Is it true that.....I need a definite answer!

[Guest icefeather08]

Im currently doing a 4 year undergrad program at Mcgill. I only had 3 courses in the first semeter (bio111 chem121 and phy101) because being a resident of B.C I needed some time to adjust the life in montreal. Now my question is that is it true that whoever wants to apply for McGill med school must have 5 courses per semester?

 

Can someone please confirm that? :|

 

thanks so much

[Guest icefeather08]

Also, Would I be a Out-of-province applicant if I did my degree at McGill?

[Guest cutieyellow]

When i applied at McGill, i was told that i needed to be full time every single semester in order to eligible. Problem is, i went to Concordia Univ where 4 classes (12 credits) was enough to be full time, whereas McGill demanded 15 credits. So i talked to the admissions lady and told her about how i took 4 classes the first semester because i wasn't sure about adapting to university life and so on and after that, stuck to 5 classes per semester. She told me that in extreme situations, they will consider someone that has not fulfilled those 5 classes/semester, but that it really had to be a good good good reason. Also, i had to write a letter stating why i took less classes and so on and so forth. Yet, she still reaffirmed to me that my situation was very risky, and that well, there was a great probability that taking 4 instead of 5 classes was going to be detrimental to my application. Anyhow, in the end, i never did apply to McGill so i can't really tell you more... This is only MY experience.

 

CY

[Guest medicator007]

Two questions.... I'll give you a definite answer for one and a similar but not 100% answer to the 2nd.

 

1) You are still considered an Out of Province even if you did your degree at McGill. It is based on your province of residence, not study. Even though you live here while doing your degree, it does not count towards residency here.

 

2) As CY said, McGill requires you to take a full courseload each semester which it defines as 15 credits (5 courses). I suppose it might be possible to write a letter as CY described, but it isn't guaranteed.

 

The only ppl who can give you a definite answer is the admissions staff. Call them, they are very friendly and helpful.

Hope that helps,

Medicator

[Guest LoveMcGill]

Hi icefeather08,

 

Q1: After your 4year degree you still won’t be able to apply as a Quebec resident. You have to satisfy at least one of the following three conditions: a) you have worked fulltime for at least a year in Quebec without being enrolled at school, your parents lived and paid taxes for the past and current year in Quebec, c) your spouse lived and paid taxes for the past and current year in Quebec.

 

Q2: I personally had 3 semesters with 3 or 4 courses/semester and 6 semesters with 5 courses/semester. It is therefore possible to get in without having consistently 5 courses/semester. However, to save yourself a lot of uncertainty, you definitely want to stay at 5 courses all the way through your degree. Find whatever explanation you wish, but the last 6 semesters when I was at maximum course load, I had a nearly perfect GPA. The times when I didn’t trust myself/needed time to adjust/slacked off and took less than 5 courses I did not do as well.

 

I am keeping my fingers for you.

[Guest icefeather08]

thanks guys, I just found another course to take which makes it 4/semester (having 14 credits)....i guess that looks better than 3 courses :rollin

[Guest noncestvrai]

If you take 14 credits in the first semester, I would take 16 the other semester if I were you. Just to be on the safe side. Besides, there are a lot of interesting electives at McGill.

 

noncestvrai

[Guest icefeather08]

yup, i am gonna have 18 in the 2nd semester (phy,bio,chem, math, english)

 

Btw, can you become both resident of Quebec and B.C?

and how come english isn't one of the courses required for med school? (according to the website)

[Guest noncestvrai]

I don't think you can be a resident of two provinces, legally. Now, I don't set the rules for the prereqs at McGill, you might want to ask the people of admission.

 

I suppose your writing skills will be evaluated in your autobiographical letter in some way.

 

noncestvrai

[Guest whynot]

You can be a resident of two provinces, all McGill cares about is whether you are a resident of Quebec according to their rules, if you happen to be also recognized as a resident of another province they do not care. I confirmed this with McGill admissions before I applied. I did not want to mess up my application by saying to another school I was also a resident of their province, knowing that the schools swap info.

 

The Quebec government is the one actually deciding who is a resident, McGill only enforces these rules. They have to; they get their funding dependent on this. Out of Province students and International students are not subsidized in the manner that Quebec Students are.

 

You can't be a resident of Quebec by just going to university here no matter how long you have been in school, you need to have worked for a year without going to school, be married to a resident or have a parent who lives here and pays taxes here.

[Guest icefeather08]

yea, my parents are thinking of buying a house there

[Guest Ian Wong]

Floating to the top...

 

Ian