top american schools... questions

[Guest UBClebronjames]

1. Has anyone heard of someone who got into the top ranked american school (ie Harvard, Duke, Johns Hopkins, Yale, Standford, Columbia)?

 

2. What was the profile of those that got interviews and got accepted (MCAT, GPA, other)?

 

3. What is your opinion of someone (a Canadian) who was lucky enough to get into Harvard or the other top listed schools above and also was granted enrollment at Toronto, McGill, UBC etc? Where would you go and why? What if you wanted to practice in Canada..would you still choose the american option?

[Guest dogeatdog12]

check out http://www.mdapplicants.com

 

it will help you.

[Guest moo]

1. Has anyone heard of someone who got into the top ranked american school (ie Harvard, Duke, Johns Hopkins, Yale, Standford, Columbia)?

 

--Yes, I know of several. One girl I know got into Hopkins, Harvard, and UBC (and probably others). She's a second year at Hopkins now. Another I know got into Vanderbilt. Another one I know got into UT and Vanderbilt (and others) and is at Vanderbilt now, and I interviewed at Duke and Columbia and am a second year at Northwestern now (only applied to two Canadian schools).

 

2. What was the profile of those that got interviews and got accepted (MCAT, GPA, other)?

 

--The girl I know had a 4.0 or close to a 4.0, a sky high MCAT and was involved in A LOT of extracurrics. (I don't just mean your typical volunteering at the hospital or what not.) The one guy who turned down UT for Vanderbilt, interestingly got a letter from UT asking why he turned down the top medical school in Canada.

 

3. What is your opinion of someone (a Canadian) who was lucky enough to get into Harvard or the other top listed schools above and also was granted enrollment at Toronto, McGill, UBC etc? Where would you go and why? What if you wanted to practice in Canada..would you still choose the american option?

 

--Tough choice... I like the experience of living in America and learning about their health care system and if I got a scholarship I'd pick the American school without a doubt. It's all about what you want out of your life. For me, 35k a year is tough to swallow but I think things will all work out in the end, especially if you don't mind living and working in America (which is not as bad as all you nationalistic Canadians think). Right now though I want to go back to Canada (or the Vancouver-Seattle area more specifically) but that has more to do with personal reasons than anything.

[Guest dogeatdog12]

do you know of the student loan situation for canadian students. I wouldn't be considered a canadian in the application process but rather american student. I just wanted to know how much of my tuition would be covered (i.e I would probably need all).

 

just wanted to ask, what did you mean by- "I don't just mean your typical volunteering at the hospital or what not"

[Guest moo]

Well, for Americans you have the stafford loan program, and some other loans that I'm not really familiar with. For Canadians, there's the Canhelp as well.

 

I meant that girl was like actively involved in student politics, did some overseas stuff, etc.

[Guest peachy]

1. Has anyone heard of someone who got into the top ranked american school (ie Harvard, Duke, Johns Hopkins, Yale, Standford, Columbia)?

Yes, several.

 

3. What is your opinion of someone (a Canadian) who was lucky enough to get into Harvard or the other top listed schools above and also was granted enrollment at Toronto, McGill, UBC etc? Where would you go and why? What if you wanted to practice in Canada..would you still choose the american option?

In my experience, people who get accepted to top American schools go there.

 

The reason isn't (I don't think) because it's obvious that you'd want to go to an American school, it's more that the kind of people who both (a) are competitive for top US schools and ( want to stay in Canada just don't tend to apply to the top US schools.

 

Obviously that doesn't apply to everybody, but it does apply to the people that I know who are now at US schools, for the most part.

[Guest Steve U of T]

Does anybody know much about Washington University in St. Louis? Last year, after writing the MCAT, they sent me an information package and a letter inviting me to apply (someone told me they contact anyone who scores above 37). At the time (in 3rd year undergrad), I wanted to finish my honours degree, so I didn't apply. Besides, I received that letter a week before the AMCAS deadline. I'm considering applying this year, but from what I understand, they'll expect a response to an offer of admission before I receive any offers from Ontario schools. The USNews ranking has them tied for 2nd with Hopkins for research, and I know it's a good school, but I would still prefer to stay in Canada. I'm not sure I want to apply because if I get in, my Ontario applications would have been a waste, and if I don't get in, the money spent on AMCAS would have gone to waste. Anyone have thoughts on this?

[Guest moo]

Just because you got a letter doesn't mean you'll get in; I know a few people who got a letter who didn't even get an interview. However, it is a good school, but if you get in, you basically have until May 15 to decide whether you want to go, and even if you do, and you send in your deposit (won't be more than 100 USD; you usually send in your deposit once you get accepted, but they will refund it if you withdraw before May 15) you can always withdraw if you get an offer somewhere else. So basically all you have to lose is 100 USD at most. (Deposit may be actually less than that, check with the school.) Good thing is this school offers a lot of scholarships and there are a lot of Canadians there.

[Guest Steve U of T]

Of course I know that letter doesn't mean I'll get in. Those letters are sent to anyone with MCAT scores above their average, and no other factors are considered. I just mention it because that's what brought my attention to the school, and I probably wouldn't know anything about it otherwise.

 

The problem is that May 15 is 15 days before Ontario schools start sending offers of admission. If the deposit is only $100, I suppose it wouldn't be a major loss should I receive an offer afterward and decide to change my mind, but I was under the impression it would be more. I think most Ontario schools ask for $1000, and I had assumed schools elsewhere ask for the same, if not more.

[Guest malepatternbaldness]

I just received a letter today from Washington University in St. Louis inviting me to apply. I had not considered doing so before because I assumed that it was nearly impossible for Canadians to receive financial aid at US schools. However, it appears that this is not the case.

 

Considering that Washington uses a rolling admissions process, have I made it nearly impossible for myself to get invited for an interview by waiting so late to apply? What percentage of seats have schools usually offered by this point?

 

Thanks for any advice that you may have.

[Guest studentz]

I got the letter too. I'm not applying this year because of the school's rolling admissions and some other fators, but I would simply call the guy who signed the letter and ask him how many spots are still left.

 

WU tied with hopkins for 2nd in the latest US world rankings and is an outstanding school, but they are (from what I hear) VERY stats oriented (GPA & MCAT) with the highest avg matriculant stats on the continent. They also like research so if you're into that you'll probably fit right in. From the guide that was in the package, the facilities look amazing, with two of the State's best hospitals and that new pediatric research building.

 

The secondary is on their site and won't take long to complete if you do apply. I also think the letter is a clever way for them to get $ out of ppl. who weren't considering applying;)

 

As for financial aid, they have amazing scholaships that Canadians can win. One of my referee's past students won a tuition award but went to UofT instead.