Guest KevinL99 Posted September 21, 2001 Report Share Posted September 21, 2001 I heard from someone today that in order to apply to McMaster during your third year(so all they have to look at are first and second year marks), that only 5 courses can be at the first year level, and the other 5 would have to be at second year or above. Does anyone know if this is true?? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest gucio93 Posted September 26, 2001 Report Share Posted September 26, 2001 Hi Kevin! In response to your question, here is a paragraph straight from the McMaster medical school web site: Two of the three years must be above level/year one. A "year" is the full block of work specified for a year or level of the programme as indicated on the university transcript and in the appropriate university calendar. Only degree courses taken at an accredited university will be considered. Two of the three years must be above level/year one. So it seems like what you heard is correct. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest JSS02 Posted September 26, 2001 Report Share Posted September 26, 2001 As well, you can't have any first year courses during third year, either. However, they're not 100% strict on it, from what I hear. If you need the particular course for some program requirement (maybe even distribution requirement), they MIGHT let you off the hook. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Jane Posted October 2, 2001 Report Share Posted October 2, 2001 It is not correct that you can not take 1st year courses in 3rd year. After reading the post above, I contacted MAC's admission for clarification. As is listed in the application package (and MAC's website), two of the three years must be above year one, but you will not be penalized for taking 1st year courses in your 3rd year. At the time of application, at least five of the 10 required courses must be above level one and by next June, at least 10 of the 15 required courses must be above level one. When you take them does not matter (according to MAC admissions), and you can have more than 5 first year courses, as long as you have a minimum of 5 second year/higher courses by Oct.15th and a minimum of 10 second year/higher courses by next June. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Ian Wong Posted October 2, 2001 Report Share Posted October 2, 2001 So it sounds like you need to take a full suite of upper-level courses, but if you then want to take additional first-year courses on top of them, you are free to do so. DId I get that right? Ian UBC, Med 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest JD Posted October 2, 2001 Report Share Posted October 2, 2001 How does it work for people applying in their 4th year? You need 10 courses above level 1 at the time of application, and 15 at the end of June? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Jane Posted October 4, 2001 Report Share Posted October 4, 2001 Ian - yes, that's correct. MAC admissions told me that I could have more than 5 1st year courses, as long as I had the 10/15 minimum 2nd year or higher. (I only have 3 1st years now, but I'm taking 1 this year to complete degree rqts, so I wanted to double check.) JD - I think you are right but wouldn't guarantee it. Double check with MAC if you are unsure. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Bing Posted January 31, 2002 Report Share Posted January 31, 2002 What if you take your 10th upper course during the summer after third year, it would show up in the transcript Mac recieves, except it would say 'in progress'. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest JD Posted February 1, 2002 Report Share Posted February 1, 2002 I don't know what Mac claims to be their official policy this year, but I know of third year applicants rejected just because they took a 100 level course in second year; this was even though the particular courses were program requirements. The crappy part about it is that they had e-mailed the school back then (in 2000, just before the start of second year) to make sure it was OK. They were assured that it was no problem at all, but apparently now that's not the case. So much for the $75 application fee, not to mention all the time they put into the autobiographical submission (which could have been used on improving essays for other schools instead). At the time, I was planning to take a first year course as well (after e-mailing them to make sure it was fine), but fortunately changed my mind. Nevertheless, it's still upsetting to hear that they can tell you one thing and then do another... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Bing Posted February 1, 2002 Report Share Posted February 1, 2002 I know of some people who get disqualified recently on that basis as well, taking first year courses in 2nd year. But I don't know about those taking first yera courses in third year. How in theh world do they come up with such ridiculous, vaguely stated policies. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest JD Posted February 1, 2002 Report Share Posted February 1, 2002 If the person was a third year student, taking a 100 level course then would also disqualify them... Mac requires two years that are "above level one." It's just that they've modified the definition sometime over the past year... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Bing Posted February 1, 2002 Report Share Posted February 1, 2002 How carefully do they look at transcripts once they get at the end of the year? And what exactly is the procedure since they ldon't ask applicants to send them a transcript like Western does..... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest JSS02 Posted February 2, 2002 Report Share Posted February 2, 2002 I think you have to send your transcripts to OMSAS in June, don't you? I'm pretty sure they check to make sure you passed all your courses to complete your final year, etc. And I also know of a few people rejected because of the first year course thing. It sucks... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Bing Posted February 2, 2002 Report Share Posted February 2, 2002 you mean rejected after being accepted, or being rejected even before an interview? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest sakic02 Posted February 11, 2002 Report Share Posted February 11, 2002 does anyone know how this requirement applies to those of us with 4-year degrees... is it okay to have taken at least 20 half courses (10 full) above the first-year level over the course of our degree... even if first year courses may have been mixed in each year? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest downupdown Posted February 11, 2002 Report Share Posted February 11, 2002 This whole first year thing is quite ridiculous. Especially in the context of my school. Let me explain. We have courses with a 200, 300 etc..prefix. Now, 200 does not necessarily imply 2nd year...it could very well be a 3rd year course, or even a first year. But there's no way of knowing unless the person reads the summary of the course in the calendar book. I spoke to a councillor at my school and she said that if any problems would arise she'd personally clear it up with MAC. Though I have heard they are rather strict with their formalities. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Uche Posted February 14, 2002 Report Share Posted February 14, 2002 I got rejected because of this. I called and they told me that I have to have 20 (half-year)courses above level 1 by August 2002 and that my application only indicated that I will have 16 by that time (I took 2 first year courses in yr 2 and I'm taking 2 in yr 3). This is exactly what they told me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posher Posted February 14, 2002 Report Share Posted February 14, 2002 Yeah, the "disqualification" thing for first year classes has really gotten Mac into trouble as far as I can tell. The admissions office has been bombarded with complaints, in fact I heard that the Dean of Science and the Dean of Arts & Science here at Mac spoke with the Dean of Medicine about the problem. It's worded very poorly in the calendar. Anyways, the "word" is that they are reviewing the files, and the Dean apparently said that the rule was "not intended to disqualify anyone who had only one first year class". It seems pretty evident that they did disqualify people who had only one first year class though....(like me!) Anyways, hopefully everything will get sorted out Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest applicant too Posted February 14, 2002 Report Share Posted February 14, 2002 I have read all the concern about the 1st year courses in 2nd/3rd year and I'm a little surprised - surprised that the MAC requirements have been misunderstood. I thought that their "must have two full years above level one" was pretty specific. If you will have 15 courses (for 3rd year applicant) then you must have at least 10 courses above level one. The only thing that concerned me was all the hype about being disqualified for taking 1st year courses in 2nd or 3rd year. I do have some 1st year courses in 2nd and 3rd year, but I do not have more than five 1st year courses altogether (I took some 2nd and 3rd year courses that didn't have prerequisites in 1st year). I checked with MAC's admission and they assured me that it doesn't matter when you take the 1st year courses, it just matters that you don't have more than 5 (for 3rd year applicants) or more than 10 (for 4th year applicants) - please stop spreading the rumour that you can not take 1st year courses after year one. I understand the concern that many are feeling but I, for one, would be a little ticked if they forego this admission requirement now. I took the time to juggle my courses so that I would not exceed the maximum 1st year courses because of MAC's clearly stated requirments in the OMSAS booklet and on their website. Just my 2 cents. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Bing Posted February 14, 2002 Report Share Posted February 14, 2002 I'd like to make a correction to the previous post. I know people who got into mac last year with 6 first year courses. From what I've been able to gather mac wants this for 3rd year applicants: at least 5 upper year courses at the time of applicatoin and 10 upper year courses by August (not April) 2002 as indicated by the last post. So summer courses count. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest applicant too Posted February 15, 2002 Report Share Posted February 15, 2002 Bing - Correction to the previous post? - There is nothing in the previous post that mentions Aug. vs. April. Summer courses do count except for the summer prior to intended MAC med registration. I checked this because according to MAC's website they say that the 10 upper level courses must be complete by June 2002 and the OMSA booklet stated August 2002. I phoned to check and was told that ALL 10 upper courses must be complete by June 2002 as they state on their web site (the OMSAS booklet was incorrect). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Uche Posted February 15, 2002 Report Share Posted February 15, 2002 When I called, they made no mention of disqualifying people for having more than 5 full-year courses. All they told me was, "you should have 20 courses [half-year courses] above level 1 by August 2002 and you have 16". Period. It sounds like they don't care how many first year courses you have as long as you have 20 courses above level 1. remember, someone can take up to 14 half-year couses in level one and still have the required 20 course above level one if they take summer school. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posher Posted February 15, 2002 Report Share Posted February 15, 2002 If they wanted people to have the requirements by June then why did they print "August 26 2002" in the letter the sent the people they disqualified? Just a question.... And no, I don't agree that the requirements were stated clearly, in their undergrad calendar it defines a year as a full block of courses required for the specified year for your degree. Well there's nothing in the calendar that prevents people from taking first year electives in their second year and still have everything count towards your degree. So I would argue (as do a lot of other people) that the requirements are not clearly stated. And as it turns out, several faculty at Mac also agree with me and have contacted the Med school. Someone from the admissions office actually told an acquaintance of mine that the requirements have never been enforced this way before this year, but they got more applicants this year and this was an effective way to eliminate a lot of third years. There are currently lots of people in the first year med class who didn't have 10 full year classes above level one when they were admitted....and nothing in the wording of the requirements has been changed. Anyways, the whole thing is rather lame and the med school has taken quite a bit of complaining over it, I'm sure the wording will be changed for next year. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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