Frustrating. I'll have to check out SMPs after all. Need some guidance.

[uphillBattle]

---

Members don't see this ad.

My stats here: http://forums.studentdoctor.net/showthread.php?t=998149
The dilemma here: http://forums.studentdoctor.net/showthread.php?t=999343

Just talked with my pre-med counselor and she was super reluctant in me applying this cycle with my stats as they are.

It also seems like its really late to apply for an SMP this time around. I think many of their deadlines already passed and they stopped accepting students.

My original plan was to apply this cycle and see how I do.

1. Would it make sense for me to apply anyway, see how I do and sign up for an SMP next Spring if need be?
1. Are there any programs I can look into that are good and can still accept me?
2. Are there any threads I can read to learn more about these programs?

Kind of lost here. Appreciate the advice.

 

[FLdivegurl]

For what it's worth, I applied to my SMP at the beginning of August and got in 3 days later. Throw out an app (especially if there is a program near you) can't hurt.

 

[uphillBattle]

For what it's worth, I applied to my SMP at the beginning of August and got in 3 days later. Throw out an app (especially if there is a program near you) can't hurt.

I can't. I'm out of CA. There is no program near me.

With my stats I'll most likely be able to get into the better smp programs most likely and those would have most likely already accepted folks.

 

[FLdivegurl]

I went to BU.

 

[plumhill]

My stats here: http://forums.studentdoctor.net/showthread.php?t=998149
The dilemma here: http://forums.studentdoctor.net/showthread.php?t=999343

Just talked with my pre-med counselor and she was super reluctant in me applying this cycle with my stats as they are.

It also seems like its really late to apply for an SMP this time around. I think many of their deadlines already passed and they stopped accepting students.

My original plan was to apply this cycle and see how I do.

1. Would it make sense for me to apply anyway, see how I do and sign up for an SMP next Spring if need be?
1. Are there any programs I can look into that are good and can still accept me?
2. Are there any threads I can read to learn more about these programs?

Kind of lost here. Appreciate the advice.

You may find better guidance/advice in the Post-Bacc section.

Its a little late to apply for SMPs if you're trying to get in this August, but your stats, while lower than average, aren't disasterous, and you've got a good MCAT score. I'd apply to all of the well-known SMPs ASAP. You can use your letters for Med School for most of those. Also, apply to other non-SMP Masters' programs that are associated with medical schools.

 

[loltopsy]

Apply and get an SMP. Even this late in the game, there's plenty of room - it's really common. Most people seem to apply late because they want to hear back and make sure they didn't get in this cycle. Do you really want to add another year between you and med school? With your stats, if you do well at any SMP, I'm sure you'll be fine. I did Drexel's SMP with similar stats.

 

[uphillBattle]

Apply and get an SMP. Even this late in the game, there's plenty of room - it's really common. Most people seem to apply late because they want to hear back and make sure they didn't get in this cycle. Do you really want to add another year between you and med school? With your stats, if you do well at any SMP, I'm sure you'll be fine. I did Drexel's SMP with similar stats.

You may find better guidance/advice in the Post-Bacc section.

Its a little late to apply for SMPs if you're trying to get in this August, but your stats, while lower than average, aren't disasterous, and you've got a good MCAT score. I'd apply to all of the well-known SMPs ASAP. You can use your letters for Med School for most of those. Also, apply to other non-SMP Masters' programs that are associated with medical schools.

Is an SMP even worth it? If I were to take 3 - 4 more classes over the course of next year to bump up my GPA to ~3.4 would it be better? I plan on doing this anyway but was just hoping for some feedback.

 

[uphillBattle]

Also, when considering SMPs should I be considering ones with linkages or the best ones?

 

[plumhill]

Also, when considering SMPs should I be considering ones with linkages or the best ones?

