CANADIAN AMCAS APPLICANTS 2015-2016

[donnyforMVP]

Fellow Canadians!

I am hoping this could be a thread where we could all share our applications, stats, interviews, etc. so we could all get an idea how the ADCOMS treat the great white north.

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[snarkie]

Hey, I'm a Canadian attending an American school. Let me know if you have any questions, always happy to help out a fellow Canadian!

 

[donnyforMVP]

I applied with 76LIZZYM, but I was complete late October due to Canadian apps being due beginning of October. I'm getting mixed messages about this.

 

[snarkie]

This is a big issue for a lot of people. I'll give you my honest opinion. Realistically, it's difficult to get a spot with a complete date that late. Most schools do rolling admission and the majority of invites for most schools will have been given out by now. However, your strong stats are helpful so hang in there. I hope you've applied to Canadian friendly schools.

 

[summergirl]

Hey, I'm a Canadian attending an American school. Let me know if you have any questions, always happy to help out a fellow Canadian!

How long did it take you to get the visa to the US? I'm worried that I may get off the waitlist one month before school starts and not have time to get the visa...

 

[snarkie]

Hmm it took just a couple weeks for me, the school usually handles this so don't worry too much

 

[childofmercy]

Fellow Canadian! Attended 4 interviews, accepted to 2 (thank the Lord), 1 WL and awaiting one final decision. My stats are no where near donnys tho (28 MCAT, ~3.5GPAs). I was complete at most schools by august, so a few iis were early.
@snarkie care to offer any financial advice (ie. Loan apps and such)?

 

[heebeejeebies]

I'm LizzyM 75-78, applied to 13 schools (very top heavy), 3 rejections, 3 interviews in the US so far (2 of them at top 20s... somehow, whatever I'll take it!)

I think early completion is important! And we all know how impossible shadowing is here due to institutional policies, so a HUGE key is finding clinically relevant experience with patient contact elsewhere.

 

[snarkie]

I think for financial aid, the options are to apply for private loans from the school itself or banks (line of credit). We don't qualify for federal loans unfortunately.

 

[childofmercy]

I think for financial aid, the options are to apply for private loans from the school itself or banks (line of credit). We don't qualify for federal loans unfortunately.

Yea it sucks. Did you apply for osap ( or w.e province gives you loans) or Canada student loans?

 

[pchandr4]

Hey! Canadian here too My secondaries were in late September (I also applied close to the OMSAS deadline without realizing the whole rolling admissions thing). MCAT 39 (old MCAT obviously) and 4.0 GPA. So far I only got an interview at Columbia and waiting on the others (silence so far).

It's annoying how we really can't do shadowing here whereas almost everyone in the States does it, but oh well.

Hope you guys do well in your interviews!

 

[albno.blcksheep]

.

 

[pchandr4]

Does anyone here know why our GPA/grades for AMCAS get converted differently (above 80% = 4.0)?

 

[childofmercy]

No, but it works in your favor

 

[farfromtree]

@childofmercy
wow that's impressive ! Congrats!

 

[snarkie]

Yup, I did apply for Canadian loans as well.

No, that is what i meant for Canadian friendly schools i just mentioned it because some people forget to look and apply to places that don't take internationals, so it becomes a waste of money and time

 

[bearintraining]

Hi guys,

Canadian here. PhD, ~3.5 gpa and 522 MCAT. Post-doc in the US.

Applied to ~35 schools, 10 rejections so far, 1 II (probably get my decision this coming week..eek!), and a couple late secondaries (that I just received) to finish.. Overall not too stellar, but as everyone here knows, not having Permanent Residency or a Green Card counts against you, big time.

Good luck to my fellow Canucks!

 

[bearintraining]

Fellow Canadian! Attended 4 interviews, accepted to 2 (thank the Lord), 1 WL and awaiting one final decision. My stats are no where near donnys tho (28 MCAT, ~3.5GPAs). I was complete at most schools by august, so a few iis were early.
@snarkie care to offer any financial advice (ie. Loan apps and such)?

wow..great cycle for you.. mind if we ask where you attended IIs?

 

[childofmercy]

Merci @farfromtree ! @bearintraining they were at GWU, NYMC, OUWB, MCW. I only applied to 8 schools as my MCAT score aint the greatest. I hope you get in this week!

 

[bearintraining]

Hi all.. Just wanted to share the good news -- found out I was accepted at SUNY Upstate today!

 

[pchandr4]

Hi all.. Just wanted to share the good news -- found out I was accepted at SUNY Upstate today!

That's awesome, Congratulations! You deserve it! Great MCAT score AND a PhD!
If you don't mind me asking, did you do your PhD at a Canadian school?

 

[bearintraining]

That's awesome, Congratulations! You deserve it! Great MCAT score AND a PhD!
If you don't mind me asking, did you do your PhD at a Canadian school?

