Georgetown SMP

[waitman192]

I'm not totally sure - but it sounds like a lot of people do, if anything to help save on living costs. A guy posted on the yahoo server saying he was going to georgetown to look tomorrow and I sent him an email about it -- I have started looking into it as well and it seems to be a lot cheaper if you live with people. Houses are generally cheaper too I think because you can put more people in them. Maybe this helps, maybe not.

-wa

---

Members don't see this ad.

 

[premed]

Just wondering...the people who are bashing Georgetown, did they actually get an acceptance into GU after SMP? If not, it might be the case of bitterness. I've met plenty of people who were extremely happy to go there. Who cares about facilities, it's the education that matters.

Don't be bashing...FowlersGap is a great guy and has found the DO route to be more suitable for him. Exmike is doing very well in his class and did not even return his secondary to GUSOM. I think everyone has their own biases to different schools. But I don't think acceptance is really one of them...unless you are still in Elementary School.

 

[DrHuang]

great post Fowler, premed and i appreciate your comments and helpful hints!

 

[premed]

how much is it costing you?

GT SMP this year is $25,836. I believe it was $23,400 last year.

 

[FowlersGap]

Don't be bashing...FowlersGap is a great guy and has found the DO route to be more suitable for him. Exmike is doing very well in his class and did not even return his secondary to GUSOM. I think everyone has their own biases to different schools. But I don't think acceptance is really one of them...unless you are still in Elementary School.

haha; sorry if it seemed like i was bashing gtown; but after a month there you'll realize what i mean...especially if you're from CA

the facilities help with your learning experience...we had brains that were getting moldy...how can we learn neuro properly with moldy brains? but the facilities are disappointing;

like i keep saying over and over gtown has an excellent name and it will take you far; i learned a whole lot that year and it landed me a yearlong job as a lecturer; i wouldn't really do anything differently if i had to do it over

one of the reasons i chose the do route is because i realized after experiencing gtown i'd be happier in CA, i'm just telling you guys the truth, as i saw it with my eyes; if you want another version, try calling the administrators and see what they have to say...go for it, they'll tell you what you want to hear

one of the things that disappointed me was that the directors knew the majority of the class is from CA and wants to go to a CA med school. but they keep info from you: most of the UCs don't recognize the degree until after you receive it; which means many uc schools don't look at your app while you're in the program; they look at it afterwards...a couple years ago when i took this program, someone asked about this and they said, "this is true, and we are working on building a better relationship with uc schools"

but thanks premed for having my back...go bruins..haha

in terms of housing; i lived in a townhouse with six others!, four from the program; it was awesome cause we had our own rooms but we could still bug each other if we were bored

but beware of the chen's they are managers that i don't recommend; they remodeled our townhome well into the school year while we were living there, and we got no compensation; even if you live in a townhouse across the street its expensive, i paid 800 something a month, not including utilities! no joke; but i think its worth living across the street

if you got any more questions hit me up; i miss my SMP days but i'm happy to be back in CA!

 

[sg4runner]

I'm in CA and will not be able to go to DC to look for housing until the second week of July, is that gonna be too late? I'm leaning toward living alone if that makes a difference, but I haven't made any final decisions. When do most people move in?

Also, I've heard a bunch of different stuff on whether or not to bring a car. Are any Californians bringing theirs?

FowlersGap- did anyone out of your class get into a UC right after SMP or is that a long shot? Do you think there's any chance at all?

 

[poor ol' Gil]

Yeah, actually, I'd be interested in knowing about housing also. I want to live as close as possible and don't mind paying a bit extra. How hard is it to find a place close to campus? I'm from CA and won't have a car.

BTW -- does anyone else attending this program get the same sense of impending doom when reading all these posts about the program and G'town. Don't get me wrong, all the posts from former SMPers have been EXTREMELY helpful, and I'm glad we're getting a very realistic view of the program. I just have this feeling of doom now that won't go away. I guess we'll just wait and see.

 

[premed]

I'm in CA and will not be able to go to DC to look for housing until the second week of July, is that gonna be too late? I'm leaning toward living alone if that makes a difference, but I haven't made any final decisions. When do most people move in?

Also, I've heard a bunch of different stuff on whether or not to bring a car. Are any Californians bringing theirs?

