Cricket643
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Posts posted by Cricket643
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3 hours ago, dragongc10 said:
Great! That's good news to hear about the interviews, because that is one of my biggest concerns about it. Especially good to hear since I see you had interviews at Wisconsin and Minnesota, 2 of the schools I am planning on applying to. Thanks for the advice
Of the schools that I interviewed at, I would say that Wisconsin interviewers had the most questions about the fact that I had already completed an MSc and was now applying to GC programs. But they seemed very accepting of the route that I took to wind up knowing I REALLY want to be a GC. They said I was very high on their wait list so I don't think they held it against me at all.
Minnesota seems to be quite research-focused (or at least that was my impression) so they were more interested in hearing about my experience having done a master's degree already and what my research ideas were.
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2 hours ago, dragongc10 said:
Do have of you have another master's degree (not genetic counseling)? I'm thinking of applying for an MPH program. I know that I'll want to do it eventually, but now I'm starting to think "why not now?" since I have some time to kill and it could only boost my application, right? Interested to hear from you all!
I have an MSc, which I think helped me get interviews and get accepted into a GC program. More importantly, I think it prepared me to undertake another graduate degree, by allowing me to build on skills like time management, public speaking/presenting, problem solving, and critical thinking.
If you think now is the right time for you to apply to a different master's program and it's something you plan to do eventually, it sounds like a great plan for you. I was concerned that programs would think that GC was an afterthought for me, but I didn't really experience that during my interviews. However, I really tried to explain my education path and how it led me back to GC, in addition to emphasizing the ways that already having an MSc prepared me for a GC program.
I won't touch on cost, since @KeepSwimming2017 already pointed that out
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1 hour ago, TAGC said:
@AspiringGC Thank you for replying. Some of the American programs seem to explicitly state the in-state vs out-of-state tuition, while others just say "tuition is $___." I wasn't sure if that meant there was no out-of-state tuition or if I had to dig deeper. I also couldn't tell if international tuition was different from out-of-state tuition.
@Cricket643 Congrats on your acceptances! When I saw in the other thread that you were accepted to UofM I thought we might be classmates. I didn't have to think about what programs to apply to before because Canada has so few. Now there's a lot to think about. My husband has helped me narrow down my search a bit by stating some of his location preferences. I was told that the programs can be quite intensive, so I was hoping to not have to work while studying (TAing included), but I might reconsider now that I know how much tuition it could save me. I'm really interested in how the new Manitoba program is. I hope you stay active in the forum during interview time so I can pick your brain a bit.
@Nefelibata@AspiringGC McGill and UBC both say on their website that courses have to be updated if they're more than 5 years old. I'm hoping that because I currently work in the field (I work in bioinformatics) that the programs will consider that good enough. I'm waiting until the end of May to contact them for feedback and will ask then.
There's still a chance we could be classmates, just different years of the program!
There's definitely a lot of programs to choose from when you are also considering American programs. But it's really helpful that you and your husband were able to narrow down locations where you would both be agreeable to living.
When ranking the programs after my interviews, I did take tuition into account, but I also thought about how much time I would be able to dedicate to my studies if I was also taking on a work position (e.g. TA or RA). As you said, you can save a lot on tuition at some programs, but it is also important to consider how well you can manage your time and whether working while in a GC program is feasible for you.
I can definitely answer any questions you have about the Manitoba program, as well as applying/interviewing at the Canadian programs. Feel free to send me a private message if you have specific questions. I'm not sure how active I will be able to be on the forum once the program starts, but I would like to try and check it when I can
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32 minutes ago, TAGC said:
Hi everyone,
I'm a Canadian applicant who has applied several times, but my applications have only been competitive this past round because I was missing clinical experience. Last year I applied to Toronto, McGill, UBC, Manitoba, and the NHS-STP program in the UK. I received interviews from UBC and Manitoba and was wait-listed for Manitoba.
I'm worried about this year's applications because I graduated in 2012 and need to update some of my courses, which will be hard while working full time and volunteering. I'm also considering applying to some American programs, but will have to take the GRE on top of updating my courses. I'm trying to decide which American programs to apply to and some of the things I'm factoring in are class sizes and cost of tuition. For some of the programs I'm having trouble figuring out if there's a difference between in-state, out-of-state, and international tuition. Do any Americans have tips on how to tell if there are in-state and out-of-state tuition differences? What are some of the factors you consider when deciding which programs to apply to?
