I'm honestly freaking out about score releases. I've retaken the SAT 7 times now (including today). Basically I'm from Canada. I had to fly out to the U.S in order to take the ACT. I'm beyond burnt out and done with the SAT. I've been stuck at a 1430 and I really need a higher score for the programs I'm applying to. Before taking the ACT I was consistently getting 35-36 for all of the sections except for math (32-34). I've always been good at math so I assumed I'd be fine when I started studying for the ACT and SAT but for some reason the ACT math has been a bit harder than the SAT. Basically I think the English+Reading sections and science section is easier than the SAT R&W BUT I feel like the math is so much more harder even with DESMOS. My parents are so frustrated with me and they keep telling me how much they've spent on SAT test fees, tutors and flying out the the U.S (rental cars, hotels, flights, food etc...). They said that they won't support me on anymore retakes if I don't get a 34+ and they'll make me work to pay back all the money they spent. Like I've consistently been getting that on all of the practices tests I've taken but honestly it's embarassing how many times I've had to retake the SAT. I do well on the practice tests (1500+) but then I flake on the real thing.

I honestly felt a lot better coming out of the ACT than the SAT but I don't know tbh. It's just been so long and not a day has gone by without thinking about this. Honestly September was probably the worst month of my life. I took the August SAT then the September SAT then the ACT in the U.S then the UCAT and honestly I'm so burnt out. I had also signed up for the October SAT right after taking the September SAT since I felt like I could do better. I took it today and honestly I think Math was so much better but I feel like I did terrible on the R&W section. So basically now my only hope is the ACT and this is making me even more nervous. I feel like I'm a nervous wreck. I can't sleep, I can't enjoy anything in life and I feel lifeless trying to write my essays and just working on applications in general. Then so many people at school keep making fun of me for retaking these exams so much (literally no one at my school has taken any US standardized tests or plans to go anywhere outside of Canada). It's always been my dream to go to the U.S but honestly I don't know if I'm cut out for it tbh. Sometimes I just feel like I'm too stupid to succeed.

Honestly any advice is really appreciated and I'm sorry for the long rant...

Hi everyone! I’m a Canadian high school student applying to BS/MD programs in the U.S. and I’ve already built out my BS/MD school list. I’m now trying to build a BS/DMD list as well so I can keep dentistry open as another direct-entry pathway.

I’d really appreciate advice from Canadians/international students who have applied to these programs, especially regarding which schools actually accept Canadian applicants.

Academics

• Full Advanced Bilingual IB Diploma
• Attend a French/English IB school
• 96% overall average
• AP Biology: 4
• AP English Language: 4
• AP French: 5
• IB Biology SL: 6
• SAT: 1430
• Waiting for my ACT score
• Fluent in 4 languages: English, French, Arabic, and Spanish

Healthcare / research

• 400+ hours of physician/dentist shadowing
• Completed a competitive 3-week University of Chicago psychological research program focused on undergraduate-level psychological research
• Currently involved in clinical psychology research involving polyvagal theory and EMDR
• 2+ years involved with the Canadian Association of Public Health Dentistry (CAPHD), including translating materials
• Involved in dental public-health research focused on access to care
• Attended IADR in Barcelona
• Co- Author - Research poster published/presented on access to dental care (dental public health- big research project and STATA analysis ~ also creating flyers, websites, google forms and more)
• Strong interest in healthcare, particularly medicine, psychiatry/family medicine, and improving access to care

Leadership / service

• Founder & Director of a nonprofit teaching underserved/low-income children how to swim
• National Lifeguard, Swim Instructor, and Lifesaving Instructor
• Volunteer ski instructor with CADS , teaching children with disabilities
• MUN leadership/chairing experience, including Harvard MUN-related experience
• Head Prefect of Communication at my school
• Extensive first aid/emergency-response training through lifeguarding

Dental background

Both of my parents are dentists, and my mom is an American diplomat in dentistry. Because of my family background, I’ve had significant exposure to dentistry, and I’ve also developed my own experience through shadowing, CAPHD, dental public-health research, and IADR.

I’m primarily aiming for BS/MD, and I’ve already built my BS/MD list. I’m not necessarily switching away from medicine. I just want to keep my options open and build a strong BS/DMD list alongside it.

For Canadians/international students who have applied to BS/DMD programs:

• Which programs should I be looking into?
• Which BS/DMD programs actually accept Canadian/international applicants?
• Are there programs where my profile would be a reasonable fit?
• Does having an American parent/connection through my mom's dentistry background affect eligibility or residency considerations at all?
• Which programs are known to be particularly open to Canadian applicants?
• Are there any BS/DMD programs I might be overlooking?

