Is Atlantic Bridge Legit?

[futureworlddoc]

So I was reading through these forums and started to get nervous. I saw people who got acceptances / interviews posting stats, and realized my stats are a lot higher for many (3.87 / 34). I received ZERO interviews or acceptances so far. I've check my apps/re-read my letters, no errors. My LORs are solid I know for a fact.
Got me nervous and wondering where I'm missing. I called ABP and the person on the phone was quite rude / frustrated sounding and offered zero actual advice. So on a whim I called one of the schools I applied to and they said they don't see my file??????
I'm trying to re-affirm this via text ie. email with the schools admission office. However, I'm getting a bit nervous at the thought of a 3rd party handling our forms. We have no application IDs like one would in USA, so can't send updates, can't contact schools easily. I really hope that ABP is an ethical group and that there isn't some kind of favourtism or them screening out apps before sending them to schools.

Anyone have a similar experience??

My only thought is that from what a friend tells me "Ireland is very traditional". I'm an older applicant and wondering if they are turned off by that, perhaps they don't want to waste time training someone older. In any case, I'm very frustrated.

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[PhysioMD]

ABP has been doing this for some time and people are happy with results. I don't think they prescreen but as far as I know the Irish process is quite holistic. You have good stats but might just be unlucky - let's be honest over 50% of med applicants are "qualified" but there just aren't enough spots for every single applicant. It's also not over until you receive your rejection letter FYI.

 

[Medstart108]

Call again maybe you'll get a different person. The Atlantic bridge is definitely legit, i've used them and so have many people. They definitely don't have a bias against older applicants, I've seen older students even up to high 30s.

 

[UBC2014]

So I was reading through these forums and started to get nervous. I saw people who got acceptances / interviews posting stats, and realized my stats are a lot higher for many (3.87 / 34). I received ZERO interviews or acceptances so far. I've check my apps/re-read my letters, no errors. My LORs are solid I know for a fact.
Got me nervous and wondering where I'm missing. I called ABP and the person on the phone was quite rude / frustrated sounding and offered zero actual advice. So on a whim I called one of the schools I applied to and they said they don't see my file??????
I'm trying to re-affirm this via text ie. email with the schools admission office. However, I'm getting a bit nervous at the thought of a 3rd party handling our forms. We have no application IDs like one would in USA, so can't send updates, can't contact schools easily. I really hope that ABP is an ethical group and that there isn't some kind of favourtism or them screening out apps before sending them to schools.

Anyone have a similar experience??

My only thought is that from what a friend tells me "Ireland is very traditional". I'm an older applicant and wondering if they are turned off by that, perhaps they don't want to waste time training someone older. In any case, I'm very frustrated.

With a 3.9 and 34, why not apply to US medical schools?

 

[futureworlddoc]

Although I did a couple summer courses in the U.S. I'm not American and so get placed in the foreigner category of admissions, so my stats are not that outstanding to them.

So I picked up the phone and called UCD directly speaking with a person who works in admissions with international students. I did some digging online and found her office number. She told me that ABP will set the "application standard" and forward those applications to schools which they deem to be appropriate. She said she cannot tell me the minimum gpa or mcat because ABP sets those.

 

[deleted158872]

Although I did a couple summer courses in the U.S. I'm not American and so get placed in the foreigner category of admissions, so my stats are not that outstanding to them.

So I picked up the phone and called UCD directly speaking with a person who works in admissions with international students. I did some digging online and found her office number. She told me that ABP will set the "application standard" and forward those applications to schools which they deem to be appropriate. She said she cannot tell me the minimum gpa or mcat because ABP sets those.

this is weird. ABP told me that they play no part in admissions process and "all applications are sent to the participating universities".

 

[PhysioMD]

I spoke about this with my ABP rep a couple weeks ago. They are legit. They send everything. The schools have tons of admi people as they have multiple programs (6 year, 4 year, etc) and students applying from all over the world. The person probably didn't know. ABP has a specific rep at each school and the schools will review the files fully. The process is holistic which means there won't be strict cut-offs published. Someone might be well rounded and have a 27 MCAT and beat out a person with a 35MCAT with nothing else on their resume. Honestly seems a bit more fair to me to be fully considered instead of just your numbers.