To my knowledge, none of the traditional SMPs have guaranteed linkages. There are some (such as Tufts) where the top X% will be guaranteed an interview, and uToledo where I *think* everyone who enrolls gets an interview. SMP programs like Cincinnati, Georgetown, BU MAMS, will definitely consider SMP students who do well in the program. Now, doing an SMP will require about $30k+ and COMPLETE dedication to the program. If you mess up in an SMP and don't do well, you're essentially done. There are also a few other non-SMP masters programs (such as at Sinai) where they'll interview people with certain GPA/MCAT cutoffs. But all of these SMP programs have a pretty good history of getting people into medical school (70-80%+), and if you do well in an SMP program (which is certainly possible), then you're showing med schools that despite your undergraduate GPA, you have what it takes to do well in medical school, academically. It also shows dedication to getting into medical school and becoming a physician by taking that extra year and going through a pretty grueling program.

Regarding retaking classes...do you have any classes to retake? Anything below a C- needs to be retaken. As for adding classes to your undergrad GPA, you can if you want to but I don't know how much it'll help. A program like UPenn or Harvard Extension, which will allow you to take upper-level undergrad classes that will add to your undergraduate GPA, can provide a structured way of doing this, as well as some advising along the way. If you decide to freelance additional courses, what else would you be doing during this coming year besides retaking classes? Unless you'll have family or other financial support, having a full-time job/research assistantship/etc while taking 3-4 classes might be challenging and may not give you enough time to make sure you get an A in those classes.

So essentially, you can really go either way. I still suggest that you take a good look at the PostBac thread to get more detailed information about the SMP programs, and if you do decide you want to apply to SMP programs, apply ASAP, because deadlines are in a few weeks, I think.

 

[Chip N Sawbones]

There may not be any need for an SMP. I think your stats are good enough for schools that have a history of accepting nontrads, like Tulane, Rosalind Franklin, and Vermont. Your perfect postbac and excellent MCAT will be enough to make quite a few schools look beyond your bad cGPA. I got into Tulane with a GPA and MCAT lower than yours, though I had lots of volunteer experience to help. Don't put too much stock in what your college's premed adviser said. Most premed advisers have never heard of nontrad students and are convinced that the only possible path to med school is through a 3.6 GPA and 30 MCAT.

 

[uphillBattle]

To my knowledge, none of the traditional SMPs have guaranteed linkages. There are some (such as Tufts) where the top X% will be guaranteed an interview, and uToledo where I *think* everyone who enrolls gets an interview. SMP programs like Cincinnati, Georgetown, BU MAMS, will definitely consider SMP students who do well in the program. Now, doing an SMP will require about $30k+ and COMPLETE dedication to the program. If you mess up in an SMP and don't do well, you're essentially done. There are also a few other non-SMP masters programs (such as at Sinai) where they'll interview people with certain GPA/MCAT cutoffs. But all of these SMP programs have a pretty good history of getting people into medical school (70-80%+), and if you do well in an SMP program (which is certainly possible), then you're showing med schools that despite your undergraduate GPA, you have what it takes to do well in medical school, academically. It also shows dedication to getting into medical school and becoming a physician by taking that extra year and going through a pretty grueling program.

Regarding retaking classes...do you have any classes to retake? Anything below a C- needs to be retaken. As for adding classes to your undergrad GPA, you can if you want to but I don't know how much it'll help. A program like UPenn or Harvard Extension, which will allow you to take upper-level undergrad classes that will add to your undergraduate GPA, can provide a structured way of doing this, as well as some advising along the way. If you decide to freelance additional courses, what else would you be doing during this coming year besides retaking classes? Unless you'll have family or other financial support, having a full-time job/research assistantship/etc while taking 3-4 classes might be challenging and may not give you enough time to make sure you get an A in those classes.

So essentially, you can really go either way. I still suggest that you take a good look at the PostBac thread to get more detailed information about the SMP programs, and if you do decide you want to apply to SMP programs, apply ASAP, because deadlines are in a few weeks, I think.

