Admissions Rant

[10wattbulb]

Once you've boosted your GPA and you're ready to apply in a year or two from now, don't just rely on Dal and/or U of C. Also consider NOSM, McMaster and Western, especially if you do well on the MCAT. For Western, you need an MCAT score of 10 BS, 9 PS, 11 VR, and O WS (these were the cutoffs this year). You also need a GPA of 3.7+ in your best 2 years in undergrad. If you make these cutoffs, your chances for an interview are exceptionally good. For McMaster, the VR of the MCAT is what they are interested in. You'll also have to do well on the CASPer to offset your lowish GPA (15 people did make it into their class with a GPA b/w 3.0-3.49, though). They also give a small Master's Degree holder's boost of +0.01 on GPA. I've already discussed why you should also consider NOSM; you'd do well on context and on auto sketch/non-academic considerations.

Oh yes, a last and very self-evident piece of advice (that you've probably already covered): consult with you fiancee extensively on this subject matter! You say that you've got no problem moving to Alberta to gain IP status. But maybe she is not keen as you are to follow you there if the need presents itself.

[EngrGuy]

haha; very true on that last point 10wattbulb. Actually she's going through a similar process. She has 1 last year of her to finish her honors undergrad and she will be applying to med schools as well (however she has good enough grades to get in without the extra years hah). So we really are looking for schools that we can both get in; even if it's not in the same years... I just wouldn't want to be away from her for any extended periods of time. She's keen on going anywhere as well. We're both pretty transient (I'm from northern ontario; she's from victoria, we moved her together etc).

So the challenge lies in where are our best chances to get in together (which makes it more difficult). For example; she's anglo so NOSM would be more challenging. She will also not have all the prereqs for all the schools so we can't apply to all of them (She's a kin student). She's studying for her MCATs this summer with me so she'll have that done.

I think thanks to yours and everybody's advice I have a much more solid game plan. I'll take 3 first year courses (BIO/CHEM/PHYSICS) this fall/winter and do 2 token senior level courses in a health field. Bio is offered online at Dal and they also have a Disability Management Certificate which is 4 half credit senior level courses that are offered online. So in would really only need to go to school for 2 classes (mornings) which would allow me to continue working in the afternoon. Once I'm done that year I'll apply to as many schools as possible and maybe redo my MCATs to try and raise my score. I'll look at my options and maybe move to Alberta where I can do a second year of undergrad classes (I'll decide those later) to get IP and hope that I get in somewhere with just 1 year of additional undergrad. If not; I'll keep on trying Also that year my fiancee will be done her undergrad while she is waiting to get in somewhere so she can work and support us for a while .

Thanks again for all the advice, it's been really helpful and is greatly appreciated.