Should I even bother?

[pikespeak]

Hi,

 

I'm 29 and have an undergrad degree in Engineering with a cumulative GPA of 3.60/4.0 and an Ontario resident.

 

Year 1: 3.80/4.0

Year 2: 3.71/4.0

Year 3: 3.48/4.0

Year 4: 3.33/4.0

 

My program dictated that I take one extra course every semester (5 was the max for regular students., but engineering required 6 courses per semester). Having to take one extra course per semester definitely had an impact on the GPA.

 

I wrote the MCAT once in 2003 with minimal studying but didn't do so well. I only applied to MacMaster two times (this year and the last year) as they don't need the MCAT marks (I can't apply to Ottawa U as they weigh you last years more heavily) and was rejected by Mac.

 

I am considering a Masters degree but haven't yet decided.

 

My question is: should I even bother applying again to med school? Do I have a chance to get into med school?

[rmorelan]

Hey pike speak, what is your GPA by year, removing the LOWEST course you got each term? ie considering only your best 5 courses?

 

 

 

 

 

Hi,

 

I'm 29 and have an undergrad degree in Engineering with a cumulative GPA of 3.60/4.0 and an Ontario resident.

 

Year 1: 3.80/4.0

Year 2: 3.71/4.0

Year 3: 3.48/4.0

Year 4: 3.33/4.0

 

My program dictated that I take one extra course every semester (5 was the max for regular students., but engineering required 6 courses per semester). Having to take one extra course per semester definitely had an impact on the GPA.

 

I wrote the MCAT once in 2003 with minimal studying but didn't do so well. I only applied to MacMaster two times (this year and the last year) as they don't need the MCAT marks (I can't apply to Ottawa U as they weigh you last years more heavily) and was rejected by Mac.

 

I am considering a Masters degree but haven't yet decided.

 

My question is: should I even bother applying again to med school? Do I have a chance to get into med school?

[pikespeak]

Hi rmorelan,

 

Dropping 1 course per semester, so I am left with 5 a semester instead of the 6 is as follows:

Year 1: 3.92/4.0

Year 2: 3.85/4.0

Year 3: 3.75/4.0

Year 4: 3.33/4.0 (I took only 5 courses in my last year as I took the extra credit needed during my coop work terms)

[rmorelan]

Hi rmorelan,

 

Dropping 1 course per semester, so I am left with 5 a semester instead of the 6 is as follows:

Year 1: 3.92/4.0

Year 2: 3.85/4.0

Year 3: 3.75/4.0

Year 4: 3.33/4.0 (I took only 5 courses in my last year as I took the extra credit needed during my coop work terms)

 

Ok then! Your best two year GPA is now good enough to apply to western, as they drop your sixth course and take only the best 5. All you would need for that the MCAT which you will probably need anyway.

 

You actually have meet their cut off for 2 years in 3 of your years now. You could have applied to them last fall actually, if you had done the MCAT. so that is something! I believe (someone verify?) that they really only consider your interview score after that for acceptance.

 

I should ask as well - would you consider the states/international route?

 

You will need to do the mcat to proceed I believe - but you only didn't do well on it due to "minimal studying" and that was 6 years ago. You can do much better I am sure!

[pikespeak]

I just got this from the Western web site. They have a cut off for the MCAT:

 

For those applicants from non-SWOMEN areas, the minimum MCAT and GPA scores required for being considered for interviews are:

Biological Sciences – 11

Physical Sciences – 9

Verbal Reasoning – 10

Writing Sample – Q

Biological Sciences, Physical Sciences, Verbal Reasoning combined total – 30

Grade Point Average: 3.75

[Guest viscous]

Hey pike speak, what is your GPA by year, removing the LOWEST course you got each term? ie considering only your best 5 courses?

 

i would say its pikes peak instead of pike speak. Its a famous rally track

[rmorelan]

I just got this from the Western web site. They have a cut off for the MCAT:

 

For those applicants from non-SWOMEN areas, the minimum MCAT and GPA scores required for being considered for interviews are:

Biological Sciences – 11

Physical Sciences – 9

Verbal Reasoning – 10

Writing Sample – Q

Biological Sciences, Physical Sciences, Verbal Reasoning combined total – 30

Grade Point Average: 3.75

 

Your right they do, you will need to do the mcat. but it is alot easier to get the cut off on mcat than raise your gpa at this point. You can take the mcat over and over again (that has risks though - US schools only want to see it done I think up to 3 times for instance). Also your last MCAT is what 6 years old? You have to redo it regardless. You must be a way better student now than 6 years ago. You can get that score if needed.

