another "need advice" post

[Alastriss]

Ok so here's my dilemma:

in third year, going to apply next year. My first choices are UT, queens, Mac, UWO, and UO

 

My gpa is:

year 1: 3.6 (with orgo in spring 3.6167)

year 2: 3.67

year 3: 3.83 (with summer course very likely to be 3.84545)

 

My UT gpa is 3.82 and my AMCAS GPA is 3.83 but very likely (with 3rd year summer course 3.84)

I was planning to write my mcats last year, but I bailed like a few days before because I wasn't ready for verbal. according to mock exams (AAMC)

i had steady scores of 13 on PS and BS. MY verbal was improving towards the end and i was at a 9, but I feel that there was much room for improvement & I just didnt have time and because I knew i was likely going to rewrite it so I decided to save my 'extra chance' and not do it. Therefore i am writing it this summer.

 

my cGPA for mac will be 3.71 and I said my UT gpa is 3.82, both below the mean, but moreso I feel like I am Lacking in ECs.

I am involved in medically related clubs, have volunteering in different hospital departments, etc. I am going to be working in a lab doing cancer research for the summer which is joined with my 4th year thesis which should apparently get me at least a publication (or two if im lucky) by the end of my 4th year.

 

I feel that I might be able to make the cutoffs for queens and UWO, but I will be crashing down fast for the interview cuz i just lack ECs. As of UT and Mac, I don't feel like my score is competive considernig my lack of ECs that don't make up for my below-the-mean GPA.

 

If I expect that (and this is within reason) after 4th year, I will have a 3.76 (3.85 UT and 3.88 amcas). So is it best to do a 5th year or do a masters?

my reasoning is that if My gpa is competitive enough then I can do a 5th year and apply, but if its not as competitive, I can do a masters, be in an easier pool for UT, gain that 0.01 for mac, and have more time to build ECs for other schools. Some ECs i will build are joining the canadian reserves as a med tech ( as close as you can get to a doctor without being one, learn first aid, give prescriptions, do ECGs, prepare lab specimens, etc.) and i will be going overseas for relief work.

What do u guys think?

i know that it depends on my mcat as well, but based on the information I've given you, can you give me some advice? thanks!

[DeeDoc]

Your MCAT will make or break you. I think you could apply to UWO since you have a 3.83 in your third year. Your EC's sound totally alright, you should probably keep doing what you're doing, and work on your MCAT studying. If I were you, I'd start reading some obscure stuff, just to get used to the kind of MCAT stuff you'll have to read.

 

Best of Luck!

[bioboy2007]

Just aim for 10+ on each section of the MCAT and a 'Q' or higher on your writing sample. Your GPA will get you an automatic interview at UWO and Queen's (based on this year's cutoffs). Therefore, you'd have at least 2 interviews during the application cycle, if not more.

[Smurfette]

Here's my advice:

 

(1) Make sure you do well on those MCAT's.

 

(2) Keep up your GPA. You're kind of borderline right now. You still have a good chance of pulling them up and if you don't get in this year, at least you'll get in the year afterwards. But if your GPA drops then you're left with a lot less options.

 

(3) You don't really have all that much time to work on your EC's before your applications although you could do stuff up until interviews and if you got an interview you would be able to talk about them. But you'd probably be better off focusing on your academics and then doing the EC's overtime (eg. in the next year) rather than having your marks drop. However...(4)

 

(4) I would work *very* hard on your applications come Aug/Sept. You sound like you have okay EC's - not great, but if you worded it the right way and thought a lot about what you learned from them and how you might present them in the best light, then you could get away with it. If you get an interview (and for Queen's and Western it's just academic cutoffs), then you don't really need a large volume of EC's. All you need is the ability to talk reflectively about them...which requires some preparation.

[Alastriss]

How is it looking for UT if I apply in 4th year? and with a publication (apparently very likely) would it be advantageous to do a 5th year or master?

[clkt]

Don't be too confident about that publication. Even if your PI promised you a project that his/her lab already has worked on extensively, it still takes time to publish. Getting a publication just from a summer+4th year project is not the norm.

If you can get a 4.0 in your last year, you might have a good chance with Ottawa Mac is a hit and miss...