FowlersGap- did anyone out of your class get into a UC right after SMP or is that a long shot? Do you think there's any chance at all?

Second week of July should be just about right. I started looking already but most of the time, I get beat out by someone who wants the place right away. Most likely, no one will take me seriously until mid-July. I plan on moving in early August. I'm debating whether I should take my car or not because I can't stand the idea of driving for 5 days straight! The drive from OC to LA about once a month is bad enough! It would be nice to have a car because NY city is just a 4 hour drive but I heard $30 will get me there and back on a bus. Besides, I don't think I should be spending weekends out in the city.

 

[premed]

Yeah, actually, I'd be interested in knowing about housing also. I want to live as close as possible and don't mind paying a bit extra. How hard is it to find a place close to campus? I'm from CA and won't have a car.

BTW -- does anyone else attending this program get the same sense of impending doom when reading all these posts about the program and G'town. Don't get me wrong, all the posts from former SMPers have been EXTREMELY helpful, and I'm glad we're getting a very realistic view of the program. I just have this feeling of doom now that won't go away. I guess we'll just wait and see.

What I've actually noticed is...if you plan on living in Washington D.C., close to campus is actually cheaper than other areas of D.C. such as Dupont Circle (the prices are absurd!!!).

In regards to impending doom, I keep telling myself how hard I'm going to work when I get there. But the thing is, so is everyone else. I think that about 20% of the class will slack in some way (ie not go to lecture, not study enough, etc...). The other 80% will probably work their butts off. So in a sense, if you do study hard, it will come down to who's smarter (ie the better studier, more efficient, faster learner, good at memorizing, etc...). Take the great advice of ex-physios. Study hard, but enjoy your life. On a side note, I have a friend who just got back from the Finch master's program. He told me how insane it was. People were getting diarrhea, nosebleeds, colds, fevers, throwing up, crying, etc... on days of tests. So I'm expecting the worse.

 

[sg4runner]

I feel you guys. I get quite nervous thinking about all that we have to face this coming year, but I guess you just have to tell yourself that it's not gonna be worse than medical school, right? I mean, I know we have the extra burden of still not actually being in med school yet, but I'm sure the load can't be worse than that and then think of the edge you'll have once you're in med school.

I hope the SMP atmosphere won't be a harsh and competitive one. I'm for making it as supportive and motivating an atmosphere as possible... you guys with me? It's gonna be tough, but we can do it!!! Try not to crowd your mind with negative thoughts and worries (I need to take my own advice!).

 

[waitman192]

I am getting that impending doom as well... But we can't let it get us down - I am in the same boat that I am gonna work my tail off (and then some)... need to have a little fun, right? I'm hoping it won't be as harsh and competetive as I envision... but I guess that is kind of up to us - if we realize we're all in it together, and only a fraction of those applying to med school, then I feel like we can work together so we all freaking get in!

As for the car issue - I am definetely bringing mine, but being from Baltimore (only 45 minutes away, as opposed to 5 days) I guess it is a little more concievable. I tend to suggest a car... they have the Metro system in DC, but as you have probably read, there really isn't a close Metro stop to campus... I am also planning on moving in at the beginning of August so that I am settled before orientation and so I am not moving the week before MCATs (I'm taking them the saturday between orientation and classes )

for apartment searching try www.craigslist.org (not sure if they allow links on message boards, if they don't pm me) Click on the Wash DC button on the right... It's a pretty sweet thing, and updated nearly realtime. Hope that helps some!

 

[FowlersGap]

if you live near campus (walking distance) there's no point in getting a car

the transportation in dc is awesome; they have the blue bus in gtown that runs to big metro stops, and there's also the gtown shuttle that runs to dupont circle rosslyn? and other places (i can't remember) but the point is you don't need a car, the gtown shuttle is free for students, the blue bus in gtown that runs along M street costs 50 cents i think, and once you get on a metro you can get anywhere you need to go. it saves the hassle of parking, etc.

the bus system is easy to get used to as well, it did take me a while to figure out that you can reuse a bus ticket on any bus for a few hours as indicated on the ticket; but you'll learn the tricks of the trade when you get there; i went on my first train ride, and navigated the buses and metro by myself: a major accomplishment for a californian who's never really used the buses out here.

