McGill International student interviews/acceptances

[Meshuga3]

Hi,

I'm an international student with a very strong interest in remaining in Canada- I moved up here six and a half years ago to do an undergrad and have not gone home yet- in fact, I've stuck around to do a masters and to get engaged to my (Canadian) girlfriend. (I'm from the States originally.)

I applied to several schools in Canada thinking that my chances of getting in were slim at best, but I recently got an interview offer from McGill, which happened to be my top choice out of all the Canadian and US schools I applied to. So now I'm nervous, and I've been trying to find any sort of stat describing how many international students interview versus how many get in. Can anyone help out? I realize knowing a stat won't automatically make me a steller interviewee, but it will give me something to hold on to when I start freaking out that I'm going to be rejected.

Thanks a lot if you can help (also posted on the Canadian version of SDN, but I figured people seem to check up on stuff a lot faster here).

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[darkraven]

as said in p101, residency status might be changed for you. Do you live in quebec becuase if so, you might be in-province which would mean your chances are significantly increased. Out of province vs. International, your chances are somewhat similar, especially since they take more internationals than out of province ppl.

 

[Jamorama]

wait a minute, mcgill started offering interview invites already? when is your interview scheduled for? i'm also applying this year....as a us candidate the interview lasts two days i think

Hi,

I'm an international student with a very strong interest in remaining in Canada- I moved up here six and a half years ago to do an undergrad and have not gone home yet- in fact, I've stuck around to do a masters and to get engaged to my (Canadian) girlfriend. (I'm from the States originally.)

I applied to several schools in Canada thinking that my chances of getting in were slim at best, but I recently got an interview offer from McGill, which happened to be my top choice out of all the Canadian and US schools I applied to. So now I'm nervous, and I've been trying to find any sort of stat describing how many international students interview versus how many get in. Can anyone help out? I realize knowing a stat won't automatically make me a steller interviewee, but it will give me something to hold on to when I start freaking out that I'm going to be rejected.

Thanks a lot if you can help (also posted on the Canadian version of SDN, but I figured people seem to check up on stuff a lot faster here).

 

[Meshuga3]

Thanks for the reply. Unfortunately, I've been in school for the last six years- and you have to be living here and working (not in school) to be considered for citizenship. So, short story, I am and will continue to be an international student.

 

[Meshuga3]

I got an invite yesterday. It's for one full day.

 

[Jamorama]

well congratulations! i'm sure you'll do fine. mcgill is awesome. did you apply to schools in the us too?

 

[darkraven]

hmmm, well, you can check MSAR. this might help too, look up mcgill MD/CM

http://www.afmc.ca/pdf/2008_admissions_book.pdf


you'll actually notice you're better off than out-of-province canadians as far as chances (9.3% vs. 6.3%)

 

[jochi1543]

Thanks for the reply. Unfortunately, I've been in school for the last six years- and you have to be living here and working (not in school) to be considered for citizenship. So, short story, I am and will continue to be an international student.

You should get PR through your fiancee. You'd definitely get it once you're married, but I would also look at what the common law requirements are. I THINK you can get PR in a common law relationship in Canada, you don't have to be married. Double-check this.

 

[Vihsadas]

Guys, I'm effectively as close to an amateur expert as your going to get in terms of how to apply for, and receive QC residency status for McGill, or any other university in quebec. Ask me questions!

Jochi is correct, you can get permanent residency in canada via your spouse. You should know however that 'residency in quebec' for government purposes, and 'residency in quebec' for educational purposes are two VERY different things. Luckily, the 'attestation of quebec residency' form indicates that if you are married to someone who is ALSO A QUEBEC RESIDENT then you can be considered a quebec resident for educational purposes. If your canadian fiancee is not a quebec resident then I don't believe that you can be considered a quebec resident. It seems, however, that you already received an interview, so hopefully this wont matter to you anymore!

McGill interviews in batches based on applicant pool. First the International/US applicants are interviewed, then the Out of province applicants are interviewed, and finally the quebec in-province applicants are interviewed. Each applicant pool is assigned a specific number of seats. Therefore, international students DO NOT compete with out of province canadians or in province canadians. Similarly, out of province canadians do not compete with either international applicants or quebec residents.

