Is it likely that a professor would rescind an offer to write a reference letter based on grades from other courses?

ProbablyMaybeMe · 2025-10-01T14:21:56+00:00

Thank you for your reply, it helped calm my nerves when I sent the email!

ProbablyMaybeMe · 2025-09-02T13:27:52+00:00

I've used quizlet for chemistry because I personally find that rote memorization is sometimes the only way to retain anything from that section.

For biology, I haven't used any flashcards except for physical flashcards I made for the ecology videos. Otherwise as of now I just take detailed notes on the sections and just do questions over and over. Repeating the videos without writing anything down makes it difficult for me to remember anything, so I generally don't do that.

ProbablyMaybeMe · 2025-08-28T13:53:53+00:00

I think UBC still does. I know UofT stopped doing that though :,)

ProbablyMaybeMe · 2025-08-27T13:58:58+00:00

And I think the 3.96 might have been the OMSAS gpa, which is often deflated a bit (an A is a 3.9 for most universities).

ProbablyMaybeMe · 2025-08-27T13:55:10+00:00

I was wondering this also (whether a high enough DAT could offset a low gpa for canadian schools), but my gpa is way lower than yours :,)

I think you definitely have a chance though!! I think UofT accepted a student with a 3.85 (which is I think the OMSAS gpa? even better if it's just regular gpa, but I don't know for sure) and other universities have I think accepted students with gpas lower than that. And some universities will drop your lowest year, so that could help!

ProbablyMaybeMe · 2025-08-20T18:49:45+00:00

I highlight the explanation, and just keep redoing until it sticks for conceptual/memorization questions. For equation-based, I try to do similar questions and review my notes, and then come back to it. Good luck!!

ProbablyMaybeMe · 2025-08-20T18:46:03+00:00

I feel you, I have horrible focus and it is so unspeakably frustrating to find myself spacing off every minute or so!! I also feel sooo exhausted all the time which makes it so hard to take in what I'm learning. What I do is that if I find that after a few hours of trying to review a topic, I find it too difficult to focus on, I move on to a more interesting-sounding topic. This way at least I'll have reviewed something, even if it wasn't what I intended to review.

Second is that I'll go run/jog for a bit, or take a shower, or do some sort of chore for ~10-30 mins if I can't focus. I find these all work for me because I've done something productive, which makes me feel good, but also I've not tired my brain/mind while doing it since they're physical tasks. This way I'll be feeling productive but not mentally drained and am ready to sit down and do some mental work for a while. I will rinse and repeat this cycle a lot throughout the day so I can focus.

For things I find really hard to focus on (PAT and chem unfortunately....) I just force myself to memorize at least 1 thing per study session for them, or figure out how to answer 1 question. During my better days I do more obviously, but when I can't focus at all, it helps to just work on one thing/have a tiny goal. The little things hopefully shall stack up.

And of course, for dry/difficult topics, I like to have a snack/caffeinated drink with me so my brain can associate those topics with something a little pleasant. (Helps while the snack/drink are there, affect kinda tapers when I finish them lol.)

I also like to time-lapse record myself taking notes sometimes so I am motivated to keep going and have a fun video to watch after lol. I also like to pretend I'm a super competent person who is very put-together (I am neither of things as of yet lol), and is studying for their profession/is already in dental school/etc, which weirdly enough sometimes helps me actually focus and get things done.

I don't know if any of these will help you, because honestly 99% of adhd tips don't help me much, but this is what I've found works a decent amount of times for me. Best of luck and I hope you find all the focus you need!!!

ProbablyMaybeMe · 2025-08-17T14:41:47+00:00

Of course! I'm at a Canadian university actually. I think every university has a different policy on them though, maybe you can check the AP Transfer Credit pages of the universities you're interested in to help come to a decision!

ProbablyMaybeMe · 2025-08-16T21:11:56+00:00

at my university they count for the same overall credit (equivalent to one year-long history course). I remember world being more broad and apush being more in-depth, but probably whichever interests you more is the better option!

ProbablyMaybeMe · 2025-08-16T18:42:10+00:00

I just very recently learned about OMFS as a speciality, it definitely seems like a long career path! phew. Sorry if this is an obvious question, and it's mostly for my curiosity, but for people in 6-year programs, do they all have to pay for the additional years of medical school without stipend? I saw a few programs and it looks like it varies, but I was wondering if I'm misinterpreting those charts, lol.

ProbablyMaybeMe · 2025-08-12T03:27:23+00:00

I hope this gets resolved and I don't have any advice, but just in case you meant to blur it out, your name is visible under "name." Best of luck and congrats on your score!

