how did you do in highschool?

[Guest ikaj]

I was looking through my year book and it seemed that all the med students I went to highschool with recieved honors or distinction in highschool. I am a medschool hopeful...

I was never able to get honors in highschool but I did decently in university (so far).

I know that highschool marks don't really matter for medschool...but

 

for med students

Just wondering what kind of marks medstudents on this board got in highschool and did you guys have to work hard for those grades? Were you also involved in many extra-curriculars in highschool?

 

and for premeds

same question.

thanks

[Guest cutieyellow]

Hi ! I can see how you're worried that your performance in highschool reflects what kind of individual you are. My opinion on this is that although there are a lot of people who are high achievers from the start, thus seeing how all the honours students are in med, there are always always always exceptions to any rule. Perhaps you didn't achieve in highschool because you didn't have that motivation, that drive. It's about self-motivation, self-knowledge, it's about how you react to school that makes the difference.

 

If you're willing to do it now, highschool grades are really unimportant. As for me, i was Top ten in highschool-ok ok so i did good. If i had to work hard...hmmm. My answer to this will be no. I guess things just came naturally to me. I thought highschool was just easy. Did loads of volunteer work throughout highschool, not because of a hope for med, but rather for myself. It's always in these situations that you enjoy your volunteer experiences the most. Did as good in University (had to put in a lot more work tho!), and as much if not more volunteering, and therefore am where i am now (Med 1st yr actually). I'm sure that once you have that drive, that will, everything will be alright. :b

 

Sorry about this blurb, dunno if it makes sense..it's xmas after all Happy holidays.

[Guest Ibraheem]

i am currently in high school, i am always trying my hardest to be the best i can be, but it seems to me that its doesn't cut it... i spend hours studying, job (9-10hr a week), then EC's and a bit of volunteering.. AND I KNOW I WILL GET INTO medical school no matter what... its a promise i made with my self... i am like a person that never quits... and hopefully god willing i will make it... and i hope you do to... and a question for you cutieyellow did you study in high school? and what were you techniques for memorizing information? i am currently enrolled in several AP courses... did you take any advanced courses or just normal level courses... because i know if i would have taken normal courses i would be like the top 5 kids in school, but since i took AP they are bringing my marks down by like 10%...

[Guest Shahenshah]

well I was in a similar situation..high school was quite easy and I did quite well there...my undergrad went well on a similar note with a difference...over the years, I have realized that there really is more to life than just trying to get that 90% or whatever ..u need enough marks to get through to the next stage of the process, but to get a 99% at the price of having absolutely no life just isn't worth it..these r the golden years of our lives and it doesn't get any easier from this point on..so over the years, instead of stepping up my study time, I have learnt to balance my time better and be smarter about being prepared for exams...I tend to really see where my class is and then see what would be a fair question the prof could ask us as a class..if he asks an unfair question, the super keeners might get it and really good for them cause they deserve it for the time they put into it..but I'll be equally happy with my mark and I honestly couldn't be bothered about anyone else's mark..

 

to answer the initial point of the post..high school is not a measure of anything..obviously people who do good in high school tend to continue what they r doing in university as well..but a lot of people who don't do well in high school lose their teenage arragonce over time and begin to approach things more maturely with regards to what they want in life and how they hope to achieve it...

 

just remember in all stages that getting good marks is awesome, but try not to make it the sole mission of your life..

[Guest therealcrackers]

Highschool finished almost 14 years ago for me (yikes!), and I see it as the first step towards medicine. I was able to procrastinate through most of the first three years, then BANG! whole lotta projects, in-depth essays and difficult math and science material opened my eyes. I was a decent but indifferent student the first three years, but then did much better in my graduating year (Etobicoke, west-end Toronto).

 

What you actually get in high school as marks means nothing on your med school application. If you had sufficient marks in various high school courses to get into all of the prerequisites or courses you were interested in at university, that's enough. Being able to recall your high school years, to remember what sort of things you did at that age, will help you deal with moments of stress in med school (when everyone regresses) and with your patients who ARE that age when you get to that stage. Did you have some fun at high school? Find a few passions in your life that were worth pursuing? Make a few friends that will sustain you in times of mirth and stress? That's just as important in your preparation for med school as was your education.

