Did your GPA in an SMP go up or down compared to UG?

[skiing]

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Do people usually do better in SMPs than in UG? If you did an SMP and your GPA went up, why did it go up? If it went down, why did it go down? I'm trying to consider whether I should do an SMP or not, and I'd really appreciate hearing your successes/frustrations with this process. 👍

 

[apumic]

Usually goes up. If you do an SMP and it goes DOWN you're pretty much fried Caribbean mystery meat.

 

[patel2]

Do people usually do better in SMPs than in UG? If you did an SMP and your GPA went up, why did it go up? If it went down, why did it go down? I'm trying to consider whether I should do an SMP or not, and I'd really appreciate hearing your successes/frustrations with this process. 👍

What's your GPA? An SMP is risky. It's best if your GPA is low to the point where you are in too deep, and can't salvage it with post-bacc classes (like <3.2). Like apumic said, if you don't rock the SMP, you have pretty much screwed your chances at getting to a US school, but if you rock it, you will prove to schools you can handle a medical school curriculum. If you have something like a 3.4+, you'd be crazy to do an SMP.

I think it's hard to say whether someone usually does better in an SMP than in undergrad, because it varies on the program and individuals work ethic. Georgetown's SMP probably has a higher percent of people who do well and has a proven track record of success compared to, say, Podunk state. I'd say anyone who got into med school after an SMP did better in it than in UG, though.

 

[skiing]

I have a 3.69 cgpa, 3.65 sgpa (hopefully will go up by a hair by the time i graduate).

I haven't done well in my upper div science classes (neurosci gpa ~3.5), so I was hoping an SMP could show that I can handle higher level academic coursework.

I'm going to retake my MCAT. Probably take some classes (SMP or not) to raise the GPA. I basically burned out my junior year; accepting that dismal year, my soph and senior year GPAs were 3.8, and I just KNOW I can do better than my current GPA, but my record doesn't show it. I'm looking for a way to really prove myself, not just to merely "get by" in this application process. Not sure if an SMP is worth it, but my other option is taking community college classes, which don't do much to "prove" I can handle hard science coursework.

 

[patel2]

I have a 3.69 cgpa, 3.65 sgpa (hopefully will go up by a hair by the time i graduate).

I haven't done well in my upper div science classes (neurosci gpa ~3.5), so I was hoping an SMP could show that I can handle higher level academic coursework.

I'm going to retake my MCAT. Probably take some classes (SMP or not) to raise the GPA. I basically burned out my junior year; accepting that dismal year, my soph and senior year GPAs were 3.8, and I just KNOW I can do better than my current GPA, but my record doesn't show it. I'm looking for a way to really prove myself, not just to merely "get by" in this application process. Not sure if an SMP is worth it, but my other option is taking community college classes, which don't do much to "prove" I can handle hard science coursework.

Your overall and sci GPA are at or above the national average for matriculating students. You don't even need to take post-bacc classes, let alone an SMP. Focus on the MCAT, as an SMP does not compensate for a low score. If you aren't merely looking to "get by", your best bet is to study hard for the MCAT to go above and beyond just doing decent.

In fact, enrolling in an SMP with that high a GPA would make you look like an idiot to adcoms...

 

[yamaraja808]

your overall and sci gpa are at or above the national average for matriculating students. You don't even need to take post-bacc classes, let alone an smp. Focus on the mcat, as an smp does not compensate for a low score. If you aren't merely looking to "get by", your best bet is to study hard for the mcat to go above and beyond just doing decent.

In fact, enrolling in an smp with that high a gpa would make you look like an idiot to adcoms...

+1

 

[ozzi22]

What's your GPA? An SMP is risky. It's best if your GPA is low to the point where you are in too deep, and can't salvage it with post-bacc classes (like <3.2). Like apumic said, if you don't rock the SMP, you have pretty much screwed your chances at getting to a US school, but if you rock it, you will prove to schools you can handle a medical school curriculum. If you have something like a 3.4+, you'd be crazy to do an SMP.

I think it's hard to say whether someone usually does better in an SMP than in undergrad, because it varies on the program and individuals work ethic. Georgetown's SMP probably has a higher percent of people who do well and has a proven track record of success compared to, say, Podunk state. I'd say anyone who got into med school after an SMP did better in it than in UG, though.

+1👍

 

[motomed]

good MCAT, good semester or two of full time upper level classes, you'll be fine. an SMP means another $50,000 in loans. not worth it if there is any way at all to get there without doing one.

as to the original question, I did much better with the SMP than what my cGPA was, but I also had a number of years off to grow up and learn to work between undergrad and SMP.

 

[libraryismyhome]

I know this girl, and her GPA is 3.92 in biochemistry, but she did SMP after not getting in for the first time.
What would be the reason for her doing it? My only answer would be trying to make her first year med school easy.
It only takes a spot and As from people who need them. do you folks know why?

 

[Hoya2009]

^^
1) She lied or is dyslexic and her GPA is really 3.29/2.39/2.93
2) She's doesn't know what she's doing or why she didn't get in, and she panicked.
3) She's a crazy gunner that needs to have a 3.95
4) Her program has a linkage with a med school!!!!
5) She wants to take more courses to make her first year easy, but that sounds like a stretch for doing a whole SMP.

 

[BarcaBest23]

skiing, no need for SMP. Have you seen the tuition costs + cost of living for the year at Gtown or other SMPS? This would put you at least 60K+ in the whole before you even get to med school where you can stack on a few extra 100K-200K+ Your GPA is fine, I received multiple acceptances with both GPA's lower than yours but it is true that you have to rock the MCAT in order to makeup. In your case, 31+ I'd say would do the trick. Now if you are hunting for top 20's, still doable but 35+

All the other folks here are right NO SMP!

 

[libraryismyhome]

^^
1) She lied or is dyslexic and her GPA is really 3.29/2.39/2.93
2) She's doesn't know what she's doing or why she didn't get in, and she panicked.
3) She's a crazy gunner that needs to have a 3.95
4) Her program has a linkage with a med school!!!!
5) She wants to take more courses to make her first year easy, but that sounds like a stretch for doing a whole SMP.

(1) no she is a true gunner destroying pchem like gen chem.
(2) perhaps
(3) perhaps, but why would she spend 30k for this?
(4) she got into where there is no linkage.
(5) this was what I was thinking, but like I said. It's 30k.

 

[BarcaBest23]

Make your first year easy by having to redo it? Not sure about you, but I feel she would fair worse by being bored of seeing the same material she saw a few months ago and having to do that **** all over again!

Probably had nothing better to do with her time (year off) and wanted to put that extra "I have a masters on her app", nice job