Advice?

[jmatt1122]

Hello! I'm fairly new to the forum so if advice threads like this are frowned upon, sorry.

 

I'm going into 4th year and plan on applying to McGill and Ottawa for 2013. As you might have guessed, I haven't written the MCAT (due to research opportunities popping up this summer and last).

 

Anyways, looking over accepted applicants at Ottawa last year wGPAs were ≥3.9, and I sit at a 3.87. So, it's possible I guess, but considering my ECs don't involve anything clinical, I'm not extraordinarily hopeful.

 

So my question: If I'm rejected, would you suggest pursuing a MSc in the meantime (potentially delaying med by 2yrs) or just taking the year off to volunteer and build ECs? Both paths would involve writing the MCAT, obviously.

 

Thanks.

[Legion]

Can you list all your ECs? It would be helpful to know where you stand EC wise.

[jmatt1122]

Yeah! Sure.

 

Research from second year onward, two summers full time. One at my home university (Univ. of Windsor) and one here at UBC (NSERC). One publication (Dalton Trans, third author)

 

Lots of involvement in high school: model un, peer mediation, drama (SM'd and tech directed a show that 'won' Sears fest), newspaper, veterans memory project, blood drive planning.

 

After high school: Exec. position in the Society of St. Vincent de Paul, and work with an animal rights group in my city (both long term). [both of which speak to my alturism, I hope, even though they're not clinical]

 

Also I've got NLS (lifeguarding), although I never sought employment in it due to research opportunities coming up in the summer.

 

I realize my ECs are fairly atypical. I'd love to hear an outsider's thoughts on where I stand.

 

Edit: Also, I've TAed both terms last year (second year inorganic, and first year chem), and will be doing the same again this year.

[captcapt]

there is no real formula for ECs, you sound like your are on the right track. Schools like ECs that are varied and show your well roundedness, I think you should write the MCAT prior to enrolling in a masters. people tend to forget that doing a masters is more like a job than anything else - your job is knowledge synthesis - you wont really have a ton of spare time to really dedicate to the MCAT. Once you have an MCAT score, you will be better able to audit your chances of getting in and that will in turn help you decide if you really want a masters. but hopefullly you just get in this upcoming cycle.

[jmatt1122]

I think you should write the MCAT prior to enrolling in a masters. people tend to forget that doing a masters is more like a job than anything else...

 

Oh I know. I will be taking next summer off and writing it if I don't get in this cycle. MCAT + Masters won't work (just like MCAT + full-time research didn't work this summer or last)

 

...but hopefullly you just get in this upcoming cycle.

 

Yes, please.

 

I'm still hanging on whether it'd be good to get the masters after being rejected, or take a year to seriously build ECs (hospital/shadow, tutor classes for charity (SOS), summer outreach trip to south america, and all the other things I've wanted to do but never did because of school keeping me busy).