MrsSnrub Posted May 15, 2011 Report Share Posted May 15, 2011 Hi guys, I just started looking through the various non-Ontario schools and to my surprise, Dal's application is due July 15th! With a limited time to complete this application, I'm wondering if I should even bother given my stats/ I'm going into 4th year, wGPA 3.845, MCAT 10PS 12VR, Q, 11BS. I have a great deal of leadership experience, a fair amount of research, a nice balanced course list, and all that. While I know it would obviously be best to apply as widely as possible, do I really stand any significant chance at Dal or should I just cut my losses and focus elsewhere? Thanks! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
glysomac Posted May 15, 2011 Report Share Posted May 15, 2011 Hi guys, I just started looking through the various non-Ontario schools and to my surprise, Dal's application is due July 15th! With a limited time to complete this application, I'm wondering if I should even bother given my stats/ I'm going into 4th year, wGPA 3.845, MCAT 10PS 12VR, Q, 11BS. I have a great deal of leadership experience, a fair amount of research, a nice balanced course list, and all that. While I know it would obviously be best to apply as widely as possible, do I really stand any significant chance at Dal or should I just cut my losses and focus elsewhere? Thanks! Hey Snrub, With those stats you'll probably interview at at least a couple of Ontario schools, but if you're interested in Dal you'd probably interview there too. Take a look at the interview offer forum from the most recent cycle. Lots of people with stats worse than yours (myself included) interviewed. Dal's such a great school - if you write a good essay and muster up some reason that you are connected to Halifax or the maritimes (which I think is key), you're almost guaranteed an interivew with your stats. You're going to have to put together a solid admissions essay if you apply to Toronto (which I assume you will as an Ontario resident?) so you might as well do it a little earlier and get a shot at a great school in a wonderful city! Good luck!! Edit: I assumed you were an Ontario resident because of your reference to "non-Ontario" schools, but even if you're not writing an admissions essay for OMSAS, I'd say it's worth the time to get a shot at Dal. And it forces you put all of your motivation/experiences into words, which comes in handy when you're prepping for interviews! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MaeFleur Posted May 15, 2011 Report Share Posted May 15, 2011 The first part of Dal's application is due August 15th, not July 15th, so you still have lots of time. That first part is very basic and won't take any time to complete. The second part is due September 1st and includes the essay and supplemental information sheet. You should definitely apply, Dal is a great school and Halifax is a wonderful place to live! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gb35 Posted May 15, 2011 Report Share Posted May 15, 2011 Hi guys, I just started looking through the various non-Ontario schools and to my surprise, Dal's application is due July 15th! With a limited time to complete this application, I'm wondering if I should even bother given my stats/ I'm going into 4th year, wGPA 3.845, MCAT 10PS 12VR, Q, 11BS. I have a great deal of leadership experience, a fair amount of research, a nice balanced course list, and all that. While I know it would obviously be best to apply as widely as possible, do I really stand any significant chance at Dal or should I just cut my losses and focus elsewhere? Thanks! You've definitely got a shot at Dal, purely from a stats perspective. However Dal places a great deal of emphasis on the essay and on your extracurricular activities and employment history. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ryacha Posted May 15, 2011 Report Share Posted May 15, 2011 You've definitely got a shot at Dal, purely from a stats perspective. However Dal places a great deal of emphasis on the essay and on your extracurricular activities and employment history. I can second that, I was amazed to see that applicants with 4.0 and high MCAT not get an interview, and I think that because OOP the GPAs are all high that the supplementary package separates. One big thing for Dal, or so I hear, is medically related volunteer experience. It is on a separate section on the application. If you haven't had a chance to volunteer in a hospital (or equivalent) I would highly suggest it, I started in volunteering in May and interviewed that cycle so it isn't too late yet. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MrsSnrub Posted May 15, 2011 Author Report Share Posted May 15, 2011 Thanks for the replies, guys! I've never even been out East so I'm not sure how I would spin the connection to the Maritimes but I'm definitely leaning towards applying now. And thanks for clearing up the due date, I could have sworn it said July. Well, that saves a lot of stress. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jordan19 Posted May 15, 2011 Report Share Posted May 15, 2011 Thanks for the replies, guys! I've never even been out East so I'm not sure how I would spin the connection to the Maritimes but I'm definitely leaning towards applying now. And thanks for clearing up the due date, I could have sworn it said July. Well, that saves a lot of stress. Sorry but can you clarify what do you mean wGPA? Do you mean the best two years? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
A-Stark Posted May 15, 2011 Report Share Posted May 15, 2011 Thanks for the replies, guys! I've never even been out East so I'm not sure how I would spin the connection to the Maritimes but I'm definitely leaning towards applying now. And thanks for clearing up the due date, I could have sworn it said July. Well, that saves a lot of stress. Indeed, you come from some place... far away (yes, that'll do). (PLEASE get the reference) Anyway, I don't know that spinning a connection to the Maritimes is necessary, but you might try to visit or otherwise think about what the program offers (small-to-medium class size, lots of patient contact early on, case based tutorial learning) and maybe about any interest in rural medicine you might have. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MrsSnrub Posted May 15, 2011 Author Report Share Posted May 15, 2011 Indeed, you come from some place... far away (yes, that'll do). (PLEASE get the reference) That's where I got the name I'm glad someone else understands. And yeah, Jordan, I meant last two years. So is Dal more geared towards rural/family med then? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jordan19 Posted May 16, 2011 Report Share Posted May 16, 2011 So is Dal more geared towards rural/family med then? I don't think its exclusively rural/family med, I know of a people from there who aren't doing rural/family med now, like my pediatrician growing up was from there, and he practiced in a fairly urban area :T... As for your numbers and stats, I think you should be O.K., if not pretty competitive. Your well above the OOP cutoff (3.7) so yah. Mind you there are only about 9 or so spots though, so you're probably gonna face stiff competition. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
A-Stark Posted May 16, 2011 Report Share Posted May 16, 2011 Not necessarily, but I think it's fair to say that Maritimers are more likely to come from smaller/rural centres. Halifax is just a bit bigger than Victoria after all and it's by far the largest city in the Maritimes. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
doc2B Posted May 16, 2011 Report Share Posted May 16, 2011 I don't think Dal is geared to rural/family medicine at all, I think it's a pretty well-rounded program. As for your essay and extra-curriculars, they are very important. While I don't know what they asked for this year, in the past medically related experience was worth 5 points, like many other sections, bigots important for some committee members to see if the candidate knows what he/she is getting in to. As for the maritime spin, like A-Stark, I don't think it's necessary, but the why Dal? Part is important, and I believe it may even be in the question stem asked of oop candidates. Why Dal may include something about the maritimes or why the program structure sounds appealing, etc. But definitely apply, it's a great school (although I'm biased ). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mavrik13 Posted May 16, 2011 Report Share Posted May 16, 2011 Dal definitely has an interesting mix of rural family med (including a week dedicated to this) and major tertiary care subspecialties (the hospitals are the largest east of Montreal). In terms of getting an interview, your supplemental application is what will separate OOP applicants. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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