Does Anyone Else Find Queen's Mcat Cutoffs Disgusting?

[sdj78we9jtf2o3mgfvj298j 268]

And I'm not talking about the scores you need to meet the cutoff. Since 2002 Queen's has had a 10/10/10 (32 total cutoff) but this isn't stated anywhere on their website. Let's take a look at the number of applicants for Toronto and Queen's this cycle:

 

Queen's: 4374

Toronto: 3463

 

Isn't it interesting how queen's has 1000 more applicants than Toronto despite being less known internationally and having a significantly more difficult MCAT cutoff? I believe that this large difference is due to the fact that thousands of applicants unknowingly apply to a school that will screen them out on the basis of their MCAT.

 

I have no reason to believe that Queen's does this for anything besides a money grab. They essentially steal a total of $100000 from applicants every year who have no chance of even having their file read. That's a very nice chunk of change, considering that they don't have to do anything to get it. I am absolutely horrified at the current state of our medical education system and how this has been allowed to occur for 12 years.

[Organomegaly 320]

I never understood why Queens didn't disclose their cutoffs.

 

Yes, I get they're subject to change. But they could post the cutoffs over the years to reflect that fact and have applicants make the judgement call on if they want to apply or not. (i.e., the 10 VR cut has been in place for over 10 years now, so there is no expecting it to go down. Thus a 9 VR applicant wouldn't waste his money)

 

It could save people in tight financial situations money and, as OP says, decrease the number of applicants. 

[Cbs14 27]

It's frankly preposterous. 

[Aetherus 200]

And I'm not talking about the scores you need to meet the cutoff. Since 2002 Queen's has had a 10/10/10 (32 total cutoff) but this isn't stated anywhere on their website. Let's take a look at the number of applicants for Toronto and Queen's this cycle:

 

Queen's: 4374

Toronto: 3463

 

Isn't it interesting how queen's has 1000 more applicants than Toronto despite being less known internationally and having a significantly more difficult MCAT cutoff? I believe that this large difference is due to the fact that thousands of applicants unknowingly apply to a school that will screen them out on the basis of their MCAT.

 

I have no reason to believe that Queen's does this for anything besides a money grab. They essentially steal a total of $100000 from applicants every year who have no chance of even having their file read. That's a very nice chunk of change, considering that they don't have to do anything to get it. I am absolutely horrified at the current state of our medical education system and how this has been allowed to occur for 12 years.

This is a horrible analysis. First off, you omit the fact that Toronto has less applicants then not only Queen's, but also Mac and Ottawa. The real reason for this disparity in applicants can be attributed to two main difference: First, Toronto has prerequisites....Queen's does not. This essentially limits the pool of applicants. Second, Toronto has a total of about 7 essays...Queens has 0.

The fact that the mcat cutoff is not disclosed is unfortunate, however it is definitely not what is causing the disparity in numbers.

 

Reputation has little to do with the amount of people applying to a particular school since where you do your medicine makes little to no difference. Anyways, although Queen's international reputation is not as good as UofT, nationally both are well respected institutions.

Also, if you are so disgusted about the state of our medical education system (without having actually attended medical school...not sure if you are aware but Canada is a leader in medical education in the world and is recognized as having one of the best systems)...you don't have to apply. You can always go to the states or elsewhere if you are too disgusted.

[premed202 4]

This is a horrible analysis. First off, you omit the fact that Toronto has less applicants then not only Queen's, but also Mac and Ottawa. The real reason for this disparity in applicants can be attributed to two main difference: First, Toronto has prerequisites....Queen's does not. This essentially limits the pool of applicants. Second, Toronto has a total of about 7 essays...Queens has 0.

The fact that the mcat cutoff is not disclosed is unfortunate, however it is definitely not what is causing the disparity in numbers.

 

Reputation has little to do with the amount of people applying to a particular school since where you do your medicine makes little to no difference. Anyways, although Queen's international reputation is not as good as UofT, nationally both are well respected institutions.

Also, if you are so disgusted about the state of our medical education system (without having actually attended medical school...not sure if you are aware but Canada is a leader in medical education in the world and is recognized as having one of the best systems)...you don't have to apply. You can always go to the states or elsewhere if you are too disgusted.

I agree. Even if his argument was valid, I would say that people should do some more research before they spend their money on applying to a school. Finding this forum is not that difficult, and it really gives you a good idea of what different schools look for (ie Queen's proposed cutoffs)

[ralk 1,068]

And I'm not talking about the scores you need to meet the cutoff. Since 2002 Queen's has had a 10/10/10 (32 total cutoff) but this isn't stated anywhere on their website. Let's take a look at the number of applicants for Toronto and Queen's this cycle:

 

Queen's: 4374

Toronto: 3463

 

Isn't it interesting how queen's has 1000 more applicants than Toronto despite being less known internationally and having a significantly more difficult MCAT cutoff? I believe that this large difference is due to the fact that thousands of applicants unknowingly apply to a school that will screen them out on the basis of their MCAT.

 

I have no reason to believe that Queen's does this for anything besides a money grab. They essentially steal a total of $100000 from applicants every year who have no chance of even having their file read. That's a very nice chunk of change, considering that they don't have to do anything to get it. I am absolutely horrified at the current state of our medical education system and how this has been allowed to occur for 12 years.

 

Aetherus already hit the major points, but to pile on, Queen's has a far lower GPA requirement, which is why it gets so many more applicants despite a slightly higher MCAT cutoff.

 

Queen's gets a lot of applications because it has no regional restrictions, has a low GPA cutoff, a reasonable MCAT cutoff, and a subjective element (ECs) that can't be reliably predicted before applying. Yes, some people do apply with MCAT scores below the expected cutoff, but that's there choice and the information on what that likely cutoff will be isn't hard to find, even if it's not available on Queen's website. More importantly, Western, which does post its previous cutoffs and has absolutely no subjective element pre-interview still receives thousands of applications from people who do not end up getting an interview, even in years when the cutoffs didn't substantially change. Applicants are either willfully ignorant or apply even when the likelihood of an interview is extremely low, neither of which Queen's can be held responsible for.

[rmorelan 2,571]

I wonder how much or really I guess if anything Queens actually gets for this - the OMSAS is a separate organization that has its own expenses of course. I mean Queens may simply not be getting a huge cash settlement etc.

[amazonrainforest 16]

Do any of you guys know if this VR 9 MCAT cut-off applies pre-interview? or at the end of everything only when they decide whether or not to give that final admissions offer?

[Organomegaly 320]

Do any of you guys know if this VR 9 MCAT cut-off applies pre-interview? or at the end of everything only when they decide whether or not to give that final admissions offer?

 

Sorry, it's a VR cutoff of 10 (i.e. anyone with below a 10 will be "cut", so a 9 will not suffice).

 

This metric is employed for pre-interview screening. A MCAT verbal of below 10 will not make it to the interview stage, with the disclaimer that the cutoffs are subject to change (however the 10 VR has been around for over 10 years now - look back to the forums from 2003 and you will notice it there too). 

 

Note that meeting the cutoffs is a necessary but not sufficient requirement for reaching the interview stage. Following satisfactorily reaching the cutoffs, an applicant must demonstrate non-academic competencies through the evaluation of the autobiographical sketch.