Non-Science Background

[MDA]

Hi Everyone, 

I am curious about whether anyone else is applying/has applied with a non-science background. Will my lack of the traditional prerequisites hurt my application? Would this fall into the category of transcripts not being in congruence with the MCAT score? Or will they simply take the overall GPA + MCAT score? I have advanced degrees in the humanities as well. Am curious if anyone else is in the same boat?

 

[alsdjflks]

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[Hades]

Hi Everyone, 

I am curious about whether anyone else is applying/has applied with a non-science background. Will my lack of the traditional prerequisites hurt my application? Would this fall into the category of transcripts not being in congruence with the MCAT score? Or will they simply take the overall GPA + MCAT score? I have advanced degrees in the humanities as well. Am curious if anyone else is in the same boat?

 

It doesnt matter for UofS. There are no Pre-reqs anymore. Do whatever degree you want. Its just a good idea to do a science degree because the MCAT revolves around that. 

 

That being said, i have plenty of friends who did degrees in humanities and then did well on the MCAT; as a result they were accepted. 

[MDA]

Thanks skypemmi and Hades, that is really relieving to me! 

 

It doesnt matter for UofS. There are no Pre-reqs anymore. Do whatever degree you want. Its just a good idea to do a science degree because the MCAT revolves around that. 

 

That being said, i have plenty of friends who did degrees in humanities and then did well on the MCAT; as a result they were accepted. 

 

Yes, I found the MCAT relatively difficult and hope that I have received a half-way passable mark. Hard to say whether it will be good enough, seems that most people here are applying with 510+ and I don't think that I would have scored very close to that!

[Hades]

Thanks skypemmi and Hades, that is really relieving to me! 

 

 

Yes, I found the MCAT relatively difficult and hope that I have received a half-way passable mark. Hard to say whether it will be good enough, seems that most people here are applying with 510+ and I don't think that I would have scored very close to that!

 

This forum is known to give unreal expectations at times. Don't worry, it is possible to get in with a MCAT (490-510), just gotta make sure you do well in other parts of the application. 

[MDA]

This forum is known to give unreal expectations at times. Don't worry, it is possible to get in with a MCAT (490-510), just gotta make sure you do well in other parts of the application. 

 

 

Other than the GPA, is there anyway to submit a CV or Cover Letter? Is there any chance that they would read them?

[Scorbix]

Other than the GPA, is there anyway to submit a CV or Cover Letter? Is there any chance that they would read them?

 

No you cannot. There is no holistic style of review process at the U of S; you simply fill out an application, submit your transcripts and MCAT and hope for an interview.

[MDA]

From the U of S website: 

 

"The Admissions Committee, in assessing an individual’s application, will review the MCAT section scores for consistency and for concordance of the MCAT total score percentile with the individual’s university academic average (UAA). Inconsistency within the MCAT section results, or discordance between the MCAT total score percentile and the UAA (e.g., MCAT result unexpectedly low based on the UAA), can serve as grounds for the Admissions Committee to remove an individual’s application from further consideration." 

 

This description makes me think that the U of S will look at a section on the MCAT (like Chem/Physics) and then look at the transcript to see whether the marks are in congruence. Does anyone know if this will be the case?

[Hades]

From the U of S website: 

 

"The Admissions Committee, in assessing an individual’s application, will review the MCAT section scores for consistency and for concordance of the MCAT total score percentile with the individual’s university academic average (UAA). Inconsistency within the MCAT section results, or discordance between the MCAT total score percentile and the UAA (e.g., MCAT result unexpectedly low based on the UAA), can serve as grounds for the Admissions Committee to remove an individual’s application from further consideration." 

 

This description makes me think that the U of S will look at a section on the MCAT (like Chem/Physics) and then look at the transcript to see whether the marks are in congruence. Does anyone know if this will be the case?

 

No they don't compare like that. What they mean is, if your average is 90%, and you end up getting 20-30th percentile on the MCAT, they will wonder what happened. What they mean between sections is, that if some of your sections are are high and then theres one section which is extremely low on the MCAT they will again question what happened. I don't think they were very hard on that this past semester as plenty of my friends got accepted with high GPA's and very low MCAT scores. That being said, this might be something they do focus on this coming cycle. 

[MDA]

No they don't compare like that. What they mean is, if your average is 90%, and you end up getting 20-30th percentile on the MCAT, they will wonder what happened. What they mean between sections is, that if some of your sections are are high and then theres one section which is extremely low on the MCAT they will again question what happened. I don't think they were very hard on that this past semester as plenty of my friends got accepted with high GPA's and very low MCAT scores. That being said, this might be something they do focus on this coming cycle. 

 

thanks! I sure hope so, I dont have a single undergraduate science course (just Calculus and Geology) and just took time off to do very intensive independent MCAT, biochem, physiology etc study.

[End Poverty]

Hey MDA, I believe it would not hinder you in any way. On the contrary, I believe you would have a background that is different than most people which would be viewed favourably.  Best of Luck