don't worry about the gloom we speak of; i think most of us who speak of doom are californians; its just a different lifestyle out there with pros and cons and its not like CA; if youre from CA you'll realize quickly how spoiled you were here in the sun, but dont' work yourselves up about that now

take everything in stride and ENJOY your time out there. don't live in the library and burn yourself out but at the same time don't forget why you're out there. don't let a bad score on an exam let you down, just keep working hard. if you have the right attitude things will work out. Have fun after exams and go out to M street, adams morgan, waterfront, etc.

i think someone asked how many people got into a UC my year; i heard of one guy getting in to UC davis; but it wasn't confirmed...1 person got in to usc; the majority got in to NYMC.

 

[Persistence101]

Don't be bashing...FowlersGap is a great guy and has found the DO route to be more suitable for him. Exmike is doing very well in his class and did not even return his secondary to GUSOM. I think everyone has their own biases to different schools. But I don't think acceptance is really one of them...unless you are still in Elementary School.

My post wasn't meant to personally attack FowlersGap. Take a chill pill, dude! Go hang out at the beach or something, you only have a month left of break.

 

[Persistence101]

haha; sorry if it seemed like i was bashing gtown; but after a month there you'll realize what i mean...especially if you're from CA

the facilities help with your learning experience...we had brains that were getting moldy...how can we learn neuro properly with moldy brains? but the facilities are disappointing;

like i keep saying over and over gtown has an excellent name and it will take you far; i learned a whole lot that year and it landed me a yearlong job as a lecturer; i wouldn't really do anything differently if i had to do it over

one of the reasons i chose the do route is because i realized after experiencing gtown i'd be happier in CA, i'm just telling you guys the truth, as i saw it with my eyes; if you want another version, try calling the administrators and see what they have to say...go for it, they'll tell you what you want to hear

one of the things that disappointed me was that the directors knew the majority of the class is from CA and wants to go to a CA med school. but they keep info from you: most of the UCs don't recognize the degree until after you receive it; which means many uc schools don't look at your app while you're in the program; they look at it afterwards...a couple years ago when i took this program, someone asked about this and they said, "this is true, and we are working on building a better relationship with uc schools"

but thanks premed for having my back...go bruins..haha

in terms of housing; i lived in a townhouse with six others!, four from the program; it was awesome cause we had our own rooms but we could still bug each other if we were bored

but beware of the chen's they are managers that i don't recommend; they remodeled our townhome well into the school year while we were living there, and we got no compensation; even if you live in a townhouse across the street its expensive, i paid 800 something a month, not including utilities! no joke; but i think its worth living across the street

if you got any more questions hit me up; i miss my SMP days but i'm happy to be back in CA!

Thanks for clarifying your reasons. My post wasn't meant to attack you personally. If it came out that way, I apologize. Good luck at COMP. Please think of us Californians in D.C. while you're hanging out at the beach next year.

 

[premed]

My post wasn't meant to personally attack FowlersGap. Take a chill pill, dude! Go hang out at the beach or something, you only have a month left of break.

Actually, the SMP will be a break compared to everything I'm doing now!

 

[Persistence101]

Approximately how many Californians do the SMP at GU each year? I'm just curious because my friend is also starting SMP.

 

[FowlersGap]

Approximately how many Californians do the SMP at GU each year? I'm just curious because my friend is also starting SMP.

no harm done homie; i wasn't offended...but i really can't think of anyone who was bitter for not getting in to gtown

weird huh?

about half of the class is from CA; they'll call it UC georgetown at orientation

 

[Columbia22]

i dunno about you guys, but im psyched for next year. Bring it. Boo yeah

 

[Persistence101]

i dunno about you guys, but im psyched for next year. Bring it. Boo yeah

I thought you were doing the Harvard Extension program? Did you change your mind?

 

[Columbia22]

Ya dude, i changed my mind big time...my science GPA isnt too low, and after being waitlisted this past year, i just need that extra push that i feel a masters degree will provide. Good luck though with everything

 

[Persistence101]

Ya dude, i changed my mind big time...my science GPA isnt too low, and after being waitlisted this past year, i just need that extra push that i feel a masters degree will provide. Good luck though with everything

Great decision! Good luck at Georgetown.

