Applying directly - not through AB?

[nyc_ranch]

Is it possible to apply directly to UCD, Trinity, and RCSI and not go through AB?

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[JMD]

It probably is, but I don't really see why you would want to. All you have to do is send your app to AB and they take care of everything. You can then correspond by phone to a US #, etc. You would most likely have to apply to each school individually, too. I could be wrong, but I think AB will save you alot of headaches.

 

[PathOne]

If you're US citizen, it's a no go. Irish schools participating in Atlantic Bridge clearly states, that if you're US you MUST apply through AB. Conversely, Irish and EU students obviously CAN'T apply through AB, but must apply directly to school (or rather, through central Irish app office).

 

[Miklos]

If you're US citizen, it's a no go. Irish schools participating in Atlantic Bridge clearly states, that if you're US you MUST apply through AB. Conversely, Irish and EU students obviously CAN'T apply through AB, but must apply directly to school (or rather, through central Irish app office).

Well, considering that AB effectively acts as an agent, I'm not surprised that their website states this. That however does not necessarily make it true.

 

[PathOne]

Nope, but since the "US" spots at the Irish schools are financed directly by the students, and not the Irish taxpayers, I guess the schools can pretty much decide what they want regarding the application pathway. But it should be easy to check for anyone who's interested...

 

[Newman8r]

I talked to the person who I believe is in charge of the program recently, the program sounds pretty competitive.

It was something like 1 in 14 applicants is accepted... I'm wondering if this is because a lot of the applicants are right out of high school or lack any real qualifications or experience. Does anyone here know how competitive it really is?

If you have done well in undergrad (but haven't completed ytour degree), have clinical experience and community service, as well as research - are your chances still really about 1 in 14?

I'm thinking of applying this next september, any input would be great, thanks

 

[roo]

The Atlantic Bridge Program was set up by the Irish Schools in the first place, since it is easier just to have 2 guys full-time in the correct time zone who are familiar with US education credentials, etc. This is in contrast to having some secretary somewhere in each school who is both unfamiliar with US admissions stuff, busy with other duties, in a different time zone, long distance phone, and an expensive courier. It just makes more effeciency for each school to pay a fourth of the cost of some people in an office in North American to do that as their sole purpose.

Most likely if you tried to apply directly, they would just send you back to the Atlantic Bridge Program since that is who they pay to take care of that stuff.

The admissions for Irish students going to med school in Ireland works much differently anyway--it is a pure-play numbers game: whoever gets the highest scores in the test out of high school and wants to do medicine gets to go (this cleans out the "let my nephew into school and I'll let your son in" old-boys behaviour that can be rampant in UK&Ireland). There isn't a med school admissions committee over there that you can bug, like in North America.

Best wishes,
roo

 

[leorl]

I believe most applicants are those who have graduated/will have a degree prior to starting medical school. Applications for the Irish schools are on the rise. Chances are subjective...it depends year by year, on the strength of the applicant pool. As usual, it doesn't hurt to have clinical experience/community service/research/extracurriculars, etc. They seem to like research, and they seem to like people whose interests go further than the straight pre-med track.

I talked to the person who I believe is in charge of the program recently, the program sounds pretty competitive.

It was something like 1 in 14 applicants is accepted... I'm wondering if this is because a lot of the applicants are right out of high school or lack any real qualifications or experience. Does anyone here know how competitive it really is?

If you have done well in undergrad (but haven't completed ytour degree), have clinical experience and community service, as well as research - are your chances still really about 1 in 14?

I'm thinking of applying this next september, any input would be great, thanks