Second undergrad- Uvic vs McGill vs Calgary

[just_dream]

Hi everyone,

 

Since I have been receiving rejections from all the schools i've applied this year (unfortunately, I just applied 2- i underestimate the competitiveness with McGill IP this year). I am right now considering doing a second undergrad to pull up my GPA.

 

My first undergrad was just modest (<3.6), major in biochemistry. I am hoping to upgrade the gpa in my second degree with hopefully 3.9ish to get a shoot in schools like mcmaster as an OOP (I know chances are low).

 

I have only a short-term 2 month research experiences with my first UG, because of some personal issues. But i have some really good EC (also one reason why i get a low GPA). So I guess I would need to improve my research experiences.

 

Since I am doing my first UG in a relatively small school, in the atlantic area, I am planning to take a switch with the second one.

I am planning to do Honors in psychology, and in case med doesn't work out for me, I would go to experimental psyc/ clincal psyc.

I need some advices about this:

Mainly on the level of difficulty between the two schools:

 

1/ Is McGill psychology honours hard to attain a 85% +(i.e. 4.0) ?

Some people said McGill has really tough exams, while I heard others say it's okay. But I got a friend that transferred from McGill biochem. (3rd year) to my school saying McGill was wayyy too tough (relative to our school) according to her level, and she would not be able to finish her honour degree at McGill. (I know that's also subjective)

 

2/ I know that University of Victoria (Uvic) is famous for clincal psyc (probably the best around north america), so is the psychology program over there VERY tough?

Moreover, from what i've read from the websites, it seems like there is not much research opportunities (by this i mean independent research project, while I saw quite a few from McGill), is it true?

 

3/........Calgary is out of my choice right now, but any suggestions would be greatly appreciated!

 

Any thoughts?

Thanks in advance!! Any advices would be great, would really appreciate it.

[Erk]

Wow, I'd say personally you're jumping the gun. 3.6 is not an unworkable GPA, and a second degree is a huge time commitment and not a sure thing to boost your GPA. Why not try applying to other schools on the next cycle, and in the meantime doing more activities (including work of course!) to broaden your horizons and get better references, while studying to get a strong MCAT mark? My GPA is around 3.5-3.6 and I've got an interview.

 

On another note, why a fixation on an OOP application to McMaster? I'd suggest trying to find a way to get an IP application to a Western school. I don't know all the stats, but I understand Ontario is way more obsessive about your GPA than we are out here. You qualify as IP for Alberta schools if you've worked here for (I believe) 18 months.

 

 

Oh... just realised I didn't answer your original question. I would not recommend ucalgary for undergrad degrees. It's a great grad school if you want to come here for a master's though. Uvic is very well reputed for undergrad, but doesn't do a lot of research. I know nothing at all about ontario schools.

[just_dream]

thanks for the great advice!

The reason why Calgary is also on my list, is pretty much the same as what you said, staying in alberta to get myself into an IP.

 

I have actually consider about working/ doing other EC, but the idea that if I cannot get into med school again next cycle, and i would be doing nothing (at least feel like unaccomplished), scares me...

Doing a second undergrad doesn't sound as bad, since i began university at 16 (one of the other reasons make me feel not that bad of being rejected). So by the time of I finish my second UG, I would be around 22.

The advantage is a second UG opens me more career opportunities, I personally really hate biochemistry (another reason for getting bad gpa!?), so I don't think i could develop any further from that.

 

with the school choices, if uvic doesn't do much research, then I would probably cross that out.

 

Question: can you tell me why you wouldn't recommend calgary as an UG? is the program itself tough, having difficult exams, or they are harsh at giving out top grades?

 

Anyway, thanks for your great advice!!

and your successful example makes me feel better

[kylamonkey]

UVic- I am a student here.

 

I haven't taken any psyc courses, but I know the 1st-yr stuff is relatively easy to get good marks in.

 

There is some research in neuropsyc, in the school of medicine, and it's pretty non-competitive to get work in it. I'm not sure about other psych research. I have participated as a reserach subject in some tests I am pretty sure were psych tests.

 

UVic is a really nice campus, and there is no grade scaling or anything like that happening here. It's a nice city too, I've been on the island for about 7 yrs now.

 

Alberta is a better place to get residency than BC, though, but that's just my opinion. BC might be a better shot for you if you have strong ECs. UBC has changed/is changing the way it scores academics, so keep track of that (visit the UBC forum) and you might just find that you will have a great opportunity there. They wil be announcing their changes in the next month.

[Erk]

well, I'm biased on this because I chose medicine after trying a lot of other things, but I'd say it sounds like you could really use a bit of work experience. My guess is that you've done very little outside of a school environment? I'm not sure how admissions boards feel about that, but aren't you a little concerned about dedicating your life towards a single, very difficult career without having "sampled" anything else?

 

There are a lot of jobs you can pursue that would give you far more back than just treading water... you don't have to work at a Tim Hortons. Look into opportunities you might have, through friends, family, or hobbies. They don't necessarily have to be things you know for certain you're interested in, because a lot of things that you'll enjoy you would never guess until you try them. Using myself as a case example, when I finished undergrad I went to Japan and taught English for two years (it was the greatest experience of my life). I've also worked as a graphics designer and a cabinet installer, both of which I really enjoyed. I would never have guessed I'd have liked trades as much as I did, but being a cabinet installer was a really rewarding job... I liked it far more than I like my MSc work, for example.

 

By trying some things out you will learn more about yourself, and you'll also demonstrate a versatility and diversity of experience in your activities. It's something to set you apart from the horde of "good but not stellar GPA, good but not stellar MCAT, medical-and-sports related ECs, life entirely focused on school" crowd that I am pretty sure entirely dominate the admissions field.

