Marks for Applicants

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.

The minimum overall first year GPA was 8.0 out of 12 for students applying for admission to Business and Economics Co-op in 2011. We will set and announce the minimum GPA in July for 2012 admission. Students must achieve the overall GPA requirement by the deadline for applying to co-op.

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.

If you completed courses after the winter term, we will consider them 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.

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.

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 2011, the minimum first-year overall GPA was 8.0 for students in Business and Economics. Students needed an overall GPA of 7.8 to 7.99 to be considered for an exemption. (We will not consider any applicant with an overall GPA below 7.8.)

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.