Georgetown SMP Application Thread for 2016-2017 Class

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Hi Everyone! For people that have an AMCAS from applying this cycle and that did Option A, did you include any updates of activities since completing the AMCAS? If so, did you include this in a document and upload it to the CV section? I have a couple updates and I'm thinking to just upload my updated CV in addition to doing option A. Thanks!

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Wow! Bang on! Thank you for your post. I am collecting rejection letters from the medical school I applied to and am wondering what my next step should be.
 
Wow! Bang on! Thank you for your post. I am collecting rejection letters from the medical school I applied to and am wondering what my next step should be.

I am replying to thirdtimescharm's post in this thread. Sorry if the "quote" did not display.
 
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Current SMP here too and I just wanted to share my two cents! (Or ten, sorry this is long!)

I got accepted to an MD program at a school I love back in December, and this cycle has been night-and-day compared to last year (no IIs in 2014 :( )
Overall I think this program works very well for WHAT IT'S DESIGNED TO DO, which is give students an opportunity to prove that they can handle medical-level coursework, with the assumption that this would likely be the biggest reservation that medical schools have about their application.

I know a ton of really amazing people here who came into this program with a solid or even high MCAT, meaningful long-term volunteer commitments, experience working full or part time, quality research experience, significant patient contact experiences, etc and did all of this in addition to an extracurricular activity that meant a lot to us regardless of its "relevance" in medicine (Ie varsity sports, dance, art, music, etc); however, these are also students whose GPAs were getting them thrown out by computers, or discarded before the rest of their applications were even read at most places.

The Georgetown SMP works very well if you feel like you're a student like this because medical schools want to like you, they really do, but they are also investing a lot of time, money and effort training students, and it's fair for them to also want to see proof that you can handle the work in medical school.

Most people I know have had a handful of interviews, and a handful of us have already been accepted (some people at multiple places), but it's still earlyish in the cycle as well. There are unfortunately plenty of people I know who are amazing candidates who haven't interviewed yet, that is true, but as Dr. Mulroney said something to the effect of at orientation:"Getting into medical school is 95% qualifications and 5% magic"

And I know this seems very true and completely frustrating, but the opportunity to interview at Georgetown SOM based on SMP GPA does a lot to take out of the magic factor out of the equation, and seems to give people some sense of control over this process.

And if you're someone who wants to work on their GPA and thinks they should maybe also volunteer more, shadow, do more clinical work, etc, then I'd say to maybe be a little more patient and more prepared for this to turn out to be a two year process if there was a second "hole" in your application besides the GPA. The downtown program here does a lot of those types of activites during the year, and I know people feel very prepared to take the MCAT again after the program if that's where you think the issue is, so be patient!

I DO NOT think this program is any harder than my undergraduate institution was. The multiple choice exams and the exam frequency takes some getting used to, but it's really interesting stuff, and I definitely feel like I've had plenty of time to have a life this year outside of studying. It's a little bit of a fallacy that hours spent studying= grades. You definitely have to put the time in, sure, but that doesn't mean you can't spend a few hours each day working out, hanging out with friends, or exploring the city either.

I know this was really long, but this site in general could use some positivity, so I'll leave you with this:
At the Georgetown SOM reunion weekend in the fall, I was talking to an SMP from the 1980s (who went on to graduate from Georgetown med) and he said "It's always a pleasure meeting and working with SMPs, because you all were people. And taking a little extra time to get to medical school, that sort of tenacity is fantastic. I mean I''ll NEVER send a patient to the kid who spent four years of college locked in the library every single day, but I would send a patient to anyone I met during the SMP year in a heartbeat"

Obviously if you can get in without the program and save yourself $50k, definitely DO THAT instead, but if you don't get in, or think you won't with the credentials you have, this year is a lifesaver.

Free to message me with any additional questions!
Current SMP here too and I just wanted to share my two cents! (Or ten, sorry this is long!)

I got accepted to an MD program at a school I love back in December, and this cycle has been night-and-day compared to last year (no IIs in 2014 :( )
Overall I think this program works very well for WHAT IT'S DESIGNED TO DO, which is give students an opportunity to prove that they can handle medical-level coursework, with the assumption that this would likely be the biggest reservation that medical schools have about their application.

