UQ average reply time?

[jhtran]

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Hi guys,

How long does it take for a normal application to be processed by UQ? I'm applying for Jan 2010 and my application was submitted about 2 weeks ago and was completed/finished about 1 week ago.

How long should I expect until I hear something from them again? Is UQ one of those schools where you have to constantly get on their case to push your apps along?

Also, I have this thinking that UQ (and all other OZ schools) rely solely on MCAT. What about GPA? What if you have a 4.0 GPA, or upward trend, or ECs?

I have a 27MCAT(7/8/12M) and 3.4GPA with an upward trend. How would that be taken into consideration?

Getting nervous,

jhtran

 

[Transition]

Didn't you already post about this?

Your chances are dependent on the number of people that apply with better stats than you and the proportion that accept spots. Because of the ever-increasing enrollment for internationals, it's more or less impossible to tell what is a good mark and what timing should be a good cutoff. I applied in early Feb with a 31P (remember that the GPA means NOTHING, they only use it as a hurdle and then toss it, so don't expect it to count for anything) and received my offer in late June (although I was more or less given a guarantee of acceptance from one of the UQ staff). Apparently though, they somehow overlooked my application so I got it later than those that got accepted in May/early June.

Timelines will be difficult to predict. Your 7 is also going to hurt you, I'd imagine. I'm not sure how strict they will be with their 8/8/8/M requirements. I guess that depends on how many people accept positions in their class.

Basically... your guess is as good as mine.

 

[igcgnerd]

What is the cut-off GPA?

 

[Transition]

what is the cut-off gpa?

2.7/65% avg

Also, jhtran, you should read your previous thread. It has lots of info on the admission processes of various Aus schools. UQ is the only one that only requires the MCAT. Some schools use the GPA as a hurdle and then use your MCAT + Interview. Others weight everything equally by 1/3s. It depends on the school, but UQ is the only one that doesn't care about ECs/GPA (other than hurdle) and has no interview.

Your best shot with that MCAT/GPA would probably have been one of the other schools like ANU (Interview hurdle, 50/50 MCAT/GPA), USyd (GPA hurdle, MCAT + Interview + ECs, unknown weighting), Monash (GPA hurdle, 50/50 MCAT/Interview), Flinders (1/3 all 3), Deakin (1/3 all 3 + EC points for healthcare backgrounds) or Wollongong (Unknown weighting, but emphasis on rural ECs with min GPA/MCAT of 2.7/24M). Unfortunately, the deadline has passed for all of these. Sorry mate. You may or may not be SOL.

I'd consider rewriting the MCAT.

 

[shan564]

I think most schools require an 8 on every section of the MCAT, and other schools aren't as flexible as UQ. Plus, it'll be hard to get an interview at any other school with a 27.

 

[pitman]

I think most schools require an 8 on every section of the MCAT, and other schools aren't as flexible as UQ. Plus, it'll be hard to get an interview at any other school with a 27.

Hm. You're suggesting that "most schools" would have higher MCAT scores. I'd strongly disagree with that, though I'm equally sure UQ doesn't have the highest (probably Melbourne would).

 

[shan564]

Hm. You're suggesting that "most schools" would have higher MCAT scores. I'd strongly disagree with that, though I'm equally sure UQ doesn't have the highest (probably Melbourne would).

I didn't suggest that at all. Most Australian schools do require 8 on every section, including UQ. Recently, UQ seems to have been flexible about these requirements if you have good scores on the other sections; I'm not sure why, but the idea I got from Matt was that they're trying to fill up their class (which is why I thought that their admissions standards might be dropping). Other schools aren't so flexible. That doesn't mean that UQ's average scores are any higher/lower than any other school, it's just a question of flexibility.

I wouldn't be surprised if UQ's average (and minimum) score was higher than at Flinders/Monash/Wollongong, since those schools also consider the GPA and the interview for admission. So it's completely reasonable to believe that a person with a low MCAT score could get in there (and be rejected from UQ). But that doesn't change the fact that if you have a score lower than 8, then you won't get an interview at "most schools".

 

[pitman]

Good point, and apologies. I also would only be assuming based on old data that many of the newer and lesser known schools have lower cutoffs in practice, something I shouldn't do.

Part of my reasoning though has been that when one school, say UQ, increases its class size, *if* standards are brought down, then it will likely bring down the standards almost across the board for Australian schools, since the bigger market is for int'l students who come to Australia for med school in general. I say this because those who pick the school (and are in a position to do that) -- for example USyd or Melbourne for location or reputation, or any school for local connections -- would still be doing so. The exception to such a dilutional effect would be the extent to which the increased numbers themselves (+/- any *perceived* resulting decrease in standards) scared away those above the mean, but to some extent, any lowering of standards would nonetheless likely be cushioned.

Or not. It'd be nice if there were readily available admission stats like you can easily find in the States.