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Accepted/Rejected/Waitlisted??? (for current applicants)


Guest Ian Wong

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Accepted on May. 15 to VFMP (1st choice)

IP

AGPA: ~94%

MCAT: 35+

NAQ: Volunteering in healthcare, some teaching, music, not much research, etc...

Interview: Gave honest answers but still didn't feel good about it at first, probably because I was too critical of every response. I actually enjoyed the writing section though but I'm not sure how much it's worth.

 

UBC was my first choice from the beginning and I have accepted the offer. If future applicants need any help or advice with the application or interview, feel free to message me. I don't have any exclusive knowledge about the admissions process, but as someone who went through it already, I'd be happy to offer an extra opinion. :)

 

Good luck to all!

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Accepted off waitlist!!!! SMP

May 29, 2014

IP

 

~88 avg

30M (10,10,10)

Non academics perhaps slightly above average. 36/50 last yr, and was a bit better this year.

Interview : think it's what held me back. Average last year and didn't feel great about it this year either

 

So excited! Plan to accept offer. Hope to see y'all in sept

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  • 2 months later...
  • 4 weeks later...

Got accepted back on May 15th with the first round of acceptances - couldn't login because apparently my premed101 account had its posting privileges suspended after expressing a strongly-worded opinion on how most of passes on as admission wisdom around here has nill evidence backing it up, and can actually be detrimental.

 

VMFP - first choice. 

First time applying to UBC.

UBC was the only school I applied to.

 

Rest of stats, vague for sake anonymity: 
aGPA: 90%

MCAT: 35+

NAQ: None of the usual stuff. Did the one undergrad major that everyone else considers suicidal in terms of GPA only because I loved it. I have coped my entire life a crippling learning disability, but that thing can go fuck itself. Years of travel, but only because I had to in order to pursue the research I loved. 

 

My controversial advice for future applicants, if you care to know:

 

The profession of medicine suffers from an impossibly inflated ego and sense of self-importance, which often comes at the expense of its foundations of altruism and servitude for mankind. This pedestal we get put on starts from the application process with the consistent message that you are the most boss thing to grace the planet if you get into med school, and once you are in, the cuddling and pampering consistently enforces the message that you are super special as a future physician. In my view, I am not special at all; it is the profession, and who it serves is what's extremely special. So I struggle get the disproportionate social status that comes with the title.

 

So ask yourself why you want to do medicine. If you are driven by the status (which gets enforced by the high salaries), then I can promise you it will be a uphill battle for you from the beginning. Your application is likely to be just like everyone else's, and no matter how hard to study and practice for the interview, your profile will be excellent, but it will not stand out. Look at your application and think about your volunteer activities. Can you honestly say that you did what you did for a cause bigger than yourself? Your application must scream I care about giving to mankind more than myself. As an example, this can be research. A long-term dedication to meaningful research where you get paid a slave wage, but worked 120+ hour each week for years in order to contribute to a field of science, engineering, industry, etc. is an excellent demonstration of this.

 

The reality is that most of us in med school are pretty normal people. To be sure we are hardworking and intelligent people, but I have been around doctors, residents, and med students of all sorts for nearly half a decade. The percentage of people who are gifted prodigies and truly exceptional is actually lower than what I used to come across in my previous profession. The best kept secret is that the average person can get in, and it is not that hard. All it takes is for you to demonstrate that what you can contribute to the profession can't be substituted with another applicant. It seems to me that most med students refuse to admit this reality, because they have so much vested interest in perpetuating the message that getting into med school is a Herculean feat, reserved for the elite of the elite. There are tons of people with 90+ GPAs, 30+ MCATs, 1000+ hour volunteer experience. The ad com and applicants are in a perpetual arms race. Each year the adcom tries to determine better metrics that filters the qualities they want, while applicants continuously find new ways to game the system. 

 

Your ticket in is NOT to play the game. Make your own rules by being awesome doing something you love doing because there is a raging conviction in you that this passion of yours to serve to mankind for its own sake, without a care for recognition and status. Do things that you would be happy doing for the rest of your life even if you did get in. Do things that make you happy, and live that happy life, without your happiness being in any way contingent on your getting into med school. If your application can demonstrate that, you are a golden shoe-in, while everyone else is groping their way in the dark.

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  • 7 months later...

