MD Canadian, 3.45 (6 years of UG, upward trend), 37 MCAT

[clwrry]

Hi,

As stated in the title, I am a Canadian citizen with no links to any US schools whatsoever. I've listed my stats below and I'm hoping someone can chance me. THANK YOU!

MCAT (expires next year): 13/10/14-->37

EC: average but hit all the main points: long-term research (poster presentations), not-for-profit work, clinical (only about ~30 hours so far but will complete 350 hours before end of the summer and will send a letter of update to the schools during/after the summer), clubs, extremely minor shadowing, teaching MCAT, high school clinical volunteering (~150 hours), etc.

GPA:
2.7-->3.3-->3.8-->3.6-->4.0-->3.99-->Sept 2015 7th undergrad year
cGPA ~3.45, sGPA slightly lower (probably around 3.4)

Letters: I think they all said good things about me.

Reapplicant since I applied last year with no interviews. But I think my applications has strengthened significantly since because I had one more year of 3.99 GPA, additional ECs (summer clinical, teach MCAT, high school clinical which I forgot to put in my application last year).

As you can see, I've spend a looong time trying to get into med school (going on 7 years of undergrad!) and I would really like to get at least an interview this year since my MCAT expires next year and I really don't want to write it again. At this point, I am not considering oversea schools or DO (don't have DO reference letter). Do I have a chance at even low tier MD schools?

Thanks.

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[ZedsDed]

I hate to say this to someone who has been trying for so many years and is so driven, but I think your chances are somewhat slim with that GPA. The problem is you are an international applicant, that means your stellar MCAT score is just average when looking at Canadian matriculants. If you were a U.S. applicant your chances would be much better. That being said, I think your two years of 4.0 definitely help out. All you can do is apply, but you seriously need to reconsider your position on DO schools.

 

[clwrry]

I hate to say this to someone who has been trying for so many years and is so driven, but I think your chances are somewhat slim with that GPA. The problem is you are an international applicant, that means your stellar MCAT score is just average when looking at Canadian matriculants. If you were a U.S. applicant your chances would be much better. That being said, I think your two years of 4.0 definitely help out. All you can do is apply, but you seriously need to reconsider your position on DO schools.

Thanks for replying. I guess I'll have to gear up for a MCAT re-write for next year's application (no letter to apply to DO this year). I really appreciate your honesty and it helped me get a better idea of my situation. I will be applying DO next year when I can get a MD letter (no DOs to get letters from in Canada).

 

[clwrry]

I just remembered I have one more question. Assuming worse case scenario: I do not get in this year and I apply next year to DO and MD with one more year of 4.0 GPA, which should put me at 3.53-3.55 ish cGPA (assuming sGPA is 3.5). Say my MCAT rewrite is equivalent to a 35 on old MCAT, how would you rate my chances at MD and DO schools then? Thanks!

 

[ZedsDed]

I just remembered I have one more question. Assuming worse case scenario: I do not get in this year and I apply next year to DO and MD with one more year of 4.0 GPA, which should put me at 3.53-3.55 ish cGPA (assuming sGPA is 3.5). Say my MCAT rewrite is equivalent to a 35 on old MCAT, how would you rate my chances at MD and DO schools then? Thanks!

There are DO schools that don't require a DO letter. For gods sake do t let that MCAT score expire, apply this cycle

 

[clwrry]

There are DO schools that don't require a DO letter. For gods sake do t let that MCAT score expire, apply this cycle

I don't have a MD letter either at this point. I don't think there are any schools that takes international students and doesn't require either a DO or MD letter...

 

[ZedsDed]

I don't have a MD letter either at this point. I don't think there are any schools that takes international students and doesn't require either a DO or MD letter...

Actually there are. Schools generally require science LORs and non-science LORs first and foremost. All of this information is readily available on most school's websites.

 

[URMD]

I hate to say this to someone who has been trying for so many years and is so driven, but I think your chances are somewhat slim with that GPA. The problem is you are an international applicant, that means your stellar MCAT score is just average when looking at Canadian matriculants. If you were a U.S. applicant your chances would be much better. That being said, I think your two years of 4.0 definitely help out. All you can do is apply, but you seriously need to reconsider your position on DO schools.

Im N=1 but i tihnk your chances are actually better than you think.
I also spent 6 years in UG, and my GPA was something like 1.00, 4.00 (CC), 3.7, 3.85, 3.91 and my MCAT was 34

I had 3 accepts from MD american schools this year, even one from brown U. Unlike Canada, American schools do a holistic review of your app and reward reinvention.
I had extenuating circumstances which resulted in my poor 1st year gpa which i mentioned on my PS and all of them asked me at interviews how i managed to turn it around. Im sure my URM status helped me along too as i had strong ethnic ties with my background. I was accepted by schools who had a similar median MCAT and GPA (if you disregard 1st yr) to mine, thus my stats didn't need to be higher than my U.S counterparts to gain interviews and acceptances at those institutions.

