Hockey_whiz Posted July 5, 2011 Report Share Posted July 5, 2011 thehumanmacbook, i'm on the same boat as you. actually my situation is even worse, ive been studying BS PS WS all summer thus far, i dont have physics or ochem pre reqs (since i'm in nursing), so UofC was my best and only shot.. i really don't know what to do, lost a whole bunch of motivation to study for the mcat. contemplating whether to drop out of nursing, go back into science and get those pre reqs done so i have my schools to pick from, might be a good move but im 1.5 years away from graduating as an RN ... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thatonekid Posted July 5, 2011 Report Share Posted July 5, 2011 After all that studying for PS, BS, and WS this summer.... 3 schools base it off on VR. *Macbook brings out autotuned keyboard* (please sing to Elton John's "Candle in the Wind") ... *bows* *claps* Maybe you should spend more time studying for VR and less time making up songs. (Jokes. The song actually was impressive.) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
osmosis Posted July 5, 2011 Report Share Posted July 5, 2011 *claps* Maybe you should spend more time studying for VR and less time making up songs. (Jokes. The song actually was impressive.) that was an amazing song. if you put that on your U of C app this coming cycle, you're golden. seriously tho, don't give up, and apply. you never know what might happen. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pubert Posted July 5, 2011 Report Share Posted July 5, 2011 People stop worrying so much about the VR component! It's worth 10% of your file review, so only 5% of your overall score. It's hardly worth giving up over such a small component of your score. What are the chances of you 'failing' the VR component? ZERO! Worst case you lose 2-3% of your overall score and that's probably a doom and gloom scenario anyways. Shift the studying for your MCAT to include a little more VR and read some literature that you wouldn't normally read for fun, and you'll do fine. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
epson Posted July 5, 2011 Report Share Posted July 5, 2011 I agree with the above, if you scored above an 8 I would not rewrite if your overall score is still previously good Even if you can improve your verbal by a point (hypothetically) you run the risk of lowering your overall MCAT score (which they mentioned they still regard in the subjective academic component). Just some friendly thoughts. And, as mentioned, 10% is minimal. -epson Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rebencer Posted July 5, 2011 Report Share Posted July 5, 2011 People stop worrying so much about the VR component! It's worth 10% of your file review, so only 5% of your overall score. It's hardly worth giving up over such a small component of your score. What are the chances of you 'failing' the VR component? ZERO! Worst case you lose 2-3% of your overall score and that's probably a doom and gloom scenario anyways. Shift the studying for your MCAT to include a little more VR and read some literature that you wouldn't normally read for fun, and you'll do fine. +1 10 char Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MicroMo Posted July 5, 2011 Report Share Posted July 5, 2011 Fair point. I will stop worrying and try to get back to my lab work now! I agree with the above, if you scored above an 8 I would not rewrite if your overall score is still previously good Even if you can improve your verbal by a point (hypothetically) you run the risk of lowering your overall MCAT score (which they mentioned they still regard in the subjective academic component). Just some friendly thoughts. And, as mentioned, 10% is minimal. -epson Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rmorelan Posted July 5, 2011 Report Share Posted July 5, 2011 *claps* Maybe you should spend more time studying for VR and less time making up songs. (Jokes. The song actually was impressive.) ha Fair point - that was still impressive though. As others pointed out VR is still on 10% (unlike Westerns hard cut off or Mac's 33%) which isn't that bad. I wouldn't be ruling out Calgary just yet People never seem to study for the VR - really it is the most important section for Can now. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Erk Posted July 5, 2011 Report Share Posted July 5, 2011 People never seem to study for the VR - really it is the most important section for Can now. not only that, understanding how to do VR is useful on all the other sections of the MCAT, and on an interview. It is mainly shirked because of the cornucopia of bad advice regarding it though. It's a pretty common conception that one is born with one's VR score, there is no way to change it. Certainly "studying" is perhaps the wrong term, but VR can be learned and taught readily. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thedoc Posted July 5, 2011 Report Share Posted July 5, 2011 Does anyone know how they calculate the GPA now? I understand that they drop the worst year (24-30 credits), but is there like a max credits they look at. For example, if someone does 4 years compared to someone who has done 5 years. Will they take best 4 years and minus 1 bad year for both students, or will they take all years (whether you do 4 or more) and just minus the bad year from that? Hope that's somewhat clear in what I'm getting at. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bloh Posted July 6, 2011 Report Share Posted July 6, 2011 If they really wanted to make resume-padding less strong, then they shouldn't have made room for 5 extra top activities. I enjoyed it when the cap was set at 5. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gunner10 Posted July 6, 2011 Report Share Posted July 6, 2011 Does anyone know how they calculate the GPA now? I understand that they drop the worst year (24-30 credits), but is there like a max credits they look at. For example, if someone does 4 years compared to someone who has done 5 years. Will they take best 4 years and minus 1 bad year for both students, or will they take all years (whether you do 4 or more) and just minus the bad year from that? Hope that's somewhat clear in what I'm getting at. I had never considered this before, and I'm very curious as well. I wonder if taking 4 years vs. 5 years to complete your bachelor's will be considered in the subjective score only... