I completed DPMS in the 2022-2023 cohort before the raise in stats however I would've made contract with the current stats too. I didn't go through the appeal process, but my understanding is that it was not usually successful.
This program is not a scam. If you are accepted and meet the requirements to make contract, you matriculate into medical school. Most other post bacs give you an interview at most. In this program, you complete a good chunk of the M1 curriculum so it'll be review if you matriculate.
Also people upset about the lack of fairness of the situation; your feelings are 100% valid. Unfortunately, med school and residency will also be filled with more unfair BS. I'm not saying that to invalidate anyone's experiences, but you deserve transparency, and school doesn't get "more fair" after DPMS.
Reasons the cutoff was probably raised:
1. Cheating; people had whole exams they were memorizing. It was incredibly unfair to witness in the moment, but there is no way to cheat your way through med school so it came back and bit them in the butt when they matriculated. This program isn't just an opportunity to get into med school, it's an opportunity to learn how to study EFFICIENTLY. You get even less time and even more material in med school. Every exam I have taken so far in med school is harder than trifecta.
2. Poor performance of some DPMS alum at DUCOM; this may be a symptom of #1, or any number of reasons that I can't speak to. Maybe DPMS admin's thinking is that if they raise the cutoff, the students who do matriculate will be more successful.
3. 50 percentile for the MCAT is 501 I believe, so they raised it from slightly below to slightly above. Honestly STEP exams are harder than the MCAT so doing at least the 50 percentile is potentially a predictor of STEP success. Also those who do have to do the MCAT track are actually getting good practice because during M3, you have to study for STEP 2 while you do clinicals and shelf exams. Standardized exams will follow you through your whole career as a physician and you will have to juggle your job and other life factors.
DPMS will feel like the most stressful time of your life as you grow academically, but I can promise you med school is harder.
Ultimately, this program is the only reason I am in medical school and I will be forever grateful. It's not a scam, it's A LOT of work though and more so now.