I'm a grade 10 student, and I want to get into Mac Health Sciences. I like to know what to expect by the time grade 12 comes around. This is me, in a nutshell:

- I have a 91% average so far. But, I'm pretty sure it'll go up 2-3% this semester, now that I'll be having courses that I really enjoy.

- I'm in a few school clubs such as Model UN, our school newspaper, and choir.

- I'll be volunteering regularly at a clinic for kids with special needs, starting in a few months.

- This summer, my sister and I will be starting a town-wide initiative for green activism. I'm zealously passionate about the environment, even though I want to pursue a career as a doctor.

Will I get in? My interests aren't completely relevant to health and medicine; is that bad?
What can I do do ensure that I can consider Mac as one of my target schools?

other than developing good habits and grades from grade 10, your grades matter for nothing right now.

in select cases marks from grade 11 can impact an early acceptance from universities

if you want to get into health sci, i'd suggest a 95% + average with whatever extra curriculars you can muster while keeping that average high

From what I hear a lot of it comes down to the supplementary application answers you put down, and it gets reviewed by Health Science upper year students. So there's an amount of luck and chance involved in that case. I'd say just keep doing what you're doing and you'll have as good of a chance as anyone could have for getting in really =/

Side note: if you don't get into Health Sci at Mac, don't give up on your goal of being a doctor because there's many many different roads that lead to medicine+medical school. Good luck!

Hey, thanks for joining MacInsiders and posting here in the forum.

I'm a Mac Alumni, and wasn't in health sci, but from what you described, you are in great shape. The fact that you have many extracurriculars on the go while maintaining a high average above 90 is a testimant to your great work ethic and show you can multitask and prioritize well. As for relevance of the groups you're a part of, I can think of any health sci related groups I could have joined back when I was in high-school. I wouldn't worry about that. As long as you can articulate your passion and interest in wanting to be in the health field, you could always tie a health aspect to your green initiative, with it being about healthy living.

As for McMaster, you made a great choice wanting to come here, it is an excellent university with a very strong reputation for health research. We have a new building being built in downtown Hamilton for health research that I think is set to be finished in 2015 which is great timing for when you graduate. That building will just be starting.

If you do decide to persue McMaster I highly suggest applying for a leadership conference we run for high-school students called C.L.A.Y. (Creating Leadership Amongst Youth). You would attend it during summer time it starts in May (May 16th this year) and is open to any high-school students. You get to stay in residence, it's a 3 day 2 night event, and meet a lot of great upper year leaders at the university, participate in a bunch if fun leadership building games, activities, cheers, hear some great keynote presentations, it's an amazing experience.

I think it would be very beneficial for you, seeing as how you are very actively involved and already a leader within your school.

Learn more here
https://www.msumcmaster.ca/services-directory/1-clay

Brochure and registration available here
https://www.msumcmaster.ca/services-directory/1-clay/prospective-delegates.

From what I've heard, as long as your average is above 90%, you have met the cut-off (as far as marks are concerned); an average of 99% apparently no more valuable than an average of 91% for this program. (Of course, higher marks put you in better position for scholarships and admission to other programs, so keep working hard!)

As stated earlier, much of the selection process comes down to your supplementary application. You can play off your variety of interests, as it shows that you are open-minded, flexible, and interesting. Best of luck!

if you have a 95% avg in gr 12, id say your chances are around 10-15%. its pretty much based on the supp app.

It all depends on your supplementary application (3 questions, about a paragraph for each, along the lines of "what do you think it ears to be well educated?" and questions like that) and if you meet the 90% cut off in grade 12. your grades up til now, except perhaps your grade 11 final marks, will not be considered. they don't ask about extra curricular activities at all, so meet the average and hopefully your written answers are what they're looking for.
As for what you should write on your supplementary application, nobody really knows what the faculty is looking for... (someone else have any idea?)
I've also heard that even though you have a good application, you might not make it in because there were too many good applicants so it was random who got in. so there is an element of chance involved, along with the subjective opinion of whoever ends up reading your application.

Pretty high, just got accepted to mac med school, rejected from carribean. Only had 2.7 GPA

What do grade 12 grades have to do with it.

come back when your in grade 12, then tell us your marks

Originally Posted by Chutiya

Pretty high, just got accepted to mac med school, rejected from carribean. Only had 2.7 GPA

WHAT?

Originally Posted by Chutiya

Pretty high, just got accepted to mac med school, rejected from carribean. Only had 2.7 GPA

The OP is asking about health sci, not med school. Grade 12 marks have everything to do with it (at least, first-term grade 12 grades do - Health sci acceptances don't usually get sent out until May).

And Mac's med school hasn't sent out acceptances yet for 2014, and if you started in September you wouldn't have "just" got accepted, so I'm still not sure what program you think you're talking about?

On paper your extracurricular clubs etc are very good towards applying to mac health sci. So all it depends on is how well you fill out those supplementary essay questions

See admission requirements posted here: http://www.macinsiders.com/showthrea...4#p ost397714

Keep your average high. Activities don't really matter unless you can talk about it in your supp app. Supp apps are read by 4th year students and rated. Grades only come into play when supp app scores tie (as in, you can get in with a 90% average if you have an amazing supp app, and you WILL get rejected if you have a crappy supp app but 100% average.)

Best advice for supp app: be yourself, there is no 'right' answer, don't make a grocery list of your achievements, but firstly evaluate if you fit the ideals of the program.