Thread: What are my chances for admission to Saba University School

This is certainly not meant to provide the definitive answer to the question:

"Can I get in with these stats?"


I know from experience though that the question weighs heavily on some folks' minds, so I thought it might be good to place this thread at the top.

I always encourage potential applicants to give the folks at Gardner a call for the best advice about admissions, but I also encourage current students and potential students to chime in with their own stories and their own information about applying and being admitted to Saba.

Give it a shot 8)


Best of Luck to Us All!

Originally Posted by seattle

I went back to read thru the earlier posts so I have a general understanding of your particular situation. In fairness to you, I can empathize that you are the first one to go to college in the U.S. from your family and (assuming) you are young, most people at that age can and do make mistakes in life. In your case, not realizing how to approach faculty about your family circumstances and weighing the options (incomplete, withdrawal, etc.). It is easy to criticize someone else's mistakes on these forums, but quite frankly anyone who had to go the Caribbean route (with the exception of few), had to do so because they had mistakes in their background as well.

Getting into medical school is a strategy in itself. And that is where you and Rokshana (I believe) are approaching the strategy from different angles. Meaning, you are looking at how can I best simulate a medical school rigor (in your opinion by taking a heavy courseload). What Rokshana is saying is OK that may be true, but it is equally important to only take what you can handle because the bottom line to getting in is the GPA. It is better to get a 3.5 taking less credit hours than taking more and receiving a 2.8. The ability to handle heavy courseload is important and something medical school look at (especially U.S. versus Caribbean)...BUT it is better to take a easier courseload and get a higer GPA than the other way around. That is where the admission committees become unforgiving....a rather big dichotomy in what they say and what they do behind closed doors...but few youngsters realize this the first time around.

When Rokshana refers to "responsible behavior" what she is saying is that when you first realized that you could not focus on your courses due to a death in the family, it would have been wise to immediately approach your professors and inform them of the situation and ask for what would be the options since you felt your grades may suffer. I understand the statement that you did not have a choice in courseload (it was pre-set), but when you first determined a problem in focusing was the time you should have approached you professors. Again, it is easy to criticize someone else for what may seem obvious, but that is life - people make mistakes....just learn from them that is what is important.

Now having said all this, your learning lesson is this as it applies to basic sciences in medical school - eventhough you will have a pre-set curriculum each semester, the instance you feel you are overwhelmed and need to slow down, do not be shy...be proactive and approach your instructors. They will obviously realize based on the block exam scores each 3 weeks (at Saba), but one thing about Saba I observed when on the island is that the instructors do NOT approach you even if you are struggling thru the semester. It is only after receiving a failure for the entire course will they inform you that you are in trouble. "Responsibility" in this context means understanding your limitations (physical and mental), finding the correct balance (as much as is possible or in your control such as varying your schedule) and proactively and clearly communicating the situtation to those who need to know. Very, very important to always carry this thru your educational and lifetime career.

Now before I stated getting into medical school is a strategy. It differs for each individual based on your capacity to learn. Well, guess what....Saba also has a strategy on how to filter down the incoming class to who is best prepared to ace the Step 1 exam. And they have methods to do so (e.g. vary exam difficulty level each semester). In December, 2009, Saba changed it's policies to mandate that each student must take the pre-set courseload and can only decelerate IF failure occurs in a course. In other words, you have to pretty much sit thru the entire 15 week course and fail it to be able to slow down. That is NOT an ideal strategy to take from the perspective of the student. But that is how it is at Saba. They are extremely rigorous and very unforgiving primarily because their strategy is to eliminate the students who cannot take multiple, extremely volume packed courses simultaneously, with simultaneous block exams back to back every 3rd Monday of the 15 week semester. People do fail out of this program all the time. Some fail 2 courses in a semester and are dismissed. Others fail 1 course and are held back. It is the way this school works. Does that mean you cannot become a physician...NO not at all. What it does say is that Saba's strategy in how they devise their curriculum and exam methods is not suited for everyone's learning style and capacity. So, know this ahead of time and choose a school wisely.

Now, given this information - decide for yourself if you can handle mutliple, very difficult biology based courses simultaneously and take all exams on the same day back to back every 3 weeks, and finally a cummulative exam at the end of the 15 week semester. If this is something you feel you can tackle....be honest with yourself...then go to Saba. If not, this is not a program I would suggest. It is a very diffcult path. But given you received a 31 on the MCAT gives me the impression you can handle cumulative exams well.

very well said...though my point wasn't so much to criticize the mistakes (you're right a lot of that comes from being young...when we are young we want to get everything done NOW!!!) but to point out that not CHANGING things when there is a problem...the thing that every interviewer (from med school to residency programs) looks for is ...does the applicant realize that his weaknesses are , take ownership of his weaknesses, and did he find a way to fix it? Everyone makes mistakes (and as you said, most of us are here because of those said mistakes) but you have to learn from those mistakes and not continue repeating them to overcome them.

and to the OP, realize that there are a number of options...saba has one model, ross another, sgu, yet another...you need to see which one fits YOUR way of learning...because success at this point is important and the difference of success and failure could simply be having picked a school that doesn't suit the way you learn...

Originally Posted by seattle

In December, 2009, Saba changed it's policies to mandate that each student must take the pre-set courseload and can only decelerate IF failure occurs in a course. In other words, you have to pretty much sit thru the entire 15 week course and fail it to be able to slow down.

Well, no, you CAN drop one course, but that places you on academic probation. If you drop within the first 2 or so weeks, you're on probation for one semester. If you drop after that, or fail, you're on probation for two - which means that if you fail or drop anything else, you're gone.

hello

I recently graduated from the University of Toronto with:

3.10 cGPA, and
3.14 Science GPA

However I have NOT written MCAT and do NOT have extensive hospital work/research experience. I do have loads of extra-curricular experience in and out of school (sports clubs, health clubs, social clubs etc.) but limited direct patient exposure.

