Accepted Stats

[Classic]

Also apply everywhere. The p101 peeps going next cycle need to learn to apply everwhere because you honestly never know where that invite is going to come from.

 

Amen! It's so true ....

[Halcyon]

Alastriss,

 

Thanks for sharing your experiences/advice with us. Good luck and keep us posted!

 

H

[Halcyon]

Also apply everywhere. The p101 peeps going next cycle need to learn to apply everwhere because you honestly never know where that invite is going to come from.

 

For those of you applying to the US schools, why do you think this is the case? And, in terms of GPA variation of those accepted, it is b/c the US schools look at your files more holistically (in contrast to some of the Cdn schools with strict GPAs before the even look at the rest)? However, it seems that all of you applying to the US are very competitive candidates. Any thoughts?

 

Good luck to you all!

[Guest viscous]

In order to help the future applicants to the US schools, i was thinking that it would be beneficial if the Canadians who got into US medical schools this year post their stats (GPA, and MCAT basically) if they are not too secretive about it. Even if they are secretive, I would ask them to post an approximated rounded up version of their stats in order to provide us hopefuls with a vague idea. For example a 3.95 guy can post something like 3.9 +/- 0.5. Let's see who is up for help.

[UserName]

They have already been posted in another thread about invitations for interviews.. but it's definitely a good idea to have them summarized over here again. Perhaps then other applicants can ask questions and advices about their own stats then. i for sure would like to do that later on.

[Alastriss]

It generally won't help you as much as you think. Some of my friends have 32 mcats/3.5 gpas and have been accepted at 1-2 schools each, I have am34/3.87 and I am holding 0. Some others on this board have even better stats than me (see: retsage, schnauzr) and they are holding 0 currently. So it really varies. Its best to PM members that have been accepted in the accepted/waitlisted/rejected thread and find out their stats individually.

[Rach]

It generally won't help you as much as you think. Some of my friends have 32 mcats/3.5 gpas and have been accepted at 1-2 schools each, I have am34/3.87 and I am holding 0. Some others on this board have even better stats than me (see: retsage, schnauzr) and they are holding 0 currently. So it really varies. Its best to PM members that have been accepted in the accepted/waitlisted/rejected thread and find out their stats individually.

 

I've been going through the accepted/rejected/interview threads and you're right, it seems like its impossible for me to gauge who resembles me in stats, and which schools give me a good chance of acceptance. I would guess that interview skills/likability can change everything regardless of how good/how bad a person's stats are. Though I agree with vicious, it would still be nice to see all the stats in one place rather than scrolling through the loooong interview and acceptance threads.

[In_Valid]

It generally won't help you as much as you think. Some of my friends have 32 mcats/3.5 gpas and have been accepted at 1-2 schools each, I have am34/3.87 and I am holding 0. Some others on this board have even better stats than me (see: retsage, schnauzr) and they are holding 0 currently. So it really varies. Its best to PM members that have been accepted in the accepted/waitlisted/rejected thread and find out their stats individually.

 

very true =\

[Alastriss]

some people might have a privay issue with that, PM me your stats and I'll try to offer the best advice I can.

 

But here are my stats

 

11 11 R 12

3.87 cGPA 3.85 sciGPA

 

Research

- 2 summers (1 paid, 1 volunteer) + thesis + a little extra research during my thesis on the side.

- abstract in MJM, abstract at nat'l conference in US, a few presentations here and there

 

Volunteering:

- 100 hours in hospital

- ~ 30 hours in hospital abroad

Various leadership positions in clubs

First Responder in community

Big buddy-little buddy

The occasional sports

[Alastriss]

Look here is my advice. Apply early and I mean like first one in. I wish I had done this and even though I wasn't late, I could always be more early.

Its just that they get so many applications that it gets to a point where people get rejected without rhyme or reason. When you apply late you throw your application in a huge pile with a whole bunch of other candidates and it ultimately gets harder to have that ad comm say "Let's invite this one".

 

It makes no sense that I got interviews from the most competitive schools I applied (I got rejected from Vandy, so that was the most competitive school I applied to), and heard nothing/rejected from the low end schools. Each school looks for a specific something, so don't understimate the secondary essays and make sure your Personal Statement is really solid. Although its hard to get in without numbers, it isn't all about numbers.

 

Also apply everywhere. The p101 peeps going next cycle need to learn to apply everwhere because you honestly never know where that invite is going to come from.

[Alastriss]

For those of you applying to the US schools, why do you think this is the case? And, in terms of GPA variation of those accepted, it is b/c the US schools look at your files more holistically (in contrast to some of the Cdn schools with strict GPAs before the even look at the rest)? However, it seems that all of you applying to the US are very competitive candidates. Any thoughts?

