Top Tier Undergrad In Us Applying For Med School In Ontario, What Are My Chances?

[emilylithium]

Hi, This is my first post as I am really anxious and don't know what to do.

I am Canadian Citizen, Ontario Resident. I am currently applying to medical schools.

For undergrad education, I went to a top-tier Ivy League school in the United States (One of the lesser known though).

I am really concerned about my GPA because of the different grading system. In my school, it is typically A=95-100, A- = 90-95, B+ = 85-80, B=80-85, etc. I know this is very different from Canadian universities where grading is much more relaxed.

My GPA is about 3.7/4.0. Graduated Cum Laude this June,  so I know the grade is not bad at my school's standard. 

 

However, I know that some ontario med schools have GPA cut-offs. Which ones would I be eligible to apply for? How disadvantaged will I be compared to students with GPA of 3.95+ in Ontario? I know that Ontario Med Schools are more number focused than American medical schools (which i'm also applying for, but being international is a huge disadvantage as well). 

Also my course load might look thin, even though it is more than the full course load at my school. 3 full courses/quarter.

 

Other stats:

MCAT

V 11, B 12, P 14 (37 total)

Very substantial extra curricular, solid recommendation letters.Currently working in a clinical position at a university affiliated hospital.

(I could provide more information if it will help) 

How much do they look at Extra curriculars and post grad activities? because i think that is where my advantage lies. 

Thank you so much for your help!

 

Also, any suggestions for out of province schools worth applying to?

Emily

[elldeezz]

Hi Emily

 

I'm a fellow Canadian with a US undergrad from a top school, so I understand your situation. My stats are around the same as yours.

 

My understanding is that the prestige of your undergrad does not matter in Canada, while it does in the US to a certain point...  sucks for us, but that's the way it is. 

 

School policies regarding extracurriculars vary quite a bit....  for some it won't matter at all if you don't meet the cutoffs, for others it might help you some.   But generally speaking, ECs seem to matter much less than in the US, at least pre-interview.

 

I'm no expert on the Ontario schools specifically, but I understand that given your MCAT, at UWO you would be guaranteed an interview so as long as your best 2 years are both > 3.7.

 

Your overall GPA might be a bit low for the Queen's cutoff, but if you don't meet their initial cutoff, they will consider your average GPA from the last 2 years. So if you had an upward trend (i.e. last 2 years > 3.8ish), you'd probably have a good shot at interview there.  Your MCAT most certainly meets the Queens cutoff. 

 

The UofT average GPA is insanely high, but they value extracurriculars pre-interview and supposedly look at apps holistically, so you likely have a decent shot there as well.

 

While there's lots of good information on here, I'd suggest taking a close look at each school's websites....

 

Where did you apply in the USA?   You probably have a decent shot there as well coming out of an Ivy...

[not my real name]

I would definitely write the Ontario schools directly about GPA conversion. Are your percent grades also listed on your transcript? Either way, OMSAS does have a conversion chart for other Canadian schools, so it is worth seeing how your grades would be looked at.

 

If you have percentages listed on your transcript, then I would also look at UBC. Sounds like you might have a good number there, but that'll only work if they look at how you actually scored.

[not my real name]

http://www.ouac.on.ca/faq/grades-from-us-institution-omsas/

 

American grades are not automatically converted by the online application, as OMSAS must first review your transcript to determine the applicable scale. Once this is done, you will receive a verification report to review what we have done.

[twitchyfides]

Hi, This is my first post as I am really anxious and don't know what to do.

I am Canadian Citizen, Ontario Resident. I am currently applying to medical schools.

For undergrad education, I went to a top-tier Ivy League school in the United States (One of the lesser known though).

I am really concerned about my GPA because of the different grading system. In my school, it is typically A=95-100, A- = 90-95, B+ = 85-80, B=80-85, etc. I know this is very different from Canadian universities where grading is much more relaxed.

My GPA is about 3.7/4.0. Graduated Cum Laude this June,  so I know the grade is not bad at my school's standard. 

 

However, I know that some ontario med schools have GPA cut-offs. Which ones would I be eligible to apply for? How disadvantaged will I be compared to students with GPA of 3.95+ in Ontario? I know that Ontario Med Schools are more number focused than American medical schools (which i'm also applying for, but being international is a huge disadvantage as well). 

Also my course load might look thin, even though it is more than the full course load at my school. 3 full courses/quarter.

 

Other stats:

MCAT

V 11, B 12, P 14 (37 total)

Very substantial extra curricular, solid recommendation letters.Currently working in a clinical position at a university affiliated hospital.

(I could provide more information if it will help) 

How much do they look at Extra curriculars and post grad activities? because i think that is where my advantage lies. 

