Interview Invites & Regrets 2017/2018

[silent_c]

2 hours ago, JohnGrisham said:

Strongly consider getting IP status for UBC if possible, even more so if your odds elsewhere aren't as great(depends on breakdown of the 510)

That sounds like a great idea actually and I won't lie, I was thinking of applying to Masters programs there anyway because I've always wanted to move to Vancouver haha

Unfortunately their OGS application has passed I think but will see. Thanks for the tips!

[Churros]

And so we live to see another day... 

[yinners]

6 hours ago, HotAwkwardNerd said:

TIME STAMP: 5:12 PST
Interview Invite or Regrets: Regrets
Early or Regular Deadline:
AGPA (if applicable): 87.78
MCAT: 128/128/128/131  515
ECs: Faculty Society President, Published a novel, volunteering in biology curriculum development, worked full-time for a company as the head of their environmental department for a year, 1st author publication in preparation, NSERC USRA. 
Current Degree: In 4th Year
Geography: OOP
NAQ: 20.28
AQ: 27.04

TFR: 47.32

TIME STAMP: 5:12 PST
Interview Invite or Regrets: Regrets
Early or Regular Deadline: Regular
AGPA (if applicable): 82
MCAT: 128/127/130/125  510
ECs: 5 years working as a swim instructor, hospital volunteer 100 hrs, work term abroad, 1.5 years research no pubs, NSERC , member of a couple clubs, travel
Current Degree: Bsc
Geography: IP
NAQ: 20.28
AQ: 17.67

TFR: 37.95

Interesting to see the comparison of our ECs, they're quite different yet have the same score.

[jullliaaa]

TIME STAMP: 6:11 PST
Interview Invite or Regrets: Regrets
Early or Regular Deadline: Regular
AGPA (if applicable): 91.95
MCAT: 128/127/130/125  510
ECs: PM me for details...thought i had a lot haha 
Current Degree: Bsc
Geography: OOP
NAQ: 21.19
AQ: 33.83

TFR: 55.02

Currently in my 3rd year...maybe some research experience would help? Any tips on organization into sections for next year?

[oppositeofapposite]

TIME STAMP: 5:12 PST
Interview Invite or Regrets: Regrets
Early or Regular Deadline: Regular
AGPA (if applicable): 76.48  OGPA: 72.52

MCAT: 130/132/131/130   523
ECs: Lots - I'm old. 3+ yrs international teaching, 2 years teaching ESL online, planned and executed long (4000+ km) distance bike trip as fundraiser, caring for sick mother and sick mother-in-law, extensive round the world travel, father of two, all the stuff I did during university, etc.
Current Degree: BA in Applied Linguistics, currently upgrading
Geography: IP
NAQ: 33.90
AQ: 8.62

TFR: 42.52

 

Super non-traditional applicant. I didn't think I was going anywhere with that AGPA, but I wanted to see if my ECs put me in the ballpark. Flunked out of university after two years for medical/disability reasons, with a bunch of N/F grades. ~85% average since I got back in on appeal. I'm glad I came across the AQ formula long before I applied, so I knew what to expect there. 

 

Honestly, I thought my EC wording could have been tighter. Hopeful for next year with a few more A's on the transcript and another year of living. I wish med schools would sub my MCAT for my GPA...

[JohnGrisham]

7 hours ago, silent_c said:

That sounds like a great idea actually and I won't lie, I was thinking of applying to Masters programs there anyway because I've always wanted to move to Vancouver haha

Unfortunately their OGS application has passed I think but will see. Thanks for the tips!

Move, get a job and take a year of working while reapplying.

[silent_c]

50 minutes ago, JohnGrisham said:

Move, get a job and take a year of working while reapplying.

That sounds logical but not ideal if I don't get accepted even after the move. I don't want to waste any more years not doing anything academically productive. I wanted to get my Masters anyway and continue research in med so might as well!

[JohnGrisham]

8 minutes ago, silent_c said:

That sounds logical but not ideal if I don't get accepted even after the move. I don't want to waste any more years not doing anything academically productive. I wanted to get my Masters anyway and continue research in med so might as well!

I believe multiple masters programs in the science dept at UBC have application deadlines in january 2018... if that is what youre worried about. Anyways, good luck - hope you have options in ontario.

