Doing a non-reputable SMP (Montana State)?

[buffdentist]

Hey guys,

I got my first acceptance to a Masters program last week and it was at Montana State University for the M.S. in Health Sciences program. Here's the link to their program: http://www.montana.edu/hpa/graduate/index.html

This program is not talked about much here, but I talked to their admissions department and they said many students who go through this program are highly successful in obtaining admission to professional schools. They don't have statistics since they say they said they have no way to keep in contact with students that graduate, but what do you guys think? Tuition here is super cheap and I really like the kinds of classes they offer. The class size is also super small (3o students).

Appreicate the feeedback guys!

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[DrMidlife]

Public service announcement:

Terminal Masters: a one or two year grad program, usually with a light thesis or no thesis. Tends to be regional. There are THOUSANDS of these programs. Not special.

SMP: SPECIAL masters program which is hosted at a medical school. A kind of terminal masters. Usually includes med school coursework taken with med students. Tends to be easy for med/dent schools to understand. Tends to be recognizable coast to coast. There are about 20 of these programs.

It's important to recognize that many people mean "nearby" or "convenient" when they use SMP to describe a terminal masters program.

 

[DrMidlife]

As for the Montana program, all you have to care about is whether UWash considers it reputable. Look for UWash students from Montana who have done the program.

The program is selling itself to you, and their response about not tracking grads but "golly our grads do great!" is asinine.

Regardless, if you're from a WWAMI state or WICHE state, your big fat #1 priority is to get into one of the schools that gives you instate tuition.

Best of luck to you.

 

[buffdentist]

As for the Montana program, all you have to care about is whether UWash considers it reputable. Look for UWash students from Montana who have done the program.

The program is selling itself to you, and their response about not tracking grads but "golly our grads do great!" is asinine.

Regardless, if you're from a WWAMI state or WICHE state, your big fat #1 priority is to get into one of the schools that gives you instate tuition.

Best of luck to you.

Haha after I posted the thread, I read a few more and realized what the actual meaning of SMP was, but thanks for clearing it up. What's your opinion on a non SNP 1 year Masters then if don't get into a real SNP? Wouldn't it be more worthwhile just to stay in my state and take graduate level classes as a non-degree seeking student to save money? I mean I could care less about cost as I am willing to do anything to make my dream come true, but if there is no added benefit of moving away from home then what's the point of spending extra money? My only goal is to keep improving my academic credentials. I have excellent extracurricular's and LOTS of relevant volunteer experience.

 

[DrMidlife]

seriously: look for UWash students (such as dental students) who did the Montana program. and then look for grads of the Montana program at the other WICHE dental schools.

if you find some, try to get their input.

if you can't find any, then you have no basis to believe the Montana program will help you.

and just don't even say you don't care about cost. $500k student debt is a real thing. which should completely terrify you and motivate you to get nothing but A's.

 

[sazerac]

The thing is, you can't compare this program to an SMP. This program will lose, every time. The question is, if you compare this program to just taking classes at some university, will this official program win?

I was in a similar situation as you, in 2010. In fact, I lived kind of close to Bozeman at the time. I just couldn't justify the cost, and went to Billings instead to work on my additional coursework.

I just don't get the MSU-Bozeman official programs. I am convinced there are better options both above (SMP) and below (DIY) it.

 

[buffdentist]

The thing is, you can't compare this program to an SMP. This program will lose, every time. The question is, if you compare this program to just taking classes at some university, will this official program win?

I was in a similar situation as you, in 2010. In fact, I lived kind of close to Bozeman at the time. I just couldn't justify the cost, and went to Billings instead to work on my additional coursework.

I just don't get the MSU-Bozeman official programs. I am convinced there are better options both above (SMP) and below (DIY) it.

Thanks for getting back to me! It's ok I won't have to make that call. I got into the dental scholars program at Rutgers the other day which is essentially a true SMP although only 2-3 classes can be taken at their dental school.

 

[RxStudentatUB]

Hey guys,

I got my first acceptance to a Masters program last week and it was at Montana State University for the M.S. in Health Sciences program. Here's the link to their program: http://www.montana.edu/hpa/graduate/index.html

This program is not talked about much here, but I talked to their admissions department and they said many students who go through this program are highly successful in obtaining admission to professional schools. They don't have statistics since they say they said they have no way to keep in contact with students that graduate, but what do you guys think? Tuition here is super cheap and I really like the kinds of classes they offer. The class size is also super small (3o students).

I expect I will get admitted to more "reputable" programs, but I really like this program and it's not that far from the state I live in. I also have a friend who is in the chemical engineering program there and he strongly recommends I consider MSU as the science programs are good.

My stats:
First degree (chem): 2.6 overall / 2.5 science
Post-bac degree (bio, all upper divison): 3.8 overall / 3.8 science
DAT: 19 AA (85th percentile overall), 19 TS, 21 Reading, 19 PAT & 95th percentile on mathematics

Appreicate the feeedback guys!

Solid percentile on the math. How does that convert to a score out of 30?

 

[buffdentist]

Solid percentile on the math. How does that convert to a score out of 30?

It was only a 20 which made no sense to me, but I guess it was a hard section since the high percentile corresponded with a low score.