What are my chances as a Canadian applying to the US?

[deleted964765]

Hello everyone 🙂

I am a Canadian student that is planning on applying to a few American schools in June. I was hoping you would be able to give me some advice and evaluate my chances of getting accepted.

Stats:

Overall GPA: 3.8 according to my school's scale/conversion chart
Science GPA: 3.8 according to my school's scale/conversion chart
**do american schools/ AADSAS use your undergrad school's GPA conversion chart when determining an applicants GPA or their own scale? My transcript has both % and letter grade on it if that helps. My school's scale is attached.

DAT: 17 BIO, 17 PAT(the highest scores in the country for bio and the PAT were 20 and 21 respectively so I was wondering if schools take that into consideration? The scale was really messed up for us 🙁 )

Work Experience:

- 1000 hours research and dental

Volunteering:

-150 hours

Shadowing:

- 100 hours general dentist

Thanks in advance for the advice 🙂

---

Members don't see this ad.

 

[macsak]

Hello everyone 🙂

I am a Canadian student that is planning on applying to a few American schools in June. I was hoping you would be able to give me some advice and evaluate my chances of getting accepted.

Stats:

Overall GPA: 3.87 according to my school's scale/conversion chart
Science GPA: 3.8 according to my school's scale/conversion chart
**do american schools/ AADSAS use your undergrad school's GPA conversion chart when determining an applicants GPA or their own scale? My transcript has both % and letter grade on it if that helps. My school's scale is attached.

DAT: 19 AA/ 19 TS/ 17 BIO/ 22 CHEM/ 17 PAT/ 19 RC (the highest scores in the country for bio and the PAT were 20 and 21 respectively so I was wondering if schools take that into consideration? The scale was really messed up for us 🙁 )

Work Experience:

- 300 hours working as an undergraduate research assistant (potential publication on the way being the primary author)
- 674 hours of working at an orthodontist office

Volunteering:

- ER hospital volunteer: 1 summer, 1 shift per week = 35 hours
- International student orientation: 20 hours
- Cystic Fibrosis Fundraising Event: 5 hours
- Currently part of a organic chemistry research team at my school (hours TBA)

Shadowing:

- 100 hours general dentist

It would be really great if someone could help me out in making a school list based off my DAT score, GPA, and the fact that I am Canadian. I have done some research and I am planning on applying to BU, Buffalo, Case, and NYU. Would any other schools work for me? Also, do you think I should retake the DAT or am I ok? The scale this time around was really messed up 🙁

Thanks in advance for the advice 🙂

how do you know this?

 

[MavsFanForLife]

Your gpa will be very different according to AADSAS. They do their own conversion, there is a link to it somewhere. but look for schools that are canadian friendly. My wife is canadian and many of her friends ended up at IU

 

[deleted964765]

how do you know this?

We only get our results 6 weeks after taking the test so they send us our scores with the corresponding scale so we can see how we did in relation to others and what our score translates to as a percentile. In the sitting prior to ours a 47th percentile was an 18 in bio and in my sitting a 70th percentile was 17 which is what I got 🙁 Plus a lot of people in our sitting felt really comfortable with the bio section particularly so I don't understand what happened

 

[deleted964765]

Your gpa will be very different according to AADSAS. They do their own conversion, there is a link to it somewhere. but look for schools that are canadian friendly. My wife is canadian and many of her friends ended up at IU

Thanks for the reply 🙂 I saw this on another forum, however, so not really sure how they are going about the calculation now!

I registered for AADSAS and entered my grades, and they automatically convert the mark to GPA on a 4.0 scale. The aadsas converted 80% to 4.0 automatically based on my file. Go and start an application file, so you'll know. There'll be no fee until you are ready to submit.

At my school, 80% is considered 3.7 so this individual must have gone to a school in Canada where 80% is still a 4.0

 

[MavsFanForLife]

Thanks for the reply 🙂 I saw this on another forum, however, so not really sure how they are going about the calculation now!

I registered for AADSAS and entered my grades, and they automatically convert the mark to GPA on a 4.0 scale. The aadsas converted 80% to 4.0 automatically based on my file. Go and start an application file, so you'll know. There'll be no fee until you are ready to submit.

At my school, 80% is considered 3.7 so this individual must have gone to a school in Canada where 80% is still a 4.0

Once you officially submit your application and send your transcripts over, the AADSAS will verify your gpa and personally calculate it according to their own standards. For instance at my University a B+ was 3.5 so my gpa was close to a 3.5 and my sgpa (how I calculated it) was close to a 3.4. AADSAS however counts B+ as 3.3. Once I submitted my application, about 2 weeks later they sent me my verified gpa. They decide which courses will count for sgpa, and convert all your grades to their scale so everyone is on the same playing field. My sgpa was about a 3.2 once I received it back. I am not trying to be negative or anything. Even with my low sgpa I had alot of success, even if your sgpa comes back lower you will be fine!

 

[deleted964765]

Once you officially submit your application and send your transcripts over, the AADSAS will verify your gpa and personally calculate it according to their own standards. For instance at my University a B+ was 3.5 so my gpa was close to a 3.5 and my sgpa (how I calculated it) was close to a 3.4. AADSAS however counts B+ as 3.3. Once I submitted my application, about 2 weeks later they sent me my verified gpa. They decide which courses will count for sgpa, and convert all your grades to their scale so everyone is on the same playing field. My sgpa was about a 3.2 once I received it back. I am not trying to be negative or anything. Even with my low sgpa I had alot of success, even if your sgpa comes back lower you will be fine!

Ok, thanks 🙂 what do you think of my DAT? Im scared I'll have to rewrite. Also, would you mind telling me what year you applied?