Thank you so much for your help!

 

Also, any suggestions for out of province schools worth applying to?

Emily

 

I am curious as to why you actually went to a U.S undergrad. if you had the intent (at some level) to practice in Canada. Kind of doesnt make any sense, you sank close to $200,000 in tuition alone (excluding scholarships and bursaires, its stilla hefty sum). Alot of undergrads have this misconception of "prestige is irrelevant" which is partially true, universities cater to their own undergrads. The ivy-league is a vague term in Canadian circles, as opposed to the states that are well versed in the rankings per say, I do not know how much weightage would actually be given to your university given the fact that most ADCOMM's arent going to look at your ivy-league school and automatically place you over Canadian undergrads, it would be like saying Stanford places more value on UoFT UG's.  The competiveness in Ontario medical schools stems from the limited number of medical schools in Canada, subsequently a limited number of seats, and I think you fall under the international applicant's section for graduate schools in Canada. I am not sure on this though.

 

You might have to actually list the EC's you did and go in some detail because your app is very standard in terms of what calibre of students get in. 3.7 mind you is considered non-competitive in Canada. 

 

I am not an ADCOMM neither a medical student, its just speculation on my part from doing research. My honest advice to you is that if you think you are a solid applicant, it never hurts to try.

 

Curious to why you aren't applying to US schools though with a cGPA of 3.7, MCAT 37, you are guaranteed interviews. I am assuming there are VISA or citizenship issues that you are running into, or it might be the finiancial difference that makes you lean towards Canadian schools. Either ways the advice usually given out is that you apply broadly. Sinking couple of grand in applications across NA is a small drop in the debt you are going to incur anyway.

[elldeezz]

She will definitely be considered as a Canadian applicant (not international).

 

Prestige is generally irrelevant in Canada for medical school, but does help in the USA. 

 

If you are strictly premed and intend to practice in Canada, I agree that going to the States for UG may not be the best decision. 

 

However, top US colleges provide a fantastic undergraduate experience and open lots of doors outside of medicine.  Prestige certainly matters to employers.  Top US colleges have extensive networks and are very well known in Canada and internationally.

 

Holding both a UG and PhD from Ivies has made me a highly sought-after applicant for industry & consulting jobs.  But for Ontario medschools it doesn't do much for ya.

 

That said OP should be reasonably competitive for Ontario schools, depending on her GPA breakdown.

[Organomegaly]

To make it short and sweet

 

Where you're out right now:
NOSM: Unless you lived in norther Ontario for some of your life, or at the very least a rural area, you're out on that basis alone.

Ottawa: Minimum wGPA of 3.85. Doesn't sound like you have that.

Toronto: an accepted GPA of 3.70 is incredibly rare for an undergraduate. Competitive is 3.90+. 

 

Where you have a chance:

McMaster - you have an average accepted verbal (11) and below average accepted GPA (cGPA avg is 3.83), meaning you might have a shot with a  "good" CASper. This school is not out at all.

 

Queens: cGPA is very close to their cutoff (around 3.70 to 3.75). After you reach the cutoffs, it's all about the ECs.

 

Western: You meet their MCAT cutoffs and their GPA cutoffs, provided your GPA is exactly 3.70 (i.e. not 3.68) for at least two years. 

If your GPA is below 3.70, you can probably count Queens and Western out, leaving McMaster. 

 

[Edict]

I'm pretty sure that US GPAs are lower than Canadian GPAs. In many top schools its almost unheard of to get a 3.9+ GPA but it is doable in Canada. It works against you for Canadian applications. 

 

twitchyfides is right and wrong, he's right in the sense that going to the US pretty much hurts you for applications to Canada, but then again most people don't actually know what they want to do when they go to university. So its perfectly reasonable to go to an Ivy League school thinking you will do something and then decide to do medicine. 

[Aetherus]

I'm pretty sure that US GPAs are lower than Canadian GPAs. In many top schools its almost unheard of to get a 3.9+ GPA but it is doable in Canada. It works against you for Canadian applications.

 

twitchyfides is right and wrong, he's right in the sense that going to the US pretty much hurts you for applications to Canada, but then again most people don't actually know what they want to do when they go to university. So its perfectly reasonable to go to an Ivy League school thinking you will do something and then decide to do medicine.

I actually believe there is huge gpa inflation at top American schools, I have seen multiple articles talking about the gpa inflation at Harvard.

[uncharted1114]

I actually believe there is huge gpa inflation at top American schools, I have seen multiple articles talking about the gpa inflation at Harvard.

Grade inflation doesn't mean that everyone graduates from Harvard with a 3.9+ GPA. I believe their average graduating GPA is around 3.7, while about 20% graduate with a 3.9+, based on Latin honors cutoffs.