I’m mainly looking to build my BS/DMD school list, so I’d especially appreciate specific program recommendations and experiences from other Canadian applicants and others that have gotten in.

Thank you!!

Hi everyone! I’m a Canadian high school student applying to BS/MD programs in the U.S. and I’ve already built out my BS/MD school list. I’m now trying to build a BS/DMD list as well so I can keep dentistry open as another direct-entry pathway.

I’d really appreciate advice from Canadians/international students who have applied to these programs, especially regarding which schools actually accept Canadian applicants.

Academics

• Full Advanced Bilingual IB Diploma
• Attend a French/English IB school
• 96% overall average
• AP Biology: 4
• AP English Language: 4
• AP French: 5
• IB Biology SL: 6
• SAT: 1430
• Waiting for my ACT score
• Fluent in 4 languages: English, French, Arabic, and Spanish

Healthcare / research

• 400+ hours of physician/dentist shadowing
• Completed a competitive 3-week University of Chicago psychological research program focused on undergraduate-level psychological research
• Currently involved in clinical psychology research involving polyvagal theory and EMDR
• 2+ years involved with the Canadian Association of Public Health Dentistry (CAPHD), including translating materials
• Involved in dental public-health research focused on access to care
• Attended IADR in Barcelona
• Co- Author - Research poster published/presented on access to dental care (dental public health- big research project and STATA analysis ~ also creating flyers, websites, google forms and more)
• Strong interest in healthcare, particularly medicine, psychiatry/family medicine, and improving access to care

Leadership / service

• Founder & Director of a nonprofit teaching underserved/low-income children how to swim
• National Lifeguard, Swim Instructor, and Lifesaving Instructor
• Volunteer ski instructor with CADS , teaching children with disabilities
• MUN leadership/chairing experience, including Harvard MUN-related experience
• Head Prefect of Communication at my school
• Extensive first aid/emergency-response training through lifeguarding

Dental background

Both of my parents are dentists, and my mom is an American diplomat in dentistry. Because of my family background, I’ve had significant exposure to dentistry, and I’ve also developed my own experience through shadowing, CAPHD, dental public-health research, and IADR.

I’m primarily aiming for BS/MD, and I’ve already built my BS/MD list. I’m not necessarily switching away from medicine. I just want to keep my options open and build a strong BS/DMD list alongside it.

For Canadians/international students who have applied to BS/DMD programs:

• Which programs should I be looking into?
• Which BS/DMD programs actually accept Canadian/international applicants?
• Are there programs where my profile would be a reasonable fit?
• Does having an American parent/connection through my mom's dentistry background affect eligibility or residency considerations at all?
• Which programs are known to be particularly open to Canadian applicants?
• Are there any BS/DMD programs I might be overlooking?

I’m mainly looking to build my BS/DMD school list, so I’d especially appreciate specific program recommendations and experiences from other Canadian applicants and others that have gotten in.

Thank you!!

Hi everyone,

I took the ACT online so not sure which version of math I had. Did anyone get the question where it's asking which probability indicates the coin toss is the most "unfair". All of the probabilites were 0.9 when reduced. I remember seeing similar questions on the practice test BUT they all had different probabilities for each of the answer choices. Does anyone remember that the right answer was? Thank you!

Hi everyone. I was honestly just looking to hear more about UIW. It seems like a great program but are there any downsides to it. Honestly, I just want to be guaranteed something since in my mind I can always continue my specialty somewhere prestegious. I'm not Christian myself but I've already been involved with my local christian university and I really value and appreciate their beliefs and values so I don't see that being an issue for me. Honestly, I just want to know if it's worth it. I don't want to risk not getting into my dream bs/md program and then being forced to do pre-med. I don't want to deal with all that stress and just want to have to maintain a set average. Any tips/ stories would be very much appreciated!

Hi everyone,

If I submitted my application (EAP) do I have to complete the checklist items before or after a potential interview? Also does anyone know the average wait time between submitting and application and getting an in-person/ online interview? Thanks so much any guidance is incredibly appreciated!!

Hi all,

I'm submitting my application but unsure if I should be test optional or not. I have a 1360 superscore (1350 individual). I have a 4.0 GPA and 4s and 5s for AP and 7s for IB. I have clinical hours, volunteering all of that but scared about my SAT score. I'm retaking it in August but really want to submit my application asap. Any ideas what the average SAT score is for the 4+4 program? Thanks!