Yes. My PhD is from UBC

edit: sorry in the rush forgot to say thank you for the kind words! This is not my first application cycle..so it's been a long haul for me.

 

[NotASerialKiller]

edit: sorry in the rush forgot to say thank you for the kind words!

Always remember to be polite, you can't forget your roots.

 

[bearintraining]

Always remember to be polite, you can't forget your roots.

I guess SUNY thinks I'm @NotASerialKiller

 

[childofmercy]

Congrats @bearintraining !!!!!

 

[snarkie]

Congrats!!

 

[BluMist]

http://lmgtfy.com/?q=canadian+serial+killers

I guess SUNY thinks I'm @NotASerialKiller

 

[bearintraining]

http://lmgtfy.com/?q=canadian+serial+killers

lol

 

[bearintraining]

IIs from CWRU University Track and from WashU in the past 24 hrs! WOOhoo!

 

[CanadianInquiry]

Hi all!

Looking for some advice: I only have a LizzyM of 68 (strong mcat and weak GPA) and have so far received 3 rejections. I'm still waiting to hear back about II from Brown, VCU, Tufts, Jefferson, and George Washington (on hold). I was complete between mid September to early october for all of them, which i know is late in the cycle. At this point, I've started looking into master's and even SMPs. In your experience, is this where i should be now directing my attention? As i doubt ill get into any US or Canadian med schools. This brings me to my next question.. SMP or Master's? and better to do that in the states or stick in canada?

Thanks for the help, eh!

 

[bearintraining]

Hi all!

Looking for some advice: I only have a LizzyM of 68 (strong mcat and weak GPA) and have so far received 3 rejections. I'm still waiting to hear back about II from Brown, VCU, Tufts, Jefferson, and George Washington (on hold). I was complete between mid September to early october for all of them, which i know is late in the cycle. At this point, I've started looking into master's and even SMPs. In your experience, is this where i should be now directing my attention? As i doubt ill get into any US or Canadian med schools. This brings me to my next question.. SMP or Master's? and better to do that in the states or stick in canada?

Thanks for the help, eh!

Mind if I ask just how bad your GPA is?

 

[CanadianInquiry]

Mind if I ask just how bad your GPA is?

3.31 sGPA, 3.41 cGPA with a strong upward trend (3.69 in junior, on pace for 4.0 in senior year)

 

[bearintraining]

3.31 sGPA, 3.41 cGPA with a strong upward trend (3.69 in junior, on pace for 4.0 in senior year)

yeah so we have pretty similar scores... my phd is 4.0, and i think having a phd has helped, but yeah.. your gpa is going to hurt you.. make sure you get some great ECs in if you can in case you don't get in this year.. also, not sure when you were complete, but if you have to do another cycle, try to get everything done within july

 

[donnyforMVP]

yeah so we have pretty similar scores... my phd is 4.0, and i think having a phd has helped, but yeah.. your gpa is going to hurt you.. make sure you get some great ECs in if you can in case you don't get in this year.. also, not sure when you were complete, but if you have to do another cycle, try to get everything done within july

American Med Schools dont look at any Graduate GPA correct?

 

[bearintraining]

American Med Schools dont look at any Graduate GPA correct?

It's on your primary application but I'm not sure it really matters an awful lot

 

[heebeejeebies]

So how about that Canadian dollar? Blah.

At this rate (if it hits 0.65 like it's projected to...) I may not even be able to afford the US school I've been accepted to... this makes my Canadian cycle so much more important.

I have friends who took out loans for US med 2 years ago and hesitated on converting it to USD when we were at 92 cents... now they're looking at over half a million when it's all said and done.

 

[childofmercy]

It's screwing everything up D: sucks so hard but I'm hopeful..

 

[Teddy Skubes]

As Canadian applicants, can we expect to receive any subsidiary financial aid to help pay for our American tuition? Or does it have to all come from a private loan or line of credit? The school that I was accepted to has an estimated cost of attendance of $100,000 USD per year (tuition, living expenses, etc.). This equates to greater than half a million dollars, which seems like an insurmountable amount of debt to recover from

 

[childofmercy]

As Canadian applicants, can we expect to receive any subsidiary financial aid to help pay for our American tuition? Or does it have to all come from a private loan or line of credit? The school that I was accepted to has an estimated cost of attendance of $100,000 USD per year (tuition, living expenses, etc.). This equates to greater than half a million dollars, which seems like an insurmountable amount of debt to recover from

That's nuts, which school is that? Without US citizenship we aren't eligible for their federal loans or need-based scholarahips. If you can find merit-based scholarships that would be great. Other than that our options are lines of credit from Cnd banks and provinicial/ Canada Student Loans through your province

 

[gyngyn]

American Med Schools dont look at any Graduate GPA correct?

We do see all grades.
Undergraduate grades are the ones used to assess academic prowess, though.
We assume that everyone should get A's in graduate classes.