I know a ton of really amazing people here who came into this program with a solid or even high MCAT, meaningful long-term volunteer commitments, experience working full or part time, quality research experience, significant patient contact experiences, etc and did all of this in addition to an extracurricular activity that meant a lot to us regardless of its "relevance" in medicine (Ie varsity sports, dance, art, music, etc); however, these are also students whose GPAs were getting them thrown out by computers, or discarded before the rest of their applications were even read at most places.

The Georgetown SMP works very well if you feel like you're a student like this because medical schools want to like you, they really do, but they are also investing a lot of time, money and effort training students, and it's fair for them to also want to see proof that you can handle the work in medical school.

Most people I know have had a handful of interviews, and a handful of us have already been accepted (some people at multiple places), but it's still earlyish in the cycle as well. There are unfortunately plenty of people I know who are amazing candidates who haven't interviewed yet, that is true, but as Dr. Mulroney said something to the effect of at orientation:"Getting into medical school is 95% qualifications and 5% magic"

And I know this seems very true and completely frustrating, but the opportunity to interview at Georgetown SOM based on SMP GPA does a lot to take out of the magic factor out of the equation, and seems to give people some sense of control over this process.

And if you're someone who wants to work on their GPA and thinks they should maybe also volunteer more, shadow, do more clinical work, etc, then I'd say to maybe be a little more patient and more prepared for this to turn out to be a two year process if there was a second "hole" in your application besides the GPA. The downtown program here does a lot of those types of activites during the year, and I know people feel very prepared to take the MCAT again after the program if that's where you think the issue is, so be patient!

I DO NOT think this program is any harder than my undergraduate institution was. The multiple choice exams and the exam frequency takes some getting used to, but it's really interesting stuff, and I definitely feel like I've had plenty of time to have a life this year outside of studying. It's a little bit of a fallacy that hours spent studying= grades. You definitely have to put the time in, sure, but that doesn't mean you can't spend a few hours each day working out, hanging out with friends, or exploring the city either.

I know this was really long, but this site in general could use some positivity, so I'll leave you with this:
At the Georgetown SOM reunion weekend in the fall, I was talking to an SMP from the 1980s (who went on to graduate from Georgetown med) and he said "It's always a pleasure meeting and working with SMPs, because you all were people. And taking a little extra time to get to medical school, that sort of tenacity is fantastic. I mean I''ll NEVER send a patient to the kid who spent four years of college locked in the library every single day, but I would send a patient to anyone I met during the SMP year in a heartbeat"

Obviously if you can get in without the program and save yourself $50k, definitely DO THAT instead, but if you don't get in, or think you won't with the credentials you have, this year is a lifesaver.

Free to message me with any additional questions!

Thank you for this post too. These posts are exactly the kind of perspective I need right now.
 
Did they let you know by email/call, or did it update on the site?

Got an email from the SMP first that offered the acceptance, email also stated that the Graduate school would later send an acceptance offer via the application portal (which I assume is where the deposit would be made).
 
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Got an email from the SMP first that offered the acceptance, email also stated that the Graduate school would later send an acceptance offer via the application portal (which I assume is where the deposit would be made).
See you in August :)
 
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Random question...so I know that ~85% of people in the SMP get into MD and DO schools every year. Does anyone know what percentage of those people get into DO vs MD programs?
 
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Random question...so I know that ~85% of people in the SMP get into MD and DO schools every year. Does anyone know what percentage of those people get into DO vs MD programs?

That is something I would like to know as well, I don't believe they release that info but that might be a question to ask Amy directly since she might know. :)
 
Hi guys,
looking for some advice here

mcat: 498 (retaking in April), cGPA: 3.64, sGPA: 3.44

research: 1st author publication in progress, another publication but listed as 5th author
I have other great ECs

I was wondering if i should apply for the SMP based on my gpas, I'm hoping for a 508+ on my mcat retake

thanks!
 
Hi guys,
looking for some advice here

mcat: 498 (retaking in April), cGPA: 3.64, sGPA: 3.44

research: 1st author publication in progress, another publication but listed as 5th author
I have other great ECs

I was wondering if i should apply for the SMP based on my gpas, I'm hoping for a 508+ on my mcat retake

thanks!

Your sGPA is borderline - but your MCAT is what is holding you back. Do not retake it until you are consistently scoring in your target range on practice tests. If you can get a good MCAT, I would think that you would be competitive for medical school without the SMP, but you could always apply to SMPs as a backup.
 
