GPA enhancement programs: SMPs, postbacs et al...June 2009 List

This forum made possible through the generous support of SDN members, donors, and sponsors. Thank you.
Hey everyone right now I am trying to make the decision between Drexel MSP program and LECOM post bacc and was wondering if anyone could give me some advice? I am leaning towards drexel but cant make a solid decision. Drexel is reputable and has mcat course built into the curriculum and I can get my masters the second year but takes two years but gives me the chance to interview at drexel med. Lecom is more of a safe bet with 3.0 and 23 mcat which I have and it gives me a pretty much guaranteed acceptance to lecom do. can anyone please give me some advice ? thank you in advance!
Members don't see this ad.
 
Hi DrMidlife,

Just wanted to state some changes or add a few things for some people looking to apply to Drexel:

The App fee is waived if you attend an online information session (webinar) - just so people can save some money if you aren't sure.

Also at least 25 seats are guaranteed at Drexel MD between the IMS/MMS/MBS programs (though usually a lot more than those are accepted after the waitlists and such). I think they also have some other linkages with other DO schools - PCOM ? (Not exactly sure on that yet, but I'll update here if I see anything added)
 
Members don't see this ad :)
Dr. Midlife,

This was a great list. However, I thought I would share an update. As of July 2013, UMDNJ no longer exists. The New Jersey Medical School and Robert Wood Johnson Medical School are now a part of Rutgers University. As for the SMP programs, the NJ Medical School has both a Master of Science track and a Master of Biological Science track. Both programs can be completed under the Medical Scholars program.
 
I'm currently finishing my last year of undergraduate, submitted medschool applications this summer, and waiting to hear back.

In case I don't get accepted to medical schools this cycle, I'm thinking of doing a post bacc program, or maybe a SMP, and then reapplying next year.

I've been reading up on numerous post bacc and SMPs around the country, but I would appreciate any advices regarding them.

cGPA: 3.02
Science GPA: 3.01
MCAT: 37 (12,13,12)
 
MariaG2012 said:
Dr. Midlife,

This was a great list. However, I thought I would share an update. As of July 2013, UMDNJ no longer exists. The New Jersey Medical School and Robert Wood Johnson Medical School are now a part of Rutgers University. As for the SMP programs, the NJ Medical School has both a Master of Science track and a Master of Biological Science track. Both programs can be completed under the Medical Scholars program.
Click to expand...
Anyone who wants to exert themselves to update, organize or completely redo the list is welcome to take it on. I'm in my 2nd year of med school and am no longer motivated, not one tiny bit, to thoroughly catalog programs as I was when I was looking for an SMP.
 
aac29 said:
seems like theres no benefit from this program to ucsd, no linkage
Click to expand...
Nationally only about 2-3 GPA redemption programs have anything that could be called "linkage" (Temple, RFU, maybe Tulane ACP, plus several URM programs). It's just not common anymore. The point with this new UCSD program is that it's a rare new opportunity for (12?) Californians to not have to move across the country to do structured GPA redemption.

The UC's do not typically consider apps from students who have not yet completed their GPA redemption work, so it's not surprising that UCSD isn't offering any admissions fast tracking for people in this postbac.
 
What are my options if I haven't taken any pre-reqs yet? I would assume I have to take them all and take the MCAT before I can apply to ANY program correct? Just trying to figure things out. Thanks!
 
kovalchuk71 said:
What are my options if I haven't taken any pre-reqs yet? I would assume I have to take them all and take the MCAT before I can apply to ANY program correct? Just trying to figure things out. Thanks!
Click to expand...
Do.some.reading.

30 mins of reading in the forum will show u the programs more suitable for you.
 
Members don't see this ad :)
robflanker said:
You already found the place where the info is
Click to expand...
Yes I did :). I guess I'm just more curious if it's worth it or if I should just take my pre-reqs and apply to a category 2 in a year.....I'm already 24 so I'm not trying to waste any more time.

Can anyone tell me about CUNY Hunter?
 
Last edited by a moderator:
Does anyone have information on the MS in Pathology offered at Case Western?? I am trying to figure out if it is worth it if my goal is medical school...seems like a great program, just haven't heard too much about the students and med school...I'm assuming because it's newer. Thanks!
 
Can anyone recommend any GPA enhancement programs for those who were not science majors? The UCSD Program is great, but I was an English major with a 2.8. Thanks!
 
I feel like I'm screwed because I need to bring up my GPA to get it to a 3.0 (currently at 2.89 -- i screwed up along the way, was lazy) and also to increase my MCAT to a 28 at a minimum (at 27R first time I did it).....where do I find the time for everything???? What to do?

I had/have poor planning so I did not do it last year/this summer but now I really need to decided what to do. I really need help....i dunno how ill prepare for the new sections on the MCAT (psych, soc, stats - as I've never taken a course in any of these subjects....). Freaking out right now, dunno what to do.
 
SaltySailor said:
Can anyone recommend any GPA enhancement programs for those who were not science majors? The UCSD Program is great, but I was an English major with a 2.8. Thanks!
Click to expand...
May want to try second bachelors at CSUN?
 
Hi-- I've read through most of the pages on this thread and I have found it very helpful but I'm still not seeing a ton of information about pre-dental students regarding SMPs. Is there a thread like this that is tailored to dental school hopefuls? Just b/c the criteria for admissions is a bit different. I have already looked at the websites for most of the SMPs listed on the aamc website, and I noticed that some of them do have a dental track, but I still have a bunch of GPA/DAT/etc questions.

Anyway, I was wondering if the classes you take during a "real" SMP count towards your first year of professional school (if you get accepted) or if you re-take all the first year courses upon matriculation?