 

[MavsFanForLife]

So I just got in to 3 schools for this cycle (UNE,MOSDOH,IU). While your DAT isnt the best, no score was under 17 which is good!I wouldnt worry about the PAT. I had a 16 qr and 18 PAT and all schools talked about is how well I did on the RC and TS/AA. They didnt even mention the pat or qr. It doesnt automatically mean you have to rewrite. BUT if you are not applying until june, then maybe a retake wouldnt be a bad idea. My advice though would be to apply early. I had lower sgpa (3.2) but i did get a 21 aa/ts on the DAT. But I applied the first day the cycle opened and had 4 interview invites for pre december and 2 for post december. Also research to see canandian friendly schools. Like I said i know a couple at IU and a couple at Louisville as well. Good luck!! Dont get down on your self! I had many sleepless nights but it eventually worked out!

 

[deleted964765]

So I just got in to 3 schools for this cycle (UNE,MOSDOH,IU). While your DAT isnt the best, no score was under 17 which is good!I wouldnt worry about the PAT. I had a 16 qr and 18 PAT and all schools talked about is how well I did on the RC and TS/AA. They didnt even mention the pat or qr. It doesnt automatically mean you have to rewrite. BUT if you are not applying until june, then maybe a retake wouldnt be a bad idea. My advice though would be to apply early. I had lower sgpa (3.2) but i did get a 21 aa/ts on the DAT. But I applied the first day the cycle opened and had 4 interview invites for pre december and 2 for post december. Also research to see canandian friendly schools. Like I said i know a couple at IU and a couple at Louisville as well. Good luck!! Dont get down on your self! I had many sleepless nights but it eventually worked out!

Awesome, thanks for the encouragement 🙂

 

[macsak]

We only get our results 6 weeks after taking the test so they send us our scores with the corresponding scale so we can see how we did in relation to others and what our score translates to as a percentile. In the sitting prior to ours a 47th percentile was an 18 in bio and in my sitting a 70th percentile was 17 which is what I got 🙁 Plus a lot of people in our sitting felt really comfortable with the bio section particularly so I don't understand what happened

that's not how the scoring works...

 

[macsak]

that's not how the scoring works...

oh, wait, did you take the Canadian DAT?

 

[deleted964765]

oh, wait, did you take the Canadian DAT?

Yes, a little different than the American DAT since our answers are recorded on a scantron and not the computer so we have to wait a couple of weeks

 

[macsak]

Yes, a little different than the American DAT since our answers are recorded on a scantron and not the computer so we have to wait a couple of weeks

ah, ok
my apologies

 

[CanadianGurl]

I’m canadian.

Everything above an 80 is a 4.0. Everything between 70-79.9 is a 3.0, and so on and so forth. Use this method to calculate your GPA rather than your schools, although it should be higher than you expect!

Yeah the Canadian DAT seas brutal this year, apparently. We suffer from a “local” curve—you are curved based on whoever writes the dat DURING THAT TIME. So it makes sense that everyone did poorly on biology despite being comfortable—y’all were curved down.

I got into some schools this round. You need a great personal statement and good interview skills. Everything else (minus the DAT) looks well above average. Good luck!

 

[deleted964765]

I’m canadian.

Everything above an 80 is a 4.0. Everything between 70-79.9 is a 3.0, and so on and so forth. Use this method to calculate your GPA rather than your schools, although it should be higher than you expect!

Yeah the Canadian DAT seas brutal this year, apparently. We suffer from a “local” curve—you are curved based on whoever writes the dat DURING THAT TIME. So it makes sense that everyone did poorly on biology despite being comfortable—y’all were curved down.

I got into some schools this round. You need a great personal statement and good interview skills. Everything else (minus the DAT) looks well above average. Good luck!

Thank you! That makes my GPA a 3.92 🙂 Do you think this DAT score will ruin my chances? Also, as a Canadian, which schools did you apply to?

 

[cystinosis]

Thanks for the reply 🙂 I saw this on another forum, however, so not really sure how they are going about the calculation now!

I registered for AADSAS and entered my grades, and they automatically convert the mark to GPA on a 4.0 scale. The aadsas converted 80% to 4.0 automatically based on my file. Go and start an application file, so you'll know. There'll be no fee until you are ready to submit.

At my school, 80% is considered 3.7 so this individual must have gone to a school in Canada where 80% is still a 4.0

This is surprising. At my university in Texas 90% and up was 4.0 , 80% was 3.0 , what a difference from Canadian schools.
Now in dental school A (4.0) is 93% -100%.

 

[AppalachianDentalBoy]

Now in dental school A (4.0) is 93% -100%.

A&M's grading scale is rough. Do you think these cutoffs benefit you in anyway?

 

[deleted964765]

I’m canadian.

Everything above an 80 is a 4.0. Everything between 70-79.9 is a 3.0, and so on and so forth. Use this method to calculate your GPA rather than your schools, although it should be higher than you expect!

Yeah the Canadian DAT seas brutal this year, apparently. We suffer from a “local” curve—you are curved based on whoever writes the dat DURING THAT TIME. So it makes sense that everyone did poorly on biology despite being comfortable—y’all were curved down.

I got into some schools this round. You need a great personal statement and good interview skills. Everything else (minus the DAT) looks well above average. Good luck!

Hello!

Did your transcript show both letter and percent grades? If so, which one did you put?

 

[CanadianGurl]

Hello!

Did your transcript show both letter and percent grades? If so, which one did you put?

Message me.

 

[deleted964765]

Message me.

It won't let me for some reason. I keep on getting this when I try: You may not start a conversation with the following recipients: CanadianGurl. Can you message me please?

 

[MSpqr]

Why the self-report section of the AADSAS application for DAT is optional?

Should we still send schools our CDAT if we took ADAT as well?

My aDAT results are much better and I wanna save money by not sending the official cDAT to each school.