DIY or Structured Post-Bac/SMP? Need help deciding

[JimmyB123]

Hello yall,

I have been accepted to a couple SMPS/Structured Post-Bac (PB) programs [Cinci's MS in Physiology, Mississippi MS in medical sciences, Boston MAMS]. Should I do one of these or enroll in a local college and do a DIY PB? I only intend to do PB work for a year.

A little background about me: My GPA sits at a whopping 3.4, and I made a decent MCAT (between 30 and 33). Since I have taken so many credits, a full courseload's worth would raise my GPA up to a 3.555.

Do you think I should go with one of the SMP/structured PB programs, or do the DIY PB? the DIY PB would be 10k cheaper. I am not in a huge financial crunch though, but if the DIY PB would achieve essentially the same effect, I would rather save the 10k.

Thanks!

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[JimmyB123]

please help!

 

[seaweed1]

There is a specific forum for post-bac program questions, you'll get more help there: http://forums.studentdoctor.net/forums/postbaccalaureate-programs.71/

 

[mehc012]

Hello yall,

I have been accepted to a couple SMPS/Structured Post-Bac (PB) programs [Cinci's MS in Physiology, Mississippi MS in medical sciences, Boston MAMS]. Should I do one of these or enroll in a local college and do a DIY PB? I only intend to do PB work for a year.

A little background about me: My GPA sits at a whopping 3.4, and I made a decent MCAT (between 30 and 33). Since I have taken so many credits, a full courseload's worth would raise my GPA up to a 3.555.

Do you think I should go with one of the SMP/structured PB programs, or do the DIY PB? the DIY PB would be 10k cheaper. I am not in a huge financial crunch though, but if the DIY PB would achieve essentially the same effect, I would rather save the 10k.

Thanks!

You're still conflating SMPs and structured postbaccs, which are NOT the same thing at all. All of the ones you have listed are SMPs, NOT postbaccs of any kind. Honestly, if you still don't understand the difference between these two you need to do a full day of Googling and sifting through the Non-trads/Postbacc section of SDN until you actually understand what decision you are even making. This is the second thread where you have demonstrated a complete lack of understanding of the options available to you, which is alarming considering you've already applied and are actually trying to make a decision on the matter.

First you have to decide whether you're looking to improve your GPA (postbacc of any sort) or throw a Hail Mary (SMP). You can go SMP, but that's typically a last-ditch resort type thing...go big or go home. If you do well, kudos to you. If you do poorly, you're sunk. It's also expensive.

Then, if you decide to go for improving your uGPA and applying, you can debate the 2 types of postbaccs.
For those, it largely depends on which courses you've taken already...if you've already had the premed prereqs, it would probably look better to go for a DIY postbacc and take upper levels than to retake courses (most structured postbaccs tend to offer the prereqs).

Personally, I would go for a DIY postbacc both to save money and to take upper-level courses. That way, I still have the SMP route in my pocket as a last resort if things fell through. However, since you've already applied to SMPs and seem to have the money, you're probably fine with either option.

But seriously, you need to start taking charge of your own life and researching things before you jump in.

 

[bmetomed25]

Hi,
I would really appreciate any and all advice on the following scenario requiring methods of gpa enhancement, particularly sgpa:
I majored in BS in Biomedical Engineering at GWU May 2017 with overall GPA 3.4, science gpa 3.1. I had a bad downward trend senior year - 3.3 fall and 3.13 spring semester. Retook general chemistry 1 and 2. Regarding ECs, I have 250 hours of volunteering in two hospitals and 1 nursing home. 16 hours of shadowing at a hospital. I did an undergraduate research fellowship for 8 months on data processing in a lab meant to design robotic devices for autistic children. I had one leadership role in Biomedical Engineering Society club for a year. I didn't have other ECS while in school.

I had to withdraw from organic chemistry 2 in spring semester (had a poor semester with a 3.1 GPA senior year due to poor time management and mental health issues that I am now resolving and doing much better from) and retook it in the summer getting an A-. I took biochemistry in the fall semester and got an A while volunteering at a nearby hospital 4-8 hours a week. Currently, taking organic chemistry 2 laboratory and volunteering and shadowing. I am planning to take the MCAT in April or May.

I am debating whether I should apply to a smp program(Georgetown SMP, Cinnnati SMP, Tufts MBS, BU MAMS) or a premedical certificate (like the John Hopkins HSI) that involves upper-level undergraduate coursework starting 2018 fall(or summer, depending on the program) or just take additional upper-level science course to help out. I know that if I do a smp, med schools will look at both the undergraduate gpa and smp gpa separately and am just unsure how much a good smp gpa can compensate for my undergraduate science gpa. So I am debated -- will med schools prefer strong peformance in med school coursework or rather see I boost up my undergraduate science gpa?

If I decide to do DIY post bac program, I calculated that if I get As in 32 credits, I am able to boost my undergraduate science GPA to 3.4 (this requires extreme care I know ). I know I also have the option to do 32 credits coursework, MCAT, and apply to post bacs as I apply to med schools. However, if a smp would help more than DIY post bac for my situation, I'd prefer to that because I can take out a federal loan to cover the smp cost while for DIY informal post bac, no financial aid is offered and I have to pay out of pocket.

One more note: I have a thought of doing the Georgetown SMP and doing well in it for this reason: I know someone who is a dean at that med school (not a dean of admissions but a particular dean) and would be willing to support my application.

IF THIS POST BELONGS TO A SPECIFIC THREAD, please let me know where to put it!
Any and all advice on this is truly appreciated. Thanks very much for your help.