Canadian Chances....please help guide me!

[ConfusedChemist]

looking to apply for next years cycle
GPA/sGPA: 3.8
MCAT: 32 (12PS/10/10)
hospital volunteering, summer research awards, 2+ years cancer research assistant, tutoring, etc
I am feeling totally overwhelmed looking at the number of American schools and would love some advice as to if I might be competitive at mid/low tiers!
Thanks a ton

 

[gyngyn]

looking to apply for next years cycle
GPA/sGPA: 3.8
MCAT: 32 (12PS/10/10)
hospital volunteering, summer research awards, 2+ years cancer research assistant, tutoring, etc
I am feeling totally overwhelmed looking at the number of American schools and would love some advice as to if I might be competitive at mid/low tiers!
Thanks a ton

Buy the MSAR. Use search function to identify the 74 schools that accept Int'l applicants. Eliminate the ones that took 0 or 1 students last year. Eliminate the mission based schools. Eliminate the schools with median stats greater than yours. Apply early to the rest.

These instructions apply only to MD schools.

 

[ConfusedChemist]

Buy the MSAR. Use search function to identify the 74 schools that accept Int'l applicants. Eliminate the ones that took 0 or 1 students last year. Eliminate the mission based schools. Eliminate the schools with median stats greater than yours. Apply early to the rest.

These instructions apply only to MD schools.

Thank you
I have gotten MSAR, I was just unsure if I should rely on the GPA/MCAT averages listed as they don't differentiate between US/international applicants and I have heard that out of country applicants would need higher grades than those listed? I am limited financially on the amount of schools I can apply to, so I was wondering if making my schools list based on the MSAR stats would have been applying beyond my reach as a Canadian applicant

 

[gyngyn]

Thank you
I have gotten MSAR, I was just unsure if I should rely on the GPA/MCAT averages listed as they don't differentiate between US/international applicants and I have heard that out of country applicants would need higher grades than those listed? I am limited financially on the amount of schools I can apply to, so I was wondering if making my schools list based on the MSAR stats would have been applying beyond my reach as a Canadian applicant

You are right. You should have somewhat higher stats. Luckily, your gpa will be higher than any of the schools where your MCAT is at the median, so you really can focus just on the MCAT and you will be slightly above by virtue of your other metric.

 

[gyngyn]

Bring your list back when it is complete and we will edit if you like.

 

[ConfusedChemist]

Bring your list back when it is complete and we will edit if you like.

will do, thanks for the help!

 

[ConfusedChemist]

So here's the current list:
· Rosalind Franklin

· George Washington Oakland

· St Louis

· Thomas Jefferson

· New York Medical College

· New York Upstate

· Kentucky

Would this be reasonable?

 

[Boolean]

So here's the current list:
· Rosalind Franklin

· George Washington Oakland

· St Louis

· Thomas Jefferson

· New York Medical College

· New York Upstate

· Kentucky

Would this be reasonable?

You might wish to expand to a few more schools.

 

[ConfusedChemist]

You might wish to expand to a few more schools.

I wish I could, but I unfortunately only was the finances to apply to 5 at most, and I am trying to maximize my chances with those schools!

 

[Boolean]

I wish I could, but I unfortunately only was the finances to apply to 5 at most, and I am trying to maximize my chances with those schools!

Fair point. That's a decent school list for that budget, but @gyngyn can provide more detail upon that. If at all possible, see if you can get a loan from a close friend or family member. You really want to get in on the first round, otherwise you're going as a reapplicant.

 

[gyngyn]

Those are all good matches for your stats.
Oakland (4), Upstate(4) and NYM (3) are a little scanty on the matriculants...

 

[UCUCUC]

Canadian resident I recommend looking at wayne state, mich state, oakland.

 

[ConfusedChemist]

Canadian resident I recommend looking at wayne state, mich state, oakland.

I was thinking Wayne/MSU too
but it looks like they didn't take any internationals last year? (MSAR) I'm not sure if they usually do...

 

[gyngyn]

I was thinking Wayne/MSU too
but it looks like they didn't take any internationals last year? (MSAR) I'm not sure if they usually do...

Wayne FTW! (19), MSU (0).

 

[ConfusedChemist]

Wayne FTW! (19), MSU (0).

I must have missed wayne! That could be a good option (close to the border too)

 

[UBC2014]

Try and save up more money and apply WAY broader. US medical schools are expensive, if applying even to a few extra schools is a hardship, the tuition fees and flying for interviews etc will be a shocker.