 

[sg4runner]

This may be obvious, but what about the computer situation? Did you previous physios just bring a laptop or desktop and then pay to have a cable/dsl connection in your apartment? If so, what provider do you recommend? What about computer access at school? And do profs put up websites for their classes, etc? Thanks.

 

[FowlersGap]

i think we had verizon dsl; there are computers in the libraries; it wasn't ever really a problem to get access; because of the computer room in the basement of the library; you'll see its not a big deal

there are things like slides for histology on the internet which help; i don't remember if power point presentations were put up on the web...

 

[NRAI2001]

Is it too late to apply to GT now? My friend just sent in his app on Friday last week, I thought it was kinda late.

Also is there a limit to the size of the class for the SMP program or will they admit as many people as they think can handle the program?

 

[sg4runner]

the deadline for starting this fall was June 1... I don't think they'll accept any more now...
For some reason I remember hearing that there are around 130 people in the SMP program, but I don't know where I saw that so I can't prove it I'm sure there's a limit though

 

[premed]

the deadline for starting this fall was June 1... I don't think they'll accept any more now...
For some reason I remember hearing that there are around 130 people in the SMP program, but I don't know where I saw that so I can't prove it I'm sure there's a limit though

The last day for starting this fall was June 1 and they only accept 130 people. Both were posted on the Yahoo G'town SMP forum.

 

[ko061]

Hey does anybody know what's going on with the acceptance percentages for the SMP?

I saw on the website that all those alumini got into those school from those years, but if you cout how many people are listed, there's only around 79 to 85 people. Knowing that the class is around 130 people, where do the rest of the people go? When it says there were 17 out of 17 people who went to Georgetown afterwards, are all those 17 people got in while they were enrolled in the program? or does that include some possibility for people getting in the year after finishing SMP?

What happens to the rest of the people?

Are there any linkage programs from the SMP?

For those who are going to be attending SMP, did you get these specific questions answered by someone?

Thanks,

KO061

 

[sg4runner]

Hey does anybody know what's going on with the acceptance percentages for the SMP?

I saw on the website that all those alumini got into those school from those years, but if you cout how many people are listed, there's only around 79 to 85 people. Knowing that the class is around 130 people, where do the rest of the people go? When it says there were 17 out of 17 people who went to Georgetown afterwards, are all those 17 people got in while they were enrolled in the program? or does that include some possibility for people getting in the year after finishing SMP?

What happens to the rest of the people?

Are there any linkage programs from the SMP?

For those who are going to be attending SMP, did you get these specific questions answered by someone?

Thanks,

KO061

Well, there are 130 people in the program, but they say that historically only 50% of the class matriculates the following year, and 80% matriculate in 2 years. So that sounds right that only 79-85 people out of 130 got into med school right away. The rest of the people reapply and half of them get in the second time. I don't know if the people who never end up getting in just decided to go another route or just couldn't get in.
As for the 17 people that got into Gtown, yes, I believe they got in while they were enrolled in the program.
These q's have not been specifically adressed, but maybe you could go to the program's own forum and ask the director Dr. Adam Myers:

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/physios/

There are no linkage programs, however they say 20% of the class usually gets into Gtown. Hope this helps.

 

[SDNer2004]

There's a vacant townhouse available. Check my thread for more info. Or PM for more details.

 

[docquaker]

hey guys,

i just finished the smp (well, still gotta do the paper) and i think the best advice i can give to you is to try to do well first semester. looking back, the course load really isn't too bad (histology and embryology are the med classes and biochem and immunology are the grad courses. there's also a biomedical pathways course, but it's an easy A), but keep in mind that you will also be filling out secondaries, perhaps going on interviews, and adjusting to the rigors of med school classes. most smp students get the majority of their interviews in jan-march, so if you've done well first semester, it can only help you since the schools will look at those grades before making a decision on your app. in the second semester, try to do well in physiology. it's a seven credit course and gtown considers it very highly (read: very good possibility of interview if you do well)

by "well," i mean A's. but that's easier said than done because you need to score the equivalent of the top 10% of the med students. usually translates to 90%. but it's not too difficult to get a B (the range goes down pretty far).

enjoy your summers because you'll be working very hard come august. good luck!