[hartk48]

TIME STAMP: 8:11 EST
Interview Invite or Regrets: Regrets
Early or Regular Deadline: Regular
AGPA (if applicable): 93.25 (OGPA=90.98)
MCAT: 511
ECs: Your basic premed: hospital volunteering, mentor ship, part-time minimum wage jobs throughout high school and uni. But I really thought my research would give me some points.... 30K research grant, several posters, patent, research trips and clinical shadowing.  
Current Degree: Bsc, gap year. 
Geography: OOP
NAQ: 20.67
AQ: 35.95

TFR: 56.62

Not sure how I feel about NAQ, I hope Ontario score EC's differently... Good luck everyone!

[Anon-e-mous]

10 hours ago, canadianincalifornia said:

TIME STAMP: 8:11 (EST)
Interview Invite or Regrets: Regrets
Early or Regular Deadline: Regular
AGPA (if applicable): Supposedly "83.34" but that's completely inaccurate. My transcript is from the U.S. and only letter grades are reported. My GPA is really a 3.7 which is equivalent to an A- average. At my university, an A- is a 90-92% in a class. UBC converts an A- to 82%. It's ridiculous. 
MCAT: 517
ECs: Shadowing, multiple long-term volunteering engagements, research, leadership experience, activism, strong commitment to the underserved. 
Current Degree: Bachelor of Arts, 4th year student
Geography: IP
AQ: 19.80
NAQ: 25.94

TFR: 45.74

Good luck to those of you still in the running! Luckily I'm holding multiple acceptances at US medical schools and I intend to practice in the US, so I can't say that I'm too disappointed. However, it would have been nice to get some love from my in-province school. Hopefully they transition to a more holistic review soon - so many of you have incredible ECs and would make incredible doctors. 

Ya, the grading scale in Canada is deflated compared to the US, which sucks for people applying from US schools to Canadian IMO. Crazy to think neighbouring countries grade so differently, where according to AMCAS a Canadian A- (low 80) is equivalent to a US A- (but now a low 90).

[naama]

Interview Invite or Regrets: regrets
Early or Regular Deadline: regular

Current Degree: BSc. 
Geography: OOP
NAQ: 33.62
AQ: 27.17 

TFR: 60.79

ECs: I decided to apply quite late so I did not list all of my extracurriculars and actually left the NAQ section quite blank (wasn't able to contact verifiers in time). I'm very surprised by my score compared to what I've read in other posts here. Other people seem to have objectively greater accomplishments than me with lower scores. I know this isn't the best NAQ out there but I will try to offer some insight.

I tried to focus on demonstrating the qualities they were looking for rather than taking about the "most impressive thing" I had done. I really really thoroughly read through the website and tried to describe each activity in a manner that was targeted to the criteria. It sometimes felt weird to leave out a more significant thing I had done for a given activity but given there was so little space I often did this.   

I also added really soft things because I was struggling to get the app together. I talked about a few things that I really enjoy doing (nothing impressive) and added friends or family as verifiers. I think its important to demonstrate what makes you unique and human rather than just focusing on the classic premed activities (volunteering in the hospital and research is great but it seems like everyone has this type of experience). 

I'm not sure how important this is but I was also very realistic and honest about the hours for everything. I see some people with extremely high hour commitments (I'm not saying everyone who with these high number of hours exaggerated but a lot of it is difficult to believe). On the website it says they look for "realistic self-appraisal". I'm not sure if this factors in but some people seem like they spend 80 hours a week on extracurriculars which does not seem very realistic.  

Obviously I have no idea what I'm talking about but this is just my take on it. Let me know what you think! 

[casajayo]

5 minutes ago, naama said:

Interview Invite or Regrets: regrets
Early or Regular Deadline: regular

Current Degree: BSc. 
Geography: OOP
NAQ: 33.62
AQ: 27.17 

TFR: 60.79

ECs: I decided to apply quite late so I did not list all of my extracurriculars and actually left the NAQ section quite blank (wasn't able to contact verifiers in time). I'm very surprised by my score compared to what I've read in other posts here. Other people seem to have objectively greater accomplishments than me with lower scores. I know this isn't the best NAQ out there but I will try to offer some insight.

I tried to focus on demonstrating the qualities they were looking for rather than taking about the "most impressive thing" I had done. I really really thoroughly read through the website and tried to describe each activity in a manner that was targeted to the criteria. It sometimes felt weird to leave out a more significant thing I had done for a given activity but given there was so little space I often did this.   

I also added really soft things because I was struggling to get the app together. I talked about a few things that I really enjoy doing (nothing impressive) and added friends or family as verifiers. I think its important to demonstrate what makes you unique and human rather than just focusing on the classic premed activities (volunteering in the hospital and research is great but it seems like everyone has this type of experience). 

