RicardoKaká Posted June 9, 2016 Report Share Posted June 9, 2016 Sincere - he/she was saying that they were considering the MCAT for other reasons than to get statistics. They can see who did the MCAT and how they scored, maybe they want to implement it because GPA is not the best thing to go by anymore. Who knows. This is for the future. Not this cycle as you obviously have shown in your previous post that they are no longer looking at it for the 2017 cycle. However for 2018 it could be considered and could have some significance. Only time will tell Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
t0ny Posted June 9, 2016 Report Share Posted June 9, 2016 I think they have to do something, because when your average acceptance GPA rivals that of Harvard, something doesn't add up. I am applying to the french stream and I think that putting in the MCAT, while maybe removing CARS or having a lower cutoff for that section, is the best thing to do. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lcs.tmng Posted June 9, 2016 Report Share Posted June 9, 2016 I think they have to do something, because when your average acceptance GPA rivals that of Harvard, something doesn't add up. I am applying to the french stream and I think that putting in the MCAT, while maybe removing CARS or having a lower cutoff for that section, is the best thing to do. You're kind of right. I just don't believe in using a standardized test like the MCAT in a language other than the language of instruction (even if you omit the CARS). The "Consortium National de formation en santé (CNFS)" and Quebec french schools (they have their own grading issues with that silliness that is the CRU) should work on building their own test. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HappyAndHopeful Posted June 9, 2016 Report Share Posted June 9, 2016 This is great news! It's good to see that the admissions committee listened to the students who expressed concerns. I don't think I will officially relax until I see it in writing on the website though. I do agree that the MCAT would be a good tool to further screen applicants' academic abilities, but I feel that notice of implementation should be given at least a year in advance. Hopefully, when/if they do decide to use it, they will consider giving more notice. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SunAndMoon Posted June 9, 2016 Report Share Posted June 9, 2016 They should have given a year notice and exempted French applicants from it to avoid such backlash. IMO the MCAT is fair, there is a need for more standardized testing to coutnerbalance grade inflation. And I'm a Francophone. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
indefatigable Posted June 10, 2016 Report Share Posted June 10, 2016 My system for scoring academics would be 0.5*(GPA percentile) + 0.5*(MCAT percentile) OR just GPA percentile. A student with a 3.92 would fall in the 92nd percentile and receive a score of 92 for academics. A student with a 3.80 and a 519 MCAT would get 0.5*(80) + 0.5*(98) = 89 for academics. And now they have a shot, whereas a 3.80 is a no go for Ottawa normally. Exactly. Makes me think they've seen such a jump in GPA's this year/last that they're looking to evaluate academics in some other way, i.e. by using the MCAT to some extent. And they want data before making any decisions, which most schools probably do. Honestly, while adding it this year would have been unfair, I 100% think it's good to implement for the English stream eventually. There's a point when GPA starts reflecting course choice, uni major, and professor's moods more than student capability, and I think a 3.95+ average certainly crosses that line. And my guess is that given the recent additions of casper and maybe MCATs, Ottawa U has noticed that too I'm not sure how accurate this is, but a student at UBC has created a grade distribution look up table. The grade distribution is not normal at all for the highly rated classes -mostly As - kind of exponential like. I suspect it would be similar at other places. There are other possible reasons for higher grades in certain classes, but overall there is actually no reason for grades to not increase since it benefits the instructors (having more students who are pleased) and the students (will take course for easier A). http://slacknotes.com/grades One can imagine that astute course selection, will serve to increase one's GPA quite substantially. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HappyAndHopeful Posted June 10, 2016 Report Share Posted June 10, 2016 The website has been updated: "Candidates are recommended to write the Medical College Admission Test (MCAT). We will be accepting applications without the MCAT for this cycle of admisison only. The MCAT scores THIS YEAR will not be factored into the criteria for acceptance." I'm still slightly confused though. Does this mean that candidates will be at a disadvantage if they don't write the MCAT? To me it sounds like although the scores won't be used, they still want to see that you wrote it. What do you guys think? I am going to call to clarify this as well. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
j17f Posted June 10, 2016 Report Share Posted June 10, 2016 Under "Does Ottawa Require the MCAT" in the FAQ section it still says it's required. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Morinphen Posted June 10, 2016 Report Share Posted June 10, 2016 The website has been updated: "Candidates are recommended to write the Medical College Admission Test (MCAT). We will be accepting applications without the MCAT for this cycle of admisison only. The MCAT scores THIS YEAR will not be factored into the criteria for acceptance." I'm still slightly confused though. Does this mean that candidates will be at a disadvantage if they don't write the MCAT? To me it sounds like although the scores won't be used, they still want to see that you wrote it. What do you guys think? I am going to call to clarify this as well. Probably means they're going to include the MCAT next cycle? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sincere Posted June 10, 2016 Report Share Posted June 10, 2016 Probably means they're going to include the MCAT next cycle? Probably cause "THIS cycle" is emphasized... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