 

[tbo]

I got an invite yesterday. It's for one full day.

Did your status in Minerva change? Congrats on the invite.

 

[Vihsadas]

Did your status in Minerva change? Congrats on the invite.

I believe they use the same application status update method for internationals as well as in province. I believe all decisions are delivered via minerva.

 

[tbo]

I believe they use the same application status update method for internationals as well as in province. I believe all decisions are delivered via minerva.

I suspect they would use the same application status. My question was whether his status changed from "Ready for Review" to something different. Past applicants who were interviewed had their status chang to "Further Review Required" or something to that effect.

 

[Meshuga3]

Thanks for the info so far. Yes, I know I could get PR through common-law- since we've been living together for around 4 years, this would not be too hard to do. However, it wouldn't take effect in time for this round of applications, and, well... I'd really like to be a doctor. So I want to go now, if I can. If I don't get in, maybe next year I'll try as a PR.

In response to the applications questions- I'd applied early, been rejected, and deleted all my login info in a blind rage. This is relevant because I got a cryptic email from McGill earlier this week telling me there'd been changes to the 'selected applicants' page on the interview invitee website. I thought to myself, "How strange. Perhaps it is a French-Canadian thing to rub rejection in one's face, because I'm quite sure I've already been rejected." Turns out I'd been reviewed in the second round and had received an invite. I had to call McGill and spent around 45 minutes on the phone before I was able to access the page where my invite was. Moral of the story: Don't delete stuff until you're sure you're out of the running.

Anyway, the actual invitation was a .pdf emailed to me. My status on Minerva has changed to "Requires further review" or some such thing.

 

[hp540]

Good luck on your interview.

I interviewed there last year and it's a great school. Montreal is a blast (as you obviously know).

 

[Meshuga3]

One more question: Can anyone comment on whether holding acceptances in the States will prevent me from accepting a spot at McGill? I've recently interviewed at two schools I consider my top choice US schools- I will find out whether I'm in or not, for both of them, before the first of the year (according to them!). However, McGill decisions won't be coming out until March. So, provided I get into a US school, I will have to accept a spot before McGill decisions come out. I know for Ontario schools, once you've accepted at one, you're dropped from the list at others. I'm wondering if the same applies in Quebec, for international (US) schools (i.e. if I accept at one of these US schools, does that effectively prevent me from getting into McGill?).

 

[hp540]

One more question: Can anyone comment on whether holding acceptances in the States will prevent me from accepting a spot at McGill? I've recently interviewed at two schools I consider my top choice US schools- I will find out whether I'm in or not, for both of them, before the first of the year (according to them!). However, McGill decisions won't be coming out until March. So, provided I get into a US school, I will have to accept a spot before McGill decisions come out. I know for Ontario schools, once you've accepted at one, you're dropped from the list at others. I'm wondering if the same applies in Quebec, for international (US) schools (i.e. if I accept at one of these US schools, does that effectively prevent me from getting into McGill?).

A US acceptance will not affect your Canadian applications. AMCAS does not communicate with OMSAS or any of the Canadian application systems.

 

[tbo]

Just curious if there are any other International applicants who have been invited in the last few days. I'm waiting for my decision, although my hope for an invite decreases as days pass.

 

[Yoyomama88]

is it really true that there is a 3.5 gpa cutoff? I feel like I maybe should have applied, I decided not to because I didnt think that I had a realistic chance as an international student...my gpa is a 3.4 at a top liberal arts school, and a (10,10,11) mcat...but looking at msar, it doesnt seem like my chances were that bad. what do you guys think? Did i pass up an opportunity, or was it a long shot anyways?

 

[hp540]

but did the MSAR break down the stats between out-of-province, international, and in-province?

McGill stats look deceiving because so many positions are reserved for CEGEP and in-province applicants.

The OOP/Intl pools are borderline ridiculous in my opinion.

 

[Yoyomama88]

ye it really wasnt that bad...for internationl 147 apply, 50 interview, 12 matriculate...I think my shots at an interview werent that bad...now i feel like i blew an opportunity...never listen to people on sdn or your pre-med adviser!

 

[Vihsadas]

ye it really wasnt that bad...for internationl 147 apply, 50 interview, 12 matriculate...I think my shots at an interview werent that bad...now i feel like i blew an opportunity...never listen to people on sdn or your pre-med adviser!