[Guest moo]

HS was a lot of fun for me. It was easy to do well... I think it's because my parents pushed me when I was younger (AP calc by ninth grade). But I still graduated in five years like most everyone else because I wanted a life. ECs in HS consisted of volunteering at an old folks home and being a camp counsellor for a couple summers, doing math contests, going to math camp one summer at Waterloo, and dreaming about being a pilot.

 

I went to UBC, found it a bit harder, but still escaped unscathed in a tough program (math and phys). First year med was a struggle for me, mainly because I realized in med school you actually have to study a lot otherwise you won't pass your exams. Don't believe those who tell you they don't study in med school. EVERYBODY has to study otherwise they won't pass. Case in point: knew an MD/PhD who failed first year because he didn't study well... very smart guy but doesn't have a lot of study skills. Second year med has been a lot more relaxed, mainly because I've come to realize that there is no such thing as an "obvious fact" in med school and have come to memorize every word on the handouts and powerpoint slides, and I realize thus that I can't fail.

 

In summary, HS isn't that important directly but it's important in that you set up good study habits and such.

[Guest UWOMED2005]

In high school, I was an oddity. I was almost kicked out of my high school in grade 9 for missing class and not getting the marks my high school was used to. I was voted student most likely to still be at the school at our 30 years reunion - as a student! Oh well, I was having fun and it was grade 9 - not the end of the world.

 

But everything changed after that. I have a confession: in grade 12 and 13, I was that kid who worked stupid hard and got the 99%* marks - but probably too hard, as my social life suffered. I remember thinking after graduation - "wow, I've won these awards and accolades but do they really mean anything? Not really." I wished I'd been more balanced.

 

So that's what I did in university. My marks were more often in the 80-85%* range but I was well balanced between athletics, academics, partying, and just plain relaxing to make sure I didn't go nuts. Seems to have worked well - I got in.

 

I think the latter is what med schools are looking for. I think that is more reflective of my class on the whole. So don't worry

 

* It's amazing how much harder you have to work to memorize the itty-bitty details (that you won't remember after you finish your degree) profs MIGHT ask about required to get 99% as opposed to have a good solid understanding of the subject and knowing the key concepts really well that you need for an 80-85% mark. And a 99% doesn't get recorded on your OMSAS transcript.

[Guest blinknoodle]

Ibraheem,

 

I'm sure there are tons of study techniques, just as many people there are. There are two things that I find I need to address when learning. First, I try to find a reason why I am learning this particular subject: what is it that excites me, why do I care about this, how is this relevant to me, why is this fun? Once I figure this out, I find it easier to focus on the tasks at hand, and to even branch into different areas when researching and discussing with friends. I also find that I need some sort of extrinsic motivation as well, because although when I satisfy myself I usually satisfy the conditions for tests, essays, etc, sometimes I don't and I need that extra kick to do a bit of conforming to what the prof wants.

 

I didn't really realize this in high school, so it may be more geared for university, especially when many of my classes involve problem-based learning and research essays. It has been awhile since my frustrations in first year biology with inane multiple-choice questions. I find that when the profs really care whether you have learned the material, and you have actually learned it, there aren't any problems. It also helps that over half my courses are electives, so I get to steer my direction of education, and I already know why I want to take each class. This can still apply to many areas of high school: when you have to do an independent study unit or any research essay, when you read a book in English class, etc. You can also ask yourself why you are taking AP courses. I took two AP courses in high school (calculus and french) before I realized that my university didn't accept them, or that I even wanted my university to accept them. And since then, I took AP courses without sitting through the AP exam. Things may be different from the way my high school did things many years ago (old Ontario curriculum too), because usually they didn't teach anything more than the usual curriculum (English, French), except AP calculus and that was only an extra chapter or two.

 

Anyways, like others have said, once you realize what is important to you, you should also realize that school isn't everything and having a life is just as important.

 

Note to add: One of my favourite study techniques was to consolidate everything with a group of friends. This way you can teach and learn from each other, invent new mnemonics or memory cues, etc and it is a whole lot more fun.

 

-blinknoodle

[Guest cutieyellow]

Ibraheem,

 

Ummm i didn't study in highschool. Well, did my homework but that was it. Didn't study. Things just came naturally i guess. Attended classes, listened, did my homework and then everything just fell into place on its own. I wish it was like this now...which it is not lol. As for memorization, i work a lot with mnemonics, as well as reading it a couple of times and i also explain things to my boyfriend who sits thru countless hours of physiology/clinical studies that i explain to him. It's like a double bonus, he learns a lot about the human body and the way it works (he's in comp sci so...this is all new for him) and i learn my stuff and make sure i understand it.

