Am I a competitive applicant for post baccs?

[coffeedrinker643]

---

Members do not see this ad.

hey all,

first time posting on this forum so ill keep it short. im about to graduate from a top 50 university and my undergraduate major is neuroscience. my sgpa is 2.95 and my cgpa is a 3.03 (i had some science classes that brought it down but also a bunch of random classes like philosophy etc.) and my mcat is a 26.

I want to retake my mcat because i rushed to prepare and tried to cram but i want to know if i am a competitive applicant for post bacc programs as is. i have lots of ECs both clinically related and not so thats not an issue.

really need some advice here on what to do! any help would be appreciated!

thank you!

 

[FormerPhysicist]

I wouldn't want to gamble on a non-linkage SMP with a sub-3.0, if only because schools may autoscreen in that range. Combined with a 26, it's hard to come up with any linkage programs you'd be competitive at, other than maybe RFU. A 30+ MCAT really is key for most programs.

 

[deleted248403]

hey all,

first time posting on this forum so ill keep it short. im about to graduate from a top 50 university and my undergraduate major is neuroscience. my sgpa is 2.95 and my cgpa is a 3.03 (i had some science classes that brought it down but also a bunch of random classes like philosophy etc.) and my mcat is a 26.

I want to retake my mcat because i rushed to prepare and tried to cram but i want to know if i am a competitive applicant for post bacc programs as is. i have lots of ECs both clinically related and not so thats not an issue.

really need some advice here on what to do! any help would be appreciated!

thank you!

Any SMP? Yes
A good SMP? No

Get your cGPA more in the 3.1-3.2 direction, and an MCAT thats 30+

 

[naijacardriodoc]

Apply to toledo msbs...try others like the one at univ of Cincinnati. All they can say is no then ull just look for other programs to apply to. U do not need a 30 mcat to be accepted into an smp with a linkage. Maybe some not all Check the aams postbacc website too

 

[naijacardriodoc]

*aamc

 

[tttgo]

all the smps that I know of have min mcats below 30. However, for some of the more competitive ones, you'll basically need 30+ to have a reasonable shot at getting in.

The aamc site most likely only lists the minimum.

 

[naijacardriodoc]

That's not entirely true. There are plenty of ppl on SDN that have gotten into competitive smps with the above posters stats. I feel like that's within the range of students who would benefit from such programs. To above poster: stop using SDN to rationalize where u want to apply or if in fact you should apply. Just Apply to a lot of SMPs like 7-8 and then see what happens. Go from there. Too many ppl on sdn do this then someone randomly tells them not to apply to med school, they are ill-equipped for medicine, apply DO or consider another profession like PA bc they assume it's just like being a doctor and it's NOT....THEN the poster gets discouraged. Just APPLY!! No one on SDN will know for sure. Hope this helps you move forward.

 

[deleted248403]

That's not entirely true. There are plenty of ppl on SDN that have gotten into competitive smps with the above posters stats. I feel like that's within the range of students who would benefit from such programs. To above poster: stop using SDN to rationalize where u want to apply or if in fact you should apply. Just Apply to a lot of SMPs like 7-8 and then see what happens. Go from there. Too many ppl on sdn do this then someone randomly tells them not to apply to med school, they are ill-equipped for medicine, apply DO or consider another profession like PA bc they assume it's just like being a doctor and it's NOT....THEN the poster gets discouraged. Just APPLY!! No one on SDN will know for sure. Hope this helps you move forward.

For the most part, ignore all of the above.

Its pretty obvious for med school the stats that get in, and the stats that do not. They even give you standard deviations to illustrate exactly where you would fall. For 95% of the applicants, its pretty clear how the application cycle will go.

In terms of SMPs, there are less hard and fast numbers, so you can apply a bit more freely and let it ride.

 

[NobleGas14]

For the most part, ignore all of the above.

Its pretty obvious for med school the stats that get in, and the stats that do not. They even give you standard deviations to illustrate exactly where you would fall. For 95% of the applicants, its pretty clear how the application cycle will go.

In terms of SMPs, there are less hard and fast numbers, so you can apply a bit more freely and let it ride.

Thank you for illustrating exactly what the previous poster was talking about.


As for SMP's and the OP:
Check the qualifications for an SMP; itll help if youre able to fall near their averages. That being said, the decision is entirely up to you, if you feel comfortable applying absolutely go for it. Obviously they can be expensive, but the entire process was never expected to be cheap.

Good luck

 

[deleted248403]

Thank you for illustrating exactly what the previous poster was talking about.

The blind "fingers crossed" and "you can be anything you want to be" attitude in med school applications is pathetic and unjustified. Look at the admission stats. They don't lie. For every exception to the rule, there are thousands who define it - by purely probability, you are more likely to be in the thousands than the 1.
i.e. will a cGPA 3.2 + 29 MCAT get into a US MD school this year - yes. But 10,000 similar applicants will not. Applying is not without its ramifications - reapplicants are not treated the same, and the process costs a decent amount of $$.

