Atreides Posted June 16, 2008 Report Share Posted June 16, 2008 Wow I just replied to a post by someone who probably graduated before me lol. Didn't realize it started in 2003. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
A-Stark Posted June 16, 2008 Report Share Posted June 16, 2008 Heh. I'm finishing my last term at UW, and I got into Dal. Didn't do my undergrad here, though (thankfully ). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
keith_015 Posted June 16, 2008 Report Share Posted June 16, 2008 I thought I would put in my 2 cents on this thread to help anybody considering UW as premed. About me: BSc. Honours Biochemistry '06, started in "pre-opt/pre-health" but switched after 2nd year. Waitlisted (with likely admission this year) at UManitoba. First, the advantage of UW is that the courses are smaller in number so you can get some first hand help from profs easier and it feels much more personal in the classes. Second, the majority of people at UW for 'pre-med' are actually there for pre-optometry, so there is definitely less backstabbing and coniving like other schools with a medical school. Third, the community is really nice and safe, with a load of housing around the school making travel time to most places you need to go minimal. I do however recommend not considering any courses there as "easy" unless you are MS Office proficient and can whiz through CS100DE. I always took the challenge of taking the 'harder' version ie Chem 264 instead of 266. If you are able to handle the 'harder' material earlier, future courses AND the MCAT become much more easier to tackle. Any course is easy if you make it easy. Any course is hard if you make it hard. My advice is that if you are able to maintain a high GPA after year 1 and 2, staying in an undeclared major program is fine, but if both years aren't stellar, try switching to a major. Graduating with a major from UW will get you in the degree related work force much easier than having just an honours. As well, being a major student allows you much easier access to doing a research project in your final year, which medical schools look happily upon. Finally, I knew of a few people who were in Honours Sci and went to med school after their 3rd years (Mac and Queens), I knew a Engineer who went to NOSM, and a Biol grad who went to U of T. Hopefully me to Manitoba this year. If any future UW students have questions, feel free to PM. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
seeking1 Posted June 16, 2008 Report Share Posted June 16, 2008 Well put points there keith, I find much of what you say about UW true from my own experience there. I'm wondering if anyone knows anything about courses in the Speech Comm. department....are they any good? Can you get good marks in them? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bigbuffblackboy Posted June 20, 2008 Report Share Posted June 20, 2008 Atreides, you go to U of W eh? Would you mind me asking what your GPA (and your friends' GPAs were) was and also which program you guys were in and how much research you had to do? Thanks Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JawofLife Posted July 9, 2008 Report Share Posted July 9, 2008 Well put points there keith, I find much of what you say about UW true from my own experience there. I'm wondering if anyone knows anything about courses in the Speech Comm. department....are they any good? Can you get good marks in them? I was also wondering the same thing, are Speech comm classes easy to get high 80's in? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
seeking1 Posted July 9, 2008 Report Share Posted July 9, 2008 Jaw, please tell me you're at UW. That would be awesome. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JawofLife Posted July 9, 2008 Report Share Posted July 9, 2008 Right now, I'm knulling the idea over in my mind to go back for another year. some courses I liked were ECON 344 (marketing) and ECON 220 with Malleck. You have to be creative and have a good team to work with, but it was a relatively REALLY good course. are you at UW at the moment? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JawofLife Posted July 9, 2008 Report Share Posted July 9, 2008 By the way, I'd love to take Speech Comm classes to get really good marks, however, I heard it is team stuff, and that means I have to bank on a REALLY good group- does anyone have advice? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
seeking1 Posted July 10, 2008 Report Share Posted July 10, 2008 Yeah dude, going into second year at UW. It's awesome, I love it. I'll likely ending up taking the course regardless of if its team or individual stuff. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rmorelan Posted July 10, 2008 Report Share Posted July 10, 2008 I am at waterloo as well. I was in Arts and Business initially, and the speach communication course is required for it. Good courses for learning, but it is a lot of team work and some grading is subjective. As usual with Team based courses it is unlikely your team mates are going to be as focused as you are. They simply don't have to worry about marks as much as those applying to med school! I switched to do a concurrent degree there in 1) Honours Biomedical science, and 2) Joint Honours Psychology and Economics, with a few minors thrown in (management studies, biology) and have taken about 60 courses there so far. Suppose that has given me exposure to a wide variety of courses/programs there There are a lot of good courses with excellent chances to do well. In particular if you are disciplined there is an very good distance education program (and unlike some schools there is absolutely no mention of distance education on your transcript). It is quite an advantage to have 50%+ of your grade by course work as you can carefully review things. For english ENG 109 by DE is an all course work english credit where you hand in the same essays twice - so the TA marks it, tells