 

[dynx]

i think someone asked how many people got into a UC my year; i heard of one guy getting in to UC davis; but it wasn't confirmed...1 person got in to usc; the majority got in to NYMC.

Yeah that one guy was me...how the hell did anybody know that? I contacted GT before I got there to see how the link was to the UCs and when I heard it wasnt good I persued a different strategy for my UC applications than I did for my others.
They actually tell you (after you get there and they have your money) that the UC schools are LESS likely to accept you while you are in the program since they will want to wait a year to see how you do. There's no point putting yourself at a disadvantage applying to UC schools, so if you want my advice feel free to PM me.
As far as the progam goes you guys should all relax and enjoy it. Its not all that competative but it is a challenge. Overall I am very glad that I went, the city is awsome with tons of cool stuff to do and see and it has made my first year of medical school a breeze. Make sure you take the time to see the area and have fun. Now if you will excuse me I just finished my Neuro final (much easier than the GT version) and am going to get ready to hit the bars.
good luck all

PS...the weather in DC sucks...it sucks...I cant say it enough...its horrible.
PPS..get Dr. Sherman to grade your paper...

 

[FowlersGap]

it was like high school out there; people talk and everyone knows everything haha

 

[FowlersGap]

Yeah that one guy was me...how the hell did anybody know that? I contacted GT before I got there to see how the link was to the UCs and when I heard it wasnt good I persued a different strategy for my UC applications than I did for my others.
They actually tell you (after you get there and they have your money) that the UC schools are LESS likely to accept you while you are in the program since they will want to wait a year to see how you do. There's no point putting yourself at a disadvantage applying to UC schools, so if you want my advice feel free to PM me.
As far as the progam goes you guys should all relax and enjoy it. Its not all that competative but it is a challenge. Overall I am very glad that I went, the city is awsome with tons of cool stuff to do and see and it has made my first year of medical school a breeze. Make sure you take the time to see the area and have fun. Now if you will excuse me I just finished my Neuro final (much easier than the GT version) and am going to get ready to hit the bars.
good luck all

PS...the weather in DC sucks...it sucks...I cant say it enough...its horrible.
PPS..get Dr. Sherman to grade your paper...

also just curious; what strategy did you use?

 

[krichan]

did they say anything about other schools? I'm not sure what other schools I should apply to; perhaps not the ones that rejected me the first time around. Is it a bad idea to apply only to Georgetown's med school?

 

[docquaker]

there are some schools that tend to really like SMP students...the directors will mention them at orientation. definitely apply to those. off the top of my head, drexel, nymc, gw, gtown, slu...

 

[rsl5181]

im a current student. heres a posting i just put on the smp message board. email me at [email protected] if you have any questions:

hi,
im a current masters student, and i thought i would post my current housing as a good option for a student next year. its a basement apartment located in the foxhall area. i would say it takes around 10 mins from the time you leave my front door to the time you sit in class (in other words, its almost as close as you can get). i had a great landlord (youll find that most are pretty creepy) who was always receptive to anything i needed. he recently got married, so he lives with his wife upstairs, but they are never really around--id say they leave town most weekends, and they work pretty long hours. anyway, about the apartment:

our estimate is that its 800+ sq ft, which is really big in this part of town. it has a main room that is about 20X15 which i use as a living room/bedroom. it has a very large kitchen with full sized: fridge, stove, oven, and your own washer/dryer combo. all of these appliances were new when i moved in last year. they are all in top condition now. i think its pretty hard to find a place with new appliances around here. theres also a front room that i used as a study. id say its about 10X10. im not sure what he is going to charge for rent this month, but i can tell you that it was very reasonably priced in comparison to my other classmates. my rent included all utilities and a satellite dish. i also shared wireless internet with my landlord upstairs.

all in all, its an excellent place to live, especially if you dont have a car. my lease ends during the first week of july, so im pretty sure it will be available soon after. also, i have a lot of furniture id be willing to sell with the apartment. feel free to contact me at [email protected] or my landlord ***************

and by the way, i dont get a cut or anything for advertising this apt. i just was really pleased with my experience, all things considered, so i thought id try to help him out. good luck next year

 

[Lindyhopper]

Congrats to all you future G'town SMPers. I think its a great decision. Now I don't want to be with the negative, but is anyone familiar with people who go and then decide that another eight years is just too much. Does that happen in significant numbers or is pretty much everyone committed to moving forward?