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rwethereyet Posted July 6, 2011 Report Share Posted July 6, 2011 I agree with the above, if you scored above an 8 I would not rewrite if your overall score is still previously good Even if you can improve your verbal by a point (hypothetically) you run the risk of lowering your overall MCAT score (which they mentioned they still regard in the subjective academic component). Just some friendly thoughts. And, as mentioned, 10% is minimal. -epson VR might be significantly more important for an OOPer though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thedoc Posted July 6, 2011 Report Share Posted July 6, 2011 Does anyone know how they calculate the GPA now? I understand that they drop the worst year (24-30 credits), but is there like a max credits they look at. For example, if someone does 4 years compared to someone who has done 5 years. Will they take best 4 years and minus 1 bad year for both students, or will they take all years (whether you do 4 or more) and just minus the bad year from that? Hope that's somewhat clear in what I'm getting at. Also to go along with this post, how will they determine gpa for someone who is working on a second degree? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RNtoMD40 Posted July 6, 2011 Report Share Posted July 6, 2011 I think the changes to the application process are a long time coming... people like myself actually have a running chance at being invited to interview. I am 10 years working as an RN in ER with ICU and teaching experience in the nursing faculty...and I so dream of medical school. Strong GPA, great references, and busy Extracurricular life...husband and 3 kids!! Thank you Dr. Ian!! My first round of MCAT was brutal. Round Two coming up soon! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
charmer08 Posted July 6, 2011 Report Share Posted July 6, 2011 ughhh theres no way I'm asking my references to write another reference letter just for a school that doesn't even have 30 OOP seats... and 60% is based on EC's?!?!?!?!? this is a joke. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lazyboy Posted July 6, 2011 Report Share Posted July 6, 2011 well, the changes are huge. IMHO, I think they should do that in stage with some advance warning to the changes. How the hell can an applicant get those references and attributes with just 2 or 3 months to go before the deadline. Most applicants plan this 3 or 4 years ago to line up the voluteering works, the references etc. well, one of the choices may be for the OOP to move to Alberta before Aug 1 this year to qualify them as IP, and then U of C and U of A will plug that hole next year.... There seem to be some evidences from all other Canadian and US schools, the waitlist movements are not as great as before, and the class fills up quickly. I'm just glad I'm in and no more worry about this. It is going to get more and more difficult to get in. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
epson Posted July 6, 2011 Report Share Posted July 6, 2011 well, the changes are huge. IMHO, I think they should do that in stage with some advance warning to the changes. How the hell can an applicant get those references and attributes with just 2 or 3 months to go before the deadline. Most applicants plan this 3 or 4 years ago to line up the voluteering works, the references etc. p I'm pretty sure the whole point of the no advance warning was to find people who genuinely fit those descriptions and not those who see this now and become Mother Teresa from now till October 15th - in the timeline that they are creating I hope those individuals will become evident and hopefully poorly regarded. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pokaroo Posted July 6, 2011 Report Share Posted July 6, 2011 So I'm still confused.. what do OOP be achieving in order to remain competitive? cGPA obviously includes summer courses - however, when you drop Year 1 for example (does that also drop the summer course between Year 1 and 2) OR are summer courses disregarded? Thanks Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
charmer08 Posted July 6, 2011 Report Share Posted July 6, 2011 So I'm still confused.. what do OOP be achieving in order to remain competitive? cGPA obviously includes summer courses - however, when you drop Year 1 for example (does that also drop the summer course between Year 1 and 2) OR are summer courses disregarded? Thanks Also, what do they mean by final year? If I'm graduating in the summer next year, will they drop my year with the lowest gpa? Or do I need to graduate in April for them to drop the year? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lazyboy Posted July 6, 2011 Report Share Posted July 6, 2011 I think whether you graduate in April or in June has no bearing on this. If you're graduating next year, they will drop your lowest year b/c they only require 2 full year, and your current year is not counted anyway. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Erk Posted July 7, 2011 Report Share Posted July 7, 2011 and 60% is based on EC's?!?!?!?!? this is a joke. It's not a joke if you're the kind of student U of C appears to look for, with generally a broader range of life experience. There are already plenty of schools where GPA reigns supreme (one of them in the very same province as this one); one of the many schools in Canada moving slightly away from it is hardly going to spell the end of anyone's application chances. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rebencer Posted July 7, 2011 Report Share Posted July 7, 2011 and 60% is based on EC's?!?!?!?!? this is a joke. 60% pre interview, I don't think 30% of the final score is unreasonable. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OttawaURookie Posted July 7, 2011 Report Share Posted July 7, 2011 what i found surprising:"if a music major gets 13 on the BS section, that is probably meaningful, and if a science major gets a 5, that is probably also meaningful" so... advantage non-trads? Well for me, this all makes a lot of sense. I think some of the changes are totally related to the fact that the MCAT has been poorly utilized. Let's think about it for a sec. You have your Science student, who spends three to four years, proving that he knows his biology, chemistry, physics, during his undergrad, the MCAT is just an extention of that. (not including the Verbal section) It makes a lot of sense to say that it is highly relevant that a Science student got an amazing Verbal score but not so relevant that he did well in the science. That makes the MCAT relevant. You can spin it the other way around too. A student who did an undegrad in Social Sciences get high scores on the science on mcat..that is quite relevant. It proves something totally different. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Femto Posted July 7, 2011 Report Share Posted July 7, 2011 For OOP: "So the new formula is going to be: 2xGPA(standardized,see #9 below)+MCAT VR To us, this makes intuitive sense. We do a partial review of the file using the same system as we do in a full review, and then carry that forward for the top scoring group to get a full review." I don't get this. Does this mean that the new formula above is used for the "partial review of the file", before it goes to full file review... but then it goes on to say that the partial review will use the same system as the full file review. I don't get it..... Can anyone else make sense of this? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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