The latest updates from the MD Admissions team.
Update on the Evaluation Process
By Admissions on Nov 15, 2013
Hello! We apologize for how quiet the blog has been over the last few months. If you are wondering why, it is because we reached another record number of applications this year. Over 2100 were submitted! Unfortunately some of these applications are not complete due to missing transcripts, MCAT scores, payments, etc. However, the vast majority are complete and as such we have a lot more work to do. Do not worry though, we are still treating every application with care, cross checking files as necessary and ensuring that every application receives a fair and consistent evaluation. We know you put a lot of time and energy into this process and we respect this by thoroughly and thoughtfully considering what you have included.
We plan to send all updated status notifications sometime in the first two weeks of December. We do not have specific dates yet, but will be honoring the August 15 early deadline and will notify the applicants who met this deadline first (provided they are invited for interview) before sending interview invitations to everyone else. If you are wondering what information you will receive in December, please review our blog entry from December 3, 2012. Most of the information will remain the same and we will post any changes closer to the notification dates.
Thank you and we’ll be in touch soon.
Permalink | No CommentsCommon Mistakes
By wong79 on Sep 04, 2013
We are quickly counting down the days until the application closes and the Admissions Office is abuzz with mail deliveries, updating documents, sending responses to emails and answering phone calls. For all of you furiously completing your applications from now until September 16, here are some common mistakes applicants make during this stage of the process (in no real order):
1) Miscalculating how much time it will take to complete the application. Without fail, every year we have one or two brave souls who open the application one day before the deadline. We strongly discourage this. The application is long and comprehensive and we recommend you give yourself several days to complete and submit it, plus additional time that you may not have realized was necessary to contact people and institutions to ensure your application is complete and accurate.
2) Not reading the HELP GUIDE while completing the application. The Help Guide is designed to answer many of your questions and to guide your application writing process. Read the Help Guide. Use the Help Guide. The most frustrating thing for the admissions team is when someone does not enter information into the application in the requested way. This is because it can take hours to reinterpret/adapt the information so that an evaluation can be performed- this is all done on the back end as no changes can actually be made to the application once it is submitted.
3) Not reading the prerequisite or BC residency requirements before opening the application. The prerequisites are listed here. Make sure you have them or can complete them during the 2013-2014 academic year, before you open the application. BC residency requirements are listed here. Account fees are non-refundable.
4) Not requesting transcripts early enough. The unfortunate truth is, you are quickly running out of time if have not already requested that your university print and mail your transcripts to us. All documentation must be physically IN THE ADMISSIONS OFFICE by the application deadline- not in the mail, not printed and stamped. If you are worried, have your transcripts couriered. This way you will know when they have been signed for. We are updating transcript statuses as quickly as possible, but it is a challenging task with the amount of mail we are receiving each day.
5) Sending transcripts to the wrong address: Only have transcripts sent to: Mailing address
6) Not contacting verifiers to ask their permission: The non-academic sections of the application require that you indicate contact information of a person who can verify each of your activities. This is generally a different person for every activity. Often, these people are hard to contact, they no longer work for the company you worked for, they have a different email address than you thought, they think about your experience differently than you did, or they are out of town for some part of the application period (Sept-May). In order for an activity to be considered, you must have a verifier who is reachable (preferably by email), speaks English, and is appropriate for that activity. See page 13 of the Help Guide for more information about verifiers.
7) Forgetting to submit additional paperwork: Please review the document checklist. All documentation must be submitted to the admissions office by the deadlines indicated on the checklist. Remember, BC residency changed this year so everyone claiming BC residency, including returning applicants, must submit new BC residency paperwork.
8) Improperly sending BC Care Card information: For the BC Care Card to be properly received through the Online Application System, you must scan and send both sides of the card and upload the document following the email instructions on page 20 of the Help Guide.
9) Forgetting to proofread the application: Once an application is submitted there is nothing the admissions office can do to change it. This includes changing your verifier, adding an activity, changing the dates of an activity, reducing/increasing the hours of an activity, fixing spelling issues, changing your grades, adding institutions, etc. Please proofread. This being said, for anything that could be viewed as an egregious error (eg. saying you did an activity for 2,000 hours when you meant 20, mistyping a “F” on your transcript as an “A+,” forgetting that you attended an entire institution, etc.) we do appreciate you emailing (through the OAS) to let us know. Forgetting is never an excuse for not meeting the deadlines. Therefore, the transcripts of even ‘forgotten’ institutions must be in by the deadline.
