Need help about Caribean schools

[psrai85]

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Just wanted some help in regards to where i stand

I'm applying in Sept 2007 to get in for Sept 2008.

What are my chances with the following (i'm working hard to get these when i apply)

1) 38 or higher on MCAT
2) 3.0 GPA
3) Tons of extracircular
4) Summer research and also during the study year
5) Volunteering in Africa for 2 months

I was just wondering what are my chance of getting into Caribean schools with the above stuff. I'm fron Ontario, Canada

 

[erichaj]

Why are you applying to an offshore school?

 

[psrai85]

Why are you applying to an offshore school?

Looking at the GPA's of ppl around this forum and other stuff. I'm not sure if i can get into Canada or US. I'd love to be able to go to US. But, not sure though...infact very nervous.

 

[skypilot]

Just wanted some help in regards to where i stand

I'm applying in Sept 2007 to get in for Sept 2008.

What are my chances with the following (i'm working hard to get these when i apply)

1) 38 or higher on MCAT
2) 3.0 GPA
3) Tons of extracircular
4) Summer research and also during the study year
5) Volunteering in Africa for 2 months

I was just wondering what are my chance of getting into Caribean schools with the above stuff. I'm fron Ontario, Canada

38 is 99.999999999 percentile. If you can do that well on the MCAT your GPA should be above 3.0.

 

[psrai85]

38 is 99.999999999 percentile. If you can do that well on the MCAT your GPA should be above 3.0.

But my GPA is not above 3, i had some unavoidable problems in first two years of my school and later worked hard.

 

[skypilot]

So what is your BCPM? (Science GPA)

You are already a shoe in for SGU or one of the other big three. If you have turned your life around you should also consider one of the masters degree programs in the U.S. that will vault you into a U.S. school.

 

[mollywobbles]

if you are applying for 2008, then i think you have enough time to apply to US schools.

i think Canada has strict gpa requirements, but the US does not. so apply to US schools. you don't need a lot of time or effort to apply to caribbean schools.

i can't stress this enough, do not go Caribbean if you haven't at least made a solid attempt at getting into a US school. SGU will in fact ask you this at their interview. they encourage their students to at least try for a US school first.

best of luck what ever you decide.

 

[McGillGrad]

No worries about any of the Carib schools.

You will not get into a Canadian school unless McMaster sees something you.

US school like Canadian money, so see which ones take Canadians regularly.

 

[ezal36]

You should have no problem getting into a do school.

 

[erichaj]

you GPA is not all that matters.

You have a very high MCAT.

If you don't get into a M.D. program you can do a D.O. program.

try to get into the US first. Apply to a bunch of schools. You should be able to get in.

If you don't then go to sgu or ross. They have three start dates. So, you can apply to get in and interview at the same time you are trying to get into the US schools. This way if you don't get into the US school you can just go to sgu or ross.

 

[psrai85]

you GPA is not all that matters.

You have a very high MCAT.

If you don't get into a M.D. program you can do a D.O. program.

try to get into the US first. Apply to a bunch of schools. You should be able to get in.

If you don't then go to sgu or ross. They have three start dates. So, you can apply to get in and interview at the same time you are trying to get into the US schools. This way if you don't get into the US school you can just go to sgu or ross.

It might sound stupid, but i'm totally illiterate about the DO programme's. Need help????

 

[McGillGrad]

It might sound stupid, but i'm totally illiterate about the DO programme's. Need help????

The proper response would have been to say that you are ignorant of DO programs. Illiterate means that you cannot read/write and I am pretty sure you can read.

Here you go: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Doctor_of_Osteopathy

 

[erichaj]

Now that you have been schooled on your grammer, lol, you need to know that in the US an M.D. or D.O. allows you to practice medicine. However, if you ever wanted to practice outside the USA then you may get into trouble. Many European countries to do not recognize D.O. as a valid degree to practice medicine.

I still think you can get into an M.D. program in the USA. Apply for all of them at the same time and take the best option.

Good luck.

 

[Mom2five]

Not sure everyone is reading correctly...Did he say he hopes to get a 38 or higher on the MCAT???? Did you actually get that score? Looking at app. dates (applying '07 for entrance in '08) I'm thinking that maybe you haven't even taken the MCAT. If that is true then no one can offer you advice because you have no stats. Confused am I.

 

[Azhure]

Hi! I too am from Ontario, and was considering caribbean schools, in case nothing works out here. I've applied this year to most Ontario med schools, but am pretty sure I don't have the extra-curriculars. I got a 3.9+ OMSAS GPA in the first two years of university (Which i suspect is dropping this year, ie. 3rd year!). And wrote the MCAT and got 37R. BUT all i have for ec's is hospital volunteering, literacy tutor, and some other small things. Regarding US med schools, is there a chance they might overlook my lack of EC's (which i'll try to improve, but tough for me with school). I have trouble getting references, with the huge classes at U of T even if the prof. recognizes me i feel strange asking for a ref letter. I suppose only working the prof's lab would get you a proper ref?? I'm worried about the 2 science one non-science ref's needed for US schools. Anyway, I'd really appreciate your input regarding my chances...thanks!! 🙂

 

[richmond_repn]