Point is, to your OP, yes you do have a chance at low-tier MD schools (what do you mean by low tier? everyone has different definitions of this)

 

[ZedsDed]

Im N=1 but i tihnk your chances are actually better than you think.
I also spent 6 years in UG, and my GPA was something like 1.00, 4.00 (CC), 3.7, 3.85, 3.91 and my MCAT was 34

I had 3 accepts from MD american schools this year, even one from brown U. Unlike Canada, American schools do a holistic review of your app and reward reinvention.
I had extenuating circumstances which resulted in my poor 1st year gpa which i mentioned on my PS and all of them asked me at interviews how i managed to turn it around. Im sure my URM status helped me along too as i had strong ethnic ties with my background. I was accepted by schools who had a similar median MCAT and GPA (if you disregard 1st yr) to mine, thus my stats didn't need to be higher than my U.S counterparts to gain interviews and acceptances at those institutions.

Point is, to your OP, yes you do have a chance at low-tier MD schools (what do you mean by low tier? everyone has different definitions of this)

All the OP can do is apply

 

[clwrry]

Im N=1 but i tihnk your chances are actually better than you think.
I also spent 6 years in UG, and my GPA was something like 1.00, 4.00 (CC), 3.7, 3.85, 3.91 and my MCAT was 34

I had 3 accepts from MD american schools this year, even one from brown U. Unlike Canada, American schools do a holistic review of your app and reward reinvention.
I had extenuating circumstances which resulted in my poor 1st year gpa which i mentioned on my PS and all of them asked me at interviews how i managed to turn it around. Im sure my URM status helped me along too as i had strong ethnic ties with my background. I was accepted by schools who had a similar median MCAT and GPA (if you disregard 1st yr) to mine, thus my stats didn't need to be higher than my U.S counterparts to gain interviews and acceptances at those institutions.

Point is, to your OP, yes you do have a chance at low-tier MD schools (what do you mean by low tier? everyone has different definitions of this)

All the OP can do is apply

To URMD:

Congratulations on your offer (x3). Your situation is like the fantasy end state of every single premed with awful initial GPAs lol. I really hope I'll get there some day.

There are certain major differences in your situation and mine though, since I don't have extenuating circumstances to explain my low GPA, and the low GPA persisted for much longer than a year. I'm also not an URM. That being said, I don't need an offer from Brown. I just need an offer. By low tier I meant the lowest possible tier. I would be ecstatic to get accepted to literally any MD school in North America.

To ZedsDed
Yes you are right. There are several DO schools that don't require MD or DO letters. I have even made a list and looked up the requirements for each school. I have seriously considered your suggestion of apply to DO this year and while I think it is great advice, I don't think I will apply to DO this year.

Given the limited amount of time I have after my volunteer commitments and AMCAS application, I don't think I would realistically have time to do the DO application. Additionally, I am severely limited in my ability of apply to most DO schools due to not having a physician letter. Out of the few schools that I am eligible to apply to, several has the same geographical makeup as my current UG and I absolutely do not want to spend the next four years of my life in a similar environment as my current school. I get that beggars can't be choosers and I would be super happy with any MD school regardless of location but I think for me, the beggar part stops at doing DO at a crappy location. The amount of time and energy it would cost me to apply to maybe 1-2 DO schools that I would actually go to, is not worth it at this point since I may not get in and I could be spending that time on other things (i.e. studying for the MCAT).

I may be rewriting the MCAT this year or next year. I actually wrote and voided the MCAT a week ago due to CARS, so I am pretty far along in my study. An MCAT rewrite would cost me about just as much time as a DO application but it would be more fruitful and a better backup plan in case I don't get in this year. And I am generally pretty confident about my MCATting abilities. I think I should be able to get at least a 35 (or whatever is a 35 in the new MCAT).

Another very important reason I want to rewrite the MCAT is because there is a Canadian MD school that is very transparent in their selection (everyone who met the requirements will get an interview), and I was one verbal point lower than their cut-off. Assuming their cut-offs don't change significantly, if I can somehow raise my verbal by one point and not drop more than 2 points in my bio in the MCAT rewrite, I will get at least one interview (this is HUGE for borderline applicants like me!)

I admit I'm a bit biased in my decision because I do not wish to compromise and go DO after I worked so hard. Given the last 3 years of my life, I have made and won lots of ridiculous gambles on my abilities to continue pursuing my fantasy lala med dream that I think I can push my luck one more time for a MCAT rewrite (well, 2 more times if you count one more year of UG). I know your advice is fantastic, but I think I'm going to jump off the cliff and see what happens.

