Are SMP worth taking just to improve MCAT?

[SandyyCheeks]

I am considering taking the SMP at Loyola or Georgetown in the fall if I am not accepted into medical school this year. My GPA is a 3.7 from a top 12 school, though I do lack science courses aside from the required core classes. My main purposes in taking the SMP is to take more high level science classes to prove to med schools that I can handle them and to help prepare myself to retake the mcat in the spring while at the program. However, it would mean that I would have to wait another year after receiving my masters before matriculation. I am wondering if this is the right decision since it does cost quiet a bit of money and would set me back another 2 years.

I appreciate any advice anyone has on this matter.

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[DrMidlife]

SMP: $50k
Moving cross-country to an SMP and back: around $5k if you own anything
Rigorous MCAT prep: maybe $2500 max and some painful months of work
Taking some more science classes: dunno, look at Berkeley Extension & Harvard Extension for examples

Also med school classes don't help you at all on the MCAT except for bio. (Anecdote: I had to retake the MCAT after my SMP because my score expired. First score BS10PS10VR11. Second score BS12PS8VR11.)

Best of luck to you.

 

[cardio7]

I am a current Georgetown SMP student and I was inclined to write after reading your post.

PLEASE just take an MCAT prep course and steer clear of SMPs if your sole intention is to prepare for the MCAT. An SMP (med + science grad courses) will not provide you with the core physics or chemistry material necessary for an MCAT-level review. These courses are immensely difficult (also graded on a steep curve) and will likely tarnish the 3.7 uGPA I'm sure you've worked hard to achieve. The large amount of student loan debt you will incur also will not be helpful once stacked against your future med loans.

SMPs are designed for students who have decent MCAT scores and need to repair less-than-stellar undergraduate GPAs. Re-taking the MCAT during SMP year is very difficult. If your goal is to take more upper-level science classes, your best bet is to take them at your current university, or if graduated, at your local state university.

Good luck! Feel free to PM me if you have any questions.

 

[PIacebo]

Just retake the mcat