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Thank you so much for the information.
I'm surprised to find out that majority of people did not even get an interview.
I have a couple of questions.

2. Did most of students apply top tier medical schools?

3. Any tip for courses? like study habit or anything.

4. Do you feel like Georgetown SMP has less connection with Georgetown Medicine compared to other comparable SMPs such as Boston U, Loyola, UC, Tuft?

2. I don't know what most people do, but if you're desperate enough to do this program, it's not a great idea to apply to top tiers.

3. Study now so you don't have to do this program. Lol. But really, find a good balance between studying and having fun. It can be done.

4. Georgetown SMP absolutely has a connection with the SOM. The people in the program are automatically small pooled, separate from the regular applicant pool. The top 2/5 or something IN THE PROGRAM get interviews with GUSOM in the spring. Hope that helps.

General advice would be to do your research on this program/others like it to make sure that this is what you absolutely need. Also, don't come into the program and think that if you 4 point your classes here you will get in the same year. The chances are higher, yes, but as Dr. M keeps saying "expect this to be a 2 year process." A lot of schools will not fully appreciate your progress/grades in this program until the year is over.
 
I hope they let us know soon...I was complete on Dec 28, got an "under review" email on Jan 5...I emailed them to check on the status and they said the snow delayed them, and to expect a decision this week or next! :shrug:
 
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I am in a very similar situation to @itsallgood92 I am a senior and I have a 3.52 (after junior year) and after doing some calculations I will have a 3.6-3.63 after my senior year with sGPA being 3.5-3.53. My MCAT was a 503 (127/123/126/127), which I am obviously going to retake. I just heard that doing an SMP shows you can handle the rigor of the M1 courseload. I was also thinking of doing a post-bacc and increasing my gpa to a 3.7 cGPA and 3.6 sGPA. I just feel kinda lost on what I should do for my gap year. Any advice would be appreciated!
Liked for mayday malone
 
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Hi guys,
looking for some advice here

mcat: 498 (retaking in April), cGPA: 3.64, sGPA: 3.44

research: 1st author publication in progress, another publication but listed as 5th author
I have other great ECs

I was wondering if i should apply for the SMP based on my gpas, I'm hoping for a 508+ on my mcat retake

thanks!

Honestly, even though your sGPA is not AMAZING, if you get a strong MCAT and APPLY EARLY and broadly I definitely do not think you need an SMP. An SMP is for people like myself who have a terrible gpa we're talking 2.7-3.3. With your GPAs and my MCAT I wouldnt even be looking at an SMP right now lol.
 
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I have a few questions that have been bugging me the past few weeks that I was wondering someone could possibly help me out with. First of all, I haven't taken the MCAT and am currently registered for the April test. Would this delay my application until then essentially? Second, my GPA as of applying will be around a 3.4 to 3.5. Assuming I get a high MCAT, is this GPA in range for an SMP applicant? Thanks so much
 
My MCAT 2015 is 87th percentile, but my undergraduate GPA isn't competitive. sGPA 3.00 cGPA 3.05. There was a definite upward trend, but my freshman year was a disaster and I had to work full time every other year.

I'm a registered nurse in the critical care units and the emergency department. I have undergraduate research experience and a lot of volunteering experiences. Also, I occupied several leadership roles in extracurricular activities. I have significant ties to the area and I will not have to work during the program or medical school.

I completed my Georgetown SMP application on 02/05/2016. Think I have a shot at admission?
 
What's the significance of the "under review" email? Is it not enough that your application says complete? Does the "under review" email mean they are physically holding your materials and making a decision?
 
How many spots are in a class? What's the average undergrad GPA of your class?

Between both the med and downtown campuses, I believe there a little bit over 200 in our class, >180 in the med campus and 20 ish downtown. The average undergrad GPA is around a 3.2-3.3.
 
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I don't suppose you know the answer to my question about the "under review" email, would you? :)

I got the "Under Review" e-mail in addition to the complete thing, so yes, you need to get that "under review" e-mail.
 
Are there applicants that never receive the "Under Review" email? I promise I'm not a troll. I think I'm anxious.

Totally understandable - it's a stressful process! Good luck, and hopefully you get that "under review" e-mail soon!
 
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Are there applicants that never receive the "Under Review" email? I promise I'm not a troll. I think I'm anxious.

