Question about number of applications that actually make it

[ballislife123321]

So this was always on my mind,

Say you take a med school like Queens. I believe around 4000 people applied there this year.

And I believe around 400-500 (lets say 500) people got an interview. So that's 1/8 chance of getting an interview.

Ok but of those 4000 people, how many actually made the gpa + MCAT cutoff? It should cut down the number off apps by a lot ( I am assuming). Thus increasing your odds. And then after that lets assume (since we are talking about queens here) that you have applicants that are not so competitive in terms of volunteering/ecs//awards--> that should cut it down by a lot. And then all you have left is people who made the gpa/mcat cutoff and are competitive in terms of the other stuff... Soo that 4000 applicant pool doesn't look as scary I guess?

 

If you take this same approach with all schools, it kind of makes interview chances a bit less daunting? 

haha I have too much time on my hands... I need to get back to my books.

 

 

[rmorelan]

plus the fact that the same people often apply to multiple schools cuts it down as well. Of course your math assumes that you are on the right side of the GPA, MCAT, and EC curves.

 

This is why knowledge of how the game is played, and knowledge ideally given early, is so powerful. A lot of people are playing a game they don't even know the rules for - hard to win that way

[ballislife123321]

plus the fact that the same people often apply to multiple schools cuts it down as well. Of course your math assumes that you are on the right side of the GPA, MCAT, and EC curves.

 

This is why knowledge of how the game is played, and knowledge ideally given early, is so powerful. A lot of people are playing a game they don't even know the rules for - hard to win that way

 

Are there any stats that tell us how many people didn't make the gpa + MCAT cutoffs at each school?

That would be so awesome to know. 

[No1Dr.Ozfan]

Are there any stats that tell us how many people didn't make the gpa + MCAT cutoffs at each school?

That would be so awesome to know. 

 

check admission statistics to see if the prospective school lists the number of applications that go to 'full-file review'. those are the applicants who made the cut-offs.

[Leon]

plus the fact that the same people often apply to multiple schools cuts it down as well. Of course your math assumes that you are on the right side of the GPA, MCAT, and EC curves.

 

This is why knowledge of how the game is played, and knowledge ideally given early, is so powerful. A lot of people are playing a game they don't even know the rules for - hard to win that way

 

+1

 

The numbers can be daunting but I think that for a competitive applicant it is not quite as extreme as pure numbers imply. It is still extremely competitive but you can't assume a 100% lottery.

[Leon]

check admission statistics to see if the prospective school lists the number of applications that go to 'full-file review'. those are the applicants who made the cut-offs.

 

I don't think Queens publishes this. Very few schools do. 

[rmorelan]

I don't think Queens publishes this. Very few schools do.

 

And don't for good reason - they don't want anyone to min max the system.

[Birdy]

There's no stats, but I have some suppositions that I work from that make me feel better.

 

Ontario had just about 6000 applicants last year, for about 950 spots. So, just about 1/6 of the overall applicants will get in.

 

If you get an interview, you've got around 50% chance of getting an offer. For instance, McMaster interviews around 550. They have 203 positions, and waitlist movement around 90. So almost 300 people who they interview will eventually receive an offer from them.

 

That makes me feel better when I think about it. I just have to be good enough to get an interview, then I can show them my stuff and the control over my chances is back in my hands.

[Aetherus]

There's no stats, but I have some suppositions that I work from that make me feel better.

 

Ontario had just about 6000 applicants last year, for about 950 spots. So, just about 1/6 of the overall applicants will get in.

 

If you get an interview, you've got around 50% chance of getting an offer. For instance, McMaster interviews around 550. They have 203 positions, and waitlist movement around 90. So almost 300 people who they interview will eventually receive an offer from them.

 

That makes me feel better when I think about it. I just have to be good enough to get an interview, then I can show them my stuff and the control over my chances is back in my hands.

I think there might be a mistake in the OMSAS booklet since the total number of applicants was the exact same from last year. I would expect, as most schools got around 500 more applications that there is probably closer to 6.5k applicants. However,you are totally right about everything else.

 

That being said, McMaster is by one of the more optimistic schools post interview. For example, Queen's interviews 500 people for 100 spots with minimal waitlist movement (probably less then 30). Your chances is closer to 1/4 or 1/5 for this school. Ottawa english stream counting waitlist movement is probably 1/3. Post interview for UofT has good odds as well, since close to 50% or even a bit more counting waitlist (which is minimal) are accepted.

[rmorelan]

One other flip side I suppose - there are people that simply never apply because they think they have no chance. So in that sense there is a factor suggesting from the start that it is more competitive than the numbers may be suggesting.

