Chances for gtown smp

[xbcoolsx]

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Hello,
advice from anyone who has knowledge regarding the Gtown SMP will be appreciated.
Medical school seems to be quite a difficult reach for my statistics.
I am a transfer student who transferred to USC from Cal Poly Pomona.
My USC GPA is a 3.35c 3.37s (90 unit hours)
my Cal Poly GPA is 3.7c 3.95s (64 unit hours)
Averaged GPA comes out to be: 3.48 3.53s
I majored in Biology (BS)
my MCAT score is a 29: V6/P12/B11
(my writing score is very very low, for I didn't prepare for it at all: L) I didn't do enough prep (~month and a half), and didn't get to study verbal or writing, only the sciences. I plan to retake the MCAT on 7/14/2012.
I have ECs, but not adequate enough--only a year of research and I am planning to do hospital work this summer (no more than 3 months).
Thank you

 

[NJD519]

Hello,
advice from anyone who has knowledge regarding the Gtown SMP will be appreciated.
Medical school seems to be quite a difficult reach for my statistics.
I am a transfer student who transferred to USC from Cal Poly Pomona.
My USC GPA is a 3.35c 3.37s (90 unit hours)
my Cal Poly GPA is 3.7c 3.95s (64 unit hours)
Averaged GPA comes out to be: 3.47c 3.50s
I majored in Biology (BS)
my MCAT score is a 30: V6/P12/B12
(my writing score is very very low, for I didn't prepare for it at all: L) I didn't do enough prep (~month and a half), and didn't get to study verbal or writing, only the sciences. I plan to retake the MCAT on 7/14/2012.
I have ECs, but not adequate enough--only a year of research and I am planning to do hospital work this summer (no more than 3 months).
Thank you

I think you have a very good shot, but do you really need an SMP?

You have a decent GPA with a really nice trend, perhaps you should take a year off to boost your EC's by getting some volunteering and definitely clinical experience! Also, how are your LORs?

I am not sure if you have applied to medical school already, but I think it is worth a shot for you before cashing in your piggy bank for a SMP.

As for your writing score, who cares. As long as it is not a J, haha. Plus, you plan on retaking the MCAT anyways so you hopefully will get a better score.

 

[JSReed]

I think you have a very good shot, but do you really need an SMP?

You have a decent GPA with a really nice trend, perhaps you should take a year off to boost your EC's by getting some volunteering and definitely clinical experience! Also, how are your LORs?

I am not sure if you have applied to medical school already, but I think it is worth a shot for you before cashing in your piggy bank for a SMP.

As for your writing score, who cares. As long as it is not a J, haha. Plus, you plan on retaking the MCAT anyways so you hopefully will get a better score.

Actually, I'm pretty sure its a downward trend. You did Cal poly before USC, right? And I would be more worried by your verbal than your writing.

Not that I'm in a position to advise you how to get into med school/SMPs, but I'd say that between your low verbal score (you need at LEAST an 8), your downward gpa trend (even though you transferred), and your lack of clinical exp, you still have some work to do before applying. The first two aren't that bad, but the last one is. Anyone else have another opinion?

 

[xbcoolsx]

Hello,
Yes it is a downward trend. I, at times, regret transferring altogether. Cal Poly Pomona was very grade friendly, both in sciences and nonscience courses. At USC...getting good grades when your class is impacted with pre-med students proved to be extremely difficult. I had to retake a semester of introductory science courses, and although they were sort of a review, it was truly a different ball-game. The stress of competition also factored into my performance. The bell curve is strict--C+ or a 2.3 is the middle of this curve; getting an A- or an A resides in the top 12 percent, I really wish I could have done better, but the stress was overwhelming. Ochem was a big offsetter for my GPA hopes.
For MCAT:
I plan to raise my verbal score over the average 8 with intense studying--I've started now, and I'm seeing gradual improvement. I'm not expecting anything very high, just at or above average. I plan to do a lot of studying in P and B as well to try to keep the current scores, although there is some hope to raise them looking at how much time I have. I'm seeking to take the MCAT over on 7/14--this is the absolute earliest date I can settle myself to commit to (since my MCAT prep course starts in early May).
As for clinical experiences, if I plan to attend in 2013 medical school or 2012 Fall SMP 3 months is the maximum I am able to do. I really prefer not to have a gap year, although I'm starting to get the feeling that I'm not going to be accepted anywhere.
I'm wondering if I should bother applying now for SMP at Gtown, or if I should wait for my new MCAT score, and take the gap-year.
As for LOR: I'm going to simply meet the minimum--3 recommendations, 2 from science, 1 from nonscience.
As long as there is financial aid, and I can take out loans under my own name, I don't see finance as a limitation for the SMP.
As for directly applying to medical school, I'm going to try; but, I'm not hoping for much.

 

[Agtongue]

Hello,
Yes it is a downward trend. I, at times, regret transferring altogether. Cal Poly Pomona was very grade friendly, both in sciences and nonscience courses. At USC...getting good grades when your class is impacted with pre-med students proved to be extremely difficult. I had to retake a semester of introductory science courses, and although they were sort of a review, it was truly a different ball-game. The stress of competition also factored into my performance. The bell curve is strict--C+ or a 2.3 is the middle of this curve; getting an A- or an A resides in the top 12 percent, I really wish I could have done better, but the stress was overwhelming. Ochem was a big offsetter for my GPA hopes.
For MCAT:
I plan to raise my verbal score over the average 8 with intense studying--I've started now, and I'm seeing gradual improvement. I'm not expecting anything very high, just at or above average. I plan to do a lot of studying in P and B as well to try to keep the current scores, although there is some hope to raise them looking at how much time I have. I'm seeking to take the MCAT over on 7/14--this is the absolute earliest date I can settle myself to commit to (since my MCAT prep course starts in early May).
As for clinical experiences, if I plan to attend in 2013 medical school or 2012 Fall SMP 3 months is the maximum I am able to do. I really prefer not to have a gap year, although I'm starting to get the feeling that I'm not going to be accepted anywhere.
I'm wondering if I should bother applying now for SMP at Gtown, or if I should wait for my new MCAT score, and take the gap-year.
As for LOR: I'm going to simply meet the minimum--3 recommendations, 2 from science, 1 from nonscience.
As long as there is financial aid, and I can take out loans under my own name, I don't see finance as a limitation for the SMP.
As for directly applying to medical school, I'm going to try; but, I'm not hoping for much.

Kill the mcat, get some clinical and volunteering in there and you will get into somewhere. Unless you wish to go to a uc or something.

Does usc take their own?

 

[NJD519]

Actually, I'm pretty sure its a downward trend.

Oops. I misread! 🙁

 

[deleted248403]

Hello,
For MCAT:
I plan to raise my verbal score over the average 8 with intense studying--I've started now, and I'm seeing gradual improvement. I'm not expecting anything very high, just at or above average. I plan to do a lot of studying in P and B as well to try to keep the current scores, although there is some hope to raise them looking at how much time I have. I'm seeking to take the MCAT over on 7/14--this is the absolute earliest date I can settle myself to commit to (since my MCAT prep course starts in early May).

8 is the average for people taking the MCAT; 10 is the average for people getting into medical school.

I suggest your modify your goal to be in line with what the avg of accepted students get

 

[xbcoolsx]

Although I can't say what I'll be getting on verbal, I'll try hard and aim for a 10.
Also, does anyone know if GTown SMP offers on-campus housing?