Class of Medicine 1985 Entrance Scholarship for 2018

[YLA007 29]

I came across the webpage with the Class of Medicine 1985 Entrance Scholarship https://www.mcgill.ca/medadmissions/newstudents/financial-aid. Does anyone know if this is only for Med-P or first-degree students, or can Quebec University applicants also apply? Also, does this application require an invitation to apply (in the description it says "submission of an invited supplemental essay", but then makes no reference to this anywhere in the instructions)?

Thanks!

[HoopDreams 203]

Since it falls under the Med-P bullet I would assume it's for Med-P?

[YLA007 29]

1 minute ago, HoopDreams said:

Since it falls under the Med-P bullet I would assume it's for Med-P?

I hear that, can anyone verify? Or I can call admissions I guess

[HoopDreams 203]

Actually I might be wrong. Looking at this page, it states that it is for incoming MDCM students. Your best bet is mail them I believe. Good luck !

https://www.mcgill.ca/study/2015-2016/faculties/medicine/professional/ug_med_admissions_entrance_scholarships

Quote

• Established in 2011 by the Class of Medicine 1985. Awarded, based on consideration of applicant's admissions file and submission of an invited supplemental essay, by the Faculty of Medicine to incoming students in the M.D.,C.M. program. Recipients will be selected by the "Widening Participation Committee" whose mandate is to promote diversity and equity in the classroom.

 

[YLA007 29]

Just now, HoopDreams said:

Actually I might be wrong. Looking at this page, it states that it is for incoming MDCM students. Your best bet is mail them I believe. Good luck !

https://www.mcgill.ca/study/2015-2016/faculties/medicine/professional/ug_med_admissions_entrance_scholarships

 

Hey thanks! I will do that, and will post here to let you know

[ItsBeenReal 47]

6 hours ago, YLA007 said:

Hey thanks! I will do that, and will post here to let you know

I believe it's open to everyone 

[YLA007 29]

1 hour ago, ItsBeenReal said:

I believe it's open to everyone 

Thanks!

[Organeer 10]

While we are on this topic, does anyone have any insight as to when the entering class would hear about the entrance scholarships to which applicants need not apply? I can only speculate, but I figured they would want to release that information earlier rather than later to entice top students who are accepted to multiple schools?

 

Thanks

[YLA007 29]

3 hours ago, Organeer said:

While we are on this topic, does anyone have any insight as to when the entering class would hear about the entrance scholarships to which applicants need not apply? I can only speculate, but I figured they would want to release that information earlier rather than later to entice top students who are accepted to multiple schools?

 

Thanks

I'm not sure, but which multiple schools would you be referring to? McGill is by far the cheapest English school for anyone in province, and French schools have yet to accept anyone for a while still. For OOP, there are only a few provinces that offer lower tuition than McGill, and there would be very few students who would be in a situation where a scholarship would make McGill more worthwhile than their IP acceptance. Just saying

[Organeer 10]

2 hours ago, YLA007 said:

I'm not sure, but which multiple schools would you be referring to? McGill is by far the cheapest English school for anyone in province, and French schools have yet to accept anyone for a while still. For OOP, there are only a few provinces that offer lower tuition than McGill, and there would be very few students who would be in a situation where a scholarship would make McGill more worthwhile than their IP acceptance. Just saying

Thanks for the reply. I agree with you that McGill offers a great deal for their med students. It is my understanding that scholarships are given out to students in any program to not only congratulate meritorious students but to also attract them. Profs always say that universities are businesses, and scholarships are given out to attract talent. If the select few students that you were referring to, had the luxury of choosing between multiple schools, I would assume that these scholarships are meant to act as deal breakers over other options.

We should also consider other cases where there are very stellar applicants who want to be doctors and would make great doctors but the idea of any debt would be very tough based on individual circumstances even with a line of credit, for example, if they already have a family and are financially stressed. I can see situations where people who got into McGill continue to debate whether or not to accept their offer, and not work for another 4 years at least, or decline in favour of working immediately. A merit based scholarship, in addition to need based bursaries,  may sway these decisions. 

