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Interview Invites 2010/2011

gb35

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Addy K Newbie

Addy K

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There's always going to be a subjective/random component to it, but as for the high MCAT score, I think it's well known that Dalhousie does not place heavy emphasis on that (last year's average was 29). Since they do place so much emphasis on non-academics, it really does come down to strong ECs + luck for OOP students since almost everyone has a GPA.

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MaeFleur Newbie

MaeFleur

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rejected: GPA: 3.95, MCAT: 33R, strong ECs, connections to NS and a supposedly good essay.

 

Congrats to everyone who got an interview! Not to take away from your achievements, but I can't help but wonder what makes me or a guy with a 42 MCAT not get an interview when people with lower stats do. Anyone else think that monkeys throwing darts at a list of applicant names may be their method of selection? (This is NS we are talking about)...

 

Hey I take offence to that! Maybe your distaste with NS came off on both of your essays?

 

Also, the MCAT is only worth 10% of admission. From what I've heard they give the full 10% to anyone with over a 36 or something.

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gb35 Newbie

gb35

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Hey I take offence to that! Maybe your distaste with NS came off on both of your essays?

 

Also, the MCAT is only worth 10% of admission. From what I've heard they give the full 10% to anyone with over a 36 or something.

 

I think a 32 is actually 10/10, since I've heard that a 24 starts you off with 2/10.

 

Also, somebody posted that they had a 3.7, and Dal told them they got 11 out of 15 on the GPA scale. Assuming it's linear, a 3.85 gives you 13/15.

 

So, GPA+MCAT make up 25/100 of your total score, and 25/60 pre interview. Based on the stats we've seen, its a safe bet that everyone invited is 21 or 22 and over /25, as are a good many of the people rejected.

 

So, if all my wild assumptions are correct, the difference between a 21 and someone who is academically "perfect" (ie, 4.0 and a 42), is only 4, and you have 35 essay/EC/discretionary points to make that up...

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HBP Newbie

HBP

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The non Maritime pool is very competitive with over 200 eligible applications for nine seats. Only a portion of applicants (usually 50-60) are invited for an interview. Since the academic standards are already set at a high level, it is the essay & supplemental form which determine whether you will be competitive enough to receive an interview.

 

So, that's that.

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gb35 Newbie

gb35

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Why would having 8 volunteer experiences doing monotonous things and a lower GPA demonstrate someone to be a better physician than another candidate with only 5 volunteer experiences, yet a higher GPA?

 

I don't knwo about you, but I wouldn't call most of my ECs monotonous. Maybe that's the issue.

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MaeFleur Newbie

MaeFleur

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Ah, good breakdown gb35, that would answer my question, thanks. But that leads me to my next question... Why would having 8 volunteer experiences doing monotonous things and a lower GPA demonstrate someone to be a better physician than another candidate with only 5 volunteer experiences, yet a higher GPA? I just find the whole process questionable... like the fact that if I were a Native American, I would help the quota and have a huge benefit over a more qualified, yet caucasian candidate. Is anyone else the least bit annoyed by this?

 

I'm sure you're upset about not having an interview, and that's completely understandable. However, I'm not sure you quite understand what they are looking for, or what affirmative action is about.

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small_town_girl Newbie

small_town_girl

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QWERT21, I get that you're upset about your rejection. I'm upset too, but insulting the admissions process, and saying that the people that got interviews were picked by monkeys throwing darts at their names really doesn't help anyone. I'm assuming you also applied to Ontario? Your stats seem great for Ontario, and we're not going to hear back from them until next semester. Focus on that, and just leave this one behind. Not everyone that deserves an interview is going to get one, but the people that DO get interviews obviously deserve it...it just comes down to numbers at the end.

 

Ah, good breakdown gb35, that would answer my question, thanks. But that leads me to my next question... Why would having 8 volunteer experiences doing monotonous things and a lower GPA demonstrate someone to be a better physician than another candidate with only 5 volunteer experiences, yet a higher GPA? I just find the whole process questionable... like the fact that if I were a Native American, I would help the quota and have a huge benefit over a more qualified, yet caucasian candidate. Is anyone else the least bit annoyed by this?
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DocT7 Newbie

DocT7

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rejected: GPA: 3.95, MCAT: 33R, strong ECs, connections to NS and a supposedly good essay.

 

Congrats to everyone who got an interview! Not to take away from your achievements, but I can't help but wonder what makes me or a guy with a 42 MCAT not get an interview when people with lower stats do. Anyone else think that monkeys throwing darts at a list of applicant names may be their method of selection? (This is NS we are talking about)...

 

If you think this about NS/Dal, why did you want to go there...?

