Canadian Applying to US MD- August MCAT

[primaballerina]

Hi guys!

I'm a Canadian student thinking of applying to US med schools and not too familliar with the process. I have a lowish cGPA at McGill- 3.6- although in my last two years my average is 3.9 (it was first year that got me).

I'm only considering applying to lower tier MD schools (New York medical college, George Washignton, SUNY Down/upstate) that I know are more Canadian friendly. The issue is that my MCAT date is August 20th meaning that my scores won't come in until the end of Sept. Given this info, I was wondering what your opinions are as to whether or not I should bother applying this late. Canadian schools are my first choice anyways but I really wanted the US as a back up. I don't want to waste the application fees if there's a fair chance I'm wayyyyy too late to get in.

Any help is appreciated!

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[gyngyn]

Buy the MSAR.
Filter for the fifty odd schools that consider internationals.
Eliminate the ones that matriculated 3 or less.
Eliminate the mission-based schools.
Apply to the ones where the median MCAT for matriculants is at or below yours.
If you have multiple MCAT's use the average for your score.

Bring the list here if you would like edits.

 

[primaballerina]

Buy the MSAR.
Filter for the fifty odd schools that consider internationals.
Eliminate the ones that matriculated 3 or less.
Eliminate the mission-based schools.
Apply to the ones where the median MCAT for matriculants is at or below yours.
If you have multiple MCAT's use the average for your score.

Bring the list here if you would like edits.

Hi gyngyn - thanks for your input. However, my question was not in regards to where I should apply (I aready have a list of Canadian friendly schools etc) but rather a more general one regarding timing. Since US schools are rolling, does an Aug 20th MCAT, meaning quite a late application (taking into account my gpa and my being a Canadian applicant) disadvantage me such that I should not apply this cycle? I know "official" deadlines are a little later but money being tight I don't want to spend the on money application fees if I stand a very slim chance applying with these stats so late in the application cycle. Most schools I looked at said they won't review your application until they receive your MCAT scores (so end of Sept for me). Any advice on this is appreciated.

 

[cyang55]

I personally would wait a year. Since you're taking the MCAT on Aug 20th, they won't finish processing the score until the end of September. Then the schools will receive it (IF they have already processed your entire application, and was just waiting for the score). Let's say it'll take a week or two for you to get your secondaries, (now it's going to be mid October), then you have to write your secondary essays (let's say it'll take a week to write and submit), it's already late October. The schools then have to read your essays and then decide if they want to invite you for an interview. This might take a week or two (minimum), and now it's already early to mid November. This is the BEST scenario. Since most schools have rolling admissions, by mid November they already sent out a lot of acceptance letters and your chances are already limited. Now, add the fact that you're an international student who is battling for a small number of spots...I'd say don't waste your money this year and just apply the first thing next year.

 

[gyngyn]

Hi gyngyn - thanks for your input. However, my question was not in regards to where I should apply (I aready have a list of Canadian friendly schools etc) but rather a more general one regarding timing. Since US schools are rolling, does an Aug 20th MCAT, meaning quite a late application (taking into account my gpa and my being a Canadian applicant) disadvantage me such that I should not apply this cycle? I know "official" deadlines are a little later but money being tight I don't want to spend the on money application fees if I stand a very slim chance applying with these stats so late in the application cycle. Most schools I looked at said they won't review your application until they receive your MCAT scores (so end of Sept for me). Any advice on this is appreciated.

The end of September is late for a US applicant. It is quite late for an international.
You can't really even make a list without an MCAT score.
The only real difference between rolling and non-rolling schools is when they notify the applicant. The process is the same.

 

[ConfusedChemist]

Hi gyngyn - thanks for your input. However, my question was not in regards to where I should apply (I aready have a list of Canadian friendly schools etc) but rather a more general one regarding timing. Since US schools are rolling, does an Aug 20th MCAT, meaning quite a late application (taking into account my gpa and my being a Canadian applicant) disadvantage me such that I should not apply this cycle? I know "official" deadlines are a little later but money being tight I don't want to spend the on money application fees if I stand a very slim chance applying with these stats so late in the application cycle. Most schools I looked at said they won't review your application until they receive your MCAT scores (so end of Sept for me). Any advice on this is appreciated.

If money is tight, how are you going to pay for a US school? You do realize that the max LOC a bank will give you from Canada is over 100K short of US tuition generally, with the exchange rate.
And you need to prove you have the $$ before you can start