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3.2GPA, 18O MCAT. Should I continue to apply in Canada or look to the Caribbean?


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Hi there,

 

I would like to get some advice for the predicament I find myself in right now. I am in my fourth year of university with a 3.2 GPA and an 18O on the MCAT. I have applied to UBC, Ontario (Mac, Ottawa, Toronto) and Memorial University for medicine. I am not considering the US because of the low MCAT scores I just recieved (MCAT written in Aug 2006) and, likewise, my plans to originally apply to Ireland become dampened. My application to UBC, Toronto, and Memorial do not have much prospect because of these MCAT scores either, and may not even be considered at all. I am planning to rewrite the MCAT's next summer if I do not get acceptance to any medical schools this year. However, I am trying my best to get in wherever I can. I am still considering the Carribean's for fall 2007. Can anyone give me some guidance in where I should be applying? Also, is it worth continuing applications for this year, before rewriting the MCAT, or would it just be a lost cause? Please, any feedback would be greatly appreciated. Thanks in advance.

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I don't want to be mean or anything, but a 3.2GPA is generally pretty low for Canadian schools. McMaster sets its cut-off, so if you are interested, I think you can apply there. Your 18O will definitely get flagged at any MCAT school you apply to. Its too low. You are averaging 6 and most schools tend to worry about anything under an 8. Anyone else have stuff to say....

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Hi there,

 

I would like to get some advice for the predicament I find myself in right now. I am in my fourth year of university with a 3.2 GPA and an 18O on the MCAT. I have applied to UBC, Ontario (Mac, Ottawa, Toronto) and Memorial University for medicine. I am not considering the US because of the low MCAT scores I just recieved (MCAT written in Aug 2006) and, likewise, my plans to originally apply to Ireland become dampened. My application to UBC, Toronto, and Memorial do not have much prospect because of these MCAT scores either, and may not even be considered at all. I am planning to rewrite the MCAT's next summer if I do not get acceptance to any medical schools this year. However, I am trying my best to get in wherever I can. I am still considering the Carribean's for fall 2007. Can anyone give me some guidance in where I should be applying? Also, is it worth continuing applications for this year, before rewriting the MCAT, or would it just be a lost cause? Please, any feedback would be greatly appreciated. Thanks in advance.

 

Rewrite your MCAT and apply again with the hopes that you'll get a better score. 18 is just not going to cut it, especially with a 3.2 GPA. Sorry to break the bad news to ya. :(

 

Even for the Caribbean schools an 18 is probably too low for the top 4 schools, and I wouldn't recommend going anywhere in the Caribbean besides those 4 schools...well, I wouldn't recommend going to the Caribbean at all, unless you have no other choice. Again, I would recommend re-writing the MCAT, get some great experiences to make your non-academic qualities shine through, and then apply again. Schools like U of Manitoba do not consider the GPA that much (only 10% of your app?) so you could have a shot there or other places if you can just improve your MCAT and non-academic qualities. If you can get a 34+ at UofM, you would be a competitive OOP applicant.

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I don't know anything about Caribbean schools, but with those stats, realistically you are unlikely to gain admission in Canada this year unless you have absoultely stellar nonacademic achievements. Imho, your first step is to sit down with a list of all the Canadian medical schools, go through the admissions requirements for every one, and see if you have a chance. Most of the schools are quite explicit about what it takes to get in, and you should be able to identify which, if any, schools you can have a chance at with improving your MCAT score and possibly upgrading your GPA.

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Hey,

 

You guys are all such downers! There's always a chance to get into medical school if you're willing to work hard enough!

To the original poster, what are the GPA breakdowns of your individual years? When you say that your GPA is 3.2 in your 4th year, does that mean that your 4th year GPA is 3.2 or that your cumulative GPA over four years of university is 3.2? There are many schools in Canada that don't penalize you for years with excessively low GPAs, such as Western and Queen's. Maybe you can do a 5th year and pull your marks up that way. Maybe you can drop a few courses until you have 3.5 left, which is still considered full-time in the eyes of Queen's. There are lots of possibilities that you an explore still. Plus there's always McMaster and their super-low GPA cutoff- you'd definitely still be in contention for that school!

I'd agree that generally speaking, your MCAT performance needs work. You can always re-write it in the spring (or are there monthly sittings now?). And if you do poorly on that, then you can re-write it unlimited times (potentially) until you get the marks that you want!

Anyway, the point that I'm trying to make is that you should really make sure that all of your avenues in Canada are exhausted before you look to apply abroad, because if you go abroad for medical school, chances are almost certain that you'll have a hard time coming back, unless you get into the U.S.!

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Hi there,

 

Thank you all for the replies, its really helping make clear some of the deicision I am going to make this year. As for my GPA, it is culmative, but it is as defined by OMSAS. That is, this is the GPA OMSAS claims I have after entering my marks on their application for my last three years. I do intend to write the MCAT again, and I think I am much more capable than my scores predict. I am thinking of applying to just Trinity in Ireland, and some of the other non-MCAT schools in the Carrib's, just as a safe in case I am eager to start medicine next year. My plan for now is to boost up my GPA this year, and if I do not get in to med next year I would probably take an extra year instead of a Master's. I understand that some schools will accept this toward the culmative GPA requirements. What do you guys think of this plan, is it viable? If you have any thought please post, and once again thanks for the replies. Best,

 

Ned

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Hi Ned,

 

Don't lose hope just yet. If this year you get above 3.7, do a fifth year and get above 3.7 again, you then have a fair chance at Western and Queen's. But you have to re-write that MCAT and score at least 10s in each section and a Q on the writing sample to get into Western, and overall of at least 32 to get into Queen's.

 

Also, I think Ireland requires MCAT scores in the 30 range, or at least high twenties. But maybe you should check on that.

 

Tyro

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Hey! You can definetely get into meds at some point, like peachy said I strongly suggest doing research before applying. I know a lot of people who have wasted a lot of money applying when they realistically have no shot. As for ireland I am not positive but I thought generally a person needs at least 8's on the mcat.

 

Like someone else said going to the caribbean can be very risky especially when it is one of the less reputable schools. I'd just beef up the gpa and rewrite the mcat next year. After all whats one year, if it means the difference of going to a great school in canada, or going to a bad school in the caribbean, having to bust your but to get an equally horrible residency in a desperate us program, and having a difficult time returning to Canada.

 

Anyways don't lose hope, it can be a longer process for some of us. I'm 25 and am applying for the first time this year, and I am not sweatin it if i don't get in this year, I'll just rewrite the mcat, and keep plugging away at it. Eventually someone will let me in;) Good Luck!

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Let's give some realistic advice people.

 

With those kind of marks and MCATs, you're chances of getting med school in canada is VERY poor. Look to other options in life.

 

Yes, but not all hope is lost.

If he or she manages to pull up their fourth year marks, and takes a fifth year and pulls them up also, then he or she may gain entry into Queens or Western. That is definitely possible.

 

Also, if his or her marks go up this year, then their overall cummulative GPA will go up a bit. I've seen stats on this site where people have gotten into UofT with lower than usual undergrad, but excellent research creds.

 

It will be tough, but to someone who wants it so badly, they may be willing to take the extra time to improve and try again. Not all doors are closed.

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I think that no wai is saying that it takes A LOT of effort to change the situation around, and that this time might be better spent elsewhere, with options that are more attainable. Then again, I think people on the forum have made the prognosis very clear (i.e. not very good, based on current situation), so it's up to the individual whether or not he/she wants to put in the extra effort.

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