 

As for classes in highschool, i wasn't in the regular stream, i was doing a International degree and thus took all advanced classes (including latin (ewwwww) and spanish). It was fun because all the people in my classes were 'somewhat' motivated individuals (as opposed to the regular stream) and thus a lot easier to perform i think. I graduated highschool with two diplomas because of this. Not that it means much now though lol.

 

Keep up the motivation !

 

CY

[Guest Spencer]

Hey Peoples,

 

This thread is really interesting simply because I'm in high school and this sort of topic appeals to me...so I'm just going to throw one of my random hypothesis out to the crowd...as I see it, there is now a trend where high school averages have gone up because many high schoolers believe that without a university education, they will get nowhere...although some know better than that...but getting into university is pretty standard now...my concern is this...although university brochures and websites give low "minimal scores" for admissions, I'm pretty sure the actual admissions average is much MUCH higher than what is written down in these sources. Looking at undergraduate programs at the INFO magazine released by OUAC this year...it is quite soothing to know that at Brock University...you need only a mid-80s average to make the requirements for Health Science...but if you look at the number of applicants to the program which is 877 people...to the number of people who actually get accepted...which is 45 people...there is only ONE criteria used to determine which 45 people out of those 877 people get in...MARKS. I know cause I personally asked the Brock Health Science Rep at the Ontario University Fair in September...marks narrow down the list of 877 applicants to 45 people...I'm pretty sure all most of the 877 applicants had a decent 85%+ average...but clearly 832 applicants didn't make it, not because they didn't make the required cut-offs, but because there were others with higher marks...hence the whole high school marks are important clause...I have no idea what the competition was like when you applied to university...but according to my guidance counsellor, its getting more competitive every year. That's why high schoolers freak out over marks...

 

High school marks may not be important for medical school...but they are important for the undergraduate programs that we want to gain entry in...and let's face it, if we end up in a undergrad program that was our last choice...we most likely will not enjoy it as thoroughly as we would our first and hence our GPA may suffer...all hypothetical...but once again...leading to the same conclusion. I guess it'd be great to even get into university...right now, college/apprenticeship looks like a more viable option for high schoolers that aren't pulling 80%+ (no slight to colleges or apprenticeships).

 

I'm in the AP stream...and its killing me...the program was basically abandoned this year...all of 9 people are in the AP Chemistry class in Gr.12 and they didn't even have enough people to open an AP Biology class...why? Because most Canadian universities don't give a rat's behind you did AP and all it does is lower your average...I think you should take AP if you genuinely want to learn this stuff NOW...but it's not like you're going to miss out since you revisit the material in first year university...

[Guest moo]

I don't think admissions is really that much harder nowadays than it was when I was applying. I say this because I know that, in BC at least, teachers do some major grade inflation, and if you compare statistics of school grades and provincial exam grades (the provincial exams are a standardized set of exams that kids in BC have to take to graduate... different subjects have diff exams), you will see that school averages have been going up while exam grades have remained constant.

 

I encourage people to take AP courses because it will make the first year science courses in college that much easier, even if you do not take credit for those courses. For example, I remember the AP Physics C exam to be much harder than the first year physics course at UBC, not to mention when I took the provincial exam in BC at the time, it was a joke, as was the exams for most other (AP) courses and most of my friends agreed with me.

[Guest myllion]

I just graduated from a BC high school last year, and now in first year sciences at UBC.

 

Although I see the reasons why some people choose to take AP courses, I don't think they're all that helpful. I didn't take a single AP class and graduated with scholarships because I had a fairly easy courseload.

 

And I had some friends who took many AP courses because they wanted to get a headstart in university. They didn't do so well in Grade 12. Furthermore, their marks weren't helped much by AP courses. I know someone who took AP Chemistry and Biology and ended up getting "C"s in first term.

 

That's my two cents, I did fairly well in term 1 without any AP courses. If you want to go easy in Grade 12, don't worry about not being able to do well in university.

[Guest blinknoodle]

Hi Spencer,

 

Please remember that not everyone accepts the university's offer of admission, and typically many more acceptances go out then there are spots. I'm sure Brock sends out a lot of acceptances for their undergraduate program since there typically is only one wave of acceptances - they need to guess how many people will accept their offer.

