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University PrerequisiteQuestions


017631

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Hey all,

I'm really new to the forum but I've been looking about.

Here's some background info before I get started:

- 16, currently dying in IB year 1 (for courses see my signature)

- In Canada, taking SAT-Prep on the side in case I wish to go to the states.

- I have connections at a few Ivy League schools if that helps (Family members who are proffs at Brown and Harvard)

- I have NOT taken any Physics courses

- Marks are either 6s or 7s so far, I have so far always scored over 85%...except in Grade 10...terrible marks last year....so bad I do not wish to discuss them :'(

Here's some Universities I have in mind (just a rough idea...I've only done basic research):

UK:

- Cambridge University (Pre-med)

- Oxford (Pre-Med or some science)

Canada:

- McMaster University (Pre-Med)

- Queens University (Pre-Med)

- McGill University (Pre-Med or Biochemistry)

- University of British Columbia (Pre-Med or Biochemistry)

USA:

- Brown University (Pre-Med....if I get in :D )

- MIT (Biochemistry)

- UCLA (Some sort of Science)

- Cornell (Pre-Med, or some sort of science)

Okay so I'm just curious ... what courses would I need for a Pre-Med program at a typical higher-ranked university in Canada, the US, and the UK?

You see I am still looking at various fields of study to venture into, but I am just taking a look at Pre-Med right now.

I am really interested in things like Neurology and Philosophy, sure I would love to be a philosopher but I'd also love to have some money in the bank... :D

I am just worried about not taking physics. Would I really need it in University for a Pre-Med program?

Oh, sorry, but I'd also like to know if I'd need any other courses for a Biochemistry Program.

That is another field of study I've been looking at...*sigh*...choosing a University and what courses to take is so stressful...

I know I may seem overly ambitious...you can flame me for having unrealistic goals if you want.

Edited by 17631
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physics is quite essential but biology is not :D

in NZ anyways.

That's NZ, in the UK you'll need Chem and Bio, not Phys :D .

I'll be blunt about your aspirations of studying in Cambridge or Oxford: your chances are extremely slim. They don't take foreigners, and if they do, they prefer EU citizens. They don't want to educate doctors for other countries, it's not fair but that's the way it is. By the way, you can only apply to Cam OR Oxford, not both.

You don't need HL Math, but HL Chem would be more than beneficial for you. Would it be possible for you to do HL Chem?

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No HL Chem is offered at my school. I heard last year that there was a huge fiasco because everyone was dropping it, so they just took it out.

*sigh* I can't take summer school Physics. I am actually taking SAT Prep during the summer...everyday 9-3... :D

And yeah, I know that going to a UK school is hard...but you can only choose one?!

Perhaps it will help that my uncle's family graduated from there? no? *sigh*

But hey @___inthemaking.

Only grade 11?

Do you think you really needed it or was it a waste of time?

Time is running out and I can tell you right now that I probably cannot take physics in summer school.

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No HL Chem is offered at my school. I heard last year that there was a huge fiasco because everyone was dropping it, so they just took it out.

And yeah, I know that going to a UK school is hard...but you can only choose one?!

Perhaps it will help that my uncle's family graduated from there? no? *sigh*

You will need HL Chem to apply to the UK, without that, no go.

And no, they don't give a damn if anybody from your family graduates there.

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Are you looking into the health sciences program at Mac for pre-med?

Because I'm a first year in hth sci right now haha. Feel free to ask me any questions about the program. I only took grade 11 physics in summer school and I got into the pre-med program fine.

I think I'll be asking you more questions as application deadlines approach. :D

For Health Sci though, what's the average of most accepted applicants? A prof said 95%/40 points min was needed to get in but other school admins said 36. And do you need to take an introductory physics course if you don't have Physics 12? So not entirely necessary, just preferred...?

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But hey @___inthemaking.

Only grade 11?

Do you think you really needed it or was it a waste of time?

Time is running out and I can tell you right now that I probably cannot take physics in summer school.

Yeah, I only took grade 11 physics. It's definitely not needed. The requirements to get into health sci were grade 12 english, chem, bio, calculus, algebra & vectors, and then a social science/humanities course. Physics is NOT a prerequisite.

However, I'm planning on taking a "baby" physics course (basically a physics for people who haven't done HS level physics) next term at Mac, because I plan on taking the MCAT in 2 years and there is some basic physics on the MCAT. I know some second year hth scis that didn't even take grade 11 physics in high school, they just took the baby physics course in their first year at Mac and that was sufficient for the MCAT.

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I think I'll be asking you more questions as application deadlines approach. :D

For Health Sci though, what's the average of most accepted applicants? A prof said 95%/40 points min was needed to get in but other school admins said 36. And do you need to take an introductory physics course if you don't have Physics 12? So not entirely necessary, just preferred...?

MINIMUM average is 90% (for your top 6 grade 12 courses, including prereqs). They won't even look at your supplementary application otherwise. That's basically 36 points. If you're applying as an Ontario resident, they won't even look at your IB grades unless you ask them too. I was accepted based on my high school Ontario marks.

And no, physics is not a mandatory first year course. I don't have a grade 12 physics credit and I was accepted. I will be taking a physics course next semester, but it's an elective.

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Thanks for the info.

So looks like I will take Physics next year..better get this straight with my parents.

They don't know too much about this whole thing and think that SAT training is more important than Physics -.-

Like to be honest, I don't have the marks or the awards and stuff to apply to an Ivy League school, even for a higher-end school in the US.

Perhaps I could eek into a Pre-Med program in Canada and go for Med school in the US, besides...I don't see why I should pay 40 000$ for Pre-Med -.-

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MINIMUM average is 90% (for your top 6 grade 12 courses, including prereqs). They won't even look at your supplementary application otherwise. That's basically 36 points. If you're applying as an Ontario resident, they won't even look at your IB grades unless you ask them too. I was accepted based on my high school Ontario marks.

So there's not much difference between certificates and the diploma then. :0

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Thanks for the info.

So looks like I will take Physics next year..better get this straight with my parents.

They don't know too much about this whole thing and think that SAT training is more important than Physics -.-

Like to be honest, I don't have the marks or the awards and stuff to apply to an Ivy League school, even for a higher-end school in the US.

Perhaps I could eek into a Pre-Med program in Canada and go for Med school in the US, besides...I don't see why I should pay 40 000$ for Pre-Med -.-

No problem. Yeah, I think it's more worthwhile to do at least pre-med in Canada. I'm paying $9000 (including tuition, residence, meal plan) for my first year at Mac, and even if I didn't have scholarships, it wouldn't have been anything over $15 grand. You won't find anything cheaper than that in the US.

So there's not much difference between certificates and the diploma then. :0

Nope. But IB has made my high school marks a lot better, so I won't say that it wasn't worthwhile.

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Ah Silvio..since when did you sign up on this forum?

I'm not sure, I think next year I'm going to go to summer school. Are you taking grade 12 Physics?

Would night school be a good idea by the way or is it too much work?

Don"t hesitate to appy to the UK Uni's - I (a US citizen) did summer school at Oxford this summer and they told us to apply if we were interested. They do not prefer EU etc. Check this site out for applying to UK Uni's http://www.ucas.ac.uk/ you can apply to 5 Uni at a time and get all sorts of info about the school staht offer your area of study. I used it to apply to 5 Uni's in the UK for International Business. One piece of advise - apply to all Uni's that you are interested in that offer your area of study - do not disqualify your self - they are looking for all types of students not just A+ students. I've already completed my early appls to 12 Uni around the globe and already got one offer - so go for it. Good luck!!

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