degree

[Guest raining4days]

Is it better to do the 4-year Honours degree

 

OR

 

do the 3-year BSc degree PLUS 30 additional credits

 

OR

 

do the 3-year BSc degree PLUS a minor degree?

 

Will all these three options quality as a 120-credit degree (4 year degree)? I am also applying to U.S. schools, so if anyone can give me some input on this I'll appreciate it very much.

 

-raining4days

[Guest pp15]

if you mean "which route is better to take to get into med school", the answer is it doesn't matter at all. I personally took the 1 yr of engineering-oops bad decision-3 yr B.Sc. route.

 

As you've probably read in other threads, it's more important to find a program that you think you would enjoy.

 

good luck with your decision making.

[Guest Kirsteen]

Hi there,

 

Actually, if you are going to be applying to the US, your choice of strategy will make a HUGE difference. If you decide to complete a 3-year degree and then take another 5 full course credits to either upgrade the degree to a four-year, or simply for the heck of taking them (I'd advise the FORMER if I had to choose between the two) then AMCAS will categorize your final year of undergrad marks differently. Any undergrad courses taken after the conferral of an initial undergraduate degree are viewed (in AMCAS' eyes) as post-baccalaureate credits. Many US medical schools scrutinize these type of credits much more closely than they do those completed in the undergraduate years. As has been bandied about in other places, many of the top medical schools are looking for a 3.80 average in that final year of courses. Therefore, if there is a year where you'd really like to kick bum in your courses, try to do it in all, but definitely put the gusto in the final year.

 

Cheers,

Kirsteen

[Guest TimmyMax]

Hey,

 

Just a bit of food for thought: I heard from some very reliable bigwigs that most US schools won't recognize a 3-year degree. You may want to keep this in mind when making your decision.

Disclaimer: This had to do mostly with US academia- not too sure about US medical schools, though!

 

Best of luck!

Timmy

[Guest Gem2005]

Hi,

 

I was just wondering about my own case when I read this post. See I was registered in a 3 year Biology degree (BSC) with 45 credit bio-45 credit other. Only at the end of my degree I decided to change it to double major (b/c of interest, and to kill time), so I have another 2 years to complete this second major. My grades now are MUCH better, but at the end I will have one double major degree completed in 5 years b/c of timing. So do you guys think that can hurt me or it will be looked at as a one under-grad degree with better last years GPA!

 

 

Thanks for any input or comments! :|

[Guest Kirsteen]

Hi Gem2005,

 

The way your courses will be scrutized will differ depending on the medical schools to which you are applying. If you are applying in the US then they may be looked at a little differently than here, in Canada. Even domestically, the Ontario universities (via OMSAS) may look at your marks in different ways than those in other parts of the country. Without knowing the schools to which you're applying, it's tough to say.

 

Cheers,

Kirsteen

[Guest peachy]

If it appears on your transcript as one undergrad, then I think it'll be considered as one undergrad. I applied in my fifth year of undergrad (also switched majors a few times, so it took me longer to finish) and had no problems with Ontario schools.

[Guest Gem2005]

Hello,

 

I am planning to apply to all Canadian schools, including Ontario. But do you think that is it better to do two seperate degrees, than one extended, for the majority of schools?

 

In my case the second major correlates with a particular med field I am interested in. But I am worried that finishing in 5 or six years vs just 3 is bad!

 

Also another reason why I started the second major is because I previously didin't do all full year courses, but when I found out I wanted to apply to Med school, and that was a requirement, I decided to go for it!

 

Thank youb all!

[Guest thatuvicguy]

hi gem,

 

I don't really have an answer for you but can share your concern about this issue. I decided in my second to last semester that meds was for me (after years of humming and hawwing but not really settling on it). Unfortunately it took me 6 years to finish my degree (BSc in Biology) doing generally 3 courses per semester, busy with work, travel, and various projects throughout. I certainly don't feel like i wasted time but have since realized that this kind of academic history is frowned upon by most med schools.

 

When i realized that my chances of getting into Mac as an OOP with a mediocre overall GPA (~3.3) were becoming slimmer and slimmer, i decided to focus on UBC (i live in Vic)where my academic success in the last 2 years will bear more weight. To make a long story short, this year i'm taking two prereqs that i missed and am filling my schedule to 5 and 5 with various healthcare-relevant courses. I'm hoping that this will both help me solidify my passion for this path and concomitantly help show that Ad Com that i'm committed and can handle a full courseload.

 

If i don't get in first try, i'll reassess and likely do a second year (towards a psych degree) of full time which will open doors at a couple of more schools. As nice as it would be to be done with undergrad, i'm really not that stoked on grad studies in Bio. I'm sharing my story cause i know i take heart when i hear of others who don't fit the characteristic undergrad mold (and there are lots of us out there!).

 

best of luck with whatever you choose!

thatuvicguy