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Take Forum-Ers With A Grain Of Salt


hotlinebliiing

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Just wanted to share my experience and advice here. I applied to UofA for dentistry as an OOP from toronto. I had average to high stats in all categories for accepted applicants.

Another OOP from Ontario messaged me and told me that I shouldn't get my hopes up because although his scores were higher than mine, he knew 3-4 other OOP that had even higher stats than him. Since there are only 3 spots, I pretty much thought I was out.

i was taking a class that was required for UofA and not for my other schools and almost dropped it because I was so discouraged and thought it was a waste of my time to even try.

Yesterday I received an acceptance letter and am thinking to myself: because of this guys actions, I almost made myself ineligible. My point is: apply where you think you have a shot based on past admissions stats and do whatever ---- you want. Don't let people scare you into not trying or waiting. So many on this forum with their heads up their own asses wanting to screw others over.

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Unless you are receiving advice from an established member who has a solid history of being helpful to others, it is very important to carefully filter advice you receive anonymously from strangers who may have a hidden agenda against your own best interests! Always use your own independent judgment and do not take anything at face value.

 

Congratulations! ​

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This is an online forum. Like all forums, it attracts every facet of humanity... from genuinely helpful individuals, to scam artists, trolls, super trolls, gunners masquerading as helpful individuals but are actually still trolls, etc. Here, you don't just take things with a grain of salt, you need bags of it, especially for private messages from strangers with questionable motives. Generally speaking, the standard at premed101 is higher compared to other places, but still.

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Just wanted to share my experience and advice here. I applied to UofA for dentistry as an OOP from toronto. I had average to high stats in all categories for accepted applicants.

 

Another OOP from Ontario messaged me and told me that I shouldn't get my hopes up because although his scores were higher than mine, he knew 3-4 other OOP that had even higher stats than him. Since there are only 3 spots, I pretty much thought I was out.

 

i was taking a class that was required for UofA and not for my other schools and almost dropped it because I was so discouraged and thought it was a waste of my time to even try.

 

Yesterday I received an acceptance letter and am thinking to myself: because of this guys actions, I almost made myself ineligible. My point is: apply where you think you have a shot based on past admissions stats and do whatever -- you want. Don't let people scare you into not trying or waiting. So many on this forum with their heads up their own asses wanting to screw others over.

 

That's not really anyone on the forum's fault though.... a person said your chances were low.... no one said to drop the required course. If you didn't get in due to that ineligibility, that wouldn't be anyone's fault but yours. 

 

There's a difference between low chance and not trying.... one is based on numbers, the other is based on your individual subjective decision from those numbers. 

 

That said, you should take anything you hear with a grain of salt ... on this forum and everywhere else in life. 

 

- G 

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Do your own research with independent credible sources, and apply wherever you like as long as the chances are not 0%.

 

Unlike in healthcare or other professional settings, people are not held responsible for the advice/comments they provide, and hence can say literally whatever the bloody hell they want, and this is especially true online due to the added protection of anonymity. As such you should always take advice given in a non-professional setting with a grain of salt (or even a high index of suspicion). 

 

I was told in high school by a premed in university that I probably have no chance of getting into med school because only the "genius" students would have a fighting chance... clearly I didn't take that advice to heart ^_^

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I was told in high school by a premed in university that I probably have no chance of getting into med school because only the "genius" students would have a fighting chance...

This is honestly one of the reasons I never considered med until after I finished undergrad. It wasn't until my friends started getting in and encouraging me to apply that I actually thought I wasn't just throwing money away.

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GrumpyMoriarty, on 29 Jun 2016 - 8:39 PM, said:snapback.png

I was told in high school by a premed in university that I probably have no chance of getting into med school because only the "genius" students would have a fighting chance...

 

This is honestly one of the reasons I never considered med until after I finished undergrad. It wasn't until my friends started getting in and encouraging me to apply that I actually thought I wasn't just throwing money away.

 

Yea many of my classmates heard the same thing. 

 

Luckily I'm terrible at following people's advice and decided to just do my own thing 

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I do believe that putting blame on the individual member is a bit misguided, but I do see where OP is coming from. I appreciate all the help I receive from this site, whether it is harsh and/or constructive.

 

That being said, I have encountered users that have given me great advice, but felt their intention was to power trip, brag about how great they are, intimidate me, or talk down to me. I took the critique gracefully and tried my hardest to improve, because the advice was extremely valid. However, I think harsh advice or critique can be given without tearing someone's confidence down to a point of no return. If those users were to speak to patients and healthcare professionals, it would be extremely condescending.

 

So on top of taking things with a grain of salt, please remember to be kind do those struggling with the admissions process. We are either going through or have been through the admissions process. We know how fragile applicants can be. Adding to the stress it unnecessary. A lot of us use these forums to have a sense of community and support each other.

 

Also, to those receiving the harsh advice, extract the information from their words, but make sure you still filter the advice and do your research. Even if the user is established and has a long history, try to see if the user had ulterior motives.

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That's not really anyone on the forum's fault though.... a person said your chances were low.... no one said to drop the required course. If you didn't get in due to that ineligibility, that wouldn't be anyone's fault but yours.

 

There's a difference between low chance and not trying.... one is based on numbers, the other is based on your individual subjective decision from those numbers.

 

That said, you should take anything you hear with a grain of salt ... on this forum and everywhere else in life.

 

- G

Chill bruh. Just sharing my experience and trying to pay it forward.

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I do believe that putting blame on the individual member is a bit misguided, but I do see where OP is coming from. I appreciate all the help I receive from this site, whether it is harsh and/or constructive.

 

That being said, I have encountered users that have given me great advice, but felt their intention was to power trip, brag about how great they are, intimidate me, or talk down to me. I took the critique gracefully and tried my hardest to improve, because the advice was extremely valid. However, I think harsh advice or critique can be given without tearing someone's confidence down to a point of no return. If those users were to speak to patients and healthcare professionals, it would be extremely condescending.

 

So on top of taking things with a grain of salt, please remember to be kind do those struggling with the admissions process. We are either going through or have been through the admissions process. We know how fragile applicants can be. Adding to the stress it unnecessary. A lot of us use these forums to have a sense of community and support each other.

 

Also, to those receiving the harsh advice, extract the information from their words, but make sure you still filter the advice and do your research. Even if the user is established and has a long history, try to see if the user had ulterior motives.

If I could rewrite my post, I'd say this. Very very very well said. Thank you.

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I would hope that this person's intention was not to discourage or sabotage you but was to prevent you from getting your hopes up for something that they perceived to be an impossibility.

 

This can be communicated diplomatically without an air of superiority or attacking one's character.

 

Edit: "This" was in reference to the advice or critique some people give. I should've been more specific.

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I'm not sure how I attacked anyone's character in my post? I was trying to show that the person's intentions might not have been as malicious as is being portrayed throughout the thread.

Oh sorry. I didn't mean you. Context is so hard to gauge. I just meant in general. Sometimes I read posts that are condescending, despite the advice being helpful. You most definitely weren't. I edited my previous post.

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I'm glad you brought this situation to light but the truth is that there are many people in the world who will try and discourage you, not just on this forum. If you truly want something never stop trying to reach your goal. I was told in high school that I would end up homeless with no education, told in cegep to never even apply to McGill (undergrad) because I don't stand a chance of getting in (never mind med school)...I remember in that moment how low I felt and how hard it was to keep moving forward... glad I did though  :P

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