How early can McGill application begin? Any suggestions / lessons learned by other US high school applicants is appreciated! I have not seen anything reflecting early admissions, etc.
Thanks!
My daughter applied to McGill 2020-2021 cycle. She submitted in October and heard back in early January. Non binding. They accept based on GPA and test scores mainly so you should have a good idea of acceptance chances. She applied to two different programs and was accepted to both. Good luck!!!
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McGill sends out acceptances over time. Different applicants will hear at different times.
If you apply early and if you are a very strong applicant, then you are more likely to hear back relatively quickly. If you are closer to the cutoff or if you apply later then you will most likely get your results later.
I do know some people who were accepted before they had any senior year grades. All of them applied early and had very good sophomore and junior year grades. Having a high level acceptance early can have one advantage that for some of us it can make the college admissions process a bit less stressful.
However if you do not hear back for a while I would not read anything into it. Results can be delayed for any one of many reasons (“someone in admissions was sick”, and “they were working on a very good merit scholarship offer” being two reasons that I have heard of for admissions results to be a bit delayed).
How are some folks’ students able to apply to multiple programs? My son is applying to two different majors in Faculty of Arts, and the only option the application allows is the Freshman program. He is not able to identify his majors of interest.
My son is filling out the application as well. My understanding is that for Arts, you just select Freshman program in Arts. It works the same way with Arts and Sciences (just one option available for Freshman program).
He can choose an alternate program choice as well, such as Arts and Sciences, Sciences, etc. What are his major interests?
My son filled out the McGill application on October 1. He can see the completed application in horizon.mcgill.ca with the correct email address, but he hasn’t received any sort of confirmation email from them, or any email about how to access Minerva to self-report his grades, etc. Nothing in his spam folder either. Should he contact them for help?
My student reports that the horizon.McGill.Ca url IS Minerva. And if you go to the applicant menu, there’s a link to submit self-reported grades. However, this link returns a message that the grade-reporting won’t be available until November/December.
Hmm, I see what you mean, if I go to horizon.mcgill.ca it gives me a login prompt for Minerva. However, he can’t log in to Minerva with the ID and password that he established when applying on the “Admissions Login” page. I think we need to wait to log in here until he is issued an ID?
Ah- yes. My student got that email with Minerva ID and temporary PIN email on same day as application went in (October 1 like yours). It might be worth dropping them a note.
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We are combing their web site to try to figure out HOW to drop them a note… but don’t see any email address anywhere. Who would he email?
We are looking at these pages: Email Options for McGill Applicants | Service Point - McGill University and Minerva Access Help | Service Point - McGill University
The web site says that “a confirmation of your application, including a 9-digit McGill identification (ID) number, will be sent via e-mail between 24 to 48 hours after submitting your application.” So I am guessing this email should have gone out, but for some reason it is not being received.
We also tried following the PIN reset instruction to select “Forgot ID” on the Minerva login screen. After submitting, the form replied that “A message has been sent to the email address that you have provided,” but no email was received.
Yes, we checked trash and spam…
Edited to add: Filled out the form on this page, too. Will check back in a few days. Minerva Help webform | Service Point - McGill University
There’s also the IT Service Desk at (514) 398-3398. They might be able to help.
In any case, I hope it reduces the urgency to know that the grade self-reporting won’t be functional until November/December anyway. Perhaps consider this a lesson in the patience and perserverence required to manage life at McGill. 
Good luck to you and your student!
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Daughter reports that the info page about US student grade self-reporting has been updated to indicate that the portal for doing so will open tomorrow, November 15.
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McGill student grade self reporting is now open for US applicants. It looks like you can’t actually submit the form until you have first quarter / first semester grades to report.
It seemed to me like they need 1st semester, do you know if 1st quarter grades work?
First quarter grades would definitely work if your school is on a quarter system (they have an option for that).
If the first quarter grade is just an in progress temporary grade, I am not sure. My son did not see an option for entering his in progress first quarter grades for Fall semester.
My daughter just entered 1st quarter grades.
Thanks! Are your daughter’s quarter grades final or in progress (like a semester system)?
Her official transcript has only final grades for the year, though she gets quarterly report cards. So I suppose these are in progress grades.
Freshman program are a set of required course to take in U0 year.
Our son’s school is on a semester system, but he does receive quarter grades which do appear on his final transcript. Does he report those classes as semester classes and use the quarter grades as IP (in-progress) grades? Or does he break it down by quarters and report Q1 grade with the others listed as IP (and no grade)?