possible Reapplicant...what to do ?

[prayer525]

I am a senior and will be graduating this May. Applied this cycle and got 3 IIs. 2 rejections 1 wait list.
GPA : 3.4, sGPA: 3.5
Mcat 35
Major: Neuroscience

Research 1.5 years, tutoring underprivileged - 2 years, hospital volunteer - 300 hours, shadowing - 80 hours, Free clinic volunteer -200 hours. leadership roles in clubs and organizations - 3 years.

planning to work as a medical scribe during gap year and also take part in clinical research to get more clinical exposure and make my app stronger.
Do you think that's a good idea or should I go for SMP or Post BAC to improve my GPA?
Any Feedback is appreciated. Thanks

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[GrapesofRath]

It would help to know what state you are a resident of and where you applied.

Yes in theory an SMP could help you and get you over the hump. Their doesnt seem like there are any clear deficiencies in your app although my guess is at least one of your interviews could have gone better. But your answer to the two questions above is important: there's a difference between a CA applicant who didnt apply broadly vs someone from say Kentucky or Louisiana. Your recent grade trend also matters here: I'd have a harder time saying "Go for the SMP" if you applied with several recent strong semesters of grades.

 

[prayer525]

I am a Michigan Resident. Applied to all Michigan schools and many midwest schools which are OOS Friendly.
I really prefer to do clinical research and scribe part time during gap year, unless SMP is the Only way I will get accepted to Med school next cycle.

 

[GrapesofRath]

Michigan has plenty of state schools you are a good candidate for on paper: if you couldnt get into a single one with a 3.45/35 that does reveal maybe there is something that could be holding you back to some degree.

Just to get it out of the way was that your only MCAT attempt and are you a reapplicant? Either of these things would change the discussion somewhat

What is your recent grade trend over the last say 3-4 semesters? That could be one consideration although 3.45/35 are rather competitive stats for many of the Michigan state schools.

One issue to look at is your essays/LORs and how you present yourself. If you applied broadly and are from Michigan, the fact you only got 3 IIs is a little surprising as well and could indicate the written parts of your app maybe could be improved.

How do you think your interviews went?

I dont really think a clinical research job or being a scribe would boost your app much. An SMP would make a real difference and likely get you over the hump if you did well but I understand your initial hesitation in doing one. It would be helpful to know where all you applied exactly and what that recent grade trend to help try and figure out where to go from here.

 

[prayer525]

thank you for you feedback.
This is my only Mcat attempt and this is the first time I applied.(I am a senior in college). All my interviews were MMI's. I did good on 2 of them. I think i had good LORs. 2 from my science prof. one from PI and one from my volunteer place.
I probably need to spend more time on Essays. Recent grade trend- did good in fall with 3.6 and 3. 4 in winter 2015, 3.5 in fall of 2016. Took upper level science classes. Freshman year GPA was only 3.1

I guess being an asian probably didn't help.

 

[GrapesofRath]

I'll tell you what this is a somewhat tricky case here so Im interested if another person Im thinking of in particular might be able shed some insight.

@gonnif if you get a chance Im interested to hear your thoughts as just like the past two weeks we have yet again another case of "Should I do an SMP?". In this case the GPA is below average(although not overwhelmingly so), but they still got 3 IIs, the other parts of their app are fine and they live in a good state for admission. Any thoughts on a potential plan going forward for the OP?

Me personally, I do think an SMP would help here. The question is whether it is worth the cost and risk to do one and if there is a viable alternative.

 

[prayer525]

I already have 1.5 years of research and a LOR from my PI. I would like to do clinical research in my gap year to get more exposure.
If I start my SMP this fall, can I still apply this cycle and have a chance of getting accepted? I will not have any grades to send to Amcas though.

 

[GrapesofRath]

hmmm.... GPA does need to be enhanced but applicant also has no research . Which is more important? Applicant being asian makes me lean GPA. Now would DIY PB part time while doing research say 2 years be enough? Perhaps, but then you bump up against MCAT expiration. Do you want to risk a 35 MCAT with a retake? I think not. indeed the 35 was a big influence to get 3 IIs. Would a research heavy traditional masters with the indirect GPA work? Maybe but I'm not convinced and you still may run into MCAT expiration. That would eliminate everything but SMP for best chance to medical school.

