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Interview Invites & Regrets 2017/2018


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32 minutes ago, OwnerOfTheTARDIS said:

Even the initial offers do not guaranty that 29 OOP offers will be sent :) 29 is simply the absolute maximum number they will accept. Post-interview, every single applicant is ranked in order from 1 to ~650 (how ever many interviewed) and then invitations are sent and site locations assigned in order of rank. If 29 OOP applicants aren't part of the top 288 ranked applicants post-interview, the administration will extend fewer than 29 offers. 

However, typically about 45 to 50 OOP offers are sent as they cycle through the applicants who receive an offer but decline it. 

Agreed, just statistically unlikely there aren't 29 OOP offers given in the top 288 given that they on average have much higher TFR preinterview and overall are more likely to just be overall all stars ha.

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On 2017-12-06 at 9:41 AM, clever_smart_boy_like_me said:

@gminevaand anyone else in a similar boat:

Here's my advice if you are committed to do a bit for your GPA, as I have been dealing with a similar situation.

Make a spreadsheet with all your grades and credits. Find your weighted average (AGPA).

Grab the equation from the other thread for AQ (I think it was 1.626*AGPA - 115.7).

Figure out what you'll need for AQ with a few points added to NAQ if you add more activities (quality > quantity) and focus on wording to get you to estimated TFR.

Find out how many A's you'll need to get to ~81-82 (or even 83+) as AGPA. Take that number of classes you feel confident about. Get the A's. Kick your own butt; light the fire beneath it!

Work harder at your EC's, make this your life... move that NAQ up too.

Apply again.

Rinse and repeat until you receive interviews.

It's a long road, and it's longer if you're starting farther down the block. You have to be willing to sacrifice things in your life for this. Maybe that means quitting your job to do f/t courses if you can - doing fewer shifts and taking p/t if you can't, volunteering more and starting new projects...

But you definitely CAN move your GPA. No it wont be 5% or 10% but it will move. You are ~7 points from an interview. If you get your AGPA to ~81 your AQ will be about 16. Then you're 5 points to the TFR cut-off.

Dig in and commit!! :D

I am finishing a 16 credit semester at the moment and have a 15 credit one waiting for me in January. You aren't alone!

 

Man I hope I get somebody fired up and motivated because I sure am now!! :lol:

Thank you for the time to comment on my struggles. :) I really appreciate the any advice that is send my way. I would love to pick your brain if you have the time, feel free to message me. I found this on the UBC med site "Generally, we do not recommend repeating courses to improve your overall GPA. Students who enroll in unclassified, non-degree programs for the sole purpose of improving their academic qualifications are advised that only a small proportion of such candidates gain admission." So I'm a little worried that taking random classes won't benefit me in the long run. I may be better off starting another bachelor and continuing to apply or something. I'm not really sure but I have to try to come up with something because I'm definitely not giving up.

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On 2017-12-06 at 10:09 AM, BioF said:

Hey Clever Smart Boy, thanks for your tips!!

If I have a full time job, do you think it’s doable to pull off 4 courses from now until mid April (evenings and weekends through TRU-O), or am I crazy?

I would suggest reading through this http://mdprogram.med.ubc.ca/admissions/frequently-asked-questions/ It mentions TRU-O and how they don't count towards your GPA.

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26 minutes ago, gmineva said:

I would suggest reading through this http://mdprogram.med.ubc.ca/admissions/frequently-asked-questions/ It mentions TRU-O and how they don't count towards your GPA.

TRU-OL courses taken as part of a diploma don’t count. But I am pretty sure that university level credits that are considered transferable do count. Admissions explicitly told me that TRU-OL courses I had taken as prerequisites (before they were dropped) would be used in my GPA calculation. 

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1 minute ago, frenchpress said:

TRU-OL courses taken as part of a diploma don’t count. But I am pretty sure that university level credits that are considered transferable do count. Admissions explicitly told me that TRU-OL courses I had taken as prerequisites (before they were dropped) would be used in my GPA calculation. 

Thank you for saving me the time to write this :)

Basically - email admissions about a course you would like to take and ask whether it will count. If not, pick another one! I did the same thing. Wanted to do a paramedic program but the courses won't transfer and are not considered to be full time, so I kept looking.

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9 hours ago, gmineva said:

Thank you for the time to comment on my struggles. :) I really appreciate the any advice that is send my way. I would love to pick your brain if you have the time, feel free to message me. I found this on the UBC med site "Generally, we do not recommend repeating courses to improve your overall GPA. Students who enroll in unclassified, non-degree programs for the sole purpose of improving their academic qualifications are advised that only a small proportion of such candidates gain admission." So I'm a little worried that taking random classes won't benefit me in the long run. I may be better off starting another bachelor and continuing to apply or something. I'm not really sure but I have to try to come up with something because I'm definitely not giving up.

