Guest GP2B Posted January 23, 2006 Report Share Posted January 23, 2006 hi everybody! i am a dal hopeful, scheduled for the first interview date (january 28). i am also a dal alum, with a bsc and soon a masters degree as well. i have had a high gpa throughout both degrees (all grades except two b+s have been as), however my mcats were skimmers (enough to apply, but nothing more). with the interview fast approaching, i am wondering whether any past applicants/current students been in the same situation and how much emphasis the admissions committee places on mcat scores? thank you! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest MrNeuroscience Posted January 23, 2006 Report Share Posted January 23, 2006 Hi there, I am by no means an expert... but... All the information I hear about Dal is that your MCAT scores and GPA are used solely to grant you an interview... if you have the minimums, then you have an interview (except for OOPers). Beyond this, (again, from what I have heard) is that both your GPA and MCAT scores factor into the descision minutely, if even at all. The interview is the most important, followed by the letters you secured, followed by your EC's... If it is really worrying you though, flip down through the old Dal forum and look at the stats other individuals have posted regarding their acceptances, and see if any are similar to yours. Don't sweat it, as long as you get in the interview room, you stand as good a chance as everyone else! Good Luck!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest melNB Posted January 23, 2006 Report Share Posted January 23, 2006 I have heard the exact same thing. I know of someone that had a 3.5 and a 24 that got in. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest JewelLeigh Posted January 24, 2006 Report Share Posted January 24, 2006 This is incorrect. Yes, it is true that your gpa and mcat are the only factors that determine which maritime applicants receive an interview. But, the committee equal considers each of these four factors in determining whether or not to grant admission: - Academics - GPA & MCAT - Supplementary Sheet & Essays - Reference Letters - Interview Thus, yes, people who are very strong in the latter 3 areas but have a lower gpa and mcat are accepted. But that does not mean that academics are considered "minutely" or not at all. In response to the original poster...since your gpa is strong, and since you did a masters, then if you are strong in the other three areas - I would say you will not be significantly brought down by a lower mcat. So really - I wouldn't worry about it I mainly just wanted to clarify that mcat and gpa do have an relatively significant role to play post-interview (1/4 of the consideration approx.) in gaining admission to Dalhousie. Good luck on Saturday! JL Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest GP2B Posted January 25, 2006 Report Share Posted January 25, 2006 thank you, all... j.l., i very much appreciated your insight! good luck to everyone interviewing this year!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest MrNeuroscience Posted January 26, 2006 Report Share Posted January 26, 2006 Hi JL, Although you could be entirely correct, I was just wondering where you found this information... becuase I was under the distinct impression that at Dalhousie, the interview is the MOST imprtant part of your application, not just 1/4 of your application... Thanks! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest geekpunk Posted January 26, 2006 Report Share Posted January 26, 2006 According to a current Dal Med student (who was on the admissions committee a couple of years ago), you should either have a "high" MCAT or a "high" GPA so that the committee knows you have academic ability. She also said that GPA/MCAT are not solely used as flags, and actually come back in discussion post-interview during the adcom meetings. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest MrNeuroscience Posted January 26, 2006 Report Share Posted January 26, 2006 I realize this will be just speculation... but what is considered "High". To use myself as an example, I have the average MCAT (well, actually a 28) and a GPA of 3.7, which is above the posted average... but I would not consider either of my academic qualties as "High"... but rather, average, or a little highER than average. Is that to say you need a 4.0 or a 32 MCAT, but not both (theoretically they would average out to the posted stats, if everyone in the accepted class had one, or the other). Thanks! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest JewelLeigh Posted January 26, 2006 Report Share Posted January 26, 2006 I am a 2nd year Dal medical student doing an elective in admissions this year. The average gpa for the current first year class is 3.6 and the average mcat is 29. These are typical as far as I know. I would say that a good estimate of what "high" means, is above either of these two numbers. Mr. Neuroscience - my information is correct - each of those four areas is considered in determining admission. It should be noted however, that since at Dal there is not a numerical formula used for determining admission, any significant red flags in any of the four areas could cause an applicant to not be accepted no matter what their strengths in the remaining three. For example, a person with great academics, many strong extra-curriculars, well-written essays and a fantastic interview, but with three references who all state that it is impossible for the applicant to work as part of a team, may not be accepted. Thus, it is possible that a very bad interview could put an applicant out of the running, even if the other 3 areas are fantastic. I have not been given the impression, however, that the converse is true (ie. a really good interview can save someone lacking in the other three areas). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest MrNeuroscience Posted January 26, 2006 Report Share Posted January 26, 2006 Thanks very much for the information... I guess I'm not too sure why I thought what I did... just here-say I guess. I (and I'm sure everyone else who is getting ready/anxious/looking-forward-to the Dal interview) appreciate some solid facts about the admissions procedure. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest JewelLeigh Posted January 26, 2006 Report Share Posted January 26, 2006 No problem! Lots of luck Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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