 

Keep in mind, I'm no expert on the admissions process. I'm probably newer to the whole 'applying to med school' thing than you are, having only decided to try for it in April last year. It just sounds to me like your best bet would be to try something new, not just more school.

 

As for ucalgary, I work with a lot of U of C grads and I have a friend who tried to do her last year of undergrad there before giving up and going back to uvic. I've only got hearsay and circumstance to work on, but it just does not seem like a very good undergrad school to me. Large classes, professors who would rather research than teach, stuff like that.

[just_dream]

Kylamonkey: thanks for the input! I would reconsider about Uvic (since i am really interested in neuropsyc), and i like the fact that it's not that competitive. With the residency issues, I would not be able to attain a BC requirement: if I get credits transferred from my first degree, then by the time I apply, I would have only stayed in BC for two years.

 

Erk: You have your point, but well...I have been working part-time job and summer jobs: office jobs, sales, tutors etc. I guess that's also a try with a variety of job. I may not sample all the essential job available, but I did sample quite a few. Another point is I grew up in Asia (living over there for more than 14 years), despite the fact that I was born in quebec. That's also another diversity, I would say. So I guess my background also departs me from the general stellar GPA and MCAT group. I feel like taking a year off to work, may not be as useful as bringing my GPA up. But i do realize my age may also be another factor for pulling me down.

 

Moreover, I have a feeling that Ontario schools and McGill doesn't consider so much of trying something new, or taking a year travel; they are more academic orientated.

While Alberta tends to accept students having a diverse backgrounds, taking different paths, trying something new (despite low first UG GPA,etc). That's just my perspective, may not be the whole picture.

 

*side notes: my family is currently living in Ontario, that's why i am considering mcmaster, etc.

 

Well, McGill also focus a lot on research and they tend to have large class from what I've known, so I guess U of C is not the only UG like that. But the last year give-up story really alarms me, I would really take this into account!

 

Anyway, thanks for the great input!

And good luck with your application~

[osteon]

....My first undergrad was just modest (<3.6), major in biochemistry. I am hoping to upgrade the gpa in my second degree with hopefully 3.9ish to get a shoot in schools like mcmaster as an OOP (I know chances are low)....

 

...Since I am doing my first UG in a relatively small school, in the atlantic area, I am planning to take a switch with the second one.

I am planning to do Honors in psychology, and in case med doesn't work out for me, I would go to experimental psyc/ clincal psyc....

 

If you want to go to an Ontario Med School, i.e. McMaster, why not do your second degree IN Ontario so you can get IP status there? I know uOttawa has a B.Sc. Honours Psychology degree, and if you're in it you automatically get to do the honours research project (the B.A. Psych people have to have GPAs above 80% or something and compete for it). Plus, since you did biochem as your first UG, you will have many of the courses waved since the first two years of the BSc Psych are mostly sciences. You would probably have just two years at Ottawa to get your psych credits and do your honours thesis in order to get the second degree. Plus I think the Ottawa Med School gives preference to Ottawa residents.

 

I'm not in the area of psych, but from what I've heard from those who are, Calgary is not that strong, Ottawa is good, and UVIC is good, as you mentioned. I don't know anything about McGill. BUT, since you're just doing an UG, I don't think it matters as much if you go to the top psych school or not. Save that for if you want the PhD. Better to get IP in Ontario than BC anyways.

[RiceWine]

Hi everyone,

 

Since I have been receiving rejections from all the schools i've applied this year (unfortunately, I just applied 2- i underestimate the competitiveness with McGill IP this year). I am right now considering doing a second undergrad to pull up my GPA.

 

My first undergrad was just modest (<3.6), major in biochemistry. I am hoping to upgrade the gpa in my second degree with hopefully 3.9ish to get a shoot in schools like mcmaster as an OOP (I know chances are low).

 

I have only a short-term 2 month research experiences with my first UG, because of some personal issues. But i have some really good EC (also one reason why i get a low GPA). So I guess I would need to improve my research experiences.

 

Since I am doing my first UG in a relatively small school, in the atlantic area, I am planning to take a switch with the second one.

I am planning to do Honors in psychology, and in case med doesn't work out for me, I would go to experimental psyc/ clincal psyc.

I need some advices about this:

Mainly on the level of difficulty between the two schools:

 

1/ Is McGill psychology honours hard to attain a 85% +(i.e. 4.0) ?

Some people said McGill has really tough exams, while I heard others say it's okay. But I got a friend that transferred from McGill biochem. (3rd year) to my school saying McGill was wayyy too tough (relative to our school) according to her level, and she would not be able to finish her honour degree at McGill. (I know that's also subjective)

 

2/ I know that University of Victoria (Uvic) is famous for clincal psyc (probably the best around north america), so is the psychology program over there VERY tough?

Moreover, from what i've read from the websites, it seems like there is not much research opportunities (by this i mean independent research project, while I saw quite a few from McGill), is it true?

 

3/........Calgary is out of my choice right now, but any suggestions would be greatly appreciated!

 

Any thoughts?

Thanks in advance!! Any advices would be great, would really appreciate it.

 

 

i spent quite a lot of time studying at mcgill so i may be able to help you with this one. a lot of people do second degree at mcgill (2 year program) and get into medicine that way. I think instead of doing Honours Psych, you should really boost up the GPA (since you said your EC's are good) ASAP and apply. If medicine doesn't work out and you really like psychology, I think doing a Msc is better than Honours psych (2 more years)....