So continue to be ignorant about the process. Hopefully, more informed and analytical readers this post will take the appropriate it message from it and not a "dream killer one"

 

[NobleGas14]

The blind "fingers crossed" and "you can be anything you want to be" attitude in med school applications is pathetic and unjustified. Look at the admission stats. They don't lie. For every exception to the rule, there are thousands who define it - by purely probability, you are more likely to be in the thousands than the 1.
i.e. will a cGPA 3.2 + 29 MCAT get into a US MD school this year - yes. But 10,000 similar applicants will not. Applying is not without its ramifications - reapplicants are not treated the same, and the process costs a decent amount of $$.

So continue to be ignorant about the process. Hopefully, more informed and analytical readers this post will take the appropriate it message from it and not a "dream killer one"

I am sure the OP is aware of this but your statement was unwarranted. The fact you come in here and dictate for a reader to "ignore all of the above" is where the issue arises. Regardless, sometimes in these situations, having blind faith is what an applicant needs to go through with something. So, yes, statistically it is difficult to gain admission into any medical school. But, it is not your job to tell others whose advice they should ignore or not. Reread my post please, we are in agreement for the most part; just differing on our view points. Let's not get to wrapped up into a silly debate.

 

[tttgo]

That's not entirely true. There are plenty of ppl on SDN that have gotten into competitive smps with the above posters stats. I feel like that's within the range of students who would benefit from such programs. To above poster: stop using SDN to rationalize where u want to apply or if in fact you should apply. Just Apply to a lot of SMPs like 7-8 and then see what happens. Go from there. Too many ppl on sdn do this then someone randomly tells them not to apply to med school, they are ill-equipped for medicine, apply DO or consider another profession like PA bc they assume it's just like being a doctor and it's NOT....THEN the poster gets discouraged. Just APPLY!! No one on SDN will know for sure. Hope this helps you move forward.

I'm not sure if this is targeted at me, but if it is, here's my response.

First off, I posted because I didn't think the advice that you gave was the best, due to it being slightly generic and and out of date. For example, EVMS's class size is still listed as 25-50 and Cincinnati's min mcat is wrong on the aamc link. EVMS's class size for this year is>50 and will probably be even larger next year. These programs don't have linkage either. This gave me a sense of worry that the person might be under the wrong assumption of the program. My first sentence in my previous post holds true. My second sentence was basically intended to show that even though the min<30, he would still not qualify to apply (i.e. Cincinnati). I had hoped that this realization would encourage the OP to look into the programs more carefully, not to get discouraged. I understand that some people do end up quitting because of other people's words, so I'll try to make my post so that it would not be as likely to be taken the wrong way. I felt informed enough to post because I've looked at all of the programs' websites, crosschecked with the aamc one, applied to multiple smps this cycle and have talked to more than one person currently in an smp.

 

[deleted248403]

I am sure the OP is aware of this but your statement was unwarranted. The fact you come in here and dictate for a reader to "ignore all of the above" is where the issue arises. Regardless, sometimes in these situations, having blind faith is what an applicant needs to go through with something. So, yes, statistically it is difficult to gain admission into any medical school. But, it is not your job to tell others whose advice they should ignore or not. Reread my post please, we are in agreement for the most part; just differing on our view points. Let's not get to wrapped up into a silly debate.

My comments are more for the lurkers who read but don't engage. There are no jobs on here. Its a public forum. However, it should be highlighted when posts are not factual or logically based, so that someone can look at it with a little more scrutiny and make there own decisions.

 

[DrMidlife]

For the record, robflanker and I have witnessed unbelievable boatloads of delusional entitlement in this forum, which seems to increase year after year. IMHO it's safe to assume that the default poster/observer is a low GPA Californian who honestly expects somebody else to read SDN/AAMC/MSAR for him/her, and that "buying" an SMP means there's no need to look at undergrad or MCAT ever again.

Those of you who do substantial research into your options and then supplement it with what you find on SDN are doing it right.

Best of luck to you.

 

[naijacardriodoc]

Don't be an SDN bully. @robflanker

I was simply saying that the OP should try an apply to 7-8 SMPs and go from there. It was a suggestion so that he/she won't feel stuck. There is no entitlement or delusion in that statement. SDN or should I be more specific @robflanker has a way of trying to shut down other posters who offer encouragement. That, is in fact, arrogant and entitled.

 

[deleted248403]

Don't be an SDN bully. @robflanker

I was simply saying that the OP should try an apply to 7-8 SMPs and go from there. It was a suggestion so that he/she won't feel stuck. There is no entitlement or delusion in that statement. SDN or should I be more specific @robflanker has a way of trying to shut down other posters who offer encouragement. That, is in fact, arrogant and entitled.

Lol you are like a 5 year old

 

[naijacardriodoc]

@robflanker And you calling me that makes you look more mature. I see.

I will be blocking you out from this point forward. You do not deserve anymore responses from me. Please get help.

 

[Drmo0ose]

@robflanker And you calling me that makes you look more mature. I see.

I will be blocking you out from this point forward. You do not deserve anymore responses from me. Please get help.

 

[starfar]

What about Drexel, LMU, or LECOM linkage programs? They seem to accept people with below average stats.