canadian high school student applying to 6 yr atlantic bridge

[depminister]

Hi! I'm currently in grade 11 at a canadian high school and hope to apply to the 6 year atlantic bridge program later this year. I am seriously confused about the specific program requirements though. Do they consider all subjects from all years from high school transcripts or just grade 12 marks? Also, how important are extra curriculars and volunteering? Ive done a ton of volunteering at hospitals and am part of a couple clubs including student council. I'm also planning on doing my chem and bio SATs. Thanks!

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[CamTheFirst]

The most important marks are: chemistry, biology, physics and math. Grade 11 marks are very important, however, the first semester marks in grade 12 are the most critical. Try to take a 30 level subject from grade 12 in summer school, but make sure you get good marks in it, otherwise it could hurt you and not help you. Also, most of the successful applicant from high school that I know of have either AP (Advanced Placement) or IB either partial or full.

Add to the above, a geniune and original personal statement and a good EC and volunteer record. Believe me, they do read the personal statement and even have solid knowledge of the reputation of your high school.

 

[Medstart108]

The most important marks are: chemistry, biology, physics and math. Grade 11 marks are very important, however, the first semester marks in grade 12 are the most critical. Try to take a 30 level subject from grade 12 in summer school, but make sure you get good marks in it, otherwise it could hurt you and not help you. Also, most of the successful applicant from high school that I know of have either AP (Advanced Placement) or IB either partial or full.

Add to the above, a geniune and original personal statement and a good EC and volunteer record. Believe me, they do read the personal statement and even have solid knowledge of the reputation of your high school.

I got in without AP or IB but i had SAT I and II. Make sure you have good volunteering experience.

 

[CamTheFirst]

I got in without AP or IB but i had SAT I and II. Make sure you have good volunteering experience.

Medstart, I read your stats, and you have a unique and distinguished portfolio and any university would be happy to have you. For the rest of us, I can see that it is quite challenging to get -even considered- out of high school without the following: AP or IB, Bio/Chem marks in the high eighties and preferably nineties, volunteer experience that shows empathy and caring, EC that shows team work and multi-tasking, and an original personal statement. This is quite possible and achievable, but you would need to get your head straight and focused.

 

[Medstart108]

I understand, but I believe for him its too late to do IB or likely AP unless he/she has already signed up for it. He/she said that they will be taking SAT tests and has lots of hospital volunteer and EC. This was very similar to the profile I had when I applied so I'm just trying to say its possible.

Regarding personal statements for UK unis and maybe Irish unis, i found this very useful especially the ones posted by others when applying:
http://www.thestudentroom.co.uk/wiki/Personal_Statement_Library

 

[S0B]

As a Canadian student, who has applied and been successful in the Atlantic bridge program in the 2012 cycle, I can tell you that AP or IB Canadian students account for <10% of the total students.

A vast majority of canadian applicants didnt take IB or higher level courses, that being said, you still need a competitive average of 90%+ to be able to compete with other applicants.

I took physics 12 several times (night school and summer school) before achieving the mark I needed, I would advise you to do the same if you feel you are weaker in a subject.

Another thing I did was take the easier courses (english, philosophy, bird courses) first semester and applied in November with those grades (Very high average).

 

[CamTheFirst]

Thanks S0B, One thing that I noted with RCSI 6-year program admission condition:
- Applicants with partial IB, had their admission condition at 80% of grade 12 academic subject average.
- Applicants with full IB, had their admission condition at 30 IB score which is really low score.
- Others were at 85% of grade 12 academic subject average.
Also, during my interview, their was an extensive discussion around AP subjects and seemed quite important to the interviewer.

 

[S0B]

Thanks S0B, One thing that I noted with RCSI 6-year program admission condition:
- Applicants with partial IB, had their admission condition at 80% of grade 12 academic subject average.
- Applicants with full IB, had their admission condition at 30 IB score which is really low score.
- Others were at 85% of grade 12 academic subject average.
Also, during my interview, their was an extensive discussion around AP subjects and seemed quite important to the interviewer.

Keep in mind these scores are a MINIMUM requirement, very few people got into RCSI with 80% or 30 IB points, all of the IB's I have spoken with achieved an IB score of 36 or more (90% translated to academic conditions).

Also keep in mind that IB is a much more rigorous program than the regular academic stream and it is internationally standardized. This may account for the reason that the IB requirement may be slightly less (Even though a 30-32 translates to a 80-85%)

 

[depminister]

As a Canadian student, who has applied and been successful in the Atlantic bridge program in the 2012 cycle, I can tell you that AP or IB Canadian students account for <10% of the total students.