First off, congratulations on receiving interviews this past year. I think that schools will be happy to see that you are really committed to this career path and are re-applying again this year.
I am also a Canadian who applied to both Canadian and American programs. I think that everyone has different criteria when choosing which programs to apply to. For me, location was important since my husband would be unable to relocate with me. I was also interested in finding schools that offered a few specific rotations, though sometimes this information was not available on the program's website.
In terms of tuition at the US programs I applied to... At Minnesota, tuition is almost the same for all students (whether in-state, out-of-state, or international) as long as you hold a TA position during your first year in the program.. I believe it is just under $40K. In Wisconsin, they said that your tuition is waived for each semester that you have a TA or RA position, though they encouraged students to wait until their second semester before beginning any work position. As such, you would only end up paying for your first semester ($13K for international students). Each student also receives scholarships from the MCH-LEND program and the GC program itself, which help with paying for the first semester of the program. If you have specific questions about tuition when deciding which programs to apply to, I would contact the program directly or the office that posts tuition costs on the university's website.
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Hi everyone! I just thought I would post here as I am also willing to answer any questions for those of you going through the application/interview process for 2018. I can also provide a perspective on some of the Canadian programs, as I found most applicants on here applied to the American programs only.
I was accepted to a program (second time applicant) for fall 2017. Last year, I applied to 3 Canadian programs and did not receive any interviews. I was lacking counselling experience and had not shadowed any GCs yet, but my supervisors suggested I apply, even just to get a feel for putting my applications together. This year, I applied to Wisconsin, Minnesota, Toronto, BC, and Manitoba and received interviews at all 5 schools. I was accepted at Manitoba and BC and wait listed at the other 3 schools, and will be attending the U of M in the fall. For my application this year, I added volunteer counselling experience (birth control and pregnancy counselling), shadowed a couple of GCs, and was more involved as a volunteer at school. I re-wrote my personal statements and tailored them to really highlight the experiences that I have had that parallel the role of a genetic counsellor or will contribute to my success in a GC program. I used 2 of the same references as last year, although they rewrote their letters. As others have said, if you really want to be a GC, keep applying and working on your application! You will get there!
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4 hours ago, Darwin said:
Hey everyone! So glad again to hear that waitlists have showed some movement and that so many people will be starting in the Fall!
I saw that there was a Facebook group for the Class of 2017 with students from all different programs where they were able to share articles and resources, meetup at NSGC events, etc and was interested in creating one for our year! I created one for the Class of 2019, but Facebook will not let me publish the group until I add at least one other person to it - womp. But if anyone is interested in joining, send me a PM and I can add you and then people can search for us!
Thanks for setting this up! Just requested to join the group!
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3 minutes ago, TAGC said:
@Cricket643 Did you call Jessica directly, or did you call Cathy? I'm debating calling to ask if they have any more information for me, but I'm a little nervous to find out.
I talked to Jessica yesterday and today. I would recommend calling her directly, I think she probably has more information than Cathy. Good luck!!
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6 minutes ago, Elisheva said:
I honestly think it depends on the application as a whole. I have a really high GPA (above a 3.9) and got rejected everywhere except for one waitlist... I think it's hard to say but they definitely appreciate a 3.6 and above if I had to guess.
I agree - they definitely take your whole application into consideration, not just GPA. My GPA was not very strong in my first 2 years of undergrad - that came up at several of my interviews and the interviewers mentioned that they noticed I improved my grades in my 3rd and 4th years.
Most programs post a minimum GPA required to apply, and may also expect a certain grade in related courses (e.g. genetics, biochem, statistics). Some of the programs only look at your GPA from your 2 most recent years in school. Try checking the admission guidelines for the programs you are interested in.
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Just accepted my offer at University of Manitoba! So excited to meet my classmates and work with some of you as colleagues in the future!
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Congratulations to everyone on their offers!
So far, I have been wait listed at Toronto and accepted at Manitoba. I am so ecstatic to know I will be joining a GC program next year!
As for how to respond to their offers if you are not ready to reject/accept yet, I said I was very excited to be offered a position but needed a bit more time to make my decision and would let them know as soon as I decide. I definitely want to wait until my husband gets home to make sure we're both on the same page
- hey_ella77, avargason and HSGC2017
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3 hours ago, Gorays39 said:
Now that all my interviews are over, I'm finding myself liking two programs a ton and not being able to pick out a clear number one. I can't rank these places. I have no idea what to do. Hopefully I can figure it out in the next 6 days.