Yea I'd be doing Berkeley Extension and I'm already gearing up for taking 3 - 5 courses. Finances aren't a problem for me because I work full time. I took 7 units two semesters ago while working and get A's across the board.

The post-bacc offers all upper division courses as well.

I was also thinking of applying this year, see how I fare and then apply for an SMP if need be.

There may not be any need for an SMP. I think your stats are good enough for schools that have a history of accepting nontrads, like Tulane, Rosalind Franklin, and Vermont. Your perfect postbac and excellent MCAT will be enough to make quite a few schools look beyond your bad cGPA. I got into Tulane with a GPA and MCAT lower than yours, though I had lots of volunteer experience to help. Don't put too much stock in what your college's premed adviser said. Most premed advisers have never heard of nontrad students and are convinced that the only possible path to med school is through a 3.6 GPA and 30 MCAT.

Appreciate your feedback. But there is a very low chance that I'd have the same ability as you did to pull that off. I'm gearing up for courses after i submit my amcas.

As an aside, when compiling my school list, is it better to focus on schools within my GPA/MCAT reach or schools which accept more OOS? Being in CA, my chances are pretty slim.

 

[Chip N Sawbones]

Appreciate your feedback. But there is a very low chance that I'd have the same ability as you did to pull that off. I'm gearing up for courses after i submit my amcas.

As an aside, when compiling my school list, is it better to focus on schools within my GPA/MCAT reach or schools which accept more OOS? Being in CA, my chances are pretty slim.

Definitely focus on schools that accept more OOS. If a state school has a 3.4/28 average and only accepts ten OOS students, you can bet that those ten have stats that are way above the school's average. There will likely be thousands applying for those ten seats, so the school can get really choosy. You need to look mainly at state schools that accept at least 25% OOS and private schools that are good about accepting nontrads, like the ones I listed in my previous post. Your stats are right about the median for Tulane. They love nontrads there, and they're much more concerned about your MCAT than your cGPA, especially if you have good postbac work and lots of life experience.

If you're willing to go DO I'd include some of them as safeties. You're almost certain to get some good DO acceptances. If you get in this cycle as a DO as opposed to next year after doing an SMP, it will mean one more year doing a doctor's job and earning a doctor's salary. Between the cost of the SMP and the lost earning potential, that's going to be something like a 200k difference for you.

 

[uphillBattle]

Definitely focus on schools that accept more OOS. If a state school has a 3.4/28 average and only accepts ten OOS students, you can bet that those ten have stats that are way above the school's average. There will likely be thousands applying for those ten seats, so the school can get really choosy. You need to look mainly at state schools that accept at least 25% OOS and private schools that are good about accepting nontrads, like the ones I listed in my previous post. Your stats are right about the median for Tulane. They love nontrads there, and they're much more concerned about your MCAT than your cGPA, especially if you have good postbac work and lots of life experience.

If you're willing to go DO I'd include some of them as safeties. You're almost certain to get some good DO acceptances. If you get in this cycle as a DO as opposed to next year after doing an SMP, it will mean one more year doing a doctor's job and earning a doctor's salary. Between the cost of the SMP and the lost earning potential, that's going to be something like a 200k difference for you.

When determining OOS schools based upon their statistics should I look towards Accepted/Interviewed or Interviewed/Applied?

 

[uphillBattle]

Also, what is the opinion on using an SMP from Cincinnati, Tulane, Tufts, RFU, GTown, BU, EVMS to go to another medical school?

Are these the main ones I should be focusing on? My plan is to apply this year and based upon how I do, sign up for a 1 year SMP next year while applying again.

 

[anguisette]

When determining OOS schools based upon their statistics should I look towards Accepted/Interviewed or Interviewed/Applied?

I looked at both.

 

[uphillBattle]

I looked at both.

Appreciate it for coming through anguisette! 🙂

I'll sit and look at both then.