FAQ: What are my chances?

[MedicineLCS]

As a grad student your UofT GPA looks great. 

You're on the edge for Queens with a 126 but you're probably fine. Ottawa might be tough, but if you have the money it's worth it, make sure you're over the 3.85 cutoff! Western is probably out, although you could chance it, since their CARS cutoff is a 127. Mac is going to be tough with a 3.81/126 combo but you can always try. 

In the end, there is no magic formula, so while you're on the edge for several schools it's your decision if you're willing to risk the pain of rejection and willing to spend the extra $100-200 per school. If you ace CASPer you could very well land Ottawa and Mac interviews, afterall. 

[cbz]

Thanks for the insights. The money is tight these days, but if I can I will try to apply to as much as possible. (Probably prioritize UofT and Queens)

Hope you are having a good day!

[johnnyboy13291]

Hey guys! Just wanted to know if i can get some feedback on what my chances are like applying to schools in canada

4 year completed B.Sc UofT: cGPA 3.51, OMSAS 3.47 i think?

Resident of BC (family lives there and im from there) but im not exactly sure whether id be IP for ontario or BC

Year 1 (3.05), year 2 (3.41), year 3 (3.73), year 4 (3.62) OMSAS

ECs: super diverse i think, NGOs, board positions, tutoring, piano etc.

Publications: 1x abstract published and conference in shanghai, primary author thesis in publication review currently, second paper as secondary author will be publishing soon

MCAT: will be doing sep. 28th

I appreciate the help guys!

 

[KitKatCo]

4 hours ago, johnnyboy13291 said:

Hey guys! Just wanted to know if i can get some feedback on what my chances are like applying to schools in canada

4 year completed B.Sc UofT: cGPA 3.51, OMSAS 3.47 i think?

Resident of BC (family lives there and im from there) but im not exactly sure whether id be IP for ontario or BC

Year 1 (3.05), year 2 (3.41), year 3 (3.73), year 4 (3.62) OMSAS

ECs: super diverse i think, NGOs, board positions, tutoring, piano etc.

Publications: 1x abstract published and conference in shanghai, primary author thesis in publication review currently, second paper as secondary author will be publishing soon

MCAT: will be doing sep. 28th

I appreciate the help guys!

 

Your GPA is probably your weakest point. If you're planning on applying to UBC, see what your converted GPA is for them. They use a % based GPA, and also have a wGPA system that could help... Their GPA cutoff is 75% for IP. You would need 6 English credits for UBC, and you can use IB/AP/A-Level if you have them.

In terms of logistics:

Ontario doesn't care as much about IP; if you are Canadian, they don't care from which province. Edit: they can have region based quotas and lowered requirements, and McMaster does have IP quotas. UBC's website is down for me right now but I'm quite certain you would be considered IP for BC. Living in another province during full-time studies is usually not enough to lose IP status. I think their condition for IP is having a BC Service Card?

Your MCAT write date should be OK for Ontario, which requires scores by November 1st. Historically, Sept 28th is too late for UBC, which requires scores by October 1st, but COVID may change MCAT requirements. 

 

[offmychestplease]

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[KitKatCo]

1 hour ago, offmychestplease said:

Yes Ontario does care if you are IP.....

90% of Mac invites are for Ontario residents

Western has SWOMEN

NOSM most seats are reserved for those from Northern Ontario 

Ottawa has a lower GPA cutoff from those in Ottawa region

Thank you for the clarification! I was unaware of Mac's policy. The misconception came from my reading of many Ontarians' comments of frustration over the lack of IP status for Ontario schools. I suppose it's less about IP status and more about "regional status" for a lot of these Ontario schools. 

[PeanutButter1]

Hi everyone, 

I have been perusing these forums for a pretty long time, and have found them extremely helpful in the past. I applied four times to UBC, got an interview my third attempt and made it to the waitlist but never got off. The fourth time I applied I did not get an interview and got quite discouraged after that - I was surprised to see my NAQ go down after adding more experiences. My last application was 2018/19 cycle.

I have had a bit of a change of heart and am thinking of re-applying, but I would like to cast a wider net. Part of the reason I only applied to UBC was because I did not take a full course load (due to work and long commute), also I have IP status. I'm feeling a bit rusty, so I thought I would reach out and post my stats here since I feel a little out of touch with the current application processes for schools outside of BC. I'm currently in the process of researching the various admission pages, but was hoping to get some feedback on this forum. 

IP in BC
Graduated with MSc
UBC GPA (adjusted): 84.6% (includes graduate school grades)
UBC GPA (umulative, undergrad only): 81%
OMSAS (last two years): 3.49 (doesn't include graduate school grades) **
OMSAS (cumulative): 3.47 **

** I'm not entirely sure if I calculated my OMSAS GPA correctly, and I have included summer courses

MCAT: 127/127/128/129 - 511
ECs: I have several diverse volunteer experiences and hobbies. I would say my work experience is the strongest, with the last five years being diverse and showing leadership and technical skill

My GPA and the fact that I didn't take a full course load is definitely a huge drawback for my application, but I figured with schools like Queens that make some exceptions for Graduate students there may be some hope. 