I am also applying to Windsor and St. James but my interest lies mainly with SABA, mainly due to the fact that its approved in all 50 states.

What do you guys think my chances are for September 2012?

.........anyone?

Just got admitted with 3.00cGPA 2.6sGPA with 31MCAT, felt I had mediocre interview, if that helps.

@toronto_md: Honestly, your GPA is unimpressive without an MCAT to back it up. You might have a shot, but September is when a lot of the younger crowd applies, which ups the competition against you - Jan/May would give you a better chance. At any rate, give it a shot and see what they say - if there's one thing Saba's great for, it's how quickly they look at your application.

Also, why no MCAT?

@Rest of the world: And what's up with people not taking that thing if they're trying to get into medical school? Am I missing something?

Originally Posted by Weddell

@toronto_md: Honestly, your GPA is unimpressive without an MCAT to back it up. You might have a shot, but September is when a lot of the younger crowd applies, which ups the competition against you - Jan/May would give you a better chance. At any rate, give it a shot and see what they say - if there's one thing Saba's great for, it's how quickly they look at your application.

Also, why no MCAT?

@Rest of the world: And what's up with people not taking that thing if they're trying to get into medical school? Am I missing something?

Initially I was only looking at windsor and st. james due to low fees...they do not require MCAT so I didn't bother. What's the average MCAT score they require normally? And as you said they look at the application fast...if I apply for the JANUARY semester NOW without the MCAT, would they still look at the application ASAP or would they put it on hold until after the September semester starts (I know I should be asking this question from the admissions committee instead lol but your inputs are welcomed)

They don't seem to put off the applications like that, no, which is a big bonus - you'll still be interviewed within a couple of weeks, even if it's for January. Whether or not they'll accept you without the MCAT is something I can't comment on - the couple of people I know who got in without writing it had GPAs in the 3.3-3.5 range. That said, your GPA isn't that bad - mine was lower when I applied - and an impressive MCAT score can make you a solid candidate for any of the big 4 (it would have to be a pretty good score though). Despite the higher costs, keep in mind that in the end, certain schools will still be leading the pack in terms of clinicals and residency. A slightly higher student loan amount may be well worth it for the opportunities the Big 4 can offer you, compared to the smaller/lesser known schools. However, that's my personal opinion, so take it with a grain of salt.

In terms of MCAT, from what I have observed over the years (SGU, AUC, Ross, Saba) will accept an applicant with a score around 24 or higher (with 8 on each subsection). That is usually sufficient with a science GPA accompanying around 3.30+. For those on here who have MCAT scores of 30+, that is great but a score in the mid-20's with no subsection score that is well below other subsections (< 8) will get you accepted in most cases. Again, as I have said many times before these are all business models first and foremost...they accept much more easily than North American programs and then leave the instructors to weed individuals out early in the program.

So, for all prospectives (I should really start a new thread on this since it is worth the effort) it is not only important to look at science GPA, but the circumstances under which you obtained that GPA says a lot about your potential for success in these programs and especially at Saba (but also applies to the other Big 3 - AUC, Ross, SGU).

(1) It is much more likely that one will succeed with minimal hurdles IF you have taken multiple science courses SIMULTANEOUSLY rather than attaining a high science GPA taking only 1 course at a time and spreading it out over a longer duration. Saba's curriculum is voluminous and intensive - where you will be taking several difficult subjects simultaneously with exams every 3 weeks on the SAME day back to back. Does your undergraduate background reflect such a modality in intensity?

(2) Turn time to learn and retain the knowledge in each subject is minimal. Three weeks seems on the surface to be sufficient, but it goes by very quickly since you are in classes several hours each day. That leaves just a few hours each evening and burnout occurs very quickly. Five block exam sessions each 3 weeks apart for a total of 15 week semester followed by cumulative exams at the end. That is just 1 semester! Then think about doing it all over again 4 more times followed by a cumulative NBME exam just to qualify to sit for USMLE Step 1.

(3) Take the MCAT! I am not a proponent of the content knowledge as much as I am the various levels of cognitive functioning that underpins this exam and attempts to predict one's ability to handle medical school rigor and lengthy cumulative exams such as NBME, and USMLE Step 1. If you struggle with the MCAT or have to take it several times to achieve a respectable score -then that is a warning sign of what lies ahead!

In other words, be HONEST with yourself and your limitations. Many have said on these forums, "work hard and rest will fall into place". That is way oversimplifying the reality of these schools. These programs are extremely intense and are aimed at admitting way more students than will get thru the program. Working hard is one component but not the underlying success criterion. The base criterion that predicts success are outlined as (1), (2), and (3) above. Is this reflective of your application and experience as an undergraduate student? Think this through carefully!

I've just recently submitted my application and got an interview... Can anyone tell me what my chances are? Am I too late to get a spot in the fall 2012?
BSc. Biology (Physiology Specialization) (McMaster!)
cGPA= 3.7 (REALLY screwed up first year...but caught up a bit in 3rd and 4th year)
sGPA=3.63 (if I'm calculating this correctly....)
MCAT PS/VR/**= 9/10/14 R
Lot's of work and research, volunteering, some clinical, experiences.
I applied to Canadian and some US schools. Waitlisted on a Canadian school but [rejected pre-interview] on the US ones . I really don't want to do a Master's program so I guess Caribbean is my only option left...
Help would be greatly appreciated!!! I know Saba is rigorous, but they have one of the most # of people returning to Canada for residencies out of the Caribbean schools.