 

I'm in an undergraduate program right now where 3200 people applied for 160 spots last year (double-cohort year). We actually require a supplementary application, where people who scored highly and had over 90% were automatically offered admission (we sent out 300 acceptances). Thus you can see that marks are not the sole criterion and even if you have sky-high marks, it does you no better than someone with a 90% (at least in this case). Although I feel your pain of the competition in high school, I doubt it has gotten away worse over the past few years, save maybe the double-cohort year.

 

-blinknoodle

[Guest Spencer]

Hi blinknoodle,

 

I was careful to mention to ONLY Brock University simply because they had no supplementary application and marks are, for their health science program, the sole criterion for narrowing down applicants. McMaster health science uses supplementary applications which are weighted 50/50 in conjunction with marks...which was what the MAC health sci rep told me at the university fair. I still don't understand how a university program can make 300 offers for only 160 spots...are 140 people put on some kind of waitlist? Or were you referring to all of the offers made in total cause some people might have gone to another program so a space became vacant and the school made an offer to the next eligible individual? I wonder how they go about guessing the number of people that will accept their offer...what if all 300 people decided to accept?

 

You wouldn't happen to be doing Health Science at McMaster, would you? Just curious...it's actually one of my top undergraduate choices...speaking of choices...I think there are too many...how did you go about narrowing down your options for an undergraduate degree?

 

Thanks for the reply!

[Guest blinknoodle]

Hey Spencer,

 

I am in my fourth year in the Bachelor of Health Sciences program here at Mac. When I applied, it was one of the only health science programs in Ontario (Waterloo had their pre-health, Queen's had life science, and I also applied to Ottawa's biotech program -- at least that is all I applied for). I didn't have a hard time narrowing things down (not as many options!) although was a bit anxious being the first round of students for a new degree, but I knew that I would have gone to Mac even if I hadn't been admitted.

 

As far as I know about our admission policies, marks do not factor into the equation very much. I know that once the applicants that were highly ranked were chosen for admission, the next group of students were offered admission ranking down by gpa. At least 3 students mark the application out of 7, if you get 6 or 7 and over 90% gpa, then you get offered admission. Then to get the remainder of the 300 spots, everyone who was ranked 5 had their application re-scored. Then the 5's were offered admission starting with the highest gpa. We know the system isn't perfect, which is why there are room for additional transfer students in 2nd year, where each applicant is assessed individually (I don't think there are that many applicants for transfer). I've never heard of the 50/50 split, but it may be new for this year.

 

As for the offers of admission, they send out all the acceptances at once. Last year, yes, that meant that 140 refused the offer of admission. When I applied for first year, there were supposed to be 80 spots, but they did send out too many acceptances so my class had 103 students (something like that). So, in theory, yes the class could be 300 if everyone accepted (although unlikely). There actually is some sort of guessing game trying to figure out how many acceptances to send out, as you can see. Over the years, they have been able to gauge the typical positive response rate. I know that last year was harder to plan since it was the double cohort year and students were applying to many, many schools/programs.

 

Anyhow, I'm not too knowledgeable about the other undergrad programs, but I can tell you about the BHSc program at Mac (let me know if you have specific questions). When I was shopping for my undergrad program, I tried to keep in mind not only what I would be learning (ie. look at the classes you need to take), but also how I would be learning (is there any flexbility?), could I specialize/focus/stay broad/etc, the atmosphere of the university campus and surrounding community (proximity from home), etc. They probably don't want to tell you this, but it's the same as med schools: if you have a great student, no matter where they go, they'll be good. Just find out what is important for you, find out what each program offers and then which one would work best with you.

 

Cheers,

-blinknoodle

[Guest 0T6]

Alrite I started reading but there was so much and I'm kinda sleep so I thought I'd quick reply

 

It really is all about motivation, from grades 9-11 I was averaging like low to mid 80s.. whatever I really didn't care. Then in grade 12 I took a few OACs and got 80 in chem and calc.. that shocked me, and to be honest I'm glad I did @#%$ cause I realized I had to do more, so in my OAC year I ended up with a 97 in physics, 95 in bio, 95 in world issues and such, so my final OAC average was 89 or something. Now I'm at UofT with a 3.98 OMSAS GPA so what I'm tryin to say is that high school counts for nothing, and with the right motivation and inspiration you can really kick your marks up in university, on the same token, without adapting, a stellar high school student can fail in university. They're two different worlds.

 

Peace