 

[FowlersGap]

Congrats to all you future G'town SMPers. I think its a great decision. Now I don't want to be with the negative, but is anyone familiar with people who go and then decide that another eight years is just too much. Does that happen in significant numbers or is pretty much everyone committed to moving forward?

no every year a few people drop out of the program; i think around 5 maybe?

the same happens with the med class; I heard (don't know for a fact) that a few med students got freaked out by the first embryo exam and turned in blank exams...they had three huge exams that same week...back to back so it was a lot of pressure on them

but i heard a few med students drop out each year and realize medicine is not for them

 

[DrHuang]

how are the girls in DC?

 

[premed]

how are the girls in DC?

They all look like the Russian in Dodgeball. We need to study physiology and biophysics...not physiology of women.

 

[Sancho]

To all the SMP grads,

How well do you have to do in the program to have a chance at Georgetown? 4.0? Is a 4.0 even possible for SMP students? Also, is admission to G'Town cotingent on your overall AMCAS numbers--i.e. can you get serious consideration by G'town based solely on your SMP performance? Thanks.

It's possible. I just did it---It'll help get you in to G'town or anywhere else, but I don't feel my acceptance was automatic by any means. They still look at AMCAS quite a bit from what I understand-the SMP grades get you the interview. You really don't need the 4.0, so don't kill yourself, unless you missed your calling as a green beret. I'll reiterate others' advice to focus especially on 1st semester- your schedule is easier than the med's, so make the most of it. Above all, have a killer time in DC-I recommend McFadden's pub followed by drunken swimming in the potomac!!
y'all will do fine

Sanchos

 

[premed]

It's possible. I just did it---It'll help get you in to G'town or anywhere else, but I don't feel my acceptance was automatic by any means. They still look at AMCAS quite a bit from what I understand-the SMP grades get you the interview. You really don't need the 4.0, so don't kill yourself, unless you missed your calling as a green beret. I'll reiterate others' advice to focus especially on 1st semester- your schedule is easier than the med's, so make the most of it. Above all, have a killer time in DC-I recommend McFadden's pub followed by drunken swimming in the potomac!!
y'all will do fine

Sanchos

Sancho, you are my new role model for the upcoming year!

 

[Sancho]

Aw shucks premed, I'm flattered
Hey, I realized that I forgot to add "in February" after "the Potomoc"
Just had to do some research on shrinkage after one of Dr. Myers' sex physiology lectures.

 

[B Baby82]

Hey everyone-
I read through everything about this program and couldn't find it anywhere, but I apologize if I missed it. I was just wondering, generally when do you apply for this program? I plan on starting to apply to med schools at the beginning of the cycle next year, but if I'm interested in this program too do I apply at the same time or wait until later in the year? Is there a limit to how long you can hold a spot in the smp program, i.e. are you still allowed to wait for responses from med schools before you take the smp spot or do you have only a short window to take it from when you get accepted? thanks a lot

 

[jbing]

just withdrew my acceptance from the smp, hope that opens up a spot for someone.....

 

[premed]

just withdrew my acceptance from the smp, hope that opens up a spot for someone.....

congratulations...i think?

 

[stinkycheese]

The class is full, so unless more people drop out, those who haven't heard from SMP yet are basically rejected. Just an FYI.

 

[Columbia22]

im gonna pull out very soon, so hopefully one of you waitlisters can get my spot...its a great program, and Im sad that i wont be attending.

 

[DrHuang]

Does anyone know how USC (southern california) views the GT SMP? Are they like the UCs and disregard it until you finish the program?

 

[medstylee]

Does anyone know how USC (southern california) views the GT SMP? Are they like the UCs and disregard it until you finish the program?

... to add on to that, are there certain schools that look particularly favorably upon Georgetown SMPers each year? From looking over the places past students have ended up, NYMC seems to like SMP. Does anyone else know of any others?

Thanks. See you guys in August.