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FAQ: What are my chances?


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Thanks Savac,

 

I have a strong feeling of predicting my MCAT score, I know I bombed the Verbal because I was unable to complete it on time, and without going into details, wasn't very fun!

 

Would you happen to know any schools I should not apply to with those MCAT scores?

 

Plus I will definitely try to improve my ECs, but it will be tough!

 

Ottawa is your best best. They don't take the MCAT, and you're way above the in-Ottawa wGPA cutoff.

 

UBC and Alberta are also a possibility, since their minimum MCAT score is a 7 in every section.

 

A 7 in one section will be a flag for UofT (much more than an 8), but I do believe I have seen people pull this off. It's worth a shot, but it's unlikely that it will result in an interview.

 

If you're confident in your CASPer abilities, you've technically also got a shot for Mac. Their minimum VR score is 6. Keep in mind that VR is 32% of your pre-interview score.

 

edit:

With a 7 in VR, you won't have much of a chance at Western or Queen's. Western has a hard cutoff, and the VR cutoff is usually set at 11. Queen's seems to have an unofficial VR cutoff of 10 (with a total score of 30).

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McMaster's minimum VR score is 6. Keep in mind that VR is 32% of your pre-interview score.

 

Really? What is the remaining 68% weighted into?

A combination of GPA, CASPer and Sketch, do you know the actual weightings?

 

32% - VR

32% - GPA

32% - CASPer

4% - Graduate Degree (1% for Masters, 4% for Phd)

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McMaster's minimum VR score is 6. Keep in mind that VR is 32% of your pre-interview score.

 

Really? What is the remaining 68% weighted into?

A combination of GPA, CASPer and Sketch, do you know the actual weightings?

 

32 VR, 32, GPA, 32 CASPer, up to 4 for graduate school (1 for masters, 4 for phd)

 

Also, UofA has extremely high admissions stats, it's been kind of accepted that, as an OOP, you want to be 3.95+ and 34+ on your MCAT, but its worth a shot because those are all speculated from our waitlist/accept/reject threads.

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Feeling a little selfish since this is my first post. :o Went to U of T for the Specialist in Genes, Genetics and Biotech at the Human Biology Department. Currently taking a gap year with no courses. What are my chances to an Ontario school?

 

OMSAS cGPA 3.56 (garbage)

1st year= 3.15

2nd year= 3.56

3rd year= 3.73

4th year= 3.87

U of T wGPA= 3.76

Ottawa wGPA= 3.77

 

MCAT 12/11/12/M (VR/PS/BS/W) (whoopdee doo for Writing)

 

LoRs: fourth year thesis prof (pharmacology lab), current research supervisor (project is about how medical residents asses teacher performance) and volunteer coordinator at local hospital (knows me personally, helped with fundraising)

 

ECs: second year and fourth year research projects (no publications but the latter is), lab monkey work throughout undergrad, ED volunteer at Brampton hospital, research participant recruiter at SickKids ED, program writer and teacher for after school health science lessons, raised $400 for cancer support centre last Christmas, writer for campus newspapers, model UN moderator, counselor for UofT Engineering summer camp for high schoolers, no team athletics (just like riding my bike).

 

The GPA can't be helped. Would doing a MSc in clinical research be a good idea? What about the MBiotech at U of T Mississauga? Has anyone heard of getting in after doing a Michener program in lab tech?

 

Thank you for your thoughts! :)

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I did 2 undergrads and Master's is in progress, all done at McGill. Quebec resident.

 

1st degree: 3.32 out of 4

2nd degree: 3.65 out of 4

Master's (thesis): 4

 

most recent MCAT: PS-10, VR-10, BS-12, WS-O

old MCAT: PS-11, VR-10, BS-10, WS-Q

Other score are older than 5 years

 

Publications: yes but 7th author

decent extracurriculars: lots of volunteering, dance, student clubs

 

What are my chances of getting into a Canadian school, or North American school for that matter?

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Thanks for the reply. How about U of T as a grad applicant? My OMSAS GPA is ~3.41 since they look at my entire undergrad record. Any suggestions for US or international schools? This will be my fourth time applying. I'm toying with the idea of applying to the MD/PhD programs in the hopes of getting in that way.

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Thanks for the reply. How about U of T as a grad applicant? My OMSAS GPA is ~3.41 since they look at my entire undergrad record. Any suggestions for US or international schools? This will be my fourth time applying. I'm toying with the idea of applying to the MD/PhD programs in the hopes of getting in that way.

 

I highly doubt you will have a chance at UT considering you didn't have any decent looking pubs (i.e. 1st or 2nd author). The GPA cut-offs are lower for graduate students so you can still apply. Did you apply to UT before? Also have you looked into whether you qualify for UT weighting formula?

 

As far as I know, you will still have to satisfy MD admission regardless of whether it's MD or MD/PhD. So the latter is not an "easier" route if that's what you are thinking.

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Windupboy, I think you are a good position, despite your discontent with your MCAT scores.

 

You have a good verbal score (10) along with a 31 overall and a N.

Obviously I am sure you could do better, but I personally believe you have a good shot at Calgary and Alberta. If you are thinking of out of province, I would seriously consider University of Toronto, McMaster and Queens.

 

Unfortunately your wGPA may not make uOttawa's cutoff, but it may be worth a shot.