They simply state that doing so isn't a gaurantee, I wouldn't worry about it being held against you.  Just don't go repeating the same classes  - because yes that doesnt actually help your GPA much, because they AVERAGE the two grades. Whereas taking a NEW course would add on to your GPA and help bring it up more.

So take new courses, weather or not its towards another degree is irrelevant. BUT it will be EASIER to get INTO the courses you want as a new degree, because you have priority over unclassfied students. Their point of making this warning is because there are many people doing the same thing, and people might get frustrated after taking a bunch of unclassified classes and still not getting in, with nothing to show for it.

Either way, if you take unclassified courses, or start a new degree - your goal is medicine, and the "Credentials" you get or dont get from either path are likely equally useless anyways and not benefit you in the long run outside of medicine..

So if you need to take a year of unclassified classes to boost your GPA to meet the interview cut-off, do it.
 

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8 hours ago, frenchpress said:

TRU-OL courses taken as part of a diploma don’t count. But I am pretty sure that university level credits that are considered transferable do count. Admissions explicitly told me that TRU-OL courses I had taken as prerequisites (before they were dropped) would be used in my GPA calculation. 

This is the correct answer.

TRU-OL and AU, 100% DO COUNT. As long as they are university level courses and transferrable to a university. 

Technical courses and diploma courses(think things like respiratory tech, or nursing assistant etc), do NOT count. 

Psychology 1000 and things like that, will count 100%

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While the courses or new degree or whatever are 'useless', I have always tried to take classes that will help me in medicine or are relevant (because it is my main academic interest). So for example, pathology, pathophysiology, A&P, health psych, biomedical terminology, biochem, development, etc. etc...

In the end, they cost me money and dont 'go towards' anything, but I know more than I did a few years ago and I get to enjoy feeling like an almost-med student... and also I have a new sackful of As to drop onto my GPA :D

 

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14 minutes ago, clever_smart_boy_like_me said:

While the courses or new degree or whatever are 'useless', I have always tried to take classes that will help me in medicine or are relevant (because it is my main academic interest). So for example, pathology, pathophysiology, A&P, health psych, biomedical terminology, biochem, development, etc. etc...

In the end, they cost me money and dont 'go towards' anything, but I know more than I did a few years ago and I get to enjoy feeling like an almost-med student... and also I have a new sackful of As to drop onto my GPA :D

 

Of course! Simply wanted to point out that weather its towards a generic BA/BSc or just unclassified, it shouldn't make a difference. People shouldn't be deterred from taking TRU-OL or AU, or random college classes at Capilano U, if their main goal is to get their GPA into a competitive range to be able to get to the interview stage at UBC Med.

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10 hours ago, yake said:

Has anyone started a facebook group for MMI practice near UBC? If so, add me! If not, PM me your profiles and I'll get the ball rolling :) 

Yeah please go ahead and form the group. I have already talked to a couple of people who were interested in the Sunday group that I was gonna start but if you could create a FB group that would streamline the process a little bit. Cheers.

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1 hour ago, imreadyformed said:

Yeah please go ahead and form the group. I have already talked to a couple of people who were interested in the Sunday group that I was gonna start but if you could create a FB group that would streamline the process a little bit. Cheers.

Hey! I just created a new thread with the link, join up! (https://www.facebook.com/groups/310025279516123/)

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10 minutes ago, cammerbot said:

Here's a question - do we know in which way they determine the order of the invite send outs?  Why are some people sent them before others?  Can we infer anything about our relative rank, or is alphabetical or something?

Doesn't matter, don't worry about it.

Likely just alphabetical. 

Either way, don't try to infer anything - interviews are important.

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Meant to post earlier but here it is:

TIME STAMP: December 7th, 11:17am
Interview Invite or Regrets: invite 
Early or Regular Deadline: Regular
AGPA (if applicable): 82%
MCAT: 512
ECs: Some hospital volunteering over 5 years or so, intermittent volunteering weeks or months at a time, a couple of research experiences, 1 poster award as 1st author, a fair amount of clinical experience entries (can PM for details)
Current Degree: BSc
Geography: IP
NAQ: at least 34 
AQ: ~18

TFR: N/A

 
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TIME STAMP: December 7th 10-11ish?
Interview Invite or Regrets: Invite
Early or Regular Deadline: Regular
AGPA (if applicable):  91-92%
MCAT: 518
ECs: 5+ years of youth leading, Junior level ice hockey, provincial level volleyball and track, ~2 years of Neuroscience lab work, a couple poster presentations at largely undergraduate conferences, many years of music and associated volunteer work with it (playing at food banks, churches, conferences, retreats, etc), 1 year working at chronic pain medical clinic, 1.5 years working/volunteering as a kinesiologist, 5 years working as camp councillor 
Current Degree: BSc. Kinesiology 
Geography: IP

 

If anyone is in Victoria and would like to practice hit me up! Would love to practice with some ppl....cheers!

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