I also had a difficult time ranking my top two programs.. I went through all the information about each of the programs I interviewed at and ranked them on different variables (e.g. cost, rotations, coursework, atmosphere). After I totalled all the scores, my top two programs ended up having the exact same scores! Then I looked at the variables that were most important to me and ultimately decided on my top program based on the variety, length, and locations of the clinical rotations.
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20 hours ago, Gadgette said:
Out of curiosity, what is everyone doing on Match Day?
My plan: stay home from work to spend the day with my phone, email, and Netflix. Then, regardless of if it's a good or bad day, dinner and drinks with friends.
Planning to spend the day with my mom, as my husband will be working and I don't want to be alone at home. Then will probably go for dinner with husband and friends, no matter what news I get!
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On February 17, 2017 at 4:22 PM, bB0769 said:
Same here!! What day are you all interviewing?
March 15-16. When is yours?
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1 hour ago, robyn94 said:
I know there is a lot of discussion about what to wear at the interviews, but does anyone have any idea of how we should dress if we are invited to meet with the program beforehand? Three of my interviews include some kind of separate orientation or dinner/lunch meeting the day before, and I'm not sure if this is an opportunity to dress more business casual than I would at the actual interview.
Several of my interviews also include orientation/meeting with students the day before the interviews. I am planning to wear dress pants with a blouse and cardigan the day before and a dress with a blazer for the interviews.
My U of T interview is Mar 15-16 - when is yours? I can't see signatures on my phone!
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26 minutes ago, .Aku. said:
Just got a call from Toronto for an interview!
Me too! See you there
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3 minutes ago, robyn94 said:
I just checked my application page and realized that one of my referees never submitted their letter of recommendation, which is probably why I have not heard from Manitoba
It was the last school I applied to, and I so happy to be done with applications that I forgot to remind my referee so it's partly my fault. Damn it.
Oh man, that's frustrating
Sorry that happened to you.
The good news is that it looks like you've got a few interviews already and several other schools you're waiting to hear back from, so that's great! I know it's hard, but try not to dwell on your U of M application
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6 minutes ago, robyn94 said:
No problem. I'm in the same boat! Also, I noticed in your signature that you have an interview at Manitoba... if you don't mind me asking, when did they get back to you?
Of course I don't mind you asking
! U of M emailed me Monday morning with the interview offer
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26 minutes ago, robyn94 said:
I have also heard nothing from UofT, for those of you who are wondering. If they are following the same schedule as last year, then UofT should extending interview offers very soon! As far as UBC goes, I sent them an email on Monday to ask when they will be sending us a confirmation email, and they responded that it will be sometime this week.
Thanks for the update! Glad to hear it will be sometime this week, as I didn't want to book my flight until my date/time is confirmed.
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Hi all! I am new to this forum - I've been following it for about a week, but decided it's about time I post something.
Congratulations to those of you who have been offered interviews! And I'm sorry and can empathize with those of you who didn't receive any interviews. I applied to 3 programs last year and did not receive any interviews, so I know how it feels!
For those that have mentioned not hearing back from UofT yet, I also haven't heard anything either way (interview or rejection). I was offered an interview at UBC and signed up in the online poll, but my date and time has not yet been confirmed either. I emailed them today to find out when they will send out confirmations.
Genetic Counseling Fall 2018 Applicants
in Biology
Posted
Sorry that you didn't receive any interviews this past cycle - I understand that can be very frustrating. It's great to see that you are dedicated to improving your application and reapplying for 2018!
Your research experience and volunteer position with a genetic counsellor sounds like a great experience to add to your applications. Does this role involve any counselling/advocacy work on your end, or have you had any other counselling experience in the past? If not, I think that doing the CTL counselling will be a good experience that will definitely help with your applications for next cycle. My understanding is that virtually all programs require you to have some counselling and/or advocacy experience, and this will hopefully help you to get some interviews next year.
As for LORs as a second time applicant - most of the programs that I reapplied to required new letters. One program was willing to use the letters from the previous application cycle, but my references chose to re-write their letters. I think if you have new experiences (e.g. counselling) that are really important for your application, it is best to have references re-write their LORs and touch on the skills, etc that you gained. However, reaching out to the programs that you are applying to and asking their policies for LORs for second time applicants is probably the best place to start!