 

[gyngyn]

As Canadian applicants, can we expect to receive any subsidiary financial aid to help pay for our American tuition? Or does it have to all come from a private loan or line of credit? The school that I was accepted to has an estimated cost of attendance of $100,000 USD per year (tuition, living expenses, etc.). This equates to greater than half a million dollars, which seems like an insurmountable amount of debt to recover from

Some schools may have private loans available to internationals. Many do not.

 

[ConfusedChemist]

So how about that Canadian dollar? Blah.

At this rate (if it hits 0.65 like it's projected to...) I may not even be able to afford the US school I've been accepted to... this makes my Canadian cycle so much more important.

I have friends who took out loans for US med 2 years ago and hesitated on converting it to USD when we were at 92 cents... now they're looking at over half a million when it's all said and done.

It's crazy. I personally choose not to apply US for this reason, I just can't stomach a half a million dollar loan. I'll reapply in Canada thanks....

 

[bcemslayer]

My experience so far (I'm also a US citizen, though I'm not sure if this is even helping at this point)

1 interview - GWU, still waiting to hear back after 2.5 months. Hoping for the best
2 rejections - Penn state and brown
Silence from 6 schools

MCAT 131/125/131/127/514 and 3.71. LizzyM~72

And no love from Canandian schools yet.

 

[pre-doc6]

What insurance plans are Canadians using? I'm from Ontario so I do have OHIP. Please advise @snarkie @bearintraining

 

[bearintraining]

What insurance plans are Canadians using? I'm from Ontario so I do have OHIP. Please advise @snarkie @bearintraining

Most of the time International students have to buy in to the med school's health insurance. I'm a special case also because I live in the US currently and have insurance through my postdoc

 

[snarkie]

Yup ditto, I had to buy the school's insurance. It's very hard to get the school to accept your Ontario/parents' plan

 

[InterviewI]

Hello Canadians,
I wanted to ask if anyone here has experience with a particular visa (TN1 visa).
From what little research I did, it seems that this visa is designed for Canadians to gain relatively quick access to employment in the states (compared to H1B visa ). I only mention this because I was accepted to a US medical school in a state that allows international applicants to essentially get in-state tuition if they live &work in the state for a period of 1 year. The TN1 visa allows Canadians to apply as long as the job is in a professional field (science, engineering, research, etc).

Would it make sense to defer matriculation to medical school for 1 year and use the TN1 visa to work at the state I was accepted. The down side is that I would lose 1 year. The upside is that the medical school will actually be affordable enough for me to attend.

Here is where I found the info on TN1 visa : http://www.workpermit.com/us/investor_tn.htm

 

[bearintraining]

Hello Canadians,
I wanted to ask if anyone here has experience with a particular visa (TN1 visa).
From what little research I did, it seems that this visa is designed for Canadians to gain relatively quick access to employment in the states (compared to H1B visa ). I only mention this because I was accepted to a US medical school in a state that allows international applicants to essentially get in-state tuition if they live &work in the state for a period of 1 year. The TN1 visa allows Canadians to apply as long as the job is in a professional field (science, engineering, research, etc).

Would it make sense to defer matriculation to medical school for 1 year and use the TN1 visa to work at the state I was accepted. The down side is that I would lose 1 year. The upside is that the medical school will actually be affordable enough for me to attend.

Here is where I found the info on TN1 visa : http://www.workpermit.com/us/investor_tn.htm

No unfortunately this won't work. You're missing a stipulation that the residency is only valid if you're a permanent resident or citizen. I am in the same situation and was unable to apply to UW because of it. I'm also unable to get resident tuition at SUNY upstate until I have PR.

 

[InterviewI]

You're missing a stipulation that the residency is only valid if you're a permanent resident or citizen.

Hi bearintraining,

I'm confused about the stipulation you mentioned. My understanding was that if an individual has permanent resident status or citizen status, they would not require a visa. The fact that the school policy mentioned a visa led me to believe that a non-citizen /non-resident could qualify for in-state tuition if they have a current visa and reside in the state for a period of time. This particular situation may be unique to the school I was accepted at but I'm not sure.

Is it possible that on top of having permanent residence status, the school would want an individual to have a current visa to qualify for residency status?

 

[bearintraining]

Hi bearintraining,

I'm confused about the stipulation you mentioned. My understanding was that if an individual has permanent resident status or citizen status, they would not require a visa. The fact that the school policy mentioned a visa led me to believe that a non-citizen /non-resident could qualify for in-state tuition if they have a current visa and reside in the state for a period of time. This particular situation may be unique to the school I was accepted at but I'm not sure.

Is it possible that on top of having permanent residence status, the school would want an individual to have a current visa to qualify for residency status?

You're correct in that as a PR you would never need a visa.

I think you should double check the school's policy. Make sure you explicitly explain what your situation would be and ask what they would do