Official "What are my chances for McMaster" Thread

[shady]

If I'm correct about how they calculate the formula, if you have a 3.8 and a masters, you will be equal (GPA-weight wise, which is 25% of the formula) as someone with a 3.95 GPA without a masters. This is just for GPA, so not taking into account the MCAT and CASPER. But you can basically make the same case with any of the 3 variables (MCAT, GPA, CASPER)(not so much for CAPSER since nobody knows what their score will be). I could be wrong though.

 

GPA is 32%, not 25.

 

The jump from 3.8 to 3.95 sounds way too big. Are you sure?

[trojjanhorse]

GPA is 32%, not 25.

 

The jump from 3.8 to 3.95 sounds way too big. Are you sure?

 

3.95 is a huge jump. Maybe 3.82

[tberry3]

GPA is 32%, not 25.

 

The jump from 3.8 to 3.95 sounds way too big. Are you sure?

 

It'd depend on how they assign the scores for GPA, which I don't think anyone knows. Out of the possible 32%, does a GPA of 0 get you 0% and a GPA of 4 get you 32%? Or do they assume everyone has at least a 3.0 GPA and say 3.0 gets you 0% up to 32% for a 4.0? Or somewhere in between? We don't know, so it's not really possible to compare it to the grad degree points.

[Legion]

GPA is 32%, not 25.

 

The jump from 3.8 to 3.95 sounds way too big. Are you sure?

 

My bad, I went by the old formula. For the new one it would be around 0.09 jump. As I said I could be way off (likely). I just did a simple calculation. One thing that confuses me is the fact that we are talking about percentages (out of 100) and GPAs (out of 4). Makes it hard to correlate the 2 since GPA increments are in the orders of tenths and hundredths but percentages would normally be on a larger scale. If we could only know what percentage cut off (out of 100 for the formula) they use to invite for the interview, it would be much easier (although the CASPER score would still be missing)

 

Another more likely calculation (way more likely than the one above, is if they take 3.0 (min GPA) as 0% and 4.0 as 32%. So by doing a little bit of math, you should be able to get 0.03125 (+3.0 GPA) for every 1% (out of 32). With this calculation, a masters would give you a ~0.03 jump in GPA. This kind of calculation makes more sense (now that I think about it) than the one I did before.

[trojjanhorse]

i would try if i were you. Lowest I heard getting in last year was 3.5. this year gpa is worth more so it might be difficult.

[Savac]

There were 21 people in the 3.00-3.49 range that got in last year, although there's no way to know what the exact GPA values were. As trojjan said, this number will probably be smaller this year due to the changes to the pre-interview formula. Given that you have a 14 VR, I think that you would still have a chance.

 

You've got nothing to lose (other than money )

[Sarvish]

My bad, I went by the old formula. For the new one it would be around 0.09 jump. As I said I could be way off (likely). I just did a simple calculation. One thing that confuses me is the fact that we are talking about percentages (out of 100) and GPAs (out of 4). Makes it hard to correlate the 2 since GPA increments are in the orders of tenths and hundredths but percentages would normally be on a larger scale. If we could only know what percentage cut off (out of 100 for the formula) they use to invite for the interview, it would be much easier (although the CASPER score would still be missing)

 

Another more likely calculation (way more likely than the one above, is if they take 3.0 (min GPA) as 0% and 4.0 as 32%. So by doing a little bit of math, you should be able to get 0.03125 (+3.0 GPA) for every 1% (out of 32). With this calculation, a masters would give you a ~0.03 jump in GPA. This kind of calculation makes more sense (now that I think about it) than the one I did before.

 

Continuing on the speculation, it might not even be a linear scale, the number of GPAs below 3.5 suggests that either the total cutoff percentage was quite low or that it's a non-linear scale.

 

I feel like McMaster used to do percentile ranks and maybe they do something similar still. So the difference between a 3.95 and a 4.0 might be 4% while the difference between a 3.0 and a 3.2 might be the same since so many fewer applicants apply with a lower gpa.

[pablo_yike]

I've been a school teacher for 15 years and am preparing to apply to Mac next year. Scored 11 VR on practice MCAT and writing the real deal in March and I'm taking a course specializing in VR so I'm pretty confident I can get that up to a 12. GPA was a bit above 3.8 but in an unusual field -- Music.

 

Just wondering if anyone has any advice (CASPer, MMI, volunteer work...???) or any perspective on my chances of getting in (I'll be applying as a 38 yr old).

 

Thanks in advance,

P

[trojjanhorse]

I've been a school teacher for 15 years and am preparing to apply to Mac next year. Scored 11 VR on practice MCAT and writing the real deal in March and I'm taking a course specializing in VR so I'm pretty confident I can get that up to a 12. GPA was a bit above 3.8 but in an unusual field -- Music.

 

Just wondering if anyone has any advice (CASPer, MMI, volunteer work...???) or any perspective on my chances of getting in (I'll be applying as a 38 yr old).

 

Thanks in advance,

P

 

If McMaster is the only school you'll be applying to, then don't bother with volunteer work simply for the sake of building your CV as they don't look at it. It's solely based on your GPA, CASPer performance, and VR score. Anything above 10VR with a 3.8X gpa is a confident score to apply with. See CASPer threads for more info.