Hi all, so I'm just a bit confused with the whole LECOM application process. Since they have well over 50 schools that they partner with for undergrad, can you just keep applying to all of them and then doing their EAP programm like that. Also since they have 5 different campuses to choose from can't you just submit 5 different applications? Does anyone know which undergrad+campus combination is the least competitive with the highest chances of admission. Also since they many different application cycles and interview timelines I'm really confused about this. Honestly I'm confused about the whole thing. I've been scouring their website and this page but it's honestly confusing me a lot. I'm also applying to UChicago ED0 but I would most likely choose LECOM if I had the privilege of getting into both. But I also want to know if it's possible to apply to LECOM and have my descision back before October 15th (ED0 deadline). Thanks yall!

Hi all, so I'm just a bit confused with the whole LECOM application process. Since they have well over 50 schools that they partner with for undergrad, can you just keep applying to all of them and then doing their EAP programm like that. Also since they have 5 different campuses to choose from can't you just submit 5 different applications? Does anyone know which undergrad+campus combination is the least competitive with the highest chances of admission. Also since they many different application cycles and interview timelines I'm really confused about this. Honestly I'm confused about the whole thing. I've been scouring their website and this page but it's honestly confusing me a lot. I'm also applying to UChicago ED0 but I would most likely choose LECOM if I had the privilege of getting into both. But I also want to know if it's possible to apply to LECOM and have my descision back before October 15th (ED0 deadline). Thanks yall!

Hi everyone!

I'm an incoming Senior from Canada, and I'm planning to apply to as many BS/MD (or equivalent direct-entry medical) programs as possible in the U.S. I'm also applying to traditional undergraduate programs as backups and schools in Ireland, Australia and the Caribbean

Since I'm Canadian, physician shadowing and hospital opportunities are much harder to find than they are in the U.S., so I've tried to make the most of every opportunity I've had.

I'd really appreciate any honest feedback on my chances and suggestions for schools I should add.

Demographics

• Gender: Female
• Ethnicity: White (Middle Eastern)
• School: Private IB school
• Applying as an international applicant

Intended Major

Biology / Neuroscience / Psychology / Public Health (depending on the school)

Academics

• 96% overall average
• Full IB Diploma (Advanced Bilingual Program)
• IB Biology HL (Senior Year)
• IB Chemistry HL (Senior Year)
• IB Math AA SL (Senior Year)
• **others courses too but these are all my STEM ones so far (might change up my classes a bit though)
• AP Biology: 4
• IB Bio SL: 6 (remarking so might go up- only 2 points off!!!)
• AP English Language: 4
• AP French Language: 5
• Retaking the SAT (current score isn't where I want it to be)

Clinical / Healthcare Experience

• Certified BLS, First Aid, CPR-C Instructor
• National Lifeguard
• Lifesaving Society Swim Instructor
• Lifesaving Society Lifesaving Instructor
• Currently shadowing physicians at 4 different clinics (they don't have opportunities for lots of hours so that's why I'm going to multiple clinics)
• 150+ hours dental shadowing (my parents are dentists so I've gone to their clinic and also their friend's clinics to shadow- ortho + general dentists)
• Will receive a stong physician LOR
• Hospital volunteering (starting next week- honestly feel like I wasted junior year. I got good grades I guess but I feel like I focused too much on my non-profit and less on volunteering)
• Beginning hospice volunteering next week too (honestly tried to lock in!!- used to volunteer when I was younger but moved- had my mom's best friend battle cancer (unfortunately didn't make it out of hospice)- made me want to become a physician (oncology)
• Non- profit in Egypt which helps underpriviledged kids to receive free visits to cardiologists. Helped with paperwork, shadowing doctors (when I visited Egypt) and creating care packages

Research

• University of Chicago Summer Session (Psychology)
• Conducting psychology research related to polyvagal theory and EMDR (currently the only high school student on both research projects)
• Expecting a strong recommendation from my University of Chicago instructor (who will soon be a professor at UChicago)
• Dental public health research with Burman University-2nd place research poster presentation (only high school student)
• Translations for the Canadian Association of Dental Public Health Dentistry (English to French- recognition at the national conference and help also manage a bit of the social media)
• Attended the IADR in Barcelona (2025)- met with lots of professors and researcher (some connections with Harvard professors)

Leadership / Community Service

Founder & Executive Director — Swimming For All

I founded a nonprofit that provides free swimming lessons to children from low-income families in Central Alberta. We partner with Burman University and FCSS to reduce financial barriers to swimming lessons and promote drowning prevention.