Hi! I too am from Ontario, and was considering caribbean schools, in case nothing works out here. I've applied this year to most Ontario med schools, but am pretty sure I don't have the extra-curriculars. I got a 3.9+ OMSAS GPA in the first two years of university (Which i suspect is dropping this year, ie. 3rd year!). And wrote the MCAT and got 37R. BUT all i have for ec's is hospital volunteering, literacy tutor, and some other small things. Regarding US med schools, is there a chance they might overlook my lack of EC's (which i'll try to improve, but tough for me with school). I have trouble getting references, with the huge classes at U of T even if the prof. recognizes me i feel strange asking for a ref letter. I suppose only working the prof's lab would get you a proper ref?? I'm worried about the 2 science one non-science ref's needed for US schools. Anyway, I'd really appreciate your input regarding my chances...thanks!! 🙂

WOW with those stats you will get into any school you want in Canada. Your EC's look good enough, dont ever consider the caribbean (no disrespect to Caribbean) but you have the highest stats I have ever seen

 

[McGillGrad]

Hi! I too am from Ontario, and was considering caribbean schools, in case nothing works out here. I've applied this year to most Ontario med schools, but am pretty sure I don't have the extra-curriculars. I got a 3.9+ OMSAS GPA in the first two years of university (Which i suspect is dropping this year, ie. 3rd year!). And wrote the MCAT and got 37R. BUT all i have for ec's is hospital volunteering, literacy tutor, and some other small things. Regarding US med schools, is there a chance they might overlook my lack of EC's (which i'll try to improve, but tough for me with school). I have trouble getting references, with the huge classes at U of T even if the prof. recognizes me i feel strange asking for a ref letter. I suppose only working the prof's lab would get you a proper ref?? I'm worried about the 2 science one non-science ref's needed for US schools. Anyway, I'd really appreciate your input regarding my chances...thanks!! 🙂

You sound like a book-worm.

I would recommend living a little bit before applying. Otherwise you will end up being very unhappy.

Your stats are fine but I worry about your psyche.

 

[Trader56]

Azhure,

I can't say what your chances might be at U.S. schools, but perhaps a story about me and a friend of mine might be insightful.

My friend, a white woman in her late 20's had been out of school for 6 years or so working as a CPA. She decided she wanted to go to med school so returned to our state university to complete her med school science prerequisits. She ended up with a GPA virtually identical to yours, and got a 34R on her MCAT.

She was VERY concerned about her lack of any EC's, so she volunteered for a few months reading stories to kids in the hospital one day per week while she was applying to schools. She ended up being accepted to every program she applied to, whitled the list down to Yale, our state school, and Mayo. She chose Mayo as it was only $5000 per year tuition. She's a first year resident now.

I had a GPA similar to yours, teaching exprience at our state university at the undergrad and grad level, and co-authored two papers we published in anatomy and surgical procedure. BUT, I took the MCAT before completing my undergrad sciences and only got a 26. I got interviews, but was told the 26 MCAT wassn't going to cut it. So...after finishing the science prerequisites, I retook the MCAT, scored much higher, and was accepted.

Based upon my experiences, and those of others I've known personally, I think your GPA and MCAT (which are both outstanding!) will have a LOT more impact on yuor chances than EC's. Everyone worries about EC's or thinks that they will help shore up an otherwise weak application. From what I've seen, Ec's are a lot less important than people think, and will not in any way make up for a low GPA or low MCAT. Schools are interested in the numbers. They interpret this as an indication of whether or not you can make it through the program, and perform well on innumerable standardized tests.

Just my experience...

 

[berkeleyboy]

oh this is so true. Its all about numbers friends. GPA and mcat are basically 80% of the equation. The rest is just icing on the cake!
Its been like this for years:

gpa + sats = college
gpa + mcat = med school
gpa + usmle scores = residency

the formula really never changes.

Azhure,

I can't say what your chances might be at U.S. schools, but perhaps a story about me and a friend of mine might be insightful.

My friend, a white woman in her late 20's had been out of school for 6 years or so working as a CPA. She decided she wanted to go to med school so returned to our state university to complete her med school science prerequisits. She ended up with a GPA virtually identical to yours, and got a 34R on her MCAT.

She was VERY concerned about her lack of any EC's, so she volunteered for a few months reading stories to kids in the hospital one day per week while she was applying to schools. She ended up being accepted to every program she applied to, whitled the list down to Yale, our state school, and Mayo. She chose Mayo as it was only $5000 per year tuition. She's a first year resident now.

I had a GPA similar to yours, teaching exprience at our state university at the undergrad and grad level, and co-authored two papers we published in anatomy and surgical procedure. BUT, I took the MCAT before completing my undergrad sciences and only got a 26. I got interviews, but was told the 26 MCAT wassn't going to cut it. So...after finishing the science prerequisites, I retook the MCAT, scored much higher, and was accepted.

Based upon my experiences, and those of others I've known personally, I think your GPA and MCAT (which are both outstanding!) will have a LOT more impact on yuor chances than EC's. Everyone worries about EC's or thinks that they will help shore up an otherwise weak application. From what I've seen, Ec's are a lot less important than people think, and will not in any way make up for a low GPA or low MCAT. Schools are interested in the numbers. They interpret this as an indication of whether or not you can make it through the program, and perform well on innumerable standardized tests.

Just my experience...

 

[Azhure]

thanks for the story, it was inspiring.

You sound like a book-worm.

I would recommend living a little bit before applying. Otherwise you will end up being very unhappy.

Your stats are fine but I worry about your psyche.

Hmm...re-reading that post i do sound like a bookworm. I don't think having less things to add to a list of ec's means you're not socially competent or well rounded enough to be a good doctor. Too bad the admissions people don't always think like that.