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DocT7 Newbie

DocT7

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QWERT21, I get that you're upset about your rejection. I'm upset too, but insulting the admissions process, and saying that the people that got interviews were picked by monkeys throwing darts at their names really doesn't help anyone. I'm assuming you also applied to Ontario? Your stats seem great for Ontario, and we're not going to hear back from them until next semester. Focus on that, and just leave this one behind. Not everyone that deserves an interview is going to get one, but the people that DO get interviews obviously deserve it...it just comes down to numbers at the end.

 

Thank you small_town_girl! I wish you the best of luck with the rest of your applications, you'll be great at your interviews :)

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HBP Newbie

HBP

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Ah, good breakdown gb35, that would answer my question, thanks. But that leads me to my next question... Why would having 8 volunteer experiences doing monotonous things and a lower GPA demonstrate someone to be a better physician than another candidate with only 5 volunteer experiences, yet a higher GPA? I just find the whole process questionable... like the fact that if I were a Native American, I would help the quota and have a huge benefit over a more qualified, yet caucasian candidate. Is anyone else the least bit annoyed by this?

 

You sound quite bitter. You must realize you're insulting practically everyone who got an interview.

 

I didn't get one last year. I changed my statement around, and I got one this year. It was definitely based on your supplementary application, if you want, I can take a look for you and give you my input.

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ryacha Newbie

ryacha

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rejected: GPA: 3.95, MCAT: 33R, strong ECs, connections to NS and a supposedly good essay.

 

Congrats to everyone who got an interview! Not to take away from your achievements, but I can't help but wonder what makes me or a guy with a 42 MCAT not get an interview when people with lower stats do. Anyone else think that monkeys throwing darts at a list of applicant names may be their method of selection? (This is NS we are talking about)...

 

Maybe, but I love that monkey. I have a theory, and that is a school like Dal is tired of the typical 4.0 Ontario student applying to Dal as their 11th back up, taking an interview spot and being extremely unlikely to take a spot at Dal because they are infinitely more likely to go somewhere else.

 

Either way Dal is 35 ECs to 12.5 GPA (roughly) and though your GPA is stellar, a 33R is a very good MCAT not great. That and of those 35 pts a huge amount is weighted towards practical medical experience (or so they say). I also think, as relating to my theory above, that unless your essay had a really good reason for you want to stay in Dal (Not a NS connection, a reason) then they aren't going award an interview spot.

 

Having said that, with a 3.95 and 33R this is very likely the only door you are getting slammed in your face and I'm sure you would have ended up elsewhere anyways :) Good luck though!

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doc2B Newbie

doc2B

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I know from experience on the admissions committee in a previous year that the committee puts a lot of effort into scoring the applicants for granting interviews. There are a lot of applications to review and having a well-written essay that shows your passion for medicine and answers the questions we've asked goes a long way.

 

It is clear that you're upset about not being granted an interview, and I can't speak for the supplemental section you submitted but if you look at how much weight it carries with admissions here you'll realize that is the part of your application which was likely lacking.

 

The poor attitude does not show that you are humble and makes me think you might not be ready to pursue a career in medicine at this point in your life. It definitely goes to show that you weren't right for Dalhousie.

 

Every year there are a lot of great candidates that are reviewed and rejected from all the schools across Canada, but the spaces are minimal and the applicant pool is large and we just can't afford to accept everyone.

 

Good luck with your future endeavors.

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A-Stark Newbie

A-Stark

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rejected: GPA: 3.95, MCAT: 33R, strong ECs, connections to NS and a supposedly good essay.

 

Congrats to everyone who got an interview! Not to take away from your achievements, but I can't help but wonder what makes me or a guy with a 42 MCAT not get an interview when people with lower stats do. Anyone else think that monkeys throwing darts at a list of applicant names may be their method of selection? (This is NS we are talking about)...

 

Ah, yes, those dull, slow-minded Bluenosers couldn't possibly manage to run an admissions office properly! Or did you mean something else by that?

 

Non-Maritime applicants to Dal are almost invariably very academically competitive. The admissions process is structured so that MCAT results beyond a 34 or so make no difference and there are similarly diminishing returns for a GPA beyond 3.8 or so. The essay and supplemental information are what distinguish non-Maritime applicants especially and yours, evidently, weren't as competitive as you thought they were. Sorry.

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ryacha Newbie

ryacha

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So I have 2 references lined up, and one is very solid (and medically related). One is a research prof that 1) won't be able to give the most personal reference and 2) after recent nearly missed deadlines for other schools I have lost confidence.

 

Do you think it would be appropriate to call Dal and ask them if I can swap up a reference? Or do you think it is better to have a more professional reference from a research prof? The person I would swap him for is the director of student residences where I work and he knows me at a much more personal level?

 

Thanks in advance for any input.

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