Should I apply to Ontarian schools?

[Chatnin]

Hello everyone!

I completed my undergrad at the University of Alberta, and I am interested in applying this 2013 cycle in Ontario. I lived most of my life in Edmonton, but I was born in Toronto. Would this affect my status as an OOP applicant at the Ontarian Medical Schools?

 

I am bit confused about the GPA calculations. When I calculated my GPA using the OSMAS conversion chart, I got 3.458.

However, these are the GPA marks that I received during my undergrad.

 

First year 3.1 (24 credits)

Second year 3.9 (30 credits)

Third Year 3.4 (27 credits)

Fourth Year 3.8 (30 credits)

 

I didn't take a full course load in my first and third years, so I took three summer courses to make up the credit deficit. For my three courses, I got B-, A-, and A+.

My MCAT score was 32Q.

I have been reading about how some Ontarian medical schools have strict cut-offs, and I am wondering if it makes sense to apply in Ontario. I will be an undergrad again this year and I will be taking 24 credits in order to boost my GPA, but I don't think that Ontarian schools will consider courses completed by April 2013 for the 2013 cycle.

Any advice would be very helpful!!

Thanks!

[bored]

Hello everyone!

I completed my undergrad at the University of Alberta, and I am interested in applying this 2013 cycle in Ontario. I lived most of my life in Edmonton, but I was born in Toronto. Would this affect my status as an OOP applicant at the Ontarian Medical Schools?

 

I am bit confused about the GPA calculations. When I calculated my GPA using the OSMAS conversion chart, I got 3.458.

However, these are the GPA marks that I received during my undergrad.

 

First year 3.1 (24 credits)

Second year 3.9 (30 credits)

Third Year 3.4 (27 credits)

Fourth Year 3.8 (30 credits)

 

I didn't take a full course load in my first and third years, so I took three summer courses to make up the credit deficit. For my three courses, I got B-, A-, and A+.

My MCAT score was 32Q.

I have been reading about how some Ontarian medical schools have strict cut-offs, and I am wondering if it makes sense to apply in Ontario. I will be an undergrad again this year and I will be taking 24 credits in order to boost my GPA, but I don't think that Ontarian schools will consider courses completed by April 2013 for the 2013 cycle.

Any advice would be very helpful!!

Thanks!

 

yes you should!!

check to see if you make mcat cutoffs for queens and western based on their past year cutoffs for mcat.

for the rest of the school, you might be good enough as it is or might even get lucky..

[Chatnin]

yes you should!!

check to see if you make mcat cutoffs for queens and western based on their past year cutoffs for mcat.

for the rest of the school, you might be good enough as it is or might even get lucky..

I hope you are right. Do you by any chance know the OSMAS GPA cut-offs for the schools in Ontario?

I also heard that NOSM accepts only students from Northern Ontario, is this correct?

[bored]

I hope you are right. Do you by any chance know the OSMAS GPA cut-offs for the schools in Ontario?

I also heard that NOSM accepts only students from Northern Ontario, is this correct?

 

I guess the nosm fact is somewhat true. but apply anyways and hope for best?

uwo = 2 years with 3.7+, uoft = 3.6, and they drop some courses, mac = 3.0, ottawa = 3.87 for you, with their special weighing,

[Gametime24]

I guess the nosm fact is somewhat true. but apply anyways and hope for best?

uwo = 2 years with 3.7+, uoft = 3.6, and they drop some courses, mac = 3.0, ottawa = 3.87 for you, with their special weighing,

 

UofT wont drop any courses for the OP. You have to take a full course load in every academic year (excluding summer courses) to be eligible for the weighting.

 

The rest sound good though!

[Chatnin]

UofT wont drop any courses for the OP. You have to take a full course load in every academic year (excluding summer courses) to be eligible for the weighting.

 

The rest sound good though!

 

Does that mean that I am not able to apply to the UofT? How many full course academic years do I need to be eligible for weighting?

Thank for all your comments

[ellorie]

You could apply to U of T, but they wouldn't weight your GPA at all, so it might be a long shot.

 

If I were you, I would look at schools that only consider your best years and don't require a full load every year. UWO could be a really good choice there if you make the MCAT cut off.

 

Every school in Ontario has different (sometimes very different) requirements - you will need to look into each individually and see which are options for you.

 

I am Albertan and I got in to neither U of A nor U of C, but I got 3 acceptances in Ontario, so I am very glad that I applied in Ontario as well as Alberta!

[Dr.Henderson]

See what you come up with for an OMSAS average for your last two years for Queen's. Typically the average is somewhere in the 3.6-3.7 range for cutoff. With your 3.8 and 3.4 you may be close! If you can keep your GPA >3.7 for this coming year, you should be in good shape for the GPA cutoff.

 

Your MCAT score should be good provided you have at least a 10 in VR- could you give us your MCAT breakdown by section as its important for cutoffs.

 

Make sure you have some good volunteering experience to back up the academics- that's the other piece of the puzzle that can sometimes set you apart from the pack.

[Ocelot]

I know its not a representative sample but what I saw from the accepted/rejected thread for the last couple years, undergrads admitted had high 3.8- 3.9 wGPAs.

 

UofT has holistic admissions though so MCAT, ECs and 4 mini essays are just as important.

[Savac]

I thought that the MCAT was not considered once you passed the 9/9/9/N cutoff

[Ocelot]

I know once you are below the 9/9/9/N they "flag" you but I've never heard about it not being considered once you meet cutoffs. I don't see why a good MCAT score would have no bearing on your application.

[Savac]

From their website:

 

1) What are the minimum scores required on each component of the MCAT to be considered?

 

Minimum scores of 9 on the Verbal Reasoning, Biological and Physical Sciences sections and N on the Writing Sample are required. We do not use a total MCAT score in our assessment.

 

2) How is the MCAT used in the application process?

 

The MCAT is not included in an overall academic calculation, but is used as a "flag." Less than minimum marks will jeopardize the success of the application. The MCAT must be written prior to the application deadline. Applications without MCAT scores will not be considered.

[Ocelot]

Ok wow, so it's not used in the assessment at all. Those mini-essays are really important then haha

[Chatnin]

So it seems that UWO is a good school to apply for

On my MCAT, I received 10 verbal, 10 bio, 12 physical, and a Q (32Q)

I think I got a good MCAT score, what do you think?

[Ocelot]

So it seems that UWO is a good school to apply for

On my MCAT, I received 10 verbal, 10 bio, 12 physical, and a Q (32Q)

I think I got a good MCAT score, what do you think?

 

That's a good overall score but Western has hard cutoffs for the MCAT and GPA. Last year's verbal cutoff was an 11.