Thank you in advance!

[KikiJiki]

Hi everyone! Due to my CGPA being not as great, and me pulling it up in my last two years, I am only able to apply to Queens and Western so I would like your opinion on whether or not I'm competitive and should apply at all since this is my first cycle and I'm pretty new to this.

GPA (already converted) 3.84 for both Western and Queens.

MCAT: 510 127 128 (CARS) 128 127

ECs: Pretty diverse internships, hospital volunteering, case competition win, leadership positions in clubs, operate small business, campus volunteering, lab assistant etc.

[DrOtter]

42 minutes ago, KikiJiki said:

Hi everyone! Due to my CGPA being not as great, and me pulling it up in my last two years, I am only able to apply to Queens and Western so I would like your opinion on whether or not I'm competitive and should apply at all since this is my first cycle and I'm pretty new to this.

GPA (already converted) 3.84 for both Western and Queens.

MCAT: 510 127 128 (CARS) 128 127

ECs: Pretty diverse internships, hospital volunteering, case competition win, leadership positions in clubs, operate small business, campus volunteering, lab assistant etc.

Do apply! If nothing else you get some decent exposure. Your ECs sound great. If you could get some current med students at Western and Queen's to look over your ABS and essays, that might help a lot. 

[KikiJiki]

3 minutes ago, DrOtter said:

Do apply! If nothing else you get some decent exposure. Your ECs sound great. If you could get some current med students at Western and Queen's to look over your ABS and essays, that might help a lot. 

Thanks I will then! I just hope I meet the cutoffs at least, was really worried about my GPA.

[ToughBold]

.

 

[lostnconfused]

I am curious about my chances as well

My stats are:

Ontario IP. Applying to all Ontario schools

GPA: 3.80. wGPAs: for UofT (new formula): 3.89, for Western: 3.85, for Queens: 3.81 (basically the same... lol). 

MCAT: 519 (128 CARS)

Extracurriculars: Quite typical/cookie cutter... Clinical research assistant (no publications) (2 years part-time). Hospital volunteer (4 years, 2.5 years wayfinding plus 1 year visiting patients). Clubs executive (3 years, in different positions for 3 clubs. Including president). Orientation leader (3 summers). Wellness advisor at my school (2 years). Food bank front desk volunteer (2 years). Hobbies: Photography & photo editing but nothing I can really show... Awards: 2 academic awards for being in top 10% of faculty.

Also, I don't anticipate adding any activities over this summer due to the covid situation

I'd appreciate any comments or advice for improving my application. Thanks in advance!

[Kathryn5378]

Thank you for the feedback, I appreciate you taking your time to respond. 

[Bambi]

Hi Kathryn

Applying as a 3rd year student is a sound strategy. Navigating the Application process is not easy and is a learned skill, so you will learn how to best market yourself and be better prepared for the next cycle, however, if you are selected for interview, this experience will be great, regardless of the outcome.

Generally speaking, med school are looking for citizens active in contributing to their community while maintaining academic excellence. Keep an eye on all acceptances so that you can make your own judgment on the importance of ECs. One strategy ultimately may be for you to delay attaining your undergraduate degree for a year, so as to enable you to have more ECs with CanMED competencies in order to make you a highly competitive candidate. Good luck! 

[kamille]

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[InNeedofMD]

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[Psych]

On 9/27/2020 at 10:24 AM, Grind4MD said:

Chance me:

cGPA: 3.71, 3.87 (uOttawa), 4.0 (Queens & Western)

MCAT: 126/129/127/127 (509)

ECs: Pretty diverse but, average: 5500+ hours of employment (Butcher, Sales Associate, Personal Trainer, Fitness Supervisor - currently), about 600 hours total of volunteering at hospitals, student ambassador, job info interview with a Neurosurgeon and Anesthesiologist (just learned about the profession etc...), research practicum experience with a 2nd place award during research presentations at the end of the semester. Various scholarships and awards from GPA etc...

This is my first time applying, Idk if I have a shot at Ottawa or Mac (have family that live at both) and I feel like I should retake my MCAT cuz that 509 is not looking too hot. Also, I am an Ontario resident. 

I appreciate the time and responses 

If the 129 is cars, your MCAT is honestly fine and you're in a good spot.

