Advice needed - Tufts SMP or just reapply?

[spirited_away]

[Long post ahead!]
Hi all. As the title says, I got accepted to Tufts MBS program recently after an unsuccessful first application to DO schools. I've been going back on forth on this and wanted some insight from fellow SDNers. Should I attend Tufts or reapply this summer, do both, or reapply after the SMP program?

Some background: 3.45 cGPA, 3.15 sGPA, first MCAT was 23 (7,10,6), retake 26 MCAT (9/7/10). 1700+ clinical/nonclinical hours at a Community Health Center, 30 hours of shadowing PCPs, 2.5 years of paid tutoring small children, 120+ hours nonclinical volunteering at a church-affiliated charity, 30 hours volunteering at the ER, 100+ hours of other various nonclinical volunteering. No research.

I applied broadly to 15 DO schools and was complete mostly everywhere by 9/2/2014. Got an interview at ATSU-SOMA (waitlisted) and ACOM (rejected, interviewed badly). I'm confident that I will get in somewhere this application cycle, but what if I don't?

If I attend Tufts,
PROS

• opportunities that open up just by being in the program is huge IMO
• clinical volunteer opportunity at a free clinic
• optional 2nd year to get MPH (with a thesis) or do lab/library research (can possibly work that 2nd year as well)
• MCAT prep provided to take June 2016 MCAT
• med school level rigor
• highly reputable, great chance of matriculating somewhere IF I apply after completing the program successfully
• chance at Tufts med, but for Fall 2017 matriculation
• Tufts committee letter and additional letters that will help with my application for the NHSC scholarship

CONS

• COST: ~65k! (30k ugrad debt as well)
• to have the best chance at MD/DO schools, would have to apply next year (May/June 2015)

Reapplication only this summer
PROS

• probably only costs 4k or less
• matriculation for Fall 2016 (the sooner the better!)
• probably have a much better chance since I'm submitting in May/June, especially ATSU-SOMA, which is the #1 realistic school I want to go to right now
• earn $$$ this year to save for med school, assuming I can find a job (I'm currently only an intern, so I only have a stipend)

CONS

• not much improvement (revamped PS and new LOR from my community health center supervisor)
• pass up Tufts SMP, its opportunities and chance at Tufts med (although Tufts med is so expensive and I'm really interested in going to a DO school)

What do you think? I guess the thing that is REALLY holding me back is the cost of attending Tufts. I'm not so sure 60k+ is worth it for me. My heart is set on attending Tufts at a huge price tag, but another part is telling me to save the money and just reapply :/ I could also attend Tufts and apply to only 3 schools: ATSU-SOMA where I was waitlisted, Tufts, and my state school. If I don't get into any of those 3 schools, I figured I would just go big on applying the year after and apply to schools that were a reach for me before (such as KCUMB, Nova, and MD schools outside of my state)

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[NonTrad16]

Also, realistic chances of an MD acceptance at tufts seem low, unless the tufts program is more of a feeder than I realized. And any link would likely be contingent on an MCAT several points above the current -- if you studied hard the first go, hoping for a minimum of 4 points improvement seems steep.

DO schoolsare already expensive (my main hangup with this whole thing vs state md)... An extra 60k seems scary.

 

[TheBoneDoctah]

[Long post ahead!]
Hi all. As the title says, I got accepted to Tufts MBS program recently after an unsuccessful first application to DO schools. I've been going back on forth on this and wanted some insight from fellow SDNers. Should I attend Tufts or reapply this summer, do both, or reapply after the SMP program?

Some background: 3.45 cGPA, 3.15 sGPA, first MCAT was 23 (7,10,6), retake 26 MCAT (9/7/10). 1700+ clinical/nonclinical hours at a Community Health Center, 30 hours of shadowing PCPs, 2.5 years of paid tutoring small children, 120+ hours nonclinical volunteering at a church-affiliated charity, 30 hours volunteering at the ER, 100+ hours of other various nonclinical volunteering. No research.

I applied broadly to 15 DO schools and was complete mostly everywhere by 9/2/2014. Got an interview at ATSU-SOMA (waitlisted) and ACOM (rejected, interviewed badly). I'm confident that I will get in somewhere this application cycle, but what if I don't?

If I attend Tufts,
PROS

• opportunities that open up just by being in the program is huge IMO
• clinical volunteer opportunity at a free clinic
• optional 2nd year to get MPH (with a thesis) or do lab/library research (can possibly work that 2nd year as well)
• MCAT prep provided to take June 2016 MCAT
• med school level rigor
• highly reputable, great chance of matriculating somewhere IF I apply after completing the program successfully
• chance at Tufts med, but for Fall 2017 matriculation
• Tufts committee letter and additional letters that will help with my application for the NHSC scholarship

CONS

• COST: ~65k! (30k ugrad debt as well)
• to have the best chance at MD/DO schools, would have to apply next year (May/June 2015)

Reapplication only this summer
PROS

• probably only costs 4k or less
• matriculation for Fall 2016 (the sooner the better!)
• probably have a much better chance since I'm submitting in May/June, especially ATSU-SOMA, which is the #1 realistic school I want to go to right now
• earn $$$ this year to save for med school, assuming I can find a job (I'm currently only an intern, so I only have a stipend)

CONS

• not much improvement (revamped PS and new LOR from my community health center supervisor)
• pass up Tufts SMP, its opportunities and chance at Tufts med (although Tufts med is so expensive and I'm really interested in going to a DO school)

What do you think? I guess the thing that is REALLY holding me back is the cost of attending Tufts. I'm not so sure 60k+ is worth it for me. My heart is set on attending Tufts at a huge price tag, but another part is telling me to save the money and just reapply :/ I could also attend Tufts and apply to only 3 schools: ATSU-SOMA where I was waitlisted, Tufts, and my state school. If I don't get into any of those 3 schools, I figured I would just go big on applying the year after and apply to schools that were a reach for me before (such as KCUMB, Nova, and MD schools outside of my state)

My opinion on this:

I would NOT apply to Tufts MBS program. Although you sGPA is low for D.O schools, it is NOT a deal breaker by any means (and you can see that because you got interviews.) Your 26 is also not horrible.