 

You can get very overly analytical with some of this stuff after awhile

[Aetherus]

One other flip side I suppose - there are people that simply never apply because they think they have no chance. So in that sense there is a factor suggesting from the start that it is more competitive than the numbers may be suggesting.

 

You can get very overly analytical with some of this stuff after awhile

That is a really good point too, there is probably a huge self selection happening. I am assuming that most people believe they have a decent shot before applying. I mean, all the people who say they want to be physicians in first year but never apply or the amount of people who just end up never applying because they don't feel they are competitive enough don't make their way into the reported number of applicants.

 

Maybe it is something like out of a pool of 20 000 people who want to be physicians, only 6000 end up applying.

[Sarvish]

That is a really good point too, there is probably a huge self selection happening. I am assuming that most people believe they have a decent shot before applying. I mean, all the people who say they want to be physicians in first year but never apply or the amount of people who just end up never applying because they don't feel they are competitive enough don't make their way into the reported number of applicants.

 

Maybe it is something like out of a pool of 20 000 people who want to be physicians, only 6000 end up applying.

 

Definitely a lot of people who don't apply. Many of my close friends would have been competitive applicants as 3rd years but chose not to apply for some reason or another. They're regretting that decision now and it's why I'd encourage anyone who thought they had the slightest chance of getting in, to apply.

[StriveP]

So this was always on my mind,

Say you take a med school like Queens. I believe around 4000 people applied there this year.

And I believe around 400-500 (lets say 500) people got an interview. So that's 1/8 chance of getting an interview.

Ok but of those 4000 people, how many actually made the gpa + MCAT cutoff? It should cut down the number off apps by a lot ( I am assuming). Thus increasing your odds. And then after that lets assume (since we are talking about queens here) that you have applicants that are not so competitive in terms of volunteering/ecs//awards--> that should cut it down by a lot. And then all you have left is people who made the gpa/mcat cutoff and are competitive in terms of the other stuff... Soo that 4000 applicant pool doesn't look as scary I guess?

 

If you take this same approach with all schools, it kind of makes interview chances a bit less daunting? 

haha I have too much time on my hands... I need to get back to my books.

You have a point there but keep in mind those 500 people have the stats to back it up.

[Arztin]

In Quebec, it's about the same pool of students that apply. I'd say the applicant pool is about 3500 in total, and most apply in the 4 schools if they're eligible (McGill UdeM Sherb Laval).

There are (an GROSS estimation) around 800 seats for these 4 schools. So, all in all, around 1 in 5 make it each year. However, the pool seems to get bigger and bigger each year, since there are more and more reapplicants. (stats reflect this)

 

(those are NOT very accurate numbers)

 

@rmorelan, some people invited don't actually go to their interviews. I wonder if some of them don't have any sort of confidence even when they're invited lol. At McGill, 9 IP ROQ-U invited (resident of Québec, university student) didn't show up this year, I've heard.

[Aetherus]

In Quebec, it's about the same pool of students that apply. I'd say the applicant pool is about 3500 in total, and most apply in the 4 schools if they're eligible (McGill UdeM Sherb Laval).

There are (an GROSS estimation) around 800 seats for these 4 schools. So, all in all, around 1 in 5 make it each year. However, the pool seems to get bigger and bigger each year, since there are more and more reapplicants. (stats reflect this)

 

(those are NOT very accurate numbers)

 

@rmorelan, some people invited don't actually go to their interviews. I wonder if some of them don't have any sort of confidence even when they're invited lol. At McGill, 9 IP ROQ-U invited (resident of Québec, university student) didn't show up this year, I've heard.

Since none of the faculties in quebec require the MCAT and everyone who has taken science nat at CEGEP has the prerequisites to apply, I feel there is less self screening that happens within the province. Also many applicants will apply to medicine, dentistry, pharmacy and physiotherapy all during the same cycle. There is equally no sketch to write which means it is less of a time commitment to apply. Because people have put less effort into the process in general, I think applicants are more willing to skip an interview at a program they like less if they know they have interviews at other universities (it also helps that UdeM, ULaval and Sherbrooke have 1 interview for all three).

[rmorelan]

In Quebec, it's about the same pool of students that apply. I'd say the applicant pool is about 3500 in total, and most apply in the 4 schools if they're eligible (McGill UdeM Sherb Laval).

There are (an GROSS estimation) around 800 seats for these 4 schools. So, all in all, around 1 in 5 make it each year. However, the pool seems to get bigger and bigger each year, since there are more and more reapplicants. (stats reflect this)

 

(those are NOT very accurate numbers)

 

@rmorelan, some people invited don't actually go to their interviews. I wonder if some of them don't have any sort of confidence even when they're invited lol. At McGill, 9 IP ROQ-U invited (resident of Québec, university student) didn't show up this year, I've heard.

Some don't although that has to be kind of rare overall - I would think a handful at most