 

Cheers

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Windupboy, I think you are a good position, despite your discontent with your MCAT scores.

 

You have a good verbal score (10) along with a 31 overall and a N.

Obviously I am sure you could do better, but I personally believe you have a good shot at Calgary and Alberta. If you are thinking of out of province, I would seriously consider University of Toronto, McMaster and Queens.

 

Unfortunately your wGPA may not make uOttawa's cutoff, but it may be worth a shot.

 

Cheers

 

Um actually it's a 9 :(

But thanks for the comment :)

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Just got my MCAT scores and not too thrilled about it: 9/13/9 R

 

Overall GPA 3.94 per OMSAS scale after 3rd year.

 

Only applying to Ontario schools. I understand 9 in VR finishes off chances for Queens and Western? Any idea about McMaster? I believe they weigh VR highly in their process? What about the other Ontario schools, can anyone suggest what are my chances?

 

Have decent EC without being exceptional

 

Thanks in advance

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Just got my MCAT scores and not too thrilled about it: 9/13/9 R

 

Overall GPA 3.94 per OMSAS scale after 3rd year.

 

Only applying to Ontario schools. I understand 9 in VR finishes off chances for Queens and Western? Any idea about McMaster? I believe they weigh VR highly in their process? What about the other Ontario schools, can anyone suggest what are my chances?

 

Have decent EC without being exceptional

 

Thanks in advance

 

Good shot at UofT, and an ok shot at Mac depending on your CASPer performance. Definitely a good shot at uOttawa if they like your sketch.

 

As a third year applicant, you can't even apply to Western. Queen's is worth it if you have the money, but I haven't seen anyone in a few years that has gotten in with a VR less than 10.

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Hi,

 

I already started a thread on this in the Non-Trad forum, but figured I would give this thread a try. I am new here, so I did not notice the thread before!

 

My question:

 

So a friend of mine needs advice. Here is his profile. Let me know what you think. Should he apply? If yes, where? What do you think?

 

Thank you everyone!

 

--

 

Quebec IP

Perfectly bilingual

Male

 

1st Undergrad – Fine Arts – Unstable: mix of fulltime/part time/semesters off/course overloads between 2005 – 2010. All GPAs on 4.3 scale.

Year 1 (2004-2005): 5 courses/semester: annual 3.68 GPA

Year 2 (2005-2006): 5 courses 1st semester, followed by a Withdraw and 2 Fs in the 2nd semester, GPA down to annual 3.23

Year 3 (2006-2007): Part-time courses + failures + academic probation , annual GPA: 1.98

(He had an unfortunate event happen in his life)

Year 4 (2007 – 2008): Went back to school slowly; during probation not allowed to take over 9 credits. 9 credits (3 courses) during Winter 2009 and 9 credits during summer 2009. Annual GPA 3.75

Year 5 (2008 – 2009): Course overload; 6 courses per semester; annual GPA: 3.79

-----

Followed by Science Pre-Reqs during a year (2009 -2010)

Science GPA: 4.0/4.3

-----

2nd Undergrad – B. Sc.

Year 1 (2010-2011): Full course-load, 5 courses/semester 4.1/4.3

Year 2 (2011-2012): Full course-load, 5 courses/semester 4.2/4.3

 

--

MCAT: 35R (YEAH!) BIO: 11 PHYS: 12 VR: 12 Writing: R

 

----

CV:

-Marathons

- Work experience: as a supervisor in a Rogers call centre for over 8 years (learned to deal with a variety of people from all walks of life) & in various art activties

- Lots of medical volunteering @ Montreal hospitals

- Tutoring

- Other activities: cooking, photography, snowboarding, chess, running

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Could you/your friend please convert these scores to the OMSAS scale. It will make it much easier to evaluate his/her chances. The GPA appears to be competitive, but it's much easier to judge once it has been converted to the correct scale.

 

http://www.ouac.on.ca/docs/omsas/c_omsas_b.pdf

 

The MCAT score is very nice (and balanced).

 

Even without seeing the correct GPA, your friend should apply.

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Could you/your friend please convert these scores to the OMSAS scale. It will make it much easier to evaluate his/her chances. The GPA appears to be competitive, but it's much easier to judge once it has been converted to the correct scale.

 

http://www.ouac.on.ca/docs/omsas/c_omsas_b.pdf

 

The MCAT score is very nice (and balanced).

 

Even without seeing the correct GPA, your friend should apply.

 

I notice in that for Toronto is says 3 and 7, does that mean it varies depending on the campus?

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4th year Ontario Undergrad student

Y1: 3.90

Y2: 3.84 (bombed biochem, got a 76 :()

Y3: 3.96

GPA = 3.90

 

MCAT: 11bio/12physics/10verbal/S = 33S

 

Research:

- volunteered in microbiology lab from 1st year to 3rd year (received an award through my university to work in said lab for summer after 2nd year)

- got USRA/NSERC for summer after third year to work in integrative biology lab (continuing to volunteer and will do research project in same lab)

- no publications

 

ECs:

- been in the same (anonymous) sport club since 1st year

- competitive intramurals every year since second year

- committee chair for my school's Relay for Life event since second year

- been in school's concert winds band since first year (requires audition)

- j'Explore program after first year - nearly fluent in French

- 2-3 random other little volunteer/club things

 

I think my ECs are a bit weak, but how do my stats look to you guys?

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