geriatricsdoc Posted June 10, 2016 Report Share Posted June 10, 2016 The website has been updated: "Candidates are recommended to write the Medical College Admission Test (MCAT). We will be accepting applications without the MCAT for this cycle of admissison only. It seems to me that next year MCAT could be implemented and its sort of like a warning to applicants..but I am not sure..why they would say this cycle only! does it mean not in next cycle? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rmorelan Posted June 10, 2016 Report Share Posted June 10, 2016 It seems to me that next year MCAT could be implemented and its sort of like a warning to applicants..but I am not sure..why they would say this cycle only! does it mean not in next cycle? whatever it means, it suggests there rules are in flux. I wouldn't be planning on them being the same next year as they have been. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HappyAndHopeful Posted June 10, 2016 Report Share Posted June 10, 2016 I agree that it sounds like the requirements will be changing for the next cycle. The wording that I'm unsure about is the first part: "Candidates are recommended to write the MCAT". Does that mean that we'd be at a disadvantage if we didn't write it, or did and chose not to submit it? I'm aware that I may be overthinking things! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
_ _ Posted June 11, 2016 Report Share Posted June 11, 2016 I agree that it sounds like the requirements will be changing for the next cycle. The wording that I'm unsure about is the first part: "Candidates are recommended to write the MCAT". Does that mean that we'd be at a disadvantage if we didn't write it, or did and chose not to submit it? I'm aware that I may be overthinking things! My guess would be they are hoping to get some data about the applicants MCAT scores before implementing it next year. But that's just a guess Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RedLily Posted June 11, 2016 Report Share Posted June 11, 2016 I agree that it sounds like the requirements will be changing for the next cycle. The wording that I'm unsure about is the first part: "Candidates are recommended to write the MCAT". Does that mean that we'd be at a disadvantage if we didn't write it, or did and chose not to submit it? I'm aware that I may be overthinking things! My take was that they seemingly would want to see (and use) MCAT scores as part of next year's cycle, and so they recommend applicants take it asap. Doesn't seem like it would be held against an applicant this year (applying Fall 2016) to NOT have it, as they explicitly state "The MCAT scores THIS YEAR will not be factored into the criteria for acceptance." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MDHopeful97 Posted June 22, 2016 Report Share Posted June 22, 2016 Can somebody explain to me why this impacts the French stream applicants so severely?? Thank you! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
freewheeler Posted June 22, 2016 Report Share Posted June 22, 2016 Can somebody explain to me why this impacts the French stream applicants so severely?? Thank you! Because the MCAT is only administered in English. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cyclosarin Posted June 22, 2016 Report Share Posted June 22, 2016 Because the MCAT is only administered in English. Perhaps I'm missing something about how things are done, but can it really be this hard to translate an exam? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
indefatigable Posted June 23, 2016 Report Share Posted June 23, 2016 Perhaps I'm missing something about how things are done, but can it really be this hard to translate an exam?It's not a single exam and yes it's that hard if not impossible for say CARS. MCAT are built in the US from passage banks from what I understand. Translation problems have affected LMCC in the past and more recently nursing exams. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lcs.tmng Posted June 23, 2016 Report Share Posted June 23, 2016 Perhaps I'm missing something about how things are done, but can it really be this hard to translate an exam? The MCAT is a registered trademark and there's just not high enough a demand (unless all Belgian and French medical schools bought the rights from the AAMC) for the AAMC to justify translating an 8 hour long test. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
indefatigable Posted June 23, 2016 Report Share Posted June 23, 2016 The MCAT is a registered trademark and there's just not high enough a demand (unless all Belgian and French medical schools bought the rights from the AAMC) for the AAMC to justify translating an 8 hour long test.AAMC wouldn't have the expertise to translate to French. And there would be differences between Quebec and France French, even if adapted CARS. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sdj78we9jtf2o3mgfvj298j Posted June 23, 2016 Report Share Posted June 23, 2016 AAMC wouldn't have the expertise to translate to French. And there would be differences between Quebec and France French, even if adapted CARS. Half of CARS is making educated guesses based on slight nuances in wording/connotations anyway, it'd be virtually impossible to translate. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lcs.tmng Posted June 23, 2016 Report Share Posted June 23, 2016 Half of CARS is making educated guesses based on slight nuances in wording/connotations anyway, it'd be virtually impossible to translate. Not impossible, almost everything can be translated, I just can't imagine any parties involved investing that much time and money to have translation and linguist firms go over the test. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
indefatigable Posted June 23, 2016 Report Share Posted June 23, 2016 Half of CARS is making educated guesses based on slight nuances in wording/connotations anyway, it'd be virtually impossible to translate. Agree re translation - I was thinking more along the lines of a CARS section created using French passages. But even then, there would be linguistic issues (between Quebec and France French). Not impossible, almost everything can be translated, I just can't imagine any parties involved investing that much time and money to have translation and linguist firms go over the test. Translation is not easy. Nursing exams have had a number of issues recently: both (French -> English) within Quebec and (English->French) for NCLEX (national licensing exams). These are single important exams which pale in comparison to the likely thousands of passages that the AAMC has in every section of the MCAT (which is an entry test). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MEDNUT97 Posted July 20, 2016 Report Share Posted July 20, 2016 BUMP - Any news on accommodations MCAT wise for the French stream applicants? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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