Here are a few more questions we’ve been getting:
How do I indicate I want my transcripts carried forward?
On the application, if you indicate that you applied in 2011/2012, a checkbox will pop up where you can say you want your transcripts carried forward. As long as that box is marked when your application is submitted, your carried-forward transcripts will be considered received on time. It might take a while for these transcripts to be updated (see this post for more info). Please do not email us to tell us you marked the box but your transcript is not updated yet.
How do I release my MCAT scores?
Please use the THx system and remember that UBC is not a part of the AMCAS system. You should get a confirmation email if your score release was successful. We are currently updating MCAT scores twice a week. When we have received and updated your scores, you will be able to see them on your Application Status page. If they have not been received yet the MCAT score part on the Application Status page will say “no scores found.”
What if I already took the MCAT but am taking it again soon?
You have two options:
- Release your old scores now and re-release your scores when the new ones are available
- Wait until your new scores are available and release them all at once
Either one is fine; just make sure you release all of your scores in time for the October 1 deadline.
Can I take the MCAT on September 1? It’s only one day late.
Sorry, September 1 is too late. The last accepted test date for 2012/2013 is August 31.
I don’t know where to put my poster/presentation/activity/work experience/award.
Please try to do your best, following the guidelines in the Help Guide. We look at all of the non-academic categories so don’t worry too much if you aren’t sure where to put something – we will see it, regardless of where it ends up being. It does help us if you can follow the guidelines as much as possible, though. As a rule we do not tell individual applicants how to fill out the non-academic sections with their specific activities, so please use your good judgment and try to put things in the section and/or category that seems most appropriate according to the Help Guide guidelines.
Hi,
If I have taken the mcat more than once, which score will be taken into consideration? Is it all of them or just the best one?
We have access to all of your MCAT scores, but we will evaluate only the best eligible exam (eligible meaning it meets our date and minimum score requirements).
Hi
If an applicant did poorly on the first try(below the cut-off) and significantly improved on the second try. Would you still consider the best score?
How will the poor score affect the application/admission?
Thanks,
Like we say in the comment above, we will evaluate your best eligible exam. We’ll be able to see the poor score but it will not be the one we evaluate.
OMSAS (Ontario medical school applications) requires you list all activities since age 16. How far back should we include non-academic activities for OAS?
It’s up to you.
If we want to submit a copy of our IB transcript electronically, where do we send it? The email on the admissions page is admissions.md@ubc.ca, but it says that that this email address is only for general inquiries. Also, is there a preference for paper copies over electronic copies?
You fill out the same IB transcript request form whether your transcript will be delivered electronically or as a paper transcript. It’s fine to use our general email address when filling out the form. The link is http://www.ibo.org/iba/transcripts/index.cfm (the link is also on our website). There is no preference (and no choice) for paper vs. electronic transcripts: all transcripts from May 2004 or earlier will be delivered as a paper transcript, and all exams from June 2004 or later will be delivered electronically. If your transcript will be delivered electronically please note that you should not pay for expedited shipping.
Do we only need to submit it if we are using the IB credits for pre-reqs or do we also submit it if we did IB? I didn’t use IB credits for pre-reqs but I did use it to complete my undergraduate degree, so do I need to submit one?
Thanks
You only need to enter IB courses and submit IB transcripts if you are using IB courses for prerequisites. If you aren’t using IB courses for prereqs, don’t enter them on the application and don’t submit a transcript.
When typing in our grades, do you expect the courses to be in a certain order? as it is very easy to switch the orders.
Also, would it be fine to put “unclassified” as the “program of study” for the year that I was an unclassified student?
Thanks
Please enter your courses in the order they appear on your transcript. “Unclassified” is the right thing to put if you were an unclassified student.
Should we still carry forward our transcripts if we are going to submit a new one?
It depends – if you have other transcripts and/or other documents like proof of BC residency, proof of legal name change, etc., then you should request that your documents be carried forward and submit the new transcript. If the only thing you have to carry forward is the one transcript and you are submitting a new one anyway, then you don’t need to request we carry forward your documents. If you aren’t sure, it’s best to submit the new transcript and mark the box so we transfer everything.
Thank you for your replies.
By submitting a new transcript, do I simply check for UBC to access my transcripts electronically? (I only have transcripts from UBC, not anywhere else)
Yes, that’s all you need to do.
Hello,
I am wondering how the MCAT is scored. Are all sections of the exam weighed equally, or is more weight given to any particular section?
For two exams with the same overall score (ex. 30), is one with balanced scores for each section (ex. 10,10,10) better than one with imbalanced scores (ex. 12,8,10)?
Thank you
We don’t reveal how the sections are weighted, but we can explain a little about the conversion: to determine which MCAT to use, we convert each section (rather than the total score) and use the exam that has the best score for our purposes. If you have already taken the MCAT more than once, you can relax because we will use the score that will help you the most. If you are retaking, you should try to do your best on all of the sections.