[Edict]

I actually believe there is huge gpa inflation at top American schools, I have seen multiple articles talking about the gpa inflation at Harvard.

 

I have heard of grade inflation at Harvard, but i've heard that grades are notoriously difficult at Princeton, Cornell, MIT and Brown? 

[uncharted1114]

I have heard of grade inflation at Harvard, but i've heard that grades are notoriously difficult at Princeton, Cornell, MIT and Brown? 

Princeton is the only Ivy that tries to actively combat grade inflation. Their current grading policy is that no more than 35% of grades given out can be in the A-range for most departments and classes, although there's been talk of getting rid of it because of the overly competitive atmosphere it creates among students. Brown is odd in that they don't formally calculate GPAs, but if you were to convert their transcripts (A=4.0, B=3.0, etc.), their average graduating GPA is actually one of the highest in the Ivy League. I can't remember what the exact numbers are, but Cornell's average graduating GPA is fairly low in comparison to the rest of the Ivies. I don't know enough about MIT to comment on them.

[Aetherus]

Princeton is the only Ivy that tries to actively combat grade inflation. Their current grading policy is that no more than 35% of grades given out can be in the A-range for most departments and classes, although there's been talk of getting rid of it because of the overly competitive atmosphere it creates among students. Brown is odd in that they don't formally calculate GPAs, but if you were to convert their transcripts (A=4.0, B=3.0, etc.), their average graduating GPA is actually one of the highest in the Ivy League. I can't remember what the exact numbers are, but Cornell's average graduating GPA is fairly low in comparison to the rest of the Ivies. I don't know enough about MIT to comment on them.

MIT is not an Ivy League school. But I don't think that American schools are necessarily easier or harder then Canadian schools.

[IamIDP]

Hi, This is my first post as I am really anxious and don't know what to do.

I am Canadian Citizen, Ontario Resident. I am currently applying to medical schools.

For undergrad education, I went to a top-tier Ivy League school in the United States (One of the lesser known though).

I am really concerned about my GPA because of the different grading system. In my school, it is typically A=95-100, A- = 90-95, B+ = 85-80, B=80-85, etc. I know this is very different from Canadian universities where grading is much more relaxed.

My GPA is about 3.7/4.0. Graduated Cum Laude this June,  so I know the grade is not bad at my school's standard. 

 

However, I know that some ontario med schools have GPA cut-offs. Which ones would I be eligible to apply for? How disadvantaged will I be compared to students with GPA of 3.95+ in Ontario? I know that Ontario Med Schools are more number focused than American medical schools (which i'm also applying for, but being international is a huge disadvantage as well). 

Also my course load might look thin, even though it is more than the full course load at my school. 3 full courses/quarter.

 

Other stats:

MCAT

V 11, B 12, P 14 (37 total)

Very substantial extra curricular, solid recommendation letters.Currently working in a clinical position at a university affiliated hospital.

(I could provide more information if it will help) 

How much do they look at Extra curriculars and post grad activities? because i think that is where my advantage lies. 

Thank you so much for your help!

 

Also, any suggestions for out of province schools worth applying to?

Emily

Hi Emily,

 

You have a shot at McMaster, UofT, Queens, and Western depending on your wGPA for each school. You may have a chance at Northern depending on where you lived your entire life.

[NLengr]

Are you willing to look outside ON? Memorial is probably worth trying. It's a pretty holistic admissions process.

[011235813]

bump.

[alabaster]

If you're willing to go outside Ontario, apply to Manitoba.

 

Pre-interview, they look at 30% GPA, 70% MCAT. Post-interview (I believe) is 40% MCAT, 45% interview, 15% GPA.  Research experience (publications) and rural living will give you a bonus.  Other extracurriculars don't matter.  There are limited OOP spots but if you get an interview, it's your spot to lose.  Plus the application (or at least when I filled it out) is about as strenuous as filling out a Tim Hortons application, so it's not a lot of time to invest.  

[amichel]

If you're willing to go outside Ontario, apply to Manitoba.

 

Pre-interview, they look at 30% GPA, 70% MCAT. Post-interview (I believe) is 40% MCAT, 45% interview, 15% GPA. Research experience (publications) and rural living will give you a bonus. Other extracurriculars don't matter. There are limited OOP spots but if you get an interview, it's your spot to lose. Plus the application (or at least when I filled it out) is about as strenuous as filling out a Tim Hortons application, so it's not a lot of time to invest.

This thread is super old.

[bruhh]

bump.

Lol why?

[011235813]

Friend from US was wondering.

[alabaster]

This thread is super old.

 

In fairness, someone bumped it before I commented....