A vast majority of canadian applicants didnt take IB or higher level courses, that being said, you still need a competitive average of 90%+ to be able to compete with other applicants.

I took physics 12 several times (night school and summer school) before achieving the mark I needed, I would advise you to do the same if you feel you are weaker in a subject.

Another thing I did was take the easier courses (english, philosophy, bird courses) first semester and applied in November with those grades (Very high average).

They didn't care that you redid the course? Is physics 12 a pre-req if I've already done physics 11 because someone from admissions emailed me saying I only needed one of the years. Also, say I got mid-80s in grade 11 but in grade 12 i got 90s, would that be sufficient? Because it happened to me in math. In grade 11 I got around an 86 but I did grade 12 math early and got 90+. How will universities view that?

and thank you everyone for your replies they've really helped!!

 

[depminister]

I understand, but I believe for him its too late to do IB or likely AP unless he/she has already signed up for it. He/she said that they will be taking SAT tests and has lots of hospital volunteer and EC. This was very similar to the profile I had when I applied so I'm just trying to say its possible.

Regarding personal statements for UK unis and maybe Irish unis, i found this very useful especially the ones posted by others when applying:
http://www.thestudentroom.co.uk/wiki/Personal_Statement_Library

Did you apply with your top 6 grade 12 average? Is that what they primarily look at? Or is it a high school average since grade 9?

 

[depminister]

One other thing, is RCSI considered a more "difficult" school to get into in comparison to like UCD or something? Do they have a higher standard for grades? Or are they all pretty much the same?

 

[S0B]

They didn't care that you redid the course? Is physics 12 a pre-req if I've already done physics 11 because someone from admissions emailed me saying I only needed one of the years. Also, say I got mid-80s in grade 11 but in grade 12 i got 90s, would that be sufficient? Because it happened to me in math. In grade 11 I got around an 86 but I did grade 12 math early and got 90+. How will universities view that?

and thank you everyone for your replies they've really helped!!

Ideally you want to take all science courses (Including Physics 12). I dropped out of the physics 12 classes prior to the marks being published so there was no penalty.

The main thing they look at is grade 12 grades and the grade 11 grades that you have yet to take in grade 12 (So if you're taking biology in semester 2, they will look at your biology in grade 11 to compare).

Very few people are consistent throughout high school, my grade 9 grades varied from 60s-90s which fortunately they did not consider for admission.

 

[Medstart108]

Did you apply with your top 6 grade 12 average? Is that what they primarily look at? Or is it a high school average since grade 9?

I know for sure they don't look at your high school average since gr.9 i believe they look at your gr.11 and 12 marks, especially your top 6.

I think UCD, TCD (for the 5 year program i'm pretty sure you need IB or full AP to apply there) are the hardest to get in to. I don't know about RCSI, but i'd guess around the same.

NUIG is probably slightly easier.

 

[depminister]

alright good to know thanks!! so am i totally screwed if my grade 11 marks aren't super spectacular but they're better in grade 12? I've already done two grade 12 courses and have gotten 90+ in those classes, but my grade 11 marks aren't quite as high and its really stressing me out

 

[Medstart108]

Well since you've already done these Gr. 12 courses in Gr. 11 (which i did as well) they will look at those I believe. I also did better in Gr. 12 than in Gr. 11 and I had 4 Gr. 12 courses finished by the time i started Gr. 12. If you can get a 90+ in those Gr. 12 courses by the time you apply then they should look at your Gr. 12 (for example chem) mark over your Gr. 11 chem mark. (are you semestered or year long?)

Its just that most people don't have their Gr. 12 marks out yet by the time they apply for uni so the universities will look at your Gr. 11 first.

 

[depminister]

im semestered and yeah I'm also doing summer school for calc. so pretty much by the time they've made their decision they would have seen grade 11 as well first semester grade 12 marks? or midterm first semester grade 12 marks?

 

[Medstart108]

So they will have your 2 Gr. 12 marks u did in Gr. 11, the Gr. 12 calc in summer school by the time you start Gr. 12. So you will have 3 final Gr.12s in. By the time they seriously start reviewing your application you would probably have your 1st semester Gr.12 marks in (so either 3 or 4).

So overall you will have 6 or 7 Gr. 12 Marks in by the time they review your application so you don't have to worry too much about your gr. 11 marks. Certainly they will still look at it but an upward trend is better than just seeing Gr. 11 marks.

 

[depminister]

Thanks so much! Really helped a lot!!

 

[josechango]

hi, i just finished first year science at UBC and was wondering if i could still use my high school marks to apply for ireland med schools?