 

Good luck to you all!

 

It's borderline random. There are people with lower stats at my school than me that have more than 2 x the number of interviews I got. Their application is at best SLIGHTLY better (just more volunteer hours)

[token]

I think the centralized personal statement is a huge factor as well. It really frames your application.

 

All these schools claim they're looking for students who will fit in best there. But you end up running into the same people over and over again at interviews. Every school wants to interview that mensa-eligible 4.0/40. They also all want the self described liberal who worked in the Bush administration, and that 21 yo guy with 10+ publications, and the 35 yo mother of 3, and the kid who just immigrated from Angola. They all have "hooks" that I'm sure were elaborated in their PS (and reinforced by their activities). And if they're "capable" academically (like 3.5/30+) they will get tons of interviews.

 

With Canadian schools on the other hand, all they want are the smartest kids possible who have reasonable social skills. It doesn't make a difference if the entering class has all had the same cookie cutter experiences. It's all quantitative - grades, MCAT, no. of volunteer hours, no. of leadership positions, no. of publications etc. Given such an environment, it's easy for Canadians to overestimate how far their stats will take them in the states.

[xylem29]

UToronto operates in much the same way as what you described token - I predict that you'll be close at getting accepted at Toronto (only saying close because omegaxx, SDN legend - was WLd at Toronto but got acceptances to Harvard and a full ride to WashU...LOL...you never know).

[Halcyon]

I think the centralized personal statement is a huge factor as well. It really frames your application.

 

All these schools claim they're looking for students who will fit in best there. But you end up running into the same people over and over again at interviews. Every school wants to interview that mensa-eligible 4.0/40. They also all want the self described liberal who worked in the Bush administration, and that 21 yo guy with 10+ publications, and the 35 yo mother of 3, and the kid who just immigrated from Angola. They all have "hooks" that I'm sure were elaborated in their PS (and reinforced by their activities). And if they're "capable" academically (like 3.5/30+) they will get tons of interviews.

 

Interesting.

 

Especially the bit about seeing the same people at interviews.

 

That does seem different from the Canadian way (in a general sense).

 

Would you change your PS/application to the US if you had to do it again? (To sell yourself differently/ different focus, b/c of the knowledge you have based on how the US apps seems to work?)

[token]

I think my application was fairly geared towards the US philosophy to begin with. In fact I was reading over my OMSAS a few days ago, and it just seems all over the place because there's no unifying theme. I had a lot of non-medicine/science related ECs on my AMCAS and used my PS to justify why they would be relevant preparation for my future career. But on OMSAS there's just a really mediocre CV. For e.g. I had this one really meaningful volunteering experience, but it wasn't for 1000s of hours. I have a sneaking suspicion the Canadian adcoms will look at it, say "too few hours" and dismiss it. That contributed to my decision to effectively withdraw my Canadian applications btw (yay!)

[Alastriss]

Looking back, I can pretty much tell you why I got the interviews that I did.

 

Case western - I had the stats and I had a really good "personal struggle" + a really well written research experience question for them. I had a lot of emphasis on research and that was a big plus.

 

GWU - I had a international volunteering experience and alluded to wanting to work in public health. Getting an Econ minor definitely helped my application there as well (so I believe)

 

NYU - they are big about clinical skills/practice which I emphasized in my secondary (how students are given autonomy and such - they love that about their school). I also talked about how translational medicine was something I wanted to be involved in, and they happen to be really really big in translational research.

 

Your numbers, generally speaking will get you an interview or keep you from rejected. For many top schools, you need a little more to get that interview. Each school has their own X factor, and you as an individual have developed in such a way that you possess only a certain of those X factors. Thus the game becomes putting all your information on your application, sending it out, and getting interviews based on your stats, and which schools feel you have the X factor you are looking for.

 

That's why you apply broadly, you don't know what they are looking for, only they do. So you let as many schools as you can make the decision to invite/accept you or not.

[n00b]

I think my application was fairly geared towards the US philosophy to begin with. In fact I was reading over my OMSAS a few days ago, and it just seems all over the place because there's no unifying theme. I had a lot of non-medicine/science related ECs on my AMCAS and used my PS to justify why they would be relevant preparation for my future career. But on OMSAS there's just a really mediocre CV. For e.g. I had this one really meaningful volunteering experience, but it wasn't for 1000s of hours. I have a sneaking suspicion the Canadian adcoms will look at it, say "too few hours" and dismiss it. That contributed to my decision to effectively withdraw my Canadian applications btw (yay!)

