lndale Posted February 11, 2016 Report Share Posted February 11, 2016 Hi everyone, non-trad/2nd yr nursing student here. Realized that my post might be more relevant here opposed to the general pre med forum as I really only want to attend UofC (not competitive enough to apply as OOP for any other school).... GPA Based on current achievements (if my grades are to neither improve or worsen... just realized how much I want to do med recently, so hopefully i can increase this): 3.72 ECs (By the time I apply) - Piano Player for 11 years (RCM Certified w/honors and distinction, competed with one award, play recreationally now) - 2 years volunteering at 2 hospitals - 2 years of research (volunteer work throughout 2 years and one studentship/summer research project) - 2 years volunteering with my school's student union - 2 years volunteering at a drop in centre - a month volunteering with orphans in Vietnam (country I am from) - 2 years volunteering with clubs - executive positions - french immersion w/ distinction - 2x scholarships in 1st year UG - 2x scholarships in 2nd year UG - lots of clinical and experience (~1000hrs) due to practicum (not sure if this would count for anything, as it is mandatory with my program. however it has really shaped who I am, and if I could talk about it I definitely would) - worked retail for 3 years, throughout first year as well - summer job as data entry specialist at a software company after 1st year Most of my ECs are fairly new as first year killed me and I could hardly find the motivation to get up in the morning, let alone get involved with anything other than school (my own fault really.. I was just lazy I think). I also know that in order to see how my chances are I would need to get my MCAT scores, however this is obviously not possible. I plan to take a few intro courses in spring/summer (Already took bio, chem, psych) and also self teach myself the material over this upcoming year. I test fairly well and I am fairly good at reading comprehension. I also do not know if I should wait until I finish my degree and then apply, as this will give me an extra year to boost my GPA, and build my ECs... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nick Posted February 11, 2016 Report Share Posted February 11, 2016 Looks good so far! I think you could apply without doing another year (as long as you have the credit requirements). It's no guarantee but it's a chance. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MSWschnoodle Posted February 11, 2016 Report Share Posted February 11, 2016 Your GPA is enough to make you competitive for U of C and depending on how you write them up your ECs look like they could be interesting and reflect different canmeds attributes. Have you written the MCAT yet? Even though the MCAT is a relatively small part of the U of C's overall consideration a very strong CARS score is always a good addition to any application. Personally I would write the MCAT by mid-summer and throw an application in before you finish your current program as long as you meet the full-time course load requirement (remember: spring and summer courses do not count!). I self-studied for the MCAT and didn't do any extra classes, but it will come down to how you learn best. I know the MCAT is expensive and time is tight when you are doing full-time classes, so only you can decide if this approach would work for you - I can only tell you what worked for me.If (worst case scenario) you don't get an interview you will at least then get some scores to help you figure out where you need to improve your application. As for the practicum question, just because something is a program requirement doesn't mean it can't be a valuable experience for your top 10. I wouldn't base your whole top 10 on practicum placements but if you think it speaks most strongly to who you are and why you should be considered for the program then I think the benefits of using an experience you feel strongly about will outweigh the downsides of it being practicum work. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lndale Posted February 11, 2016 Author Report Share Posted February 11, 2016 Your GPA is enough to make you competitive for U of C and depending on how you write them up your ECs look like they could be interesting and reflect different canmeds attributes. Have you written the MCAT yet? Even though the MCAT is a relatively small part of the U of C's overall consideration a very strong CARS score is always a good addition to any application. Personally I would write the MCAT by mid-summer and throw an application in before you finish your current program as long as you meet the full-time course load requirement (remember: spring and summer courses do not count!). I self-studied for the MCAT and didn't do any extra classes, but it will come down to how you learn best. I know the MCAT is expensive and time is tight when you are doing full-time classes, so only you can decide if this approach would work for you - I can only tell you what worked for me. If (worst case scenario) you don't get an interview you will at least then get some scores to help you figure out where you need to improve your application. As for the practicum question, just because something is a program requirement doesn't mean it can't be a valuable experience for your top 10. I wouldn't base your whole top 10 on practicum placements but if you think it speaks most strongly to who you are and why you should be considered for the program then I think the benefits of using an experience you feel strongly about will outweigh the downsides of it being practicum work. No, I have not written the MCAT yet. I am planning to do it in 2017, so that I can apply after my third year. Can I ask what prep tools you used to prepare for the MCAT? And also, does it matter how many times you apply? Thanks for your comment Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MSWschnoodle Posted February 12, 2016 Report Share Posted February 12, 2016 I used The Princeton Review book set and Khan Academy videos. I also bought the AAMC practice test. I don't think there is any kind of limit on the number of times you apply, but you'll want to make sure you meet all the criteria before you apply because if you don't meet every criteria then you won't get a file review (so it would be a waste of money). Lots of people apply multiple times, so it's definitely not a one shot deal. That's one of the benefits to getting scores back if you are not admitted - it lets you see where your application suffered so you can improve in future. If you haven't watched the admissions info session podcast available on the U of C website I would strongly suggest you grab a bowl of popcorn and check it out. It's got lots of useful info. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bearpuppy Posted February 12, 2016 Report Share Posted February 12, 2016 I used Exam Krackers..which I thought was excellent, however, the first edition of the Psych/Soc was missing a lot and I had to use Khan Academy to supplement. I dont think they've released an updated version yet though Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lndale Posted February 15, 2016 Author Report Share Posted February 15, 2016 I used Exam Krackers..which I thought was excellent, however, the first edition of the Psych/Soc was missing a lot and I had to use Khan Academy to supplement. I dont think they've released an updated version yet though Hmm Alright! I'll keep this in mind Thanks! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Archived
This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.