10) Submitting at the last minute/forgetting to pay the application fee: In our online application system it is possible to submit your application without paying the full application fee. BOTH are due by 12:00 PDT on Sept. 16, 2013. If you are submitting 30-20-10-5 minutes before the application deadline there are often technical issues from over usage on the server, something in your application doesn’t save properly; the payment program isn’t reading your credit card correctly, etc. We strongly suggest you attempt to submit the application before September 16. It is almost impossible to troubleshoot issues at the last minute and if you do not have both the application and the full application fee paid by the deadline your application will not be considered. We are strict about this policy.
Remember, we are updating transcripts and other documentation as quickly as possible. We will not be responding to emails asking if we have received your transcripts, moved forward your documents, etc. To check the status of your application and documents, click on the “Application Status” tab. If your documents have not been received, the onus is on you to ensure that they are.
Best of luck finishing and submitting your application!
Reminder: August 15th Early Submission Deadline
By wong79 on Aug 01, 2013
We hope you are enjoying your summer.
As we are fast approaching the August 15th early application deadline we would like to remind you:
Transcripts, supporting document, and CareCard documents receipt statuses are updated within 48 hours as they are received by our office. Please keep in mind there is a one day delay between when transcripts arrive at our mailing address and when they make it to our physical location. It is also important to enter the institution(s) on the transcript page so we can update the transcript as it arrives in our office. Please do not contact our office for the status of your documentation(s). You can check the status by logging onto the online application system.
Remember to release your MCAT scores using the AAMC ThX system. UBC is not part of the AMCAS system. Applications with missing MCAT scores will be made ineligible. MCAT scores will be uploaded 2-3 times a week.
For those who plan to or have already submitted an application for the early submission deadline please make sure all your supporting documents which include application fees, all transcripts, proof of BC residency (if applicable), and proof of name change (if applicable) are received by the Admissions Office by August 15 12pm PDT. As a reminder, applicants who meet the early deadline and who are invited for an interview will receive their interview invitation letter and will be able to book an interview one day earlier than applicants who have submitted after this deadline.
Note: WES/ICES evaluations and MCAT scores do not have to be received by August 15 to meet the early deadline but both must arrive by October 1.
We also recommend you read our help guide before starting on your application as it provides helpful guidance about how to include information in your application.
We wish you all the best!
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Transcripts, Transfer Documents, and MCAT Statuses
By wong79 on Jul 03, 2013
We have been getting a lot of questions about transcripts, transfer documents, and MCAT statuses and when they will be updated. We hope this blog can help clarify things.
Here are some of the questions we received:
1. I’ve mailed in my transcript and BC CareCard document last week but the online application system still shows ‘Not Received’. Should I send in another copy?
We try to update transcript and CareCard documents within 48 hours as they are received by our office. Please keep in mind there is a one day lag between when transcripts arrive at our mailing address and when they make it to our physical location. If the status still shows ‘Not Received’ after 7-10 business days after mailing your documents then it could mean we have not received it.
2. I released my MCAT through the ThX system two weeks ago but it still shows ‘Not Received’? Did I do something wrong?
We are still adapting to the MCAT changes for this year and are unable to upload the MCAT scores to the online application system until early August. You may contact us in mid-August if your score is not uploaded by then. At that time, you may be required to re-release your scores.
3. I have requested that my documents from last year be carried forward but the status still says ‘Not Received’. Can you check my application?
As we already have all of last year’s transcripts in our office, we are not prioritizing the receipt statuses for these transcripts. We will work on updating these statuses throughout the summer but we might not have them all updated until after the application deadline. As long as you have checked the appropriate box on the application and do not need to submit a new transcript, don’t worry that the status still says ‘Not Received’.
As a reminder, it is your responsibility to submit new transcripts if necessary (i.e. if you have started or completed any coursework since the last time you submitted the transcript) as we are unable to check whether new transcripts are needed until we start file evaluation. At that time, your file will become ineligible if your updated transcript is not received by the application deadline.
4. I’m a UBC student and have authorized the Admissions Office to access my UBC transcript electronically but the status still shows ‘Not Received’.
We will update these regularly but it will still take a bit longer than our normal turnaround time. Again, as long as you checked the appropriate box on the application, don’t worry about your UBC transcript being received.
Permalink | 8 CommentsMED2017 Class is full
By wong79 on Jun 25, 2013
The class of MED2017 is full and the waitlist has been shortened today. We understand this may be a huge disappointment especially for those who are waitlisted and have been waiting patiently. Unfortunately, the waitlist movement has slowed down and we wanted everyone to know as soon as possible to give you more time to decide whether you would like to apply for the upcoming application.
To those who remain waitlisted (who didn’t hear anything today); you should be proud of yourself. You have come a long way. Although there may still be a chance that a spot might open up it’s also difficult because you don’t know if it will happen. To give you a better idea, in the past spots rarely open up in July and August so it’s a good idea to consider future plans even though you are on the waitlist.
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