 

Lol, why did you withdraw before even hearing back?

[Alastriss]

that way he doesn't embarass harvard and jhops when he gets rejected by noname canadian schools due to some stupid arbitrary process. Just a guess.

[token]

that way he doesn't embarass harvard and jhops when he gets rejected by noname canadian schools due to some stupid arbitrary process. Just a guess.

Haha, I didn't exactly perform brilliantly at those interviews, so pride won't be an issue for them when they reject me. (btw i'm a "she")

 

Nah, the issue is I got a letter over the break from OMSAS saying one of my LORs hasn't come in. (Yes, I asked back in September....)

 

LORs were the bane of my existence with the US apps, and I don't have the heart to start bothering extremely busy people again about it.

 

This will be an interesting experiment to see if the meet cut off = interview places (UWO, Queen's) will still invite me with an incomplete application, or if they jsut won't download it at all.

[n00b]

Ok, so you didn't actually withdraw. You're just not getting that last LOR in. Cool.

[Flame219]

I think for the people who want some more information in addition to the GPA/MCAT scores of admitted people they could just check the mdapps website and exclude all those people from the US. A lot of people put up extracurrics and CVs there and it does help to have a sense of what the accepted applicants did.

[Halcyon]

Thanks, token and Alastriss. Excellent responses. I hope both the US and Cdn med schools are kind to you this 'round! Good luck to all

 

To Flame219: I've been through MDapps loads of times. Yeah, looking at GPA/MCAT scores plus ECs of successful applicants is nice and helpful. Ultimately, those things are the required foundation to any competitive applicant.

[bobo]

don't worry about how many rejections you get lol.. you're gonna get plenty

 

 

 

Applied to 39 schools:

 

- Haven't heard anything from 11 schools

- 4 schools (withdrew pre-secondary)

- 8 pre-interview rejections

- 2 pre-interview holds

 

>>> out of 14 interview invites:

 

- 2 post interview rejections (ouch)

- 5 post interview waitlists

- 2 withdrew/did not attend interview

- 2 schools: waiting to hear decision

- 3 acceptances

 

Anything can happen. Apply to a lot of places if you can! I was fairly successful with the interview invites.

I got a few nice invites at top 20 schools probably b/c I had good numbers (3.6+ GPA, 36+ MCAT). My drawback is that I lacked significant research experience. A year max of research. I would probably attribute this to my lack of success in landing a top 20 acceptance (so far).

 

As much as people might say that everyone is on the same playing field once they land the interview, that simply can't be true. I've met some amazing applicants, and I feel that schools kinda know who they want to accept based on your paper application. They over-interview on purpose.

[Halcyon]

don't worry about how many rejections you get lol.. you're gonna get plenty

 

 

 

Applied to 39 schools:

 

- Haven't heard anything from 11 schools

- 4 schools (withdrew pre-secondary)

- 8 pre-interview rejections

- 2 pre-interview holds

 

>>> out of 14 interview invites:

 

- 2 post interview rejections (ouch)

- 5 post interview waitlists

- 2 withdrew/did not attend interview

- 2 schools: waiting to hear decision

- 3 acceptances

 

Anything can happen. Apply to a lot of places if you can! I was fairly successful with the interview invites.

I got a few nice invites at top 20 schools probably b/c I had good numbers (3.6+ GPA, 36+ MCAT). My drawback is that I lacked significant research experience. A year max of research. I would probably attribute this to my lack of success in landing a top 20 acceptance (so far).

 

As much as people might say that everyone is on the same playing field once they land the interview, that simply can't be true. I've met some amazing applicants, and I feel that schools kinda know who they want to accept based on your paper application. They over-interview on purpose.

 

Bobo,

 

Congrats!

 

I can't even imagine how much applying to 39 schools costs! And, all the time and effort that went into your application!

 

In your experience, what would you say makes an "amazing applicant" in the US, besides an awesome GPA/MCAT?

 

Thanks!

 

H

 

(p.s. Obviously, I'm asking all these questions as I'm thinking about applying to the US in future cycles. I really appreciate you all sharing your knowledge and experiences).

[token]

As much as people might say that everyone is on the same playing field once they land the interview, that simply can't be true. I've met some amazing applicants, and I feel that schools kinda know who they want to accept based on your paper application. They over-interview on purpose.

Yep there were definitely some interviews I went on where I felt like the outcome was already a foregone conclusion from the start.

 

I really do believe they already have a sense of who they want to admit pre-interview. And they interview a certain number who are under-qualified, just in case the superstars on paper end up being completely socially inept.

 

I think the main purpose of the interview process in the US is to impress the future admits.