I want to get into a top-20 medical school. I have a 3.4 GPA and 38Q MCAT score. What kind of post-bacc program would be best for me to increase my chances?
Beefing up app for top 20 schools
- Thread starter rahmadi
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deleted248403
Whats wrong with med school #21? I dont get this top 20 crap
Did you do the pre-reqs? If so you need an SMP
Did you do the pre-reqs? If so you need an SMP
How exactly does an SMP work? It doesnt raise your undergraduate GPA does it?
nope, an SMP would be considered graduate level work. to raise your undergrad GPA, you might just want to take some classes at your state school for about a year. a lot of post-baccs will not accept you if you have taken a lot of upper-level science courses. how many have you taken (not including pre-reps)?
i agree with robflanker, whats the big deal about the top 20 schools. with your gpa and MCAT score, you can get into some pretty decent schools. why waste the extra time and money?
i agree with robflanker, whats the big deal about the top 20 schools. with your gpa and MCAT score, you can get into some pretty decent schools. why waste the extra time and money?
I'm a biomedical engineering major so most of my upper division coursework was in engineering, which i believe does not count as science. Other than that I've taken 2 quarters of biochem, and 2 upper division biochem labs.
It's not that I just want to get into a top-20 school. It's that most of the schools that have gotten my interest happen to be top 20. I just want to make sure I have the most options possible, and if that means an extra year of school, I might be willing to accept that. How much would an SMP improve my application?
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With your situation, Im confident that you'll get into a medical school regardless of whether or not you do an SMP. It may not be a top 20 medical school, but I think you can still get into a top 30 or a highly ranked state school (UVA, UNC, Michigan, or OSU) if you're a resident in one of those states.
That being said, an SMP may help out. I've heard of people who did the Georgetown and Cincinnati SMP who got accepted to top 25 schools. You'll have to do really well in those programs once you're in, but with your solid MCAT score and GPA, I think that shouldn't be a problem. Look into some of the more reputable SMP programs at the top and decide which one you should try for. I would apply myself during the SMP program so that my program directors can write a fantastic update letter during the course of the SMP.
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deleted248403
A 3.4 won't get you into very many top 20 med schools. You might get lucky and get a few interviews but so many of them are "numbers-snobs" (i.e. they only interview 3.6. 32MCATs regardless of everything else in your app etc *made up numbers*)...
An SMP would help esp if you rocked it
An SMP would help esp if you rocked it
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I think doing an SMP probably wouldn't help the original poster much and would cost a lot of money plus a year (or two) of time. A 3.4 and 38 is certainly competitive for a lot of medical schools and there may be some leeway for an engineering major. Any U.S. allopathic school can be a launching pad for a good career provided you do well.
I mean sure, if the OP was to enroll in the Georgetown, Tufts or Boston SMP and get a 4.0 in that, it would probably get you into one of those schools, but they aren't "top 20". A few people have gotten into schools like UPenn, Vanderbilt, UCSF from the Georgetown SMP, but these are exceptions not the rule. Don't know about the others.
Really, I think it would be better for the OP to apply now and see what happens. Just my $0.02.
edit: Well, unless a school below the top 20 is unacceptable because being accepted to one of those and then declining to reapply will look very, very bad.
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deleted248403
Tacrum - We are very much in agreement. I am under the assumption the OP wont go anywhere that isnt top 20. They said they have only be interested by top 20 schools. So, i think they'd have to do something as a 3.4 won't get you top 20.
The OP would def be competitive for med schools in general as currently standing, but if top 20 is the only criteria - its not a certainity they'd have any luck
The OP would def be competitive for med schools in general as currently standing, but if top 20 is the only criteria - its not a certainity they'd have any luck
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deleted248403
Yah it could. But no other really good way of raising a GPA unless the OP does a post-bacc like UPenn's Special Sciences...
I dont agree with the strategy but I'm trying to give the OP some ideas
I dont agree with the strategy but I'm trying to give the OP some ideas
i don't think you need to do a post-bacc. you are plenty competitive for major schools such as UC Davis, which isn't a top 20, but is still a great medical school.
