Advice/Which School?

[gongshow89]

Hello, I have seen many threads on different people's situations and all the advice has been really great so I am curious if anyone would be able to give me some advice/input on my current situation? I graduated HS in 2005 and entered university right away. I didn't know what I wanted to do with my life so I took 2 courses my first year and finished with terrible marks (1.5/4.5), mostly because I didn't care. 2nd year I picked it up a bit (3.3/4.5) and decided to go into business, because I still didn't know what I wanted to do. 3rd year..I hated business and again didn't do great (2.8/4.5). At this point, after careful research and general maturity on my part, I decided that medicine/health care was the type of career I was looking for. The following year, I transferred to science and to this day continue to love every minute of it! My 1st two years in sci I did relatively well (3.7/4.5) considering I worked two part-time jobs. As well, I secured a research position out of my 1st science year, which resulted in a publication.

 

After my second year Sci I wrote the MCAT with light studying and got a 27.. I plan to re-write this year after taking the Kaplan-In class course. I have applied to Manitoba once and have been rejected pre-interview (Probably due to the MCAT).

 

My current year will be my best year academically (1st semester 4.4/4.5..all 3rd & 4th yr sci courses) but after carefully reviewing a lot of schools I feel that it is too late to bring the GPA up to be competitive with most schools. (Manitoba aside) So my main question is, with given my past, which schools would be best to apply to?? To me it seems Calgary and Queens may be the best?? Given that they use your last two years in GPA calc.

 

I will most likely apply to PT this year seeing as I will graduate with my 3yr. Medicine, however, is still my dream Any advice would be very much appreciated!!! Thank you for your time!

[simpy]

Hello, I have seen many threads on different people's situations and all the advice has been really great so I am curious if anyone would be able to give me some advice/input on my current situation? I graduated HS in 2005 and entered university right away. I didn't know what I wanted to do with my life so I took 2 courses my first year and finished with terrible marks (1.5/4.5), mostly because I didn't care. 2nd year I picked it up a bit (3.3/4.5) and decided to go into business, because I still didn't know what I wanted to do. 3rd year..I hated business and again didn't do great (2.8/4.5). At this point, after careful research and general maturity on my part, I decided that medicine/health care was the type of career I was looking for. The following year, I transferred to science and to this day continue to love every minute of it! My 1st two years in sci I did relatively well (3.7/4.5) considering I worked two part-time jobs. As well, I secured a research position out of my 1st science year, which resulted in a publication.

 

After my second year Sci I wrote the MCAT with light studying and got a 27.. I plan to re-write this year after taking the Kaplan-In class course. I have applied to Manitoba once and have been rejected pre-interview (Probably due to the MCAT).

 

My current year will be my best year academically (1st semester 4.4/4.5..all 3rd & 4th yr sci courses) but after carefully reviewing a lot of schools I feel that it is too late to bring the GPA up to be competitive with most schools. (Manitoba aside) So my main question is, with given my past, which schools would be best to apply to?? To me it seems Calgary and Queens may be the best?? Given that they use your last two years in GPA calc.

 

I will most likely apply to PT this year seeing as I will graduate with my 3yr. Medicine, however, is still my dream Any advice would be very much appreciated!!! Thank you for your time!

 

Calgary and Queen's are good options, as is Western. Unfortunately, for all three of those schools (I assume you are OOP in Alberta) your MCAT is not high enough to gain an interview. You really want to make sure your verbal is a 10 at a minimum (11 for Western; Calgary with your GPA you probably will need higher). Additionally, you probably won't meet the minimum GPA requirements for these schools (Calgary last 2 years of 3.6/4, Queen's last 2 years of about 3.75/4, Western best 2 years above 3.7/4).

 

If you finish this year strong and do a fourth year, you might be able to make these cutoffs. However, you really will need a strong MCAT.

 

So I think your best option might be to start thinking about international schools such as those in the Caribbean or Australia/Ireland. Alternatively, you could consider doing a third undergraduate degree, but I am not sure how schools would view this.

[gongshow89]

Hey, thanks for the advice! Yea your definitely right about the mcat, it needs to be stronger on my re-write, especially verbal. I'm thinking it's alittle premature to start thinking about international schools, as I am just finishing my 1st degree now (sorry for the confusion). As well my GPA should be strong enough to meet those cut-offs. Though I never did consider western..so thanks again for the advice!!

[simpy]

Hey, thanks for the advice! Yea your definitely right about the mcat, it needs to be stronger on my re-write, especially verbal. I'm thinking it's alittle premature to start thinking about international schools, as I am just finishing my 1st degree now (sorry for the confusion). As well my GPA should be strong enough to meet those cut-offs. Though I never did consider western..so thanks again for the advice!!

 

Gongshow - for Western you need 2 years of 3.7 or higher (out of 4.0), it doesn't look like you'll have that. Nor with Queen's even if you get a 4.0 this year (your 3.7/4.5 should translate roughly to a 3.4/4.0 by my math). Thus your last 2 years would be 3.7/4.0. Calgary you might make, but after making an initial file review cut they look at your entire academic history and so you may not get an interview there yet if you were to apply with your current marks.

 

I say this not to discourage you but to help you with some realistic options. Your last semester of 4.4/4.5 is amazing and if you keep that up for the rest of the year then you're going to have a good leg to stand on. The problem is that you will only have one good leg - you should be considering a second undergraduate degree; or at the very least one more year of undergrad.

 

I agree international schools are premature - I just suggested them because I interpreted your initial post to mean that you were just finishing a second degree. With one (or preferably two) more years of undergrad with marks as good (or nearly as good) as last semester, you should be in good shape to gain entrance in Canada.

[gongshow89]

Gongshow - for Western you need 2 years of 3.7 or higher (out of 4.0), it doesn't look like you'll have that. Nor with Queen's even if you get a 4.0 this year (your 3.7/4.5 should translate roughly to a 3.4/4.0 by my math). Thus your last 2 years would be 3.7/4.0. Calgary you might make, but after making an initial file review cut they look at your entire academic history and so you may not get an interview there yet if you were to apply with your current marks.

 

I say this not to discourage you but to help you with some realistic options. Your last semester of 4.4/4.5 is amazing and if you keep that up for the rest of the year then you're going to have a good leg to stand on. The problem is that you will only have one good leg - you should be considering a second undergraduate degree; or at the very least one more year of undergrad.

 

I agree international schools are premature - I just suggested them because I interpreted your initial post to mean that you were just finishing a second degree. With one (or preferably two) more years of undergrad with marks as good (or nearly as good) as last semester, you should be in good shape to gain entrance in Canada.

 

Ok, I hear yea That does put things into perspective! Looks like Manitoba should realistically be the only one I apply to next year, where I am IP (providing a higher mcat of course) Thanks again!

[simpy]

Ok, I hear yea That does put things into perspective! Looks like Manitoba should realistically be the only one I apply to next year, where I am IP (providing a higher mcat of course) Thanks again!

 

Sure thing - and actually for Western you need an honours degree or equivalent. I'm not sure if you've got that with your current setup.

 

Why not do another year of undergrad?

 

And do the math for U of C and for Queen's next cycle - you never know.