Guest dayne67 Posted March 28, 2006 Report Share Posted March 28, 2006 Like my and everyone else's rejection letter pretty much said: there are just too many qualified applicants, and not enough spots. Also, keep in mind that this year, the number of applicants increased by 30%. That increase will probably hold constant next year as well. So, it's going to take a near flawless portfolio (i.e. GPA, MCAT, extracurriculars, essay, references) to get in. I didn't have a 3.95 GPA, which is really a 4.0 WGPA for UofT, but I thought I had solid stats - but after some reflection, I guess I can improve in some areas. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest juicyprunes Posted March 28, 2006 Report Share Posted March 28, 2006 Perhaps modesty is something they're looking for as well? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest DancingDoc Posted March 28, 2006 Report Share Posted March 28, 2006 Juicyprunes.... you said it more directly than I was going to but for those of you with the great stats and ECs take a look at your essays and reconsider how you may have come across. I'm going to guess that you came across wrong. So for next year, maybe have someone who will be honest read them over and tell you if you come across as possibly lacking modesty or as unclear in why you want to be a doctor. Whatever the reason, good luck and hope your great stats and ECs eventually pay off. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest sensfan Posted March 28, 2006 Report Share Posted March 28, 2006 hey, don't assume that just because someone has great stats means they came off as an ass in their essay. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest MrNeuroscience Posted March 28, 2006 Report Share Posted March 28, 2006 I don't think that was the original point of Dancing Docs posting... rather, if you have good EC's and a good GPA, then, quite literally, something else must be holding you back. The only other things are your references and your essay. The only thing you have an ability to change and influence is your essay. There are loads of fantastic applicants, and there is barely any difference between a 3.9 and a 4... but there can be a huge difference in how you present yourself in an open-ended essay. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest docbil Posted March 28, 2006 Report Share Posted March 28, 2006 You guys, I know its painful to get a rejection. BUT you really have to live and let live. You have to realize that its not just you, it is the luck of the draw. When you get so many applicants, it happens. For those who are in their early 20s (20-24) it really is NOT a huge deal. Take a year to enjoy stuff, and re-apply. Take this as a break, because once you start medicine (and if you really want it, you will get into it), you will have no time to breath. PS. For everyone who left messages or regrets, Thanks for support. I will most likely be going south (or more correctly east) to do a DO degree. Again, if you want it bad enough you will make it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest rubberoduck Posted March 29, 2006 Report Share Posted March 29, 2006 I speak from personal experience that GPA is probably not the number one priority for UT adcom this year. Most of the people I know who received interviews are definitely far from being 4.0s. IN fact, many have relatively lower GPA. Some compensate with TRULY STELLAR MCAT, but most with good ECs. Judging from the types of applicants who received interviews, I think there was a certain bias against third year undergrads. Myself included, many people in my class were part of the re-reviewed batch, and as surprising as it sounds, those who got interviews don't have really outstanding GPA or MCATs. I think it is just as much the content and attitude of the essay as who reads them, so you should not feel bad or judge yourself in anyway if you don't receive the interview. That said, I just want to point out that my experience with UofT this year is that the selection has definitely deviated from the traditional mark-intensive approach. I see many low GPA applicants being offered interviews that, in Queen's or Western, would have be unambiguously given to people with a high GPA. However, having met some of these untraditional applicants, I can see UofT's rationale, because they are more well-rounded and better suited for medicine than many with just high GPAs. If i generalize, I'd say that these people have a clearer focus about why they want to become doctors and have the solid experience to back that up. If you want to improve your profile for next year's application, that's probably the one area to look into. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest cher Posted March 29, 2006 Report Share Posted March 29, 2006 the truth is with 3000 people applying, even if we were to change, it'll never be enough.....just TOO MANY people apply, so there is some luck involved of course. I'm worried that even if I show tons of people my essay and make it superb, you just never know because so many other people will get their essay looked at and have just as many EC's. Their is biases in choosing I'm sure, it's subjective and it's impossible to know for sure, with any gpa/mcat/essay/reference the outcome when you apply. so am i just going to reapply and be 1/4000 or 5000 (because remember double cohort group is next year, so the numbers applying will be HUGE) and see if i'm lucky and my name is somehow picked from this stellar group of people? My stats by the way are: gpa: 3.90 mcat: 11, 8, 11, Q (VR screwed me over for all the other canadian schools) ECs: A LOT, went abroad (africa), TA, NSERC, sick kids research, president of volunteer club.....etc. references/essay: OK, could use improvement I think, BUT with so many ppl. applying next yr. worried it won't be enough) and BTW: for those who did not get interviews, like myself, WHAT IS EVERYONE DOING FOR TILL 2007 ADMISSIONS???? GRAD SCHOOL, WORKING, OR NO PLANS YET LIKE MYSELF. -sorry if i discouraged any med applicants, i'm i guess in a VERY BAD MOOD from the reality of getting into med. school Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest rubberoduck Posted March 29, 2006 Report Share Posted March 29, 2006 to cher, Honestly, I don't think it's useful to compare stats. I personally don't think what you did means as much as what you learned from it. If it is any help to you, I wrote in my essay most about what I learned from my ECs (and the fact that they were continuous would also support my seriousness in them). People used to think that going abroad means a certain advantage, but I have heard stories about organizations that took people's money and didn't let them do anything. If you really want your ECs to count for something, then the essay is one way you can communicate to the adcom ppl that you're serious and that you have grown from your experiences. There are people like myself who cannot afford to visit abroad, but our local experiences are worth no less. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest treehuggingbiologist Posted March 29, 2006 Report Share Posted March 29, 2006 As Rubberoduck said - its all about how well you SELL your particular application. I think you're application is very impressive personally, with the exception of your 8 in VR (which will screw you over at most schools) but otherwise you seem to have quite competitive scores. Personally, i'm going back for a second undergrad, which should take a year or so (given that i'm just turning my minor into a major). I just made a post in the General Section, so hopefully that'll pick up and you can get an idea of what sorts of backup plans people have in mind. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest cher Posted March 29, 2006 Report Share Posted March 29, 2006 thanks both of you! i might have over reacted a bit, but it's just frustrating u know. anyways, I'm thinking of doing the mcat over, and will definitely edit & rewrite & rethink my essay. And Rubberoduck you're right about going abroad and I'm glad you got interviews without it because it's true that if some can't afford they should not be penalized for that and also if people have loyal commitments locally that is just as great (and even more if they have been committed for a long time). I am looking into masters, work terms, teaching programs and seeing what I can do for the year....but I am just starting to do these things, so many deadlines I missed. =( Hopefully, I find something productive to do. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest no wai Posted March 30, 2006 Report Share Posted March 30, 2006 The admission committee works in mysterious ways. I got an interview with: ~3.95 GPA 41S MCATs (12 verbal) 2 years of research. Very few ECs but each was done for 5+ years. My sketch was largely filled with high school academic contest results in the 99%-99.9% percentiles in math, bio, chem, and physics. My essay was decent but nothing spectacular. No clinical experience. Third year candidate. I have friends with near 4.0 GPA, 40mcats, 2 years of research, far more ECs and leadership positions, amazing essays, and years of clinical experience get rejected. It's a mystery. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest whocares123 Posted March 30, 2006 Report Share Posted March 30, 2006 Hey no wai, Which school are you at? I need to lift my MCAT up this summer, big thing that hurt me this year. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest no wai Posted April 1, 2006 Report Share Posted April 1, 2006 I'm at UT. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest TiBz88 Posted April 2, 2006 Report Share Posted April 2, 2006 Rejected as of friday, 4th year Honors Physiology GPA 3.95 MCAT 31Q (VR is likely a flag) 2 summers/honors project in research including publication and presentations, good EC's (based on past scores from other schools) Essay...no clue Good luck to the rest:) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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