I'm not sure how important this is but I was also very realistic and honest about the hours for everything. I see some people with extremely high hour commitments (I'm not saying everyone who with these high number of hours exaggerated but a lot of it is difficult to believe). On the website it says they look for "realistic self-appraisal". I'm not sure if this factors in but some people seem like they spend 80 hours a week on extracurriculars which does not seem very realistic.  

Obviously I have no idea what I'm talking about but this is just my take on it. Let me know what you think! 

Was this today? Or did you receive it last night with the other 5:10ish rejections?

[naama]

1 minute ago, casajayo said:

Was this today? Or did you receive it last night with the other 5:10ish rejections?

Last night!

[Chaplin]

Going by the trends of the previous 3 years I am going to dare speculate that today should be a quiet day, and tomorrow early deadline invites. Many of the people here who haven't heard anything back yet are former interviewees. I remember well last year rejections went out Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday we're quiet and Thursday came invites when they took out early deadline.

 

[cardiac_arrest]

TIME STAMP: 8:12PM (EST), 12/4/2017
Interview Invite or Regrets: Regrets
Early or Regular Deadline: Regular
AGPA (if applicable):  81.74
MCAT: 513
ECs: Founded national non-profit organization (still running); long-term volunteering with campus response team, university orientation, senior home, hospital interpreter, children reading programs; worked at medical testing lab; competitive soccer; competitive dance; salsa dancing; organized volunteer trip; started national fundraiser series (still running); internships in research and non-profits; etc
Current Degree: 4th year
Geography: IP
NAQ: 33.66
AQ: 17.19

TFR: 50.85

[yych208]

5 minutes ago, Chaplin said:

Going by the trends of the previous 3 years I am going to dare speculate that today should be a quiet day, and tomorrow early deadline invites. Many of the people here who haven't heard anything back yet are former interviewees. I remember well last year rejections went out Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday we're quiet and Thursday came invites when they took out early deadline.

 

Former interviewee here.

Last year it was Mon-silent, Tues- rejection, Wed- silent, Thurs-invites.

So today will most likely be a silent day as you speculated.

[Chaplin]

I checked last year's thread too. People posted rejections at 4:51 and 5:15 pm PST on Dec 12 2016 Monday.

[apple_med]

In the summer I was like “apply by Aug 1 to hear back one day earlier? Pfffttt” and now I’m like “One day earlier feels like a YEAR...why didn’t I apply early?!”

Today is going to be a long day. 

[JohnGrisham]

20 minutes ago, cardiac_arrest said:

TIME STAMP: 8:12PM (EST), 12/4/2017
Interview Invite or Regrets: Regrets
Early or Regular Deadline: Regular
AGPA (if applicable):  81.74
MCAT: 513
ECs: Founded national non-profit organization (still running); long-term volunteering with campus response team, university orientation, senior home, hospital interpreter, children reading programs; worked at medical testing lab; competitive soccer; competitive dance; salsa dancing; organized volunteer trip; started national fundraiser series (still running); internships in research and non-profits; etc
Current Degree: 4th year
Geography: IP
NAQ: 33.66
AQ: 17.19

TFR: 50.85

Quite close! keep up the grades this year and with AGPA you are very very likely to get an interview next year. Perhaps consider a 5th year as well if it means another year of 4.0.

[peanut.socks]

there was a person that posted on this thread yesterday saying that last year they got a rejection email on the wednesday though.. :|

[clever_smart_boy_like_me]

*

[clever_smart_boy_like_me]

2 hours ago, JohnGrisham said:

Quite close! keep up the grades this year and with AGPA you are very very likely to get an interview next year. Perhaps consider a 5th year as well if it means another year of 4.0.

^ seconded! You are so close and definitely have room in your GPA to improve @cardiac_arrest

[atsev1223]

Reading through everyone's EC, I definitely regret not putting hobbies and personal stuff on there. I focused too heavily on academics, academic ECs and "healthcare" ECs. I should have put more hobbies and things like that. That's what makes each of us different at the end of the day.

 

Best of luck to everyone else! We have our fingers crossed for you!

[med_iris]

Any MD/PhD applicant here? If so, have you guys heard anything yet? 

 

[cardiac_arrest]

1 hour ago, JohnGrisham said:

Quite close! keep up the grades this year and with AGPA you are very very likely to get an interview next year. Perhaps consider a 5th year as well if it means another year of 4.0.

So close... it's literally just my second year grades bringing me down, which is unfortunate. Every year other than that was solid. I might do a 5th year or a masters!