If your stats are well below their cut-offs, or if you have a huge red flag (like a felony conviction), then maybe. But right now they are very busy...I remember last year it took over a month after all of my documents were submitted before getting the "under review" status on my app.
 
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Hey bubbbbaaaaaa!!!!

Thank you for your response. I do not have any red flags. I'll wait patiently. The good people at Georgetown told me the roads were buried under snow for a couple days, but thankfully no one was hurt.


Sent from my iPhone using SDN mobile app
 
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Thank you for the comment!
Can you possibly tell me your mcat score and class standing?
Did you interview at georgetown?

Hello, what made you choose Georgetown's SMP over other post bacc programs? You can PM if you'd like. Thank you so much for the insight.
 
Just wait listed :( . I was complete in January. There is hope though!
 
Current SMP here, love the program, feel free to PM me if you have any questions about my experience.

To folks who are waitlisted:
If you are serious about the SMP you can send the program a letter of interest. Keep it nice and to the point.
 
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I submitted a month ago but wasn't complete until today because of transcript delays. I have had a pretty major application update since then, are they receptive to email updates?
 
@BlastedHeath Email is probably the best way to send in the update. Carrier pigeons are frowned upon. Shoot them an email, it won't hurt. State your name and application status in the beginning, include all of the pertinent update information in the body of the email.
 
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I'm waitlisted and I received an email yesterday afternoon saying my mcat will expire for the upcoming medical application season and asking if I plan to retake and if so when (i took the mcat in aug 2013).
They also said the committee wanted to emphasize I would not be able to work if accepted to the program (I've worked throughout college). I responded to say i completely understand that and did not plan on working. my mcat score is 30. I am kind of worried now they will say they will wait on my application until i retake the mcat, though the wording of the email says it expires for the medical school application cycle.
Has anyone else received a note like this? I just hate waiting and it really strains my planning efforts for the year. :unsure:
 
Hello! I thought I'd give everyone a rough sketch of my profile. It might be helpful for others so they know what students applying for this program are sort of like. Also, when I find out whether I get into the program or not, it might help give an idea of (along with other profiles here) what accepted profiles, rejected profiles, or waitlisted profiles look like.

Completed: 2/29/2016

Rough sketch of my profile:

School:
cGPA: 3.46, sGPA: 3.11, 512 MCAT (87th %tile - first and maybe last try?)

Big public university, liberal arts and life sciences double major, two undergrad journal publications in philosophy (both focused on topics discussed in bioethics), and no basic science research for a significant amount of time

Service:
One health-related service year with emphasis on primary care and mental health (with plenty of shadowing during the service term too!), plenty of service involving children as an undergrad, manager for the large university marching band for two years, and two service-related trips

Other stuff:
Nearly a decade of marching band and drum corps
 
I looked at this page constantly before i got accepted so i thought id give some stats
Under review 1/8/16, accepted 2/18/16
cGPA 3.3, sGPA 3.1, 36 MCAT
 
Good luck everybody!
 
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Hey all,
Just wanted to ask anyone for an opinion on my chances of getting into this program. My application has been under review since 2/22 and I'm hoping I get a response from them in a week or two. It's gonna be a longggg week. o_O

Stats: cGPA 3.0, MCAT 507
worked in the ER for a year as a scribe
Volunteer and shadow experience
Good rec letters from doctors I worked with
 
Hey all,
Just wanted to ask anyone for an opinion on my chances of getting into this program. My application has been under review since 2/22 and I'm hoping I get a response from them in a week or two. It's gonna be a longggg week. o_O

Stats: cGPA 3.0, MCAT 507
worked in the ER for a year as a scribe
Volunteer and shadow experience
Good rec letters from doctors I worked with


Similar to my stats except with a 512 MCAT and I was just waitlisted.
 
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Hey all,
Just wanted to ask anyone for an opinion on my chances of getting into this program. My application has been under review since 2/22 and I'm hoping I get a response from them in a week or two. It's gonna be a longggg week. o_O

Stats: cGPA 3.0, MCAT 507
worked in the ER for a year as a scribe
Volunteer and shadow experience
Good rec letters from doctors I worked with
I think they may ask you to retake the mcat if they end up waitlisting you
 
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Accepted today! I've decided to decline the offer in favor of Cincinnati's SMP, so hopefully someone here gets some good news soon.
 
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Under review 03/08. Still waiting! Expecting to hear back in early April.
 
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