IP

Rejected - Timestamp: 9:49AM

 

aGPA - 93.01%

MCAT - 11/11/10

NAQ - Average, or so I thought. Lots of hospital experience with 3 years of portering and housekeeping. Some clubs, tutoring, clinical volunteering, volunteering abroad, travel/fishing/hunting/snowboarding as interests. Undergrad research with no pubs. I scored a 16... anyone have any advice for raising this? Is it worthwhile to include activities with less commitment (eg. volunteered for a day with an event)?

 

Interview - Mixed feelings at the time but below average. 

 

I hope this helps, but I must say, I'm devastated. I feel like so many years have been a waste.

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Accepted!

VFMP - first choice.

GPA: 92%

MCAT: 13/10/14 (37)

NAQ: Lots of volunteering, leadership, research, etc. Message for details.

Interview: Didn't feel great about it. I think it was one of my worst ones, but I guess good enough!

UG 4th Year (Just graduated)

Wooo! I'm so excited about this. UBC is my top choice. Still waiting to hear back from 5 other schools, but will most likely be accepting. Congratulations everyone and hold on waitlisters!

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Accepted.

 

VMFP - first choice. 

 

GPA: ~90

MCAT: Good enough

NAQ: Fairly standard across the board. Focus on medical and academic positions. Variable paid employment at uni.

Interview: Felt I did poorly on a few, average on most and great on only one. Guess I got carried by my pre-interview score.

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Stamp: 11:02AM

Result: ACCEPTED

IP

aGPA: ~90%

MCAT: 12/9/12

NAQ: Non-trad. A healthcare professional/manager for 3 years, a food bank volunteer, a SPCA volunteer, Exec of a number of clubs and organization back in the school days.

 

First time applying. Rejected pre-interview from UofC. VFMP was my first choice so I am very very happy. Best of luck to everyone else!

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Accepted.

VMFP - first choice. 

GPA: ~91

MCAT: 33

NAQ: Scored a 30 last year

Interview: The #1 difference by far compared to before. I walked in this year and decided to not follow ANY of my prep. I talked like a normal person would in a conversation; I barely used any of the "explore perspectives" sort of thing. UBC in my opinion is looking for genuine answers, not much more. I felt I bombed 2 stations and laughed about it when I walked out of the room.

Don't give up people. If you can land an interview, you CAN get in. I hated to hear it but it is the truth!

 

3 CYCLES LATER!!!!! May 15, 2013/2014 I will always remember you and the fire you lit under my ass

Edited by Fresh fry
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Accepted VFMP

IP
aGPA : 83
MCAT : 36
NAQ: Graduate student with fellowship award. I volunteered a lot at church with over 1000 hours in leading summer camps, fundraisers, homeless ministry. Also had long term hospital work, ran a marathon.
Interview: Was confident in most stations. Did not stick to script or what I practiced and honestly told the interviewers what I am struggling internally in answering certain tougher questions. Though a big tip will be to really ask yourself why are they asking this question? 

Tips for new applicants. I didn't even get an interview last year with only 24/50 NAQ. I didn't add much other than getting that fellowship award and the marathon. I was really surprised to get an interview this year. It's really kind of a random how they score it year to year, so don't give up.

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Time Stamp: 11:52AM

Result: Accepted into SMP!!!
IP
GPA: ~90%
MCAT: 12/8/14 (34)
NAQ: The standard stuff. Volunteering at the hospital for 4 years, big brother big sisters, wrote some of my hobbies and interests, sports, working out at the gym, research experience. 

4th year UG (Just finished by BSc this year)

First time applying! Too excited right now!!

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HOLY @@@@

 

Time Stamp: 11:02AM

Result: Accepted into VFMP
IP
AGPA: ~85%
MCAT: 11/10/11 (32)
Last year's NAQ: 30.11

Lots of long term extracurriculars (with leadership), a handful of volunteering (both short term and long term), some shadowing, oversea trips, tutoring, music, sports, etc. 2 research (unpaid) positions for 2 years each in psychology.

 

Graduated BScH last April


Third time applying, first time interviewing!

Edited by Fresh fry
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Rejected

 

 

The world is a cruel place.  

Last year I was waitlisted until the bitter end.

This year my scores went up.

Above-average interviews both years.

Rejected this year.

I'm crushed.

Edited by Fresh fry
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