Pick up a few extra hours at work and that should cover the extra primary apps. The process is a crapshoot and a numbers game many times, the more reasonable schools you apply too the better the odds.

 

[ConfusedChemist]

Try and save up more money and apply WAY broader. US medical schools are expensive, if applying even to a few extra schools is a hardship, the tuition fees and flying for interviews etc will be a shocker.

Pick up a few extra hours at work and that should cover the extra primary apps. The process is a crapshoot and a numbers game many times, the more reasonable schools you apply too the better the odds.

I really wish I could, but I am supporting myself through school and already working 2 jobs so given the cost of secondaries and travelling to interviews I only have a budget for a few schools (although I am trying for as many as I can!). It's not ideal, I'm very aware I could easily not get in because of this disadvantage, which is why I am trying to be as careful as possible in selecting the schools I am applying to
And hoping for Canada...

 

[UBC2014]

I really wish I could, but I am supporting myself through school and already working 2 jobs so given the cost of secondaries and travelling to interviews I only have a budget for a few schools (although I am trying for as many as I can!). It's not ideal, I'm very aware I could easily not get in because of this disadvantage, which is why I am trying to be as careful as possible in selecting the schools I am applying to
And hoping for Canada...

I completely understand and hear where you are coming from! My only caution is that before investing a large amount of money into the application process - also think of what happens 1 step beyond in the event you get an acceptance. What about tuition costs? US private schools are not cheap, and won't be fully covered by a cosigned bank loan.

 

[ConfusedChemist]

I completely understand and hear where you are coming from! My only caution is that before investing a large amount of money into the application process - also think of what happens 1 step beyond in the event you get an acceptance. What about tuition costs? US private schools are not cheap, and won't be fully covered by a cosigned bank loan.

I'm still working on that...
Depending on the school, I think my provincial loans would cover parts and then with good enough credit i'd be looking at bank loans. If I were accepted only to the states it might involve deferring for a year (applying again to Canada) and then starting school once I can cover the tuition . I'm not sure if this is common or most people are able to pay upfront?

 

[gyngyn]

I'm still working on that...
Depending on the school, I think my provincial loans would cover parts and then with good enough credit i'd be looking at bank loans. If I were accepted only to the states it might involve deferring for a year (applying again to Canada) and then starting school once I can cover the tuition . I'm not sure if this is common or most people are able to pay upfront?

The school may ask that you show them an escrow account that will cover 1 or two years tuition or COA as a condition of matriculation.

 

[ConfusedChemist]

The school may ask that you show them an escrow account that will cover 1 or two years tuition or COA as a condition of matriculation.

Would it be suitable to show proof of a line of credit limit (with co-signer) for this? I was always unsure if that meant actually having the money at that time was required, as I can't imagine they would expect students who have that in full?

 

[chemguy79]

Would it be suitable to show proof of a line of credit limit (with co-signer) for this? I was always unsure if that meant actually having the money at that time was required, as I can't imagine they would expect students who have that in full?

Actually, some schools require international applicants (including Canadian applicants) to have the full amount of their tuition in an escrow account while other schools require you to pre-pay your entire tuition. When you are researching schools to apply, you should find out a school's policy regarding tuition payment because every school is different.

 

[gyngyn]

Would it be suitable to show proof of a line of credit limit (with co-signer) for this? I was always unsure if that meant actually having the money at that time was required, as I can't imagine they would expect students who have that in full?

They expect you to show them an escrow account balance consistent with their minimum expectation (1-4 years, tuition or COA).
Some do not, however. They tend to be the richly endowed.

 

[ConfusedChemist]

They expect you to show them an escrow account balance consistent with their minimum expectation (1-4 years, tuition or COA).
Some do not, however. They tend to be the richly endowed.

Sorry for my lacking knowledge of these things, but by escrow account, would that require the full sum (and not a loan) at the beginning of the degree?

 

[gyngyn]

Sorry for my lacking knowledge of these things, but by escrow account, would that require the full sum (and not a loan) at the beginning of the degree?

Yes, that's what they often ask for.

 

[ConfusedChemist]

Yes, that's what they often ask for.

wow, I guess I should have looked into that sooner (I couldn't imagine that what was they were asking) and I anticipated loan guarantees would be sufficient.
Thank you for your help with this