I think you should do a fifth year. That should get you interviews at Queens and Western, guaranteed (mcats aside). But if you do a masters, your chances only improve for U of T, where your chances are still low because they look at your profile as a whole. So U of T can see that you were scrambling for the past two years to pad your resume instead of working consistently throughout many years, whereas IMO it is easier to impress your way through the interview at Queens and Western, and the interview counts for a significant portion of your final score.

Perhaps consider going to the States if you can write a good mcat?

[Alastriss]

Don't be too confident about that publication. Even if your PI promised you a project that his/her lab already has worked on extensively, it still takes time to publish. Getting a publication just from a summer+4th year project is not the norm.

If you can get a 4.0 in your last year, you might have a good chance with Ottawa Mac is a hit and miss...

I think you should do a fifth year. That should get you interviews at Queens and Western, guaranteed (mcats aside). But if you do a masters, your chances only improve for U of T, where your chances are still low because they look at your profile as a whole. So U of T can see that you were scrambling for the past two years to pad your resume instead of working consistently throughout many years, whereas IMO it is easier to impress your way through the interview at Queens and Western, and the interview counts for a significant portion of your final score.

Perhaps consider going to the States if you can write a good mcat?

 

I estimate Ill have around a 3.87 gpa for UT if i apply in 5th year, which was the average undergrad gpa b4 the double cohort hit. I think it will look that i was padding my resume recently, but all that im doing is going abroad for volunteerwork and joining the canadian forces which (at least for the latter) may take time until you do so because of age restrictions.

as for my other ECs, ive been at them since 1st year, and volunteer work at the hospital since grade 12. So is the "padding" still going to look bad?

[Alastriss]

Don't be too confident about that publication. Even if your PI promised you a project that his/her lab already has worked on extensively, it still takes time to publish. Getting a publication just from a summer+4th year project is not the norm.

If you can get a 4.0 in your last year, you might have a good chance with Ottawa Mac is a hit and miss...

I think you should do a fifth year. That should get you interviews at Queens and Western, guaranteed (mcats aside). But if you do a masters, your chances only improve for U of T, where your chances are still low because they look at your profile as a whole. So U of T can see that you were scrambling for the past two years to pad your resume instead of working consistently throughout many years, whereas IMO it is easier to impress your way through the interview at Queens and Western, and the interview counts for a significant portion of your final score.

Perhaps consider going to the States if you can write a good mcat?

 

Btw clkt, if i do my masters and then apply, and assuming my gpa for UT is as reasonably expected to be around 3.87, wouldnt that put me above the grad pool gpa standing? or does research potential become a much greater factor when your in the grad pool?

[Smurfette]

I think it will look that i was padding my resume recently, but all that im doing is going abroad for volunteerwork and joining the canadian forces which (at least for the latter) may take time until you do so because of age restrictions.

as for my other ECs, ive been at them since 1st year, and volunteer work at the hospital since grade 12. So is the "padding" still going to look bad?

 

Hey, don't worry too much about it. Keep up with the stuff you've done since 1st year so you have some longer-lasting EC's too.

[blinknoodle]

I actually don't think this is as grim as others are making it out to be. Your GPA is not fabulous but it is still good - the trend at the end is very promising for UWO and Queen's. It sounds like you have some ECs you have done for a while and some interesting ones in the works. UWO doesn't even look at your autobiographical sketch, you just have the interview to deal with. I would definitely NOT count on a publication, especially if you have zero lab experience. Ask them what previous students have published as an example because unless your supervisor will definitely stick you on a poster as a 3rd, 4th author nothing is guaranteed (that is most realistic if they are guaranteeing you something).

 

Anyhow, rock your MCATs and consider a 5th year of undergrad. Are you at McMaster? There may be upper year PBL health science courses you may find interesting and a different way of learning, if you like group work, etc.

 

I would only consider a Masters if you are genuinely interested in the material and enjoy working in a lab (if you wanted a basic research MSc). Research productivity is one of the most, if not THE most important criteria for Master's students.

[Alastriss]

Thanks guys, you have been really helpful your feedback...best of luck to all of you!