you want you did wrong, and then you hand it back in corrected. This is after your team reviews it too. I can't imagine an easier english course. That course WANTS to give your a 90. Econ 101, and 102, Psych 101, Soc 101 are easy arts electives. Watch out for the physics labs. Don't take them if you don't have to, they are not fun. There is a basic organic chem stream which is pretty easy chem 266/267. Someone mentioned CS 100. Actually an interesting course (I was surprised), and I got an easy high 90 in it. I am applying to med schools this year. If GPAs can encourage you overall at Waterloo I got a GPA of 3.98 according to the omsas system I just filled out, and that was through hard work rather than being a super genius. So waterloo is not going to throw up some stupid barriers to your success. One thing through at some schools first year geology (rocks for jocks) is an easy course. Don't make that mistake at waterloo It is taught by a geologist "god" who contributed to a scientific paper in geology when he was 12. As in before high school. It is a really fun course though Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
seeking1 Posted July 10, 2008 Report Share Posted July 10, 2008 ^HOLY CRAP! Hell, you yourself are practically a demi-god dude! Thats astounding experience! So are you suggesting against the speech comm stuff then? And aside from that, what do you suggest? (not necessarily arts, anything is cool) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Atreides Posted July 10, 2008 Report Share Posted July 10, 2008 Atreides, you go to U of W eh? Would you mind me asking what your GPA (and your friends' GPAs were) was and also which program you guys were in and how much research you had to do? Thanks Hey, yes I just graduated from health. My GPA was 3.93 when I applied and 3.90 now. As for my friends - that is a very good question. Not really sure - I'm assuming good? I never really asked the ones in my faculty what their GPA was I thought it might be sort of rude. I'm guessing at least 3.78? Lol, one is a masters student so not a clue. I was actually shocked that so many people I know are going to Ottawa this year. The only one I do remember got into Western two years ago from kinesiology - his average was 96% or 97% so I'm thinking he may have pulled off a perfect 4.0 - talk about genius Oh and my friend in biomed going to UT she was like 3.94 or so I guess? As for research I did three summer NSERCs, and two other four month research placements, a couple did none, one was a masters student so I guess a lot, one did three NSERC placements, and quite a few did co-op so they did several really cool clinical research placements in Toronto hospitals and some basic research placements in Guelph working with livestock - so I guess variable GPAs and variable amounts of research. Of the ones I know going to Ottawa one is a masters student, 2 are undergrad NSERC students, and I has done no research so I cannot actually detect a pattern. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cleboman Posted July 10, 2008 Report Share Posted July 10, 2008 I am at waterloo as well. I was in Arts and Business initially, and the speach communication course is required for it. Good courses for learning, but it is a lot of team work and some grading is subjective. As usual with Team based courses it is unlikely your team mates are going to be as focused as you are. They simply don't have to worry about marks as much as those applying to med school! I switched to do a concurrent degree there in 1) Honours Biomedical science, and 2) Joint Honours Psychology and Economics, with a few minors thrown in (management studies, biology) and have taken about 60 courses there so far. Suppose that has given me exposure to a wide variety of courses/programs there There are a lot of good courses with excellent chances to do well. In particular if you are disciplined there is an very good distance education program (and unlike some schools there is absolutely no mention of distance education on your transcript). It is quite an advantage to have 50%+ of your grade by course work as you can carefully review things. For english ENG 109 by DE is an all course work english credit where you hand in the same essays twice - so the TA marks it, tells you want you did wrong, and then you hand it back in corrected. This is after your team reviews it too. I can't imagine an easier english course. That course WANTS to give your a 90. Econ 101, and 102, Psych 101, Soc 101 are easy arts electives. Watch out for the physics labs. Don't take them if you don't have to, they are not fun. There is a basic organic chem stream which is pretty easy chem 266/267. Someone mentioned CS 100. Actually an interesting course (I was surprised), and I got an easy high 90 in it. I am applying to med schools this year. If GPAs can encourage you overall at Waterloo I got a GPA of 3.98 according to the omsas system I just filled out, and that was through hard work rather than being a super genius. So waterloo is not going to throw up some stupid barriers to your success. One thing through at some schools first year geology (rocks for jocks) is an easy course. Don't make that mistake at waterloo It is taught by a geologist "god" who contributed to a scientific paper in geology when he was 12. As in before high school. It is a really fun course though are you going into 4th year in the fall? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JawofLife Posted July 10, 2008 Report Share Posted July 10, 2008 has anyone taken the love and friendship course through DE? not sure what its like, any suggestions? