patch Posted July 24, 2007 Report Share Posted July 24, 2007 I’m pretty sure I read that the MCAT cutoff for Queens is 10 in each section, but I have heard that it varies year to year. Therefore, I ask your advice: Should I apply to Queens with an 8 in VR? Will my chances be zero, close to zero or depend on the rest of my application? Thanks a lot. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zfield Posted July 24, 2007 Report Share Posted July 24, 2007 zero. cutoff means cutoff at queens Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jochi1543 Posted July 24, 2007 Report Share Posted July 24, 2007 If you had a 9, I would have suggested applying, but with an 8, I really don't think you stand a chance. If you are just a little away from the cut-off, it's ok, but being 2 points away for the MCAT is a lot. I really don't see it dropping to 8 anytime. I had a 10 in VR and it was 62-75 percentile, so an 8 must be below 50....unlikely that they'd consider someone who scored in the bottom half on any section. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
webshy Posted July 24, 2007 Report Share Posted July 24, 2007 It is extremely unlikely that the VR cut-off will drop to 8. The VR cut-off was 10 as long ago as 1997. At that time, the science cut-offs were only 8. The VR cut-off did drop to 9 for 2004 and 2005; however, the MCAT sum went up to 32 those years. Elaine Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DiscoDoc Posted July 24, 2007 Report Share Posted July 24, 2007 Take a look at the insane numbers people are posting in the accepted/waitlisted thread. MCAT's over 35, 3.99 GPAs left right and centre. It's all about the numbers here. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Law Posted July 25, 2007 Report Share Posted July 25, 2007 Don't get discouraged by that DiscoDoc, a person with a 3.68 has just a good a chance as someone with a 4.0. To the OP: As the others said, it's highly unlikely the cutoff will drop to 8. However, if I was you... I mean, I'd try it (knowing that my chances are slim). What's there to lose, besides a bit of time and some money. If money is really an issue, then I wouldn't apply. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dante Posted July 25, 2007 Report Share Posted July 25, 2007 sorry, but i think that's just being delusional. Western, Queens and Ottawa are very specific in the gpa and mcat requirements they have and these are STRICT cutoffs, meaning a computer looks at them, and if you don't meet them, you've been rejected. Why waste your time with 5+ essays, 75$ per school just so you can be rejected? that 8 will most likely keep you out of all 3 schools that require the mcat (maybe take a shot at toronto because they will still consider you... but definately not Q and W). If your stats are VERY close, you could ask for special consideration, but an 8 just won't cut it at Queens and Western. I don't intend to be mean, i'm just giving you the best advice. You only need an interview at one place to get in... don't waste your money and time at places that won't even look at you. Good Luck! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kahone Posted July 25, 2007 Report Share Posted July 25, 2007 For MCAT, 8 almost certainly won't do for Queen's. I would even predict MCAT score cutoff (eg, VR AND the sum) to go UP for next year's cycle. With a VR 8, I would not bother. I wouldn't think that the rest of your application isn't even THOUGHT about, never mind actually evaluated, until it's been determined that you'll get an interview. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jochi1543 Posted July 25, 2007 Report Share Posted July 25, 2007 What's there to lose, besides a bit of time and some money. A BIT of time? I guess you haven't looked at the Queen's submissions on OMSAS..... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jochi1543 Posted July 25, 2007 Report Share Posted July 25, 2007 For MCAT, 8 almost certainly won't do for Queen's. I would even predict MCAT score cutoff (eg, VR AND the sum) to go UP for next year's cycle. With a VR 8, I would not bother. I wouldn't think that the rest of your application isn't even THOUGHT about, never mind actually evaluated, until it's been determined that you'll get an interview. Why do you think the cut-off will go up, kahone? I really don't think it would get past 32....I mean, my 32T was 80-85th percentile, and with about 35,000 people taking the MCAT annually, that means only 7,000 people scored as high as that or above. And that's of ALL test-takers, of which I bet Canadians are a small percentage. If Queens went beyond that, I think it would leave them with too few applicants to be able to make good selections. EDIT: I think it's actually 70,000 people taking the MCAT, 35,000 is the number that apply. So that means 14,000 people a year score that highly....but then consider that Canada's population is only about 1/10 of the US, so I doubt that more than 20% of those 14,000 would be applying to Canada. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flying kumquat Posted July 25, 2007 Report Share Posted July 25, 2007 If Queens went beyond that, I think it would leave them with too few applicants to be able to make good selections. This shouldn't happen. Unless Queen's has changed the way they determine cutoffs for the interview, the cutoffs are based on the applicant pool. That's why they aren't put out until January of the application year and that's why they change on a yearly basis. I'm not sure of the exact formula they use to determine, but it's something like cutting the applicant pool in half based on GPA, then cutting the remaining applicant pool in half based on MCAT marks (source: something I remember reading on this message board years ago. May not be accurate). In this way, Queen's will be able to interview the number of people they deem sufficient to have a good selection for acceptance offers, and won't be stuck with a smaller interview pool based on some arbitrary cutoffs they set before seeing the applications. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jochi1543 Posted July 25, 2007 Report Share Posted July 25, 2007 This shouldn't happen. Unless Queen's has changed the way they determine cutoffs for the interview, the cutoffs are based on the applicant pool. That's why they aren't put out until January of the application year and that's why they change on a yearly basis. I'm not sure of the exact formula they use to determine, but it's something like cutting the applicant pool in half based on GPA, then cutting the remaining applicant pool in half based on MCAT marks (source: something I remember reading on this message board years ago. May not be accurate). In this way, Queen's will be able to interview the number of people they deem sufficient to have a good selection for acceptance offers, and won't be stuck with a smaller interview pool based on some arbitrary cutoffs they set before seeing the applications. Yeah, but I'm talking about the fact that they simply won't be getting that many applicants. They can't be interviewing only like 1.5 people per spot, because they'd be at risk in terms of getting too many antisocial fools at the interview and then having to resort to giving spaces to them b/c they had cut out way too many applicants. And given the sheer number of people who'd be scoring that high or above, it is definitely a possibility. The GPA is not as clear cut, because there is no limit on how many people can get a 3.8- but with the MCAT, as a curved test, that amount has fairly rigid boundaries. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dante Posted July 26, 2007 Report Share Posted July 26, 2007 come to think of it... if you can get enough people with lower mcat/gpa scores to apply to queens, it could actually lower the cutoff. anything is possible, but judging by past cuts, an 8 hasn't occurred in a looong time, so i would consider it more a donation to the school than a serious application. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jochi1543 Posted July 26, 2007 Report Share Posted July 26, 2007 come to think of it... if you can get enough people with lower mcat/gpa scores to apply to queens, it could actually lower the cutoff. anything is possible, but judging by past cuts, an 8 hasn't occurred in a looong time, so i would consider it more a donation to the school than a serious application. Probably, but that would mean a larger applicant pool, which could imply that instead of cutting 1/2 of the applicants, they might have to move to 2/3, for example, negating that effect. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
paulos Posted July 28, 2007 Report Share Posted July 28, 2007 I applied to queen's 3 or 4 times before i got in, and the times i didn't they rejected my because my global mcat was 31r... i got in this round ptl only because the global dropped to 30. this may have been related to my incessant nagging and queries at the office, so if you want a plan of action, try writing and calling admissions a few times to explain your low vr score, emphasizing the high marks in the others sctns, and if you've had a's in english, phil or published any papers, then mention this, too. failing that, just rewrite your mcats... if you really want to get in quickly, mac is a good bet. and pray, pray, pray! remember the persistent widow Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dante Posted July 29, 2007 Report Share Posted July 29, 2007 the persistent widow? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bayervillager Posted July 29, 2007 Report Share Posted July 29, 2007 It's a parable from the Bible. In a short retelling: There was this widow who wanted this judge to help her and was like "Dude, help me!" The judge was a bad guy and he wouldn't, but the widow kept on bugging him and bugging him and bugging him... So eventually, the judge was like, 'Great. If I don't help her she will just keep on bugging me. So I will help her because I want that blithering woman to stop bugging me'. It's supposed to be all about how if you keep on praying, what you ask for will eventually happen. Or at least that's what I think paulos meant. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dante Posted July 29, 2007 Report Share Posted July 29, 2007 cool... thanks... i've never heard of that parable before... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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