What should I do? (Go to Australia or re-apply)

[Britesharpie93]

Hey everyone. I'm looking for some input today. I don't have a lot of friends going through the med school application process and I have a big decision to make. I am 26 and I've been working for the past 2 years after finishing my undergraduate degree. I'm IP for Alberta, and my GPA in each year has been 2.06, 2.85, 3.30, 3.84, 3.91 and 3.94. My new MCAT score from Aug 2019 is 128/129/127/128 for C/P, CARS, B/B and P/S. This is my first time not getting a 125 in CARS so I am planning on applying to Queen's and Western this year and hopefully meeting their cut offs this time around. My pre-interview score at U of C was a little over 100 and the cut-off for an interview was around 102. I don't think I met the MCAT cut-off at Queen's last year.

The thing is, I've just been accepted to medical school in Australia and it starts at the end of January. I've only applied to U of C, U of A and Queen's in the past due to my lower weighted GPA (3.56 at Calgary and Alberta) and my lower CARS score (125 previously). Now that I just got my MCAT score back with a 129 in CARS, I feel like there's a bit more hope and that I could potentially get in in Canada. I do feel a bit of pressure from my family to move on and go to medical school in Australia. I also have paid a deposit ($2000 of it is non-refundable). However, I know that nothing is guaranteed in Canada and I could end the 2019/2020 cycle with no acceptances. 

I am planning on applying to U of A, U of C, Queen's and Western this cycle. I have a lot of varied and long-term volunteer experience which I think would give me a leg up with Western's new abbreviated ABS, but again I know nothing is guaranteed and its very competitive. 

Do you think it would be worth it to stay and not go to Australia this year? Or looking at my stats should I move on and just do med school in Australia? I'm pretty confused and don't really know what to do. I try to weigh the pros and cons but I feel like someone else's unbiased insight would help, since the only other people i talk to about this are my family and friends and they don't really know much about the process. Any insight would be much appreciated!!!!

[DNM]

I'd reapply. You have a legit shot at interviews at 2+schools. Australia seems like too much of a headache 

[VigoVirgo]

3 hours ago, Britesharpie93 said:

Hey everyone. I'm looking for some input today. I don't have a lot of friends going through the med school application process and I have a big decision to make. I am 26 and I've been working for the past 2 years after finishing my undergraduate degree. I'm IP for Alberta, and my GPA in each year has been 2.06, 2.85, 3.30, 3.84, 3.91 and 3.94. My new MCAT score from Aug 2019 is 128/129/127/128 for C/P, CARS, B/B and P/S. This is my first time not getting a 125 in CARS so I am planning on applying to Queen's and Western this year and hopefully meeting their cut offs this time around. My pre-interview score at U of C was a little over 100 and the cut-off for an interview was around 102. I don't think I met the MCAT cut-off at Queen's last year.

The thing is, I've just been accepted to medical school in Australia and it starts at the end of January. I've only applied to U of C, U of A and Queen's in the past due to my lower weighted GPA (3.56 at Calgary and Alberta) and my lower CARS score (125 previously). Now that I just got my MCAT score back with a 129 in CARS, I feel like there's a bit more hope and that I could potentially get in in Canada. I do feel a bit of pressure from my family to move on and go to medical school in Australia. I also have paid a deposit ($2000 of it is non-refundable). However, I know that nothing is guaranteed in Canada and I could end the 2019/2020 cycle with no acceptances. 

I am planning on applying to U of A, U of C, Queen's and Western this cycle. I have a lot of varied and long-term volunteer experience which I think would give me a leg up with Western's new abbreviated ABS, but again I know nothing is guaranteed and its very competitive. 

Do you think it would be worth it to stay and not go to Australia this year? Or looking at my stats should I move on and just do med school in Australia? I'm pretty confused and don't really know what to do. I try to weigh the pros and cons but I feel like someone else's unbiased insight would help, since the only other people i talk to about this are my family and friends and they don't really know much about the process. Any insight would be much appreciated!!!!

I would apply one more time in Canada. If you got into an Australian school this year you will probably get into one next year too. Applying in Canada one more cycle would be worth it to avoid the headache of being an international med grad. Does your family know that it is a very complicated process to come back to Canada and most Canadians either stay in Australia or go to America? Because that is the reality of the situation. 

[Britesharpie93]

13 hours ago, DNM said:

I'd reapply. You have a legit shot at interviews at 2+schools. Australia seems like too much of a headache 

Thank you! 

12 hours ago, VigoVirgo said:

I would apply one more time in Canada. If you got into an Australian school this year you will probably get into one next year too. Applying in Canada one more cycle would be worth it to avoid the headache of being an international med grad. Does your family know that it is a very complicated process to come back to Canada and most Canadians either stay in Australia or go to America? Because that is the reality of the situation. 

Thank you!. I'm worried I won't get any interviews at all. I think that's what my family is thinking too after seeing me get no interviews for the past 2 years. I didn't have a competitive MCAT those cycles though and was moreso just hoping the cut offs might change or I'd get lucky. I do feel like I might have more of a chance this year though but I may end up with no interviews once again 

[Britesharpie93]

I think its turning down Australia and entering the uncertainty of this entire process again thats giving me pause. Are my stats sufficient to get an interview to a Canadian medical school or am I just beating a dead horse at this point? 

[IMislove]

1 hour ago, Britesharpie93 said:

I think its turning down Australia and entering the uncertainty of this entire process again thats giving me pause. Are my stats sufficient to get an interview to a Canadian medical school or am I just beating a dead horse at this point? 

I applied many times. It was more important for me to match in Canada than MAYBE matching in the states and essentially not being able to match to Canada (especially something thats competitive which pretty much is impossible unless you’re a research rockstar). So if you wanna gamble that you may end up in the states, or MAYBE AUs but that’s actually becoming even more difficult now according to the aussy doc we got on here, what’s one more year, especially with a markedly improved MCAT. 

 

That 129 is gunna do well for western and Mac, idk what your cGPA is but that will matter, if you destroy Casper then mac really becomes a potential for you. 

[Britesharpie93]

1 hour ago, IMislove said:

I applied many times. It was more important for me to match in Canada than MAYBE matching in the states and essentially not being able to match to Canada (especially something thats competitive which pretty much is impossible unless you’re a research rockstar). So if you wanna gamble that you may end up in the states, or MAYBE AUs but that’s actually becoming even more difficult now according to the aussy doc we got on here, what’s one more year, especially with a markedly improved MCAT. 

 

That 129 is gunna do well for western and Mac, idk what your cGPA is but that will matter, if you destroy Casper then mac really becomes a potential for you. 

Yes, I totally agree with you. Thank you for the reply.