Either way, I just wanted to know when students found out about entrance scholarships. 

Cheers

[YLA007 29]

5 hours ago, Organeer said:

Thanks for the reply. I agree with you that McGill offers a great deal for their med students. It is my understanding that scholarships are given out to students in any program to not only congratulate meritorious students but to also attract them. Profs always say that universities are businesses, and scholarships are given out to attract talent. If the select few students that you were referring to, had the luxury of choosing between multiple schools, I would assume that these scholarships are meant to act as deal breakers over other options.

We should also consider other cases where there are very stellar applicants who want to be doctors and would make great doctors but the idea of any debt would be very tough based on individual circumstances even with a line of credit, for example, if they already have a family and are financially stressed. I can see situations where people who got into McGill continue to debate whether or not to accept their offer, and not work for another 4 years at least, or decline in favour of working immediately. A merit based scholarship, in addition to need based bursaries,  may sway these decisions. 

Either way, I just wanted to know when students found out about entrance scholarships. 

Cheers

I hear what you're saying, but I don't see why are these reasons for early release of merit scholarships. As I said, there may exist a very slight chance of losing about one student who may find a very slightly cheaper tuition in their home province, and who can't wait a couple months to finalize their arrangements for some reason, and even that I'm not quite sure about.

As to your new point about applicants under financial stress, I truly hope that no one would consider withdrawing an acceptance when there are loans, LOCs, and need-based bursaries readily available. The total cost of 4 years at McGill is about 25k, or about 10% (give or take) of what a physician will make every year of their career. If under financial stress and with a large family, say for argument's sake that the need is about 60k per year (it will obviously vary tremendously, but I think that's a number that will cover most scenarios of this sort). The province of Quebec and the government of Canada are both pretty generous with family support, such that a Quebec resident with say three children will receive about 20k per year (varies greatly based on personal situation, etc.), even before bursaries and loans. The available funds from loans, LOCs, and need-based bursaries in this case (besides for merit scholarships) would be enough to allow a decent lifestyle over the duration of training, and loans can be paid back over the ensuing years with little strain. It is entirely reasonable for someone to invest a little bit toward their future in a career that earns some of the highest salaries in the country. If there is a spouse involved, perhaps they could work a bit as well. This isn't the US with half a million dollar debts, 7% cumulative interest rates, scarce need-based bursaries, and expensive health insurance. This is McGill, with a total 4-year price tag of 25k and ample financial resources! Even in the US, many would advise students to go for it anyways (I speak from experience). 

Furthermore, this person would probably have had a family and/or financial strain during at least part of whatever university degree or prereqs they just did, and they still purposely invested a lot of time, effort, and money in getting a degree, doing ECs, and the like in preparation for med school knowing what they were aiming for. Instead of contemplating dropping the offer unless they get a "merit" scholarship in early spring, they should rather take the time now to fill out need-based scholarship applications both from McGill and from external sources. Also, I don't think there are many opportunities for immediate work for floating around that would provide enough to relieve financial strain for a family, more so than the generous loans and need-based bursaries available to med students along with the near-assurance of a relatively easy repayment in the long term. Furthermore, the entirety of a merit scholarship at McGill will save a student perhaps 7-10k per year in loans, generally speaking (some are larger), and that difference in loan amount is really very small in the big picture, and shouldn't change your dreams. I believe people take out way larger loans to start their businesses and such. Finally, that is not what merit scholarships are for. They may be there to encourage excellence, attract "top" applicants, or perhaps even to allow great students to reach their full potential without financial concerns to distract them, but they are not meant to directly relieve financial strain, especially not of the caliber that would make someone abandon their dreams that are finally in reach. That is what need-based bursaries ar for, as well as loans and LOCs, and it is not hard to get them if one qualifies. If a school wants to support students of high caliber who also have great need with a merit scholarship, so be it and it's wonderful, but that shouldn't be what your own decision depends on.

