University of Otago Dentistry selection Criteria
B Mathewson made this Official Information request to University of Otago
Response to this request is delayed. By law, University of Otago should normally have responded promptly and by (details and exceptions)
From: B Mathewson
Dear University of Otago Dentistry Admissions,
I am writing to enquire about the selection criteria for graduate general category applicants to receive an invitation to interview, in specific reference to the calculation of GPA. I understand the lowest GPA in the graduate general category with confirmed results was 7.0. The minimum GPA to receive an interview for pending academic results in the graduate general category is 6.5.
How is the weighted GPA calculated for both pending and confirmed results?
Please comment on the appropriateness of this calculation and the disadvantage posed to those whose degrees contain mostly full-year, high-point, papers. In my experience, my GPA is above both of the above figures, you can understand my confusion and disappointment.
Yours faithfully,
B
From: UoO - Official Information Act
University of Otago
Tçnâ koe B
I acknowledge receipt of your Official Information Act request.
If we have any questions or need to seek clarification on any points we will be in touch soon. Otherwise, we will seek to respond to your request as soon as practicable and no later than 20 working days after the date your request was received (by 3 December 2024). If we are unable to respond to your request by then, we will notify you of an extension of this timeframe.
Ngâ mihi
Kelsey
Kelsey Kennard (she/her)
Policy Analyst – Kaitâtari Kaupapa Here
Office of the Registrar and Secretary to the Council – Te Tari o Te Pouroki me te Kaituhi ki te Kaunihera
University of Otago – Ôtâkou Whakaihu Waka
From: UoO - Official Information Act
University of Otago
Tçnâ koe B
I refer to your request for information dated 5 November 2024 made under the Official Information Act 1982 (the Act). You have requested information in relation to GPA calculations for entry to the University of Otago's Bachelor of Dental Surgery (BDS) programme.
The Act requires that we advise you of our decision on your request no later than 20 working days after the date your request was received. Unfortunately, that will not be possible to meet that time limit. We are therefore writing to notify you, pursuant to section 15A of the Act, of an extension of the time to make our decision on your request by 10 working days - to 17 December 2024.
This extension is necessary to allow for consultations necessary to make a decision on your request. We thank you for your patience and will endeavour to provide our response sooner if possible.
If you are not satisfied with our extension of time, section 28(3) of the Act provides you with the right to ask an Ombudsman to investigate and review this response. However, we would welcome the opportunity to discuss any concerns with you first.
Ngâ mihi
Kelsey
Kelsey Kennard (she/her)
Policy Analyst – Kaitâtari Kaupapa Here
Office of the Registrar and Secretary to the Council – Te Tari o Te Pouroki me te Kaituhi ki te Kaunihera
University of Otago – Ôtâkou Whakaihu Waka
From: B Mathewson
Dear UoO - Official Information Act,
Please reply ASAP, you have missed the extended deadline in which you outlined above.
Yours sincerely,
B Mathewson
From: UoO - Official Information Act
University of Otago
Tçnâ koe B
My sincere apologies for the delay - please see attached our response to your Official Information Act request dated 5 November 2024.
Ngâ mihi
Kelsey
Kelsey Kennard (she/her)
Policy Analyst – Kaitâtari Kaupapa Here
Office of the Registrar and Secretary to the Council – Te Tari o Te Pouroki me te Kaituhi ki te Kaunihera
University of Otago – Ôtâkou Whakaihu Waka
From: B Mathewson
Dear UoO - Official Information Act,
It seems you have not answered the question.
Please answer the question in reference to those applicants completing degrees which have full year, high point papers. Are they disadvantaged in this calculation, as no final year points will be contributed to the pending GPA. Please comment on the appropriateness of this.
For example: this 2024 year applicants for 2025BDS with pending weighted GPA calculations in a course such as the Bachelor of Oral Health with 3 full year papers and one 15 point semester one paper. It is impossible, using the university of Otago provided calculator for the weighted GPA, to reach the threshold with achieving an A+ in every paper, and despite at the completion of the degree reaching a GPA well above both of the interview threshold values.
Yours sincerely,
B
Things to do with this request
- Add an annotation (to help the requester or others)
- Download a zip file of all correspondence
Offensive? Unsuitable?
Requests for personal information and vexatious requests are not considered valid requests for Official Information (read more).
If you believe this request is not suitable, you can report it for attention by the site administrators
Report this request