McMaster’s Bachelor of Health Sciences (BHSc) program is known to provide a unique interdisciplinary approach to health, wellness, and illness.
Written by Megan Liang
General Information
The BHSc program requires a minimum Gr. 12 admission average of 90% for consideration. The pre-requisite courses include:
Biology (SBI 4U)
Chemistry (SCH 4U)
English (ENG 4U)
one non-math, non-science, non-tech course
one of Advanced Functions (MHF 4U), Calculus and Vectors (MCV 4U), or Data Management (MDM 4U)
one additional U/M course
Supplemental applications will be reviewed for those who meet the minimum grade and course requirements. A combination of grades and supplementary application scores will be used to determine if an applicant will receive an offer of admission. Thus, a high average in the required course requirements does not guarantee an offer of admission! It is necessary to have a strong supplementary application as well! Here are five tips on how to write a strong supplementary application which will help you get into BHSc at McMaster:
1) Be YOURSELF!
This may sound overly cliché, but the most important thing to remember is to be YOU!! Don’t try to craft your answers towards what you think the admission officers want to hear. Be CREATIVE and true to YOURSELF! Deeply consider the questions being posed, think about what they mean to you and draw from a breadth of knowledge that will set you apart from others!
2) Start EARLY!
Each year, the BHSc supplementary application questions are released in early September. Even if you don’t actually start writing your application, get a head start by reviewing the questions and start brainstorming possible ideas and perspectives to take! Your ideas will definitely evolve over time, so it’s a good idea to have the questions at the back of your head to think about!
3) Provide evidence and be unique in your thought process!
Always provide evidence for your thought processes and ideas! Provide evidence on why and how you thought about a certain idea! It is important to thoroughly explain how your ideas came to be. There are no right or wrong answers, rather they are looking to see your thought process, ideas and perspectives you come up with!
4) Cohesion and Conciseness!
Make sure your writing is clear, concise and cohesive! Stay short and sweet and get to the point as quickly as possible! Make sure to not drag on your sentences by crafting well thought out and effective responses. This will ensure that the markers do not have to read your application several times to understand the point you are trying to convey!
5) Re-write and edit!
Re-write, edit, re-write, edit, re-write again and again!! Write several drafts and get feedback from others! You will notice that your final draft will be very different from your first draft, therefore keep re-writing and editing to make your responses the best they can be!
Conclusion
The BHSc supplementary application does not ask you to list or talk about your extracurricular activities or leadership positions, however, you may choose to draw upon your personal experiences while crafting the BHSc application. Write about things you’re truly passionate about, let your personality shine, and don’t forget to have fun! - you all have a story no one can tell!
Works Cited
"Admissions To Level 1 And Level 2 Transfer | Mcmaster BHSC". Mcmaster BHSC, 2020, https://bhsc.mcmaster.ca/future-students/admissions/. Accessed 14 Aug 2020.
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