 

Best of luck!

[rmorelan]

i would say its pikes peak instead of pike speak. Its a famous rally track

 

Well that makes more sense

 

and yeah, I know nothing about sports.

 

Unless you consider chess a sport.

 

p.s. don't consider chess a sport, thats just stupid.

[pikespeak]

I guess MCAT's is my only chance...

 

Pikes Peak

[rmorelan]

I guess MCAT's is my only chance...

 

Pikes Peak

 

I think to make a good go at things, then yeah you need it.

 

Really there are very few schools that don't require it, you cannot limit yourself unfortunately. when I did my "plan" for how to make a run at med school it was up their with GPA in importance.

 

It a long annoying, stressful test but with practise and time you can do well on it!

[Exia]

join us pikespeak the gang of masochistic, clearly-insane, keener, textbook thumping students aka... pre-meds

[Jochi1543]

I think you have a decent chance if you score well on the MCAT. A 5th year might also do you some good, and so would an MSc....but MCAT is a priority. I would also make sure you have a decent backup plan in mind.

[Lactic Folly]

i would say its pikes peak instead of pike speak. Its a famous rally track

 

Too bad, I was looking forward to learning how fish talk..

[truffle]

what about uoft? if you've taken a full-course load ever year (5/year), they drop your lowest marks and only consider your GPA in 4 x n courses, where n = number of years.

 

if you have 9/9/9 Q on your mcat, you'll be safe for uoft.

 

make sure your essay stands out. and have a solid biographical sketch and letters of reference. some people say it doesn't matter who writes your letters, but to be safe, you should have at least one person who comes into contact with a lot of pre-meds and therefore can compare you to other pre-meds. this person should also have an idea of what a medical career is about. since you did engineering, i guess you can't get lifescience profs for reference. try to look for an MD. a nurse would do too.

[truffle]

here are some stats of people who recently got into uoft:

http://www.premed101.com/forums/showthread.php?t=11873&page=12

 

if your uoft weighted GPA (after dropping lowest marks) is above 3.8, i say try applying. if your weighted GPA is below 3.85, or even below 3.9, really make sure your sketch and essay solidly reflect your desire as well as qualifications for starting a career in medicine. and make sure all your reference letters are at least moderately positive.

[pikespeak]

Thank you for the responses! Appreciated. I guess UoT could be another option. Using their method to calculate the GPA bumps the GPA to 3.79 - I guess it could be competitive?

[truffle]

keep in mind that most schools have prerequisites. i forgot to mention it before, but i had just remembered that you said you are an engineer.

 

here are uoft's prereqs: http://www.facmed.utoronto.ca/programs/md/admissions/0910/requirements/Academic_Qualifications/Prerequisites.htm

[kate]

Pikespeak,

 

This may be "dated," but when I applied to medical school, OMSAS used a different GPA calculator for those graduating from engineering programs than those of us from run-of-the-mill biology programs. I am quite proud of my BSc but I am the first to admit that engineering programs are harder, and I believe the GPA calculator bumped the engineers up a tenth of a point. I hadn't been aware of this calculator until I acutally went on OMSAS site when I applied.

 

And a plug for UofT (unbiased, too, as I don't go there!): UofT appears to be more flexible with respect to their GPA cut off, in contrast to the other schools (UWO, UofO, Queen's) where the cut off is quite rigid. In other words, UofT may be willing to interview you, recognizing that your GPA was achieved in a difficult program and while taking more than a full course load. At least this was the case in 2004/2005...

 

Good luck to you.

 

Kate

[webshy]

Does Queen's only count 5 courses/year? Because you would be eligible for Queen's too if you can drop one course from each year to bring it down to 5.

 

Queen's calculates your GPA in two ways. First, they look at your overall GPA of all courses taken as an undergrad student. If you meet the cut-off, you are good to go. If you don't meet the cut-off, they will calculate your GPA of all courses you've taken in the last two years with at least 3.0 courses per year. If you meet that cut-off, you are also good to go. (In both cases, you must also meet the MCAT cut-off.)

 

Best wishes to yoU!

Elaine