What about the McMaster international pool?

[krevelli]

Ok, so I know the $400 application fee in itself is prohibitive enough - just wondering if there's anything here who's been accepted/applying/considering applying... I got the application a few days ago, and the deadline is eleven days away. And there's something like 10 spots - what's the acceptance rate, does anyone know?

Thanks!

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[Scottish Chap]

Originally posted by krevelli
Ok, so I know the $400 application fee in itself is prohibitive enough - just wondering if there's anything here who's been accepted/applying/considering applying... I got the application a few days ago, and the deadline is eleven days away. And there's something like 10 spots - what's the acceptance rate, does anyone know?

Thanks!

I have applied. The application instructions are very specific so make sure you read them through a couple of times before putting pen to paper.

They have 10 places reserved for internationals and this pool is a distinct entity from the Canadian pool of applicants. They (McMaster) do not make it clear if their selection process for internationals differs from that which they use for Canadian Nationals. If the selection process is the same for both pools, then we have very stiff competition since the average GPA for last year's lot was 3.78 (and they turned away people with GPAs of 4.0 last year). However, the $400 application fee and international application form go directly to McMaster rather than through OMSAS so it may be that they assess the credentials from both pools differently.

They say they reserve 10 places for internationals but the fact that they have only accepted 1 for each of the last two years suggests that they're taking the cream of the crop (in which case they 'give' the other nine international spots to Canadians and profit rather a lot of money from all the internationals that send them $400). Please note that internationals that graduate from McMaster are not eligible for the Canadian residency match. I hope that helps. All the best!

 

[krevelli]

Cool - thanks. Let us know how it works out for you! Good luck.

 

[The Generalist]

Originally posted by krevelli
Ok, so I know the $400 application fee in itself is prohibitive enough - just wondering if there's anything here who's been accepted/applying/considering applying... I got the application a few days ago, and the deadline is eleven days away. And there's something like 10 spots - what's the acceptance rate, does anyone know?

Thanks!

You can give it a shot but they hardly ever fill those 10 spots with Internationals. Notice the wording in the website: "Up to" 10 spots.

The standards here seem to be getting harder and harder every year. I don't mean to put a negative spin on things, but be sure to check yourself before shelling out $400.

The hierarchy is: Ontario residents > Canadian citizens > All others. In the Class of 2006, there were 128 Ontario residents, 13 out of province Canadians, and only 1 International.

Here are more interesting stats if you're curious:

McMaster Class of 2006 Admission Stats

Best of luck!

 

[Friendly]

Originally posted by The Generalist
You can give it a shot but they hardly ever fill those 10 spots with Internationals. Notice the wording in the website: "Up to" 10 spots.

The standards here seem to be getting harder and harder every year. I don't mean to put a negative spin on things, but be sure to check yourself before shelling out $400.

The hierarchy is: Ontario residents > Canadian citizens > All others. In the Class of 2006, there were 128 Ontario residents, 13 out of province Canadians, and only 1 International.

Here are more interesting stats if you're curious:

McMaster Class of 2006 Admission Stats

Best of luck!

This is verbatim from their website: "The Admissions process for applicants to the International Pool will be the same as for Canadian applicants, although it will be handled directly by McMaster University and not by the Ontario Medical Student Application Service in Guelph"

"The Undergraduate Medical Programme at McMaster University is offering up to 10 positions in the MD Programme to applicants with International status (those who are neither Canadian citizens, landed immigrants of Canada, nor dual citizens with Canada and any other country and are not planning to apply for any of the aforementioned). These positions are in addition to the current class of 138 admitted each year."

This implies that those 10 places are specifically reserved for internationals. As I read it, hierarchy should not be a factor in these spots. The fact that they have only accepted one or two over the past few years suggests that the international applicant pool may be so poor or that they have very few successful applicants for those 10 spots.....also, please bear in mind that the internationals (unless from the U.S.) will not be eligible for loans and can likely only afford the approx. $27, 000 / year fees if they are rich so the pool may be very small and hence, they cannot fill all ten spots every year.

Can anyone else chime in with first-hand knowledge?