Which university to pick

[Strugglingstudent003]

So I’m currently a grade 12 bc student with offers for both ubc and uofc for kinesiology. 
 

I am wondering if moving to Calgary for undergrad is worth the albertan in province status in the future.

but tbh I would prefer going to ubc much more because I already know a lot of older friends in the program that could give me advice and guide me through the program.

Would it still be worth moving?

Another thing that I could possibly do is transfer to Calgary after my 2nd year.

 

any thoughts on what I should do would be very helpful.

 

im also not dead set on medicine, I would also consider doing dentistry or physio 

 

[neurologist19]

what not UBC? if you are concerned about grades, you can get very good marks at UBC if you study hard and consistently. 

[Strugglingstudent003]

4 minutes ago, neurologist19 said:

what not UBC? if you are concerned about grades, you can get very good marks at UBC if you study hard and consistently. 

I actually do prefer going to ubc. As I’m a bc resident I already have IP status in bc so I’m wondering if moving for undergrad either now or later to get IP status in Alberta too is worth it

[amiralangs]

If I could do things over, I would have moved. If you're from BC and you move to Alberta, you are now IP for 3 medical schools. 

[Strugglingstudent003]

6 minutes ago, amiralangs said:

If I could do things over, I would have moved. If you're from BC and you move to Alberta, you are now IP for 3 medical schools. 

So I read online that it takes 24 months of living in alberta to gain in province. In your opinion would it be worth it for me to study my first 2 years at ubc then transfer?

[amiralangs]

1 minute ago, Strugglingstudent003 said:

So I read online that it takes 24 months of living in alberta to gain in province. In your opinion would it be worth it for me to study my first 2 years at ubc then transfer?

I'd do some research first. I would advise against switching part way through unless if you know 100% that your courses transfer. I had a friend transfer from UBC to UofA, and she had to do an additional year because some courses didn't transfer. 

If you can afford the living expenses in Alberta (assuming you weren't paying bills in BC), I think it's worth seriously considering the move. 

 

[neurologist19]

1 hour ago, Strugglingstudent003 said:

I actually do prefer going to ubc. As I’m a bc resident I already have IP status in bc so I’m wondering if moving for undergrad either now or later to get IP status in Alberta too is worth it

Make your the grading system in Calgary is in your advantage. UBC grades are percentage based if you your transcripts are letter-based, your converted mark would be at most 92% and that is if you have a perfect 4/4

[zoxy]

Beware of UBC's grade conversion scale. An A+ is an 95, an A is an 87, and an A- is an 82. If you go to McGill or an American school that doesn't have A+s, a perfect GPA will only be a 92.

[zoxy]

11 minutes ago, neurologist19 said:

Make your the grading system in Calgary is in your advantage. UBC grades are percentage based if you your transcripts are letter-based, your converted mark would be at most 92% and that is if you have a perfect 4/4

This is inaccurate for UCalgary. McGill and American schools are capped at 92 because they don't have an A+ grade. Calgary and UAlberta would be capped at 95 since they DO use A+. UBC uses different conversion tables for schools that have or don't have A+.

Link: https://mdprogram.med.ubc.ca/admissions/evaluation-criteria/

[frenchpress]

Also beware the residency definitions, which can change - your suggested plan for being IP in both provinces assumes you get in to medical school before graduation. Currently UBC IP status requires you to have a valid services card I.e. be eligible for MSP coverage - if you’re in Alberta as a student you can keep your UBC MSP, but once you graduate you have one month to return to BC, otherwise you lose your MSP and with it your IP status. So you’d either need to move back to BC, and potentially lose Alberta IP (at least at UofA) status, or switch your health coverage to Alberta, and lose BC IP. Right now the UofC definitions is not quite as strict, as you just need 2 years total of residency between age 15 and application. But even they say that if you’re going home to another province for the summers then they may not consider you a resident. 

https://www2.gov.bc.ca/gov/content/health/health-drug-coverage/msp/bc-residents/managing-your-msp-account/leaving-bc-temporarily

https://calendar.ualberta.ca/content.php?catoid=33&navoid=9825#residence_requirements

https://cumming.ucalgary.ca/sites/default/files/teams/4/Admissions/20_21Applicant Manual_July7FINAL.pdf (see examples on Page 11)

My point being, getting into medicine can be a long journey, and trying to game the system can be difficult. Ultimately, your best chance at getting into the most schools is to do your degree somewhere where you’ll have support to get the best grades possible while also having hobbies, ECs, volunteering, etc. If you’re from BC and have a support system here, that may be a better option than leaving home for 4 years just on the hope that Alberta medical schools don’t change their residency definitions in the meantime or deny you on a technicality. 

Edited April 24, 2021 by frenchpress

[shikimate]

I noticed the UofC booklet mentions Selkirk College Rural Pre-Medicine Program located in Castlegar, British Columbia. Not much about it on here it seems but UofC recognizes it as AB IP for the purpose. Seems pretty sweet deal. Anyone know about it?

[Strugglingstudent003]

2 hours ago, frenchpress said:

Also beware the residency definitions, which can change - your suggested plan for being IP in both provinces assumes you get in to medical school before graduation. Currently UBC IP status requires you to have a valid services card I.e. be eligible for MSP coverage - if you’re in Alberta as a student you can keep your UBC MSP, but once you graduate you have one month to return to BC, otherwise you lose your MSP and with it your IP status. So you’d either need to move back to BC, and potentially lose Alberta IP (at least at UofA) status, or switch your health coverage to Alberta, and lose BC IP. Right now the UofC definitions is not quite as strict, as you just need 2 years total of residency between age 15 and application. But even they say that if you’re going home to another province for the summers then they may not consider you a resident. 

https://www2.gov.bc.ca/gov/content/health/health-drug-coverage/msp/bc-residents/managing-your-msp-account/leaving-bc-temporarily

https://calendar.ualberta.ca/content.php?catoid=33&navoid=9825#residence_requirements

https://cumming.ucalgary.ca/sites/default/files/teams/4/Admissions/20_21Applicant Manual_July7FINAL.pdf (see examples on Page 11)

My point being, getting into medicine can be a long journey, and trying to game the system can be difficult. Ultimately, your best chance at getting into the most schools is to do your degree somewhere where you’ll have support to get the best grades possible while also having hobbies, ECs, volunteering, etc. If you’re from BC and have a support system here, that may be a better option than leaving home for 4 years just on the hope that Alberta medical schools don’t change their residency definitions in the meantime or deny you on a technicality. 

Thanks that explanation really helped.