AMCAS and SMP

[boaz1]

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i've been accepted into an smp and waitlisted at a few others that i may go to if i get off the waitlist.

that being said...is it better to send my amcas listing the current accepted smp and send a note later saying i switched schools if i got off the waitlist or is it better to wait until my smp is finalized before submitting amcas? sorry if that is confusing!

is there a reason to submit amcas as soon as possible anyways if smp'ers get put on hold anyways other than getting to do your secondaries earlier?

 

[Donchissy]

I'd say you wait until the SMP is finalized, because you want your SMP results to reflect on your AMCAS application, thats the purpose of this programs i guess.

 

[DrMidlife]

i've been accepted into an smp and waitlisted at a few others that i may go to if i get off the waitlist.

that being said...is it better to send my amcas listing the current accepted smp and send a note later saying i switched schools if i got off the waitlist or is it better to wait until my smp is finalized before submitting amcas? sorry if that is confusing!

AMCAS doesn't care what happens after your app goes out to schools. What you'd be taking on, if you change SMPs, is advising all your schools that you changed SMPs. You should probably tell AMCAS, but it won't affect your presentation to schools in a significant way. Avoid having to do this, regardless, because it adds confusion and an administrative hiccup at each school...but if you get into a more favorable SMP, then that confusion/hiccup might be worth it.

is there a reason to submit amcas as soon as possible anyways if smp'ers get put on hold anyways other than getting to do your secondaries earlier?

If your GPA/MCAT are really really close to competitive, then your SMP performance isn't going to make or break you as a candidate. In this case, with pretty-strong numbers, I would not wait to do AMCAS. Get the early advantage.

If your GPA/MCAT are low but not atrocious, maybe you applied once and got interviews, and maybe you have a good shot at your home state's public schools, then I also think you want to not lose the early advantage. Show your momentum on your reapp.

But, if your stats are down at the 3.0/sub-30 level, then you need the SMP results before you'll be taken seriously. If your SMP is aggressive about supporting same-year apps, then you might be okay, but prepare yourself emotionally for getting very late interviews and waitlists.

I'd say you wait until the SMP is finalized, because you want your SMP results to reflect on your AMCAS application, thats the purpose of this programs i guess.

This advice holds in California, because the UCs do not wait for SMP results. Outside California, this is not generally the case, and the norm is to apply to med school during the year you're in an SMP.

Best of luck to you.