Question from adcoms non-trad grads...

[anavistas]

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I have several questions which I've asked already but never got any answer for them. I appreciate your help especially if you have some experience in the admission commitee. I don't think common sense helps at all!

1- If I have a master at the time of applying (in physics) do I have to take phys I and II ? (I have those as from a foreign degree). I wanted to take them but I was told I'm not allowed to do that, so I have to go to another place for taking them. I have the same question about calculus, is a grad math-physics accepted as calculus?

2- If I have to take those courses and I'm teaching those labs already do I have to take the course with lab?

3-I know AMCAS doesn't show my undergrad GPA, do med-schools simply get an average of my undergrad foreign GPA and the GPA from the courses I've taken here, or hopefully they don't care?!

 

[J ROD]

I have several questions which I've asked already but never got any answer for them. I appreciate your help especially if you have some experience in the admission commitee. I don't think common sense helps at all!

1- If I have a master at the time of applying (in physics) do I have to take phys I and II ? (I have those as from a foreign degree). I wanted to take them but I was told I'm not allowed to do that, so I have to go to another place for taking them. I have the same question about calculus, is a grad math-physics accepted as calculus?

2- If I have to take those courses and I'm teaching those labs already do I have to take the course with lab?

3-I know AMCAS doesn't show my undergrad GPA, do med-schools simply get an average of my undergrad foreign GPA and the GPA from the courses I've taken here, or hopefully they don't care?!

I would call the schools about these....🙂

 

[QofQuimica]

I have several questions which I've asked already but never got any answer for them. I appreciate your help especially if you have some experience in the admission commitee. I don't think common sense helps at all!

Every school will have its own policies, but in general, you will have to take all the prereqs with labs if you haven't already. Also, you will need to contact each school where you plan to apply if you want to ask for any exemptions to the entrance requirements.

1- If I have a master at the time of applying (in physics) do I have to take phys I and II ? (I have those as from a foreign degree). I wanted to take them but I was told I'm not allowed to do that, so I have to go to another place for taking them. I have the same question about calculus, is a grad math-physics accepted as calculus?

Are you saying that you already took UG physics 1 and 2, just not in the US? And then you came here to get your MS in physics? I think that would be fine to satisfy our physics requirements, assuming you do well on the MCAT. As for the calculus, most med schools don't require it.

2- If I have to take those courses and I'm teaching those labs already do I have to take the course with lab?

If you haven't already taken the labs, yes, you will need to take them unless you ask for and receive an exemption from the admissions office. Though I'm really not sure how you would be teaching UG physics labs without ever having taken those labs yourself....

3-I know AMCAS doesn't show my undergrad GPA, do med-schools simply get an average of my undergrad foreign GPA and the GPA from the courses I've taken here, or hopefully they don't care?!

I'm not exactly sure what you're asking here. All post-secondary work, whether UG or grad, whether done here or abroad, should be reported to AMCAS. There is a service you can go through to get your foreign transcript recognized in this country. I don't know the details of how one goes about doing this. You might try PMing Scottish Chap if he doesn't see this thread, as he is an international grad who went through this process.

 

[anavistas]

Thanks J and Q,

Well of course I've taken those labs, just not in US, It's just a pain to take these courses again, "ridiculous" I was told when I wanted to take them at my current institute! I think it's really irrational to take them but since many things don't make sense I just thought I don't need another red flag.

About calculus several of the schools that I checked required it, some just recommended it, again I don't want to lose my already tiny chance because of a pre_req. But again I've read on here and other rooms that even if you take, let's say upper level Bio classes, you don't satisfy the general biology pre_req...

About GPA, I know I have to report all previous degrees to AMCAS, but they just show that you've had the degree, they don't provide the grades or anything else. I know about WES or other organizations that translate your degree, but when changing from number grades to letter grades the GPA(already low) falls to hell. I just wanted to know adcoms get an average or don't care about your other GPA.

Seems like nobody knows😕

 

[dentist82]

Hi, I'm on the same boat. I have bachelors degree from outside the U.S., to make it better I'm a dentist! so all these premed is basically a review to me. The one thing I know for sure is you still have to take the premed prereq. I contacted some med schools and they told the reason behind that so the adcom would have at least some criteria of how to compare you with other applicants.

Now, as far as the GPA, I have the exact same situation. The schools were not clear as far as how would they count it. AMCAAS wouldn't want your GPA but thats not the case for med schools. Some schools told me they would still "look" into my foreign GPA, now what does "look" mean? I don't know.

I would appreciate if we keep in touch to let each other know of any updates.
Oh one more thing, don't try texas medical schools. they REQUIRE you have a BS from the U.S., I called med schools in CA, NC,WI,IL and they take our foriegn degree you just have to take the premed prereqs here in the U.S.

Hope that helps a little!

 

[anavistas]

Hello and thx dentist for your information,

Actually nobody including adcoms that I contacted really clarified what that "look" means...I don't think there is a consensus..
I think UTSW in TX requires 45 credits (grad or undergrad), but others all want about 70 all undergrad credits.
My concern is about the process of translating the documents and converting the GPA. In my undergrad the only thing nobody cared was the GPA. You didn't even need it for going to grad school. The only evaluations were standardized tests which were held once a year and no other evaluation. The grades are terribly deflated. Passing was hard enough ..
In many courses the highest grade was about 60%, no curving...and know those grades are gonna be converted to the lettergrade system and that 60% will be a D...and then here getting a D means you basically don't know anything..

 

[gman33]

With a situation like your, you are not going to get a consensus answer from anyone. You will need to contact each school you are going to apply to and talk to someone in the admissions office. If possible, try to get something in writing. This will take some time, but it's better to find out now.

You not only need to find out about the prereqs, you need to find out about your UG coursework in general. Some schools will want to see a whole UG degree done in the US. This is crazy, but that's the way some places are going to be.

When you get some answers, post the info here to enlighten others in the same position.