Your GPA is a bit low for Ottawa but it's above the cutoff (3.85) so worth a shot to apply (they don't take the MCAT)

 Your chances at Mac are also not bad- your GPA is also a bit low but your cars is good so if you do well on casper you definitely have a chance. You need to be in about the 50th percentile for casper to get an interview (based on stats done in the mac chance me thread)

You should be above the MCAT cutoffs for both queen's and western I believe, so it will come down to your essays and ECs for them but you for sure have a shot

U of T only uses the MCAT as a cutoff so you don't need to worry about that for them, but your GPA may be a bit low

Long story short, your MCAT is probably fine. All you need is to be above the cutoffs for most schools, which it seems like you are

[InNeedofMD]

1 hour ago, Psych said:

If the 129 is cars, your MCAT is honestly fine and you're in a good spot.

Your GPA is a bit low for Ottawa but it's above the cutoff (3.85) so worth a shot to apply (they don't take the MCAT)

 Your chances at Mac are also not bad- your GPA is also a bit low but your cars is good so if you do well on casper you definitely have a chance. You need to be in about the 50th percentile for casper to get an interview (based on stats done in the mac chance me thread)

You should be above the MCAT cutoffs for both queen's and western I believe, so it will come down to your essays and ECs for them but you for sure have a shot

U of T only uses the MCAT as a cutoff so you don't need to worry about that for them, but your GPA may be a bit low

Long story short, your MCAT is probably fine. All you need is to be above the cutoffs for most schools, which it seems like you are

Wow thanks for the reply! I really want to get into Ottawa or Mac. Do you know how much of a factor CASPer plays in Ottawa's admissions since I need to kill it for Mac anyways. Thanks

[AB27]

Not that I'm getting my money back but anyway...

WAMC

ECs: pretty bad. I have a lot of "life experience" which may be useful for essay schools but I don't have 100s of hrs in anything. 100 hrs in a few volunteer positions, ~1000hrs research (no pubs), bunch of academic awards, a few jobs incl TAing, president in club + other exec positions. Nothing outstanding except my background I guess, any schools value this?

Put that first so ppl don't chirp me for asking.

cGPAs: 3.99~/4.0 (Alberta/UofC)

wGPAs: 4.0 (UofT/Queens/Western)/4.5 (Manitoba)

MCAT: 525 (132 CARS)

[offmychestplease]

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[AB27]

2 minutes ago, offmychestplease said:

you're really out of touch with reality

idk what reality is tbh. I don't know anyone who's gotten in and this forum loves to talk about the 4.0s/520s that get rejected. But thx

[Psych]

32 minutes ago, AB27 said:

idk what reality is tbh. I don't know anyone who's gotten in and this forum loves to talk about the 4.0s/520s that get rejected. But thx

Your ECs are perfectly fine. They sound decently similar to mine and I had worse stats than you!

[Psych]

2 hours ago, Grind4MD said:

Wow thanks for the reply! I really want to get into Ottawa or Mac. Do you know how much of a factor CASPer plays in Ottawa's admissions since I need to kill it for Mac anyways. Thanks

I wish I knew but I honestly have no clue! People have speculated it's around 20% but that's a total guess, no one really knows. I will say that I've seen people not get Mac but get an Ottawa interview so it's probably worth less than Mac at the very least

[FF20]

Hi Guys,

Could someone please comment on my chances of getting an interview from UBC Med. I have 91.4% average and I am in province. I did biology honours/chemistry minor degree. My extracurriculars are not great; I have included 5 awards (one entrance scholarship $16,000, the other 4 were between $500-1,000), I worked in a sunglasses kiosk for the summer, worked 4 years as a pharmacist assistant, worked 1.5 year in the university as a tutor. In terms of volunteering, I volunteered in ER, Seniors residence centre, and volunteered as an office coordinator in Canadian Cancer Society for 1 year. Volunteered for one year as a research assistant. Played piano in different events like funerals. Helped with a family business as office administrator. For Mcat I am waiting for my score but I believe I cleared all the section cut offs, knowing that UBC doesn't look at MCAT prior to interview, do you guys think there is any chance of me getting an interview, considering the fact that my gpa and ECs are not amazing?

Would appreciate your guys feedback.

[Hollywood Cole]

3 hours ago, FF20 said:

Hi Guys,

Could someone please comment on my chances of getting an interview from UBC Med. I have 91.4% average and I am in province. I did biology honours/chemistry minor degree. My extracurriculars are not great; I have included 5 awards (one entrance scholarship $16,000, the other 4 were between $500-1,000), I worked in a sunglasses kiosk for the summer, worked 4 years as a pharmacist assistant, worked 1.5 year in the university as a tutor. In terms of volunteering, I volunteered in ER, Seniors residence centre, and volunteered as an office coordinator in Canadian Cancer Society for 1 year. Volunteered for one year as a research assistant. Played piano in different events like funerals. Helped with a family business as office administrator. For Mcat I am waiting for my score but I believe I cleared all the section cut offs, knowing that UBC doesn't look at MCAT prior to interview, do you guys think there is any chance of me getting an interview, considering the fact that my gpa and ECs are not amazing?

Would appreciate your guys feedback.

"extracurriculars are not great" 

lol ok