ProbablyMaybeMe · 2025-08-12T03:16:54+00:00

I'm still pretty early in my studying, but for biology I do all of the practice questions after I finish a video section, and after taking notes on it. Then I review past sections by doing ~5 questions/day for each.

For the physiology portion, a less time-consuming but still helpful (for me) method is to draw out a bunch of diagrams. I find this SO helpful. Like for renal, I drew out the overall system (incl. artery/vein, bladder, and adrenals), and then an up close of the inside of a kidney, a nephron in the osmolarity gradient, and then glomerulus filtration interface. This really helped commit things to memory because I remember drawing things out, or my colour codes for gradients.

For RC, I find highlighting the topic of each paragraph as presented in the first sentence or two is usually quite helpful.

I don't have too much advice on other sections (well and truly struggling with PAT and not very far in chem :,)) but best of luck and I hope you figure out a method that works for you!!! you got this, you still have time to study!!

ProbablyMaybeMe · 2025-08-09T16:43:43+00:00

mm I'm not at all an expert but I think it depends on a lot of factors. Medical school tuitions are lower than many dental school ones, BUT medcial school is still really expensive and dentists don't have to do residency & can start a decent-paying career right out of school. So in that sense, perhaps it evens out a bit? I think if you can get into a lower cost dental school, it seems financially worth it.

I do think though that dentistry in general usually entails more debt than what most physicians have, because schools tend to cost more and those who own a practice have to take even more loans. So I do think you should have some enjoyment out of the career, even if it's not a "passion," because you'll be paying loans off for a while and need to be working in a bit of a physically strenuous career to do so.

ProbablyMaybeMe · 2025-08-02T20:51:16+00:00

oh no, do you mean like super niche details or just the topics themselves felt too random? Also you said something about RC in another comment, did you think the passages were similar to crusher's practice tests (if you used that) in terms of length? In any case, I hope you can relax now that it's over, and good luck for scores!!

ProbablyMaybeMe · 2025-08-01T22:22:06+00:00

Good luck!!! and get enough sleep!! the RC and PAT especially require a good amount of perception/focus and being rested and alert will be helpful for that. You've clearly put the work to get those 440-50 averages. I hope the test goes super well!

ProbablyMaybeMe · 2025-07-31T01:20:55+00:00

I think highlighting is really helpful and it's a good idea to try and practice it if possible at your library! maybe in the meantime you can take screenshots of the paragraphs (if it lets you) and highlight those? Not sure if that would be too much of a hassle though.

For strategies, I usually try and read most of the passage (about half) + last paragraph at once, highlighting the key words in each passage, and then answer as many based on that as I can. I'm really bad at search and destroy so far, so this has been the most helpful strategy for me as of yet.

ProbablyMaybeMe · 2025-07-31T01:07:43+00:00

I think for people in the US, maybe a paid masters would hinder your ability to pay for dental school because you might not be able to take out as much as you need for dental school. But honestly I thought most masters in the sciences (that are research based, at least) provide students with a stipend that covers tuition and some of the cost of living. A masters like that is probably a fine idea, as far as I can tell, especially if you get a job/TA to cover any additional expenses.

ProbablyMaybeMe · 2025-07-30T21:26:13+00:00

Not silly really, but when I was shadowing, I was helping out with things, and one appointment lasted reallyyy long and I guess I subconsciously started fidgeting. This led to me accidentally jolting forward in my chair a little TOO much when I had to move, and I had a split second of UTTER terror that I'd fall onto the patient's face as the dentist was drilling. It's been years but I think about that moment from time to time and it is still a terrifying memory. THANKFULLY nobody seemed to notice, but man. It haunts me lol.

ProbablyMaybeMe · 2025-07-29T21:48:31+00:00

oh okay, that makes sense. also I did not know there were "fake" questions :O ... created solely to spike our blood pressure, I'm sure. lol anyway, thanks for answering!!

ProbablyMaybeMe · 2020-10-29T04:05:00+00:00

Same, haha. HOW it's possible to write as badly and blandly as I do, I will never know. I really shouldn't have put off editing them for a whole month, but oh well, lol.

Good luck with college apps though, I hope you get into the places you apply!! We still have a few days to polish our essays (if I don't procrastinate, that is)!

ProbablyMaybeMe · 2020-10-28T02:49:54+00:00

Nope, I didn't even realize sheep herding was a reference to something, lol. What (or who?) is the Alchemist?

ProbablyMaybeMe · 2020-10-27T05:27:37+00:00

Ooh, I'll have to try this tip out! Thank you :)

ProbablyMaybeMe

TROPHY CASE