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rmorelan Posted July 10, 2008 Report Share Posted July 10, 2008 The friendship course is not too bad actually, pretty standard first year elective. Someone asked if I was going into my four year - yes I am this fall. I only have two more semesters to go I will complete before degrees at Waterloo in the standard 4 years - BUT I have taken courses every summer and take more than the normal number of courses each term - about 7-8 courses. Not really sure now the medical schools treat weird cases like me, but I guess I will see Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bigbuffblackboy Posted July 11, 2008 Report Share Posted July 11, 2008 Hey, yes I just graduated from health. My GPA was 3.93 when I applied and 3.90 now. As for my friends - that is a very good question. Not really sure - I'm assuming good? I never really asked the ones in my faculty what their GPA was I thought it might be sort of rude. I'm guessing at least 3.78? Lol, one is a masters student so not a clue. I was actually shocked that so many people I know are going to Ottawa this year. The only one I do remember got into Western two years ago from kinesiology - his average was 96% or 97% so I'm thinking he may have pulled off a perfect 4.0 - talk about genius Oh and my friend in biomed going to UT she was like 3.94 or so I guess? As for research I did three summer NSERCs, and two other four month research placements, a couple did none, one was a masters student so I guess a lot, one did three NSERC placements, and quite a few did co-op so they did several really cool clinical research placements in Toronto hospitals and some basic research placements in Guelph working with livestock - so I guess variable GPAs and variable amounts of research. Of the ones I know going to Ottawa one is a masters student, 2 are undergrad NSERC students, and I has done no research so I cannot actually detect a pattern. Wow, you guys are really accomplished. Yeah if you got into Ottawa, your GPA must have been great Congratulations (y) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
seeking1 Posted January 7, 2009 Report Share Posted January 7, 2009 On an entirely different note, anyone know a good biochem course to take after intro biochem at UW? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jixe Posted January 7, 2009 Report Share Posted January 7, 2009 On an entirely different note, anyone know a good biochem course to take after intro biochem at UW? CHEM 333 - Metabolism. It was straight MC exams with a few assignments. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Halcyon Posted January 8, 2009 Report Share Posted January 8, 2009 For english ENG 109 by DE is an all course work english credit where you hand in the same essays twice - so the TA marks it, tells you want you did wrong, and then you hand it back in corrected. This is after your team reviews it too. I can't imagine an easier english course. That course WANTS to give your a 90. One thing through at some schools first year geology (rocks for jocks) is an easy course. Don't make that mistake at waterloo It is taught by a geologist "god" who contributed to a scientific paper in geology when he was 12. As in before high school. It is a really fun course though ENGL 109 by DE: There are two versions of this course by DE. Take the one rmorelan is speaking of. The other has a tougher instructor and a final exam. I had to take this one b/c the easier one was full. Still a good ENGL course though. And yes, we have some hardcore Earth Science courses at UW. Good luck! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Turkelton Posted June 17, 2009 Report Share Posted June 17, 2009 So I didn't want to take CS 200 for my BIOL degree, and the uni added chem 140L as an alternative that could be taken. WOW! What an easy course! One hour tutorial followed by 3 hour computer lab. That's it. 65% of your marks come from handing in assignments at the end of the lab. You basically have to do no work at home except for pre-lab quizzes. These are worth 10% of your course. 25% final that you do in the computer lab and as soon as you're done it tells you your final mark on the screen. Took it as a 6th course and got a mid-90. Thank god I took 6, cause a fourth year immuno raped me, and with 6, I can drop the lowest if applying to UWO med! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JennyM Posted June 21, 2009 Report Share Posted June 21, 2009 I'm about to start my second year in the biomed program at waterloo and I'm wondering, what are some good (aka BIRD:D ) electives to take? I was thinking HIST 200, RS Love and friendship DE and Biol 250 What do you think, any suggestions? Thanks! BTW, what is a good average to have from first year if I'm wanting to go to medschool? (big surprise there, eh?) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
xi88 Posted June 21, 2009 Report Share Posted June 21, 2009 BTW, what is a good average to have from first year if I'm wanting to go to medschool? (big surprise there, eh?) First year GPA does not matter as much as the subsequent years. However, be aware that to be competitive, you should have a 3.8+/4.0 cGPA over your undergraduate degree. Although, there are countless cases of students with 3.9+ GPAs being rejected year after year. Although GPA is important, remember that its not the only thing the adcoms look at. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JennyM Posted June 21, 2009 Report Share Posted June 21, 2009 Thanks for the reminder. I know that medschools look at the whole person, not just the grades. I just want to know I'm doing all that I can in the grade department. Any tips on how to get noticed? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
xi88 Posted June 21, 2009 Report Share Posted June 21, 2009 Thanks for the reminder. I know that medschools look at the whole person, not just the grades. I just want to know I'm doing all that I can in the grade department. Any tips on how to get noticed? ECs. Do lots of ECs. However, dont do them because med school asks you to. Do them because you want to. They can tell if you're just trying to boost your stats. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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