Honestly, if I were you, I would reapply this year on the first day. Although September isn't considered "late," you weren't helping yourself by not applying early. After you have submitted your application, work on your interview skills so that you can assure that you knock it out of the park when you get that interview invite. All you need is ONE.

Paying 60k is overkill in my opinion. Getting into Tufts Med is NOT going to happen. Just because you do a program there does not mean they are going to overlook your college career. Your sGPA is WAY below M.D. average and might even be below their cutoff to even be considered. If you had a 2.9 GPA and a 21 MCAT or something of that nature and had no way of retaking courses at a CC to raise your GPA, then maybe the Tufts program would be your only option at showing you are capable of taking med school level courses. However, if you are just trying to get into any D.O. school, reapply this year and work on your interview skills. If you need help selecting certain schools to apply to, send me a PM.

 

[user3]

[Long post ahead!]
Hi all. As the title says, I got accepted to Tufts MBS program recently after an unsuccessful first application to DO schools. I've been going back on forth on this and wanted some insight from fellow SDNers. Should I attend Tufts or reapply this summer, do both, or reapply after the SMP program?

Some background: 3.45 cGPA, 3.15 sGPA, first MCAT was 23 (7,10,6), retake 26 MCAT (9/7/10). 1700+ clinical/nonclinical hours at a Community Health Center, 30 hours of shadowing PCPs, 2.5 years of paid tutoring small children, 120+ hours nonclinical volunteering at a church-affiliated charity, 30 hours volunteering at the ER, 100+ hours of other various nonclinical volunteering. No research.

I applied broadly to 15 DO schools and was complete mostly everywhere by 9/2/2014. Got an interview at ATSU-SOMA (waitlisted) and ACOM (rejected, interviewed badly). I'm confident that I will get in somewhere this application cycle, but what if I don't?

If I attend Tufts,
PROS

• opportunities that open up just by being in the program is huge IMO
• clinical volunteer opportunity at a free clinic
• optional 2nd year to get MPH (with a thesis) or do lab/library research (can possibly work that 2nd year as well)
• MCAT prep provided to take June 2016 MCAT
• med school level rigor
• highly reputable, great chance of matriculating somewhere IF I apply after completing the program successfully
• chance at Tufts med, but for Fall 2017 matriculation
• Tufts committee letter and additional letters that will help with my application for the NHSC scholarship

CONS

• COST: ~65k! (30k ugrad debt as well)
• to have the best chance at MD/DO schools, would have to apply next year (May/June 2015)

Reapplication only this summer
PROS

• probably only costs 4k or less
• matriculation for Fall 2016 (the sooner the better!)
• probably have a much better chance since I'm submitting in May/June, especially ATSU-SOMA, which is the #1 realistic school I want to go to right now
• earn $$$ this year to save for med school, assuming I can find a job (I'm currently only an intern, so I only have a stipend)

CONS

• not much improvement (revamped PS and new LOR from my community health center supervisor)
• pass up Tufts SMP, its opportunities and chance at Tufts med (although Tufts med is so expensive and I'm really interested in going to a DO school)

What do you think? I guess the thing that is REALLY holding me back is the cost of attending Tufts. I'm not so sure 60k+ is worth it for me. My heart is set on attending Tufts at a huge price tag, but another part is telling me to save the money and just reapply :/ I could also attend Tufts and apply to only 3 schools: ATSU-SOMA where I was waitlisted, Tufts, and my state school. If I don't get into any of those 3 schools, I figured I would just go big on applying the year after and apply to schools that were a reach for me before (such as KCUMB, Nova, and MD schools outside of my state)

make sure to apply on the very first day to the 2 new schools, Burrell COM and NYIT-Arkansas, as well as other newer schools and I would be shocked if you didn't get at least 1 acceptance.

I would turn down the Tufts program.

 

[sameharu1991]

Same. I would turn down the Tufts program - really highlight what you have improved.. and how that increased your interest in going DO in your PS if possible. Also, are those shadowing hours including DO shadowing? If you were able to apply broadly to 15 schools, I would assume you probably have to have a DO letter in there somewhere. If you don't, during that time you are applying, at least work on DO shadowing and you can send them updates later. I would like to hope that ATSU-SOMA and ACOM will give you another chance for an interview this upcoming cycle and if you can improve your interview skills, you would probably have higher chance there.

I wouldn't be too upset if many of those DO schools didn't reach out to you. A lot of them have strong regional/instate bias. MCAT & GPA is a little on the low side even for DO programs now, so I think it would be best to get into a program as early as possible.

Good luck!

 

[ZedsDed]

If you are open to DO then you don't need an SMP; you probably still need to retake the MCAT and squeeze out at least a couple more points. A 3.45 GPA and a 29 or so MCAT would make you pretty competitive for DO schools. If you are stuck on the MD degree then you need to retake the MCAT and crush it (which honestly seems unlikely) and you need to do an SMP and ace it. In addition, you would need to finish the SMP before you apply to MD schools, meaning you are a few years away from medical school. My advice? Go DO.