Office.

Exemptions:

If you do not meet the GPA cut-off you will not be eligible for an interview. Please note that enrolment is limited; many more students achieve the minimum grade than we can admit.

You may, however, apply for an exemption to this rule if your GPA is very close to the cut-off* AND you wish us to consider extenuating circumstances related to a learning disability that has not been accommodated, an ongoing, debilitating health problem, a death in your immediate family (parents/legal guardian and siblings) or a prolonged and life-threatening illness that occurred during your first year at Laurier.

*For SBE: In 2012, the minimum first-year overall GPA was 8.0 for students in Business and Economics. Students needed an overall GPA of 7.7 to 7.99 to be considered for an exemption. (We did not consider any applicant with an overall GPA below 7.7.) We will announce the minimum GPA and exemptions for 2013 in July.

For Arts or Science: Students need at least 6.30 to 6.49 overall and 7.0 in their major OR 6.5 overall and 6.8 to 6.99 in their major to be considered for an exemption.

To seek an exemption, please apply in writing to Karen McCargar, Associate Director of Co-operative Education by the application deadline and include the Request for Exemption to GPA Form and documents to support your claim. If we agree to your request, you will be eligible for an admission interview.

Either:

Provide documentation that you received ongoing medical treatment in first year, missed considerable time from classes, and that this had an impact on your ability to submit assignments and write exams.

Include any pertinent documents, such as notes from faculty members or approvals of petitions.

Notes:
We will not consider common illnesses such as mono, strep throat and influenza, or medical conditions related to wisdom teeth.

Or:

Provide documentation of a death in your immediate family (parent, legal guardian or sibling) during your first year at Laurier.

Or:

Provide documentation concerning a learning disability that has not been accommodated.