I know this was a bit long, and somewhat repetitive, but I really want to make that point for anyone who may find themselves in such a situation. I obviously cannot speak unequivocally, but generally speaking, I truly think it would be a very bad move for anyone to drop an acceptance to med school for these concerns, for their own and their family's good. Think of the big picture, and go for what your heart tells you to do! I wish everyone the best of luck in making these important decisions.

Getting back to your question, I don't know when merit awards are released, but I don't think McGill is under any pressure to release them early for the reasons you mentioned.

Take care!

[Eudaimonia 309]

@Organeer Since it seems the application ones are due June, I would guess the merit based ones would be evaluated at the same time or before the committee receives the applications. But like YLA007 outlined, I don't think McGill has much incentive to release them early. Toronto releases scholarships offers with their admission letter but that is advantageous to them due to the cost of the city, while Dalhousie notifies of applied scholarships once school has started (I'd guess automatic scholarships not too earlier than that) since most IP accept the offers. I agree it would be nice to know beforehand since it was a factor in my decision, but in the end, Dalhousie would've had to given me a substantial scholarship to match the lower tuition at McGill, and also I found nothing beats how McGill's program just "feels right" to me

[YLA007 29]

28 minutes ago, Eudaimonia said:

@Organeer Since it seems the application ones are due June, I would guess the merit based ones would be evaluated at the same time or before the committee receives the applications. But like YLA007 outlined, I don't think McGill has much incentive to release them early. Toronto releases scholarships offers with their admission letter but that is advantageous to them due to the cost of the city, while Dalhousie notifies of applied scholarships once school has started (I'd guess automatic scholarships not too earlier than that) since most IP accept the offers. I agree it would be nice to know beforehand since it was a factor in my decision, but in the end, Dalhousie would've had to given me a substantial scholarship to match the lower tuition at McGill, and also I found nothing beats how McGill's program just "feels right" to me

McGill is truly an awesome school, and your last comment there just reminded me how excited I am! I can't wait to meet the whole class! Couldn't resist....

[doctor_snow 4]

Does anyone know the value of this scholarship? I know it says varies. So I'm asking if anyone knows someone who received it and what the value is.

[kiterunner 14]

6 hours ago, doctor_snow said:

Does anyone know the value of this scholarship? I know it says varies. So I'm asking if anyone knows someone who received it and what the value is.

Not sure, but the deadline passed two weeks ago.

[canada747 24]

Anyone hear anything back about this or other awards yet?

[sharkeisha 4]

1 hour ago, canada747 said:

Anyone hear anything back about this or other awards yet?

I haven't. The email that they sent out about the award does state that "A recipient will be selected in July". So, hopefully, they will release the result soon?!

[Vendar 91]

Before you get the email, your Minerva may update before hand. Just go to your acceptance and then Financial Aid & Awards. I checked today and I see a scholarship there. Good luck to everyone else!

[sharkeisha 4]

9 hours ago, Vendar said:

Before you get the email, your Minerva may update before hand. Just go to your acceptance and then Financial Aid & Awards. I checked today and I see a scholarship there. Good luck to everyone else!

Only one person is expected to get it if I am not wrong! Congratulations!  

[canada747 24]

1 hour ago, sharkeisha said:

Only one person is expected to get it if I am not wrong! Congratulations!  

He or she said "a" scholarship. Also, the website now says that the Class of 1985 Scholarship winner will be contacted in August!

[Vendar 91]

Not sure if this is the same one, as there are other scholarships based on your MMI performance and GPA, etc. If I get more info I will let you know! 

[YLA007 29]

It seems that the single recipient of this particular scholarship has been chosen. Got a nice email explaining that it was unfortunately not me, so congrats to the lucky one! So now all our questions have been answered! Maybe...

[canada747 24]

Any word on the entrance (merit-based) scholarships?

[YLA007 29]

6 hours ago, canada747 said:

Any word on the entrance (merit-based) scholarships?

I don't know, but would imagine they've all been awarded. I mean, school pretty much began already

[canada747 24]

lol true

hope you enjoyed frosh mystery account @YLA007