[Schen]

3rd year

GPA: 3.95

VR: 11

[trojjanhorse]

3rd year

GPA: 3.95

VR: 11

 

If that's your omsas gpa then yes

[w_robin]

Continuing on the speculation, it might not even be a linear scale, the number of GPAs below 3.5 suggests that either the total cutoff percentage was quite low or that it's a non-linear scale.

 

I feel like McMaster used to do percentile ranks and maybe they do something similar still. So the difference between a 3.95 and a 4.0 might be 4% while the difference between a 3.0 and a 3.2 might be the same since so many fewer applicants apply with a lower gpa.

 

It's on a z-score scale not a linear scale.

 

Since the SD of the class nor the skew is known - you can't calculate what the 1% is worth. Although, you can estimate it.

[w_robin]

3rd year

GPA: 3.95

VR: 11

 

That's better what I had - and I got in.

 

Your stats will certainly help your application A LOT. Both of those would put you into the top percentiles of applicants.

 

However, CASPer can still change that. How did you feel it went?

[mountainaxe46]

I hope I get an interview. I'm in province.

 

BSc (University of Toronto, Microbio) GPA 3.46 (OMSAS)

 

MSc (McGill, Genetics)

 

PhD (in Progress, U Alberta)

 

VR -12

[med-dream]

I'm a BC residence, currently in year 4. I might think about applying MC U med-school next year. Here is info.:

 

GPA 82%

MCAT 36P (11/12/13P)

EC over 3000 hrs of diverse activies

 

As an OOP, what is my chance to get an interview?

 

Thanks for help.

[Savac]

I'm a BC residence, currently in year 4. I might think about applying MC U med-school next year. Here is info.:

 

GPA 82%

MCAT 36P (11/12/13P)

EC over 3000 hrs of diverse activies

 

As an OOP to U & A, what is my chance to get an interview?

 

Thanks for help.

 

That 12VR will definitely help you out a lot! You've got a good shot at Mac

[trojjanhorse]

That 12VR will definitely help you out a lot! You've got a good shot at Mac

 

Unfortunately those odds will be diminished by his OOP status.

[Savac]

Unfortunately those odds will be diminished by his OOP status.

 

Oh, you're right. Other than perhaps NOSM, Mac is the only other Ontario school that really cares about geographical status.

[ralk]

I'm a BC residence, currently in year 4. I might think about applying MC U med-school next year. Here is info.:

 

GPA 82%

MCAT 36P (11/12/13P)

EC over 3000 hrs of diverse activies

 

As an OOP, what is my chance to get an interview?

 

Thanks for help.

 

It will also depend greatly on what "82%" translates into for OMSAS GPA. If that means a 3.7, you're in good shape.

 

But, because of the way OMSAS GPA is calculated, it could be lower - I know mine drops significantly. Make sure you figure that out beforehand, because the difference between applying with a 3.7 and, say, a 3.3 is huge.

[mountainaxe46]

any thoughts?

 

 

I hope I get an interview. I'm in province.

 

BSc (University of Toronto, Microbio) GPA 3.46 (OMSAS)

 

MSc (McGill, Genetics)

 

PhD (in Progress, U Alberta)

 

VR -12

[Legion]

any thoughts?

 

Your chances are going to increase once you finish up your PhD. But before then, you got a decent chance at an interview if you do great on CASPER.

[BAMFtastic]

Hello all,

 

this is an awesome thread, I was hoping someone could tell me how my stats fare.

 

B.Sc Health Sciences

VR:10

cGPA:3.63 (urghhhhhhh)

Masters in Disability Studies completed

IP

 

Did casper today and it was kind of fun but I hope I answered the questions correctly.

 

Thank you!

 

Promblem: There is NO SUCH THING as a right answer!! They just want to see how you answer, and that you do so ethically. This notion of right/wrong is crazy talk

[trojjanhorse]

Promblem: There is NO SUCH THING as a right answer!! They just want to see how you answer, and that you do so ethically. This notion of right/wrong is crazy talk

 

+1

 

Applicants with a broad experience in different fields generally do better because a) they are used to being in a difficult situation and can diffuse or simmer the situation have experience in that particular/similar field to support their answer.

 

Why do you think they interview such a small pool in respect to their number of available seats? MANY decline admission for other schools which increases the probability of admission to nearly 50-60% (purely random). McMaster literally published scientific papers on "online MMI" which we all know as CASPer. The CASPer is an MMI which will be repeated in person if you're invited with a new dimension to it.

 

Reading Doing Right certainly helped, but not as much as working alongside with physicians and patients.

[trojjanhorse]

I figured I would rebirth this thread as many premeds are wondering about their chances.

[dr-m-s]

unfortunately I did very bad this year, my first year undergrad cgpa was a 3.00 (:(

 

assuming that I get a 4next year and my cgpa in by second year turns out to be a 3.5, and that I get a 14 in vr mcat and do casper very well, do I have a chance at mac, as a third year applicant, IP?