The organization has already been featured by 7+ news outlets, including CBC News, with a CTV feature expected soon.

Other leadership:

• Head Prefect of Communications
• Head Chair, MUN (attended Harvard MUN Canada- inaugural and University of Toronto MUN)
• Certified- CADS Canda Ski Instructor (teaching disabled kids how to ski/ snowboard)
• Volunteer tutor (Schoolhouse + at school)

Other

• Fluent in English, French, Arabic, and Spanish
• DALF C1 (French)
• DELE B1 (Spanish)
• National Lifeguard at two different facilities
• Teach swimming, water safety, BLS, and first aid
• Lifeguarding and emergency response have become one of the biggest reasons I want to pursue medicine- want this to be the main topic of my essay

Letters of Recommendation

• Physician (shadowing)
• University of Chicago psychology instructor
• President of the Canadian Association of Dental Public Health
• Research supervisor(s)- profs supervising
• School teachers- Math and Chemistry

Colleges

BS/MD / Direct Entry

• Brown PLME
• Rice/Baylor
• Case Western PPSP
• Penn State/Jefferson
• Virginia Commonwealth
• Pitt GAP
• Rochester REMS
• Hofstra
• GW
• Stony Brook
• UConn
• (Open to any other recommendations!- honestly I'm willing to apply to every single BS/MD so long as a get 1 acceptance- no preference for any states as I'm willing to go as far as Australia) **also open to direct entry dental programme recommendations

Traditional Undergraduate

• Johns Hopkins
• Duke
• Vanderbilt
• Brown
• WashU
• Northwestern
• UChicago
• Emory
• Boston University
• Case Western

I'd love any honest feedback.

• What do you think my biggest strengths and weaknesses are?
• Are there any BS/MD programs that tend to be more international-friendly?
• Besides improving my SAT, what would you focus on over the next few months?
• (tbh don't know if I have a shot but I guess Ireland is always an option)

Thanks so much!

Hi everyone! wanted to share a community initiative that I've been working on called Swimming For All, a nonprofit that provides free swimming lessons for children from low-income families across Central Alberta.

The program is open to children ages 4–16, with lessons held on Sundays at Burman University in Lacombe. We work in partnership with Burman University to help make swimming and water safety accessible to families who might not otherwise be able to afford lessons.

If you know a family in Central Alberta that could benefit from this program, I'd really appreciate it if you could share it with them. Learning to swim is an important life skill, and we want to make sure cost isn't a barrier.

You can learn more or register here:
https://www.swimmingforall.ca/

We've also recently been featured by:
https://sylvanlakenews.com/2026/07/14/not-for-profit-swimming-for-all-set-to-launch-in-lacombe/

https://centralalbertaonline.com/articles/new-non-profit-offers-free-swim-lessons-to-central-alberta-children

https://pipestoneflyer.ca/2026/07/14/not-for-profit-swimming-for-all-set-to-launch-in-lacombe/

https://lacombeexpress.com/2026/07/14/not-for-profit-swimming-for-all-set-to-launch-in-lacombe/

If anyone has questions about the program, I'd be more than happy to answer them in the comments. This has been in the making for well over 2 years and I'm so grateful for any support. Thanks for helping us spread the word!

Basically this might seem kind of pathetic but I'm 17F. I go to a small private high school and poeple are always making small jokes here and there etc.. I used to go to a big public high school and teacher literally never cared about what anyone would say etc.. like any normla high school. Basically I'm new and didn't really fit in. But basically I had a small group of guys and girls and we always make jokes etc.. with each other. It's reciprocal jabs etc.. making fun but nothing serious or actually "hurtful". Basciallly we were joking around and a guy made fun of me and then another guy came back and I scream "literally look at yourself. No one likes you, you barely show up and no one gives a fuck about you" which was true since he was probably the most hated person in my grade. I didn't realize that one of my favorite and sweetest teachers was there. She looked at me at me super dissapointed and was like"RUDE!!!" All my others teachers understand that it's fine and they know we're joking. Maybe I took it too far but I don't want her to think that I'm actually "rude" and I don't want her to be dissapointed in me and for her to no longer like me just because of this one situation. It just felt so bad since now she thinks I'm some rude bitch or something just because she took it out of context. I said I was sorry and this honestly seems very pathetic but I just don't want to keep thinking about it lots. Any advice is helpful!

Edit: All my friends kept calling me an asshole for what I said. Not sure tbh. I do feel bad but I don't feel like it was really my fault.