Well they already have 1.5 years worth of research and I dont think research is really a big focal point for the state and lower tier schools they will be targeting.

I dont think Asian vs White makes a real difference here, those charts that show Asians have lower acceptance rates are largely driven by the fact Asians are in such greater proportions in the most competitive states than whites. I actually just looked it up and MI is one of the states where the acceptance rates for Asians is higher than Whites. That doesnt really worry me here.

I agree the SMP is the most direct route to success. I think what this comes down to for the OP is
a) How willing are you to retake the MCAT if you have to.
b) What is your time frame/outlook here. The DIY post-bacc route is longer as you cant really apply next cycle. If you want to make things go faster, the SMP is the fastest route.
c) How open are you to the DO route? Youre basically a shoe in if you apply to enough DO schools: if you are open to the DO route ditch the SMP.
e) How risk averse you are? SMPs are indeed risks, doing poorly really will tank you.

Me personally, Im a risk averse person and I would rather lean away from an SMP for now even if it prolongs my timeline if this were my situation. A DIY PB can probably get your GPA up to 3.5/3.6 for Summer 2017. I would personally much rather have to retake an MCAT than do an SMP. After a DIY and enhanced ECs OP could be looking at 3.5/3.6/35: I really dont think itll be a numbers issue for them, particularly in MI, if that's the case. If after that you still cant get in, then think SMP. But again, this all about your time line and also your preferences: certainly a valid case could be made for an SMP and that's a fine route here to take.

Edit: One final note OP needs to check on this but I believe Wayne State if you do 30 credits of PB work will replace that as the GPA they use in their calculations. This definitely matters as well as this is OPs state school and it is the second largest in the US with 290 matriculants.

 

[GrapesofRath]

I am by no means an SMP fan, but I just dont feel a PB kick for a term or two is enough is enough here. And while an MCAT retake is usually the most efficient improvement, 35 is hard to beat and risks doing worse. Just not a clear cut way on this one

Also one thing to note is the edit I made to my post. OP has the second largest state school in the US in Wayne State with 290 matriculants and for them I believe if you take 30 credits of PB work they replace that and use it as your GPA for their admission process. Old grades are still present and evaluated, but this also matters.

What makes this a tough call is the OP is a reapplicant. But the more I think about this, while it isnt an easy call, the more Im starting to think I would bypass an SMP here. OP is a senior right now so they still have this semester to get good grades. If they start a DIY PB this summer, continue it into the fall and next spring we are talking about 4 semesters between now and next app cycle of good grades. So that isnt just 1-2 semesters. That's 4 now potentially and 60 credits. Very possible if they do this they end up with say a 3.55/3.65 type GPA. MD averages are 3.69/3.63 31.4 MCAT. And I dont think retaking the MCAT and getting the same type of score on a retake really changes much: it's very easy to see that a score is expired.

I also think it's worth noting I dont think GPA was all that caused rejections. Interviews, essays, presentation of yourself are all worth looking at: plenty of people get in with a 3.4-3.5/35 each year even though it's not an ideal GPA.

So all in all, OP could apply in summer 2017 with a 3.5-3.55/3.6-3.65 GPA 35ish MCAT, enhanced ECs and improved on other weaknesses besides GPA that caused lack of success. To me, while this still isnt an easy call, the odds in a situation like that are too favorable to pursue an SMP which is why I tend to lean against it here.

 

[prayer525]

Thank you all for your helpful suggestions.

 

[Goro]

Stats are fine for any DO school, including mine.

 

[GrapesofRath]

It is a separate request/application to have this done and is part of the secondary application last I look

As long as the OP is aware of this if they were in a position to utilize it there shouldn't be an issue though unless I'm mistaken?

One last thing I want to bring up is it is getting rather late in the SMP app cycle especially If you haven't even started an application. With stats that are this close to an acceptance it becomes even more important to go to a reputable established SMP if OP chooses that route with consistent success getting people into MD schools not some lesser known one that won't carry the same weight. This isn't a case where you just go to the first program that takes you. So it's possible if OP chooses the SMP route a worthwhile SMP might not be an option until fall 2017.

 

[P0ke]

I wouldnt do an SMP with that GPA. The fact that you got 2 post-interview rejections shows that it might be your interviewing skills that need to improve.