It's true that the matriculant applicants/interviews/acceptances stats for internationals are less severe than for out of province (It's something like 500 apps for out of province), but don't be fooled. McGill doesn't have a 'minimum' GPA persay, but as an international or out of province student, if you've got less than a 3.6, your chances are slim. McGill generally tends to favor GPA over MCAT.
Heck, I'm a Quebec resident and I'm borderline for an interview with my stats. There is a pretty good chance they'll pass me up before I get a chance to talk to them face to face...but I guess we may never find out if I don't finish this autobiographical letter. 🙁

 

[Yoyomama88]

But i did have a 2.8 my freshman year, meaning my soph. jr. sr. years were all atleast a 3.5, so I dont know if they would have looked upon it favorably...but something I think that must be considered is I doubt that Mcgill would offer more than 10 acceptances initally... for instance many med schools in the u.s. send out many more acceptances than there are available for spots...but Mcgill strictly admits only 10 or 12 students right? So I figure they have a long ranked waitlist that they pull people off of once, applicants decide not to attend after an acceptance?

 

[mikkey]

Hey
the 3.5 GPA cut off is for real. They will not look at you under that unless you have given a specific reason why you don't have that GPA and the reason is very serious.
International applicants as well as OOP applicants need stellar grades to get in. One advisor told me that 4.2 out of 4.0 should suffice. *Read sarcasm*
On the other hand, trying won't hurt you, so you might want to consider it if you don't get in anywhere this year. As a McGill student with special access to private info =), I was told that last year's entering class had a 3.58 GPA, although I find this hard to believe. I have no idea how that applies to international vs local students though, but I would tend to think that internationals had higher grades, cause they are competing for less spots. And I was also told that they put a lot of emphasis on where you went to school, like if you went to the states, where grade inflation is endemic vs canada and top schools vs lower ranked ones.
I hope this info helps and good luck to all the people with interviews!

is it really true that there is a 3.5 gpa cutoff? I feel like I maybe should have applied, I decided not to because I didnt think that I had a realistic chance as an international student...my gpa is a 3.4 at a top liberal arts school, and a (10,10,11) mcat...but looking at msar, it doesnt seem like my chances were that bad. what do you guys think? Did i pass up an opportunity, or was it a long shot anyways?

 

[Vihsadas]

Hey! I go to McGill too!

Hey
the 3.5 GPA cut off is for real. They will not look at you under that unless you have given a specific reason why you don't have that GPA and the reason is very serious. International applicants as well as OOP applicants need stellar grades to get in. One advisor told me that 4.2 out of 4.0 should suffice. *Read sarcasm*

Like you said, this is true only if you are an OOP or International. It's more competitive for OOP students, but both cohorts need to be stellar. The entering GPA was only 3.58 last year, so people might think that it doesn't make sense that almost everyone had above 3.5. Well, most of these matriculants were QC students, and there are different considerations for that cohort.

On the other hand, trying won't hurt you, so you might want to consider it if you don't get in anywhere this year. As a McGill student with special access to private info =), I was told that last year's entering class had a 3.58 GPA, although I find this hard to believe. I have no idea how that applies to international vs local students though, but I would tend to think that internationals had higher grades, cause they are competing for less spots.

I agree. The In-province students who actually want to stay in QC have a much easier time getting in. Being OOP or international makes it very difficult. (But of course, not impossible!)

And I was also told that they put a lot of emphasis on where you went to school, like if you went to the states, where grade inflation is endemic vs canada and top schools vs lower ranked ones.
I hope this info helps and good luck to all the people with interviews!

That's what I heard too. In addition, I can add that I know for a fact that the interview is a HUGE part of your application. GPA and MCAT (within certain limits) are weighted equally, each being 20% of your application. Your letter is another 20% and your interview + LORs are 40%.

So if you get that interview, make it count!!

Good luck guys.

 

[Yoyomama88]

wow this thread really makes me feel like a ***** for listening to my pre-med advisor and people on sdn... I dont know what I was thinking. This was my top school, somehow I put it in my head that it was completely out of reach. I probablly wouldnt have gotten in, cause its still only 10 spots, but damn i should of have atleast tried.