 

[ZedsDed]

To URMD:

Congratulations on your offer (x3). Your situation is like the fantasy end state of every single premed with awful initial GPAs lol. I really hope I'll get there some day.

There are certain major differences in your situation and mine though, since I don't have extenuating circumstances to explain my low GPA, and the low GPA persisted for much longer than a year. I'm also not an URM. That being said, I don't need an offer from Brown. I just need an offer. By low tier I meant the lowest possible tier. I would be ecstatic to get accepted to literally any MD school in North America.

To ZedsDed
Yes you are right. There are several DO schools that don't require MD or DO letters. I have even made a list and looked up the requirements for each school. I have seriously considered your suggestion of apply to DO this year and while I think it is great advice, I don't think I will apply to DO this year.

Given the limited amount of time I have after my volunteer commitments and AMCAS application, I don't think I would realistically have time to do the DO application. Additionally, I am severely limited in my ability of apply to most DO schools due to not having a physician letter. Out of the few schools that I am eligible to apply to, several has the same geographical makeup as my current UG and I absolutely do not want to spend the next four years of my life in a similar environment as my current school. I get that beggars can't be choosers and I would be super happy with any MD school regardless of location but I think for me, the beggar part stops at doing DO at a crappy location. The amount of time and energy it would cost me to apply to maybe 1-2 DO schools that I would actually go to, is not worth it at this point since I may not get in and I could be spending that time on other things (i.e. studying for the MCAT).

I may be rewriting the MCAT this year or next year. I actually wrote and voided the MCAT a week ago due to CARS, so I am pretty far along in my study. An MCAT rewrite would cost me about just as much time as a DO application but it would be more fruitful and a better backup plan in case I don't get in this year. And I am generally pretty confident about my MCATting abilities. I think I should be able to get at least a 35 (or whatever is a 35 in the new MCAT).

Another very important reason I want to rewrite the MCAT is because there is a Canadian MD school that is very transparent in their selection (everyone who met the requirements will get an interview), and I was one verbal point lower than their cut-off. Assuming their cut-offs don't change significantly, if I can somehow raise my verbal by one point and not drop more than 2 points in my bio in the MCAT rewrite, I will get at least one interview (this is HUGE for borderline applicants like me!)

I admit I'm a bit biased in my decision because I do not wish to compromise and go DO after I worked so hard. Given the last 3 years of my life, I have made and won lots of ridiculous gambles on my abilities to continue pursuing my fantasy lala med dream that I think I can push my luck one more time for a MCAT rewrite (well, 2 more times if you count one more year of UG). I know your advice is fantastic, but I think I'm going to jump off the cliff and see what happens.

Sounds like you've put a lot of thought into this, best of luck.

 

[URMD]

Another very important reason I want to rewrite the MCAT is because there is a Canadian MD school that is very transparent in their selection (everyone who met the requirements will get an interview), and I was one verbal point lower than their cut-off. Assuming their cut-offs don't change significantly, if I can somehow raise my verbal by one point and not drop more than 2 points in my bio in the MCAT rewrite, I will get at least one interview (this is HUGE for borderline applicants like me!)

Rewriting again without knowing the cutoffs that schulich needs to interview applicants has some risk to it, you understand that im sure.
Wait until they post new cutoffs for the 2015MCAT before you make your decision.

Best of luck!

 

[ConfusedChemist]

Apply to university of Saskatchewan, Queens, and re-write the MCAT to try and get the equiv of an 11VR for verbal?

 

[clwrry]

Sounds like you've put a lot of thought into this, best of luck.

Thanks! I'll let sdn know what happens!

Rewriting again without knowing the cutoffs that schulich needs to interview applicants has some risk to it, you understand that im sure.
Wait until they post new cutoffs for the 2015MCAT before you make your decision.

Best of luck!

Unfortunately Western won't release the cutoffs prior to deadline to apply. They set the cutoffs based on that year's applicant pool so that these cutoffs will be below just the number of people they want to interview. Although I think it's very likely a VR of 11 is going to be part of the cut-off, so I'll aim for that.
Thanks for all your help. Congratulations again on your acceptance. Don't forget to enjoy the warmer weather and better netflix in US.

Apply to university of Saskatchewan, Queens, and re-write the MCAT to try and get the equiv of an 11VR for verbal?

Yeah I think I'll rewrite and aim for 11 VR. It would be so nice if I can get an interview guarantee from Western.

 

[ConfusedChemist]

Yeah I think I'll rewrite and aim for 11 VR. It would be so nice if I can get an interview guarantee from Western.[/QUOTE]
You're garunteed for SASK too if you can get your cGPA over 83%