Also, for my post-bacc the general message I got from these forums was to do it for as cheap as possible. However, for SMPs it seems that you guys say it's worth it to get into one of the best programs (like Tufts, BU, Georgetown) even though they are super expensive. Why is this the case?

Finally, do all pre-requisites for an SMP need to be completed prior to applying? I only have Physics left to take, but I don't think my GPA will be competitive by June 2015 (when I was hoping to apply to d-school), so I wanted to consider applying to SMPs in January. Can I apply not having taken physics and send follow-up grades? I was going to do Physics 1 in spring 2015 and Physics 2 in summer 2015.

Thanks!
 
Last edited:
Hi everyone,

I'm curious to see if an SMP program is a good fit for me. I'm specifically looking at programs that have the guarantee of getting into their medical school if you fulfill certain requirements.

Tulane is of interest to me because it provides MCAT training, so it would help me if I plan to take the MCAT again (which is my biggest weakness). I haven't researched this forum enough to look through the other schools, but I will be doing that this week.

expected cGPA by graduation: 3.55
expected sGPA by graduation: 3.37
 
So you're saying you want to get into an SMP that:
1. puts you straight into the host med school
AND
2. includes MCAT prep

Why do you need MCAT prep if you get into a "linkage" SMP?

And why would a "linkage" SMP take you with a weak MCAT?

And why do you want to spend $20k to $50k on MCAT prep that costs at most $2500?

And why do you think the MCAT prep in an "SMP" would be better than MCAT prep outside an SMP?

Here's how it works:
1. Fix everything you can possibly fix, such as maxing out your undergrad GPA and MCAT score.
2. Consider spending $50k on an SMP AS PART OF a plan that maxes out your chances to get into one of your home state's public schools. Why? The only "linkage" SMPs are tied to private schools that have very very very high tuition and are in expensive urban areas. So you'd tack your undergrad debt onto your SMP debt onto your med school debt and be very sad. Or wait to apply until after you successfully finish an SMP in order to maximize your choices and then be less sad.
3. Unfortunately it takes many hours of frustrating effort to read SDN and wrap your brain around the options and your competitiveness, but that time-consuming, frustrating part isn't optional.
4. It's March and you don't have a competitive MCAT score nor a waitlist, so you won't be in a "linkage" SMP next fall.

Best of luck in the many hours of reading ahead of you.
 
DrMidlife said:
So you're saying you want to get into an SMP that:
1. puts you straight into the host med school
AND
2. includes MCAT prep

Why do you need MCAT prep if you get into a "linkage" SMP?

And why would a "linkage" SMP take you with a weak MCAT?

And why do you want to spend $20k to $50k on MCAT prep that costs at most $2500?

And why do you think the MCAT prep in an "SMP" would be better than MCAT prep outside an SMP?

Here's how it works:
1. Fix everything you can possibly fix, such as maxing out your undergrad GPA and MCAT score.
2. Consider spending $50k on an SMP AS PART OF a plan that maxes out your chances to get into one of your home state's public schools. Why? The only "linkage" SMPs are tied to private schools that have very very very high tuition and are in expensive urban areas. So you'd tack your undergrad debt onto your SMP debt onto your med school debt and be very sad. Or wait to apply until after you successfully finish an SMP in order to maximize your choices and then be less sad.
3. Unfortunately it takes many hours of frustrating effort to read SDN and wrap your brain around the options and your competitiveness, but that time-consuming, frustrating part isn't optional.
4. It's March and you don't have a competitive MCAT score nor a waitlist, so you won't be in a "linkage" SMP next fall.

Best of luck in the many hours of reading ahead of you.
Click to expand...

The MCAT prep is just a bonus. That's not my primary reason for applying--it's just an added plus if an SMP does that AND raises my sGPA. Also, Temple requires you to be in the 70th percentile on the new MCAT to get into their medical school via linkage.

As far as my home state, I am heavily considering one SMP (the only one that actually exists in my state), and it's my top choice right now. It's around 22k, and I'll be commuting from home to avoid extra expenses. I have no undergraduate debt--my debt will start with postbacs/SMPs/med school. The SMP I'm looking at doesn't have a linkage program, but I think it could help me.

So I guess I'm wondering, should I just apply to the SMP in my state and hope for the best (it's not rolling admissions, so I'm not at a disadvantage in applying late). Should I then wait until next cycle and apply?

Or, should I apply to schools this cycle? Please note that if I apply this cycle, I am only applying to DO schools, for which my MCAT score is around average.
 
Last edited:
cafeverona said:
Hi everyone,

I'm curious to see if an SMP program is a good fit for me. I'm specifically looking at programs that have the guarantee of getting into their medical school if you fulfill certain requirements.

Tulane is of interest to me because it provides MCAT training, so it would help me if I plan to take the MCAT again (which is my biggest weakness). I haven't researched this forum enough to look through the other schools, but I will be doing that this week.

expected cGPA by graduation: 3.55
expected sGPA by graduation: 3.37
Click to expand...

I can only speak about the FL schools because I know them best but I know that USF has a SMP with a pretty strong track record of alumni getting accepted into "some" medical school. All my buddies who went this route got into where they wanted to go after bustin' their tails in the SMP.

If you're open to DO, Nova Southeastern also loves to accept medical students from their SMP program. No guarantees, but graduate schools tend to love to accept their alumni/in-state residents.

How's your MCAT? If it's in the upper 20s/low 30s, you should be okay for DO (depending on if the rest of your app looks good). It's extremely late in the cycle now so you should be looking to apply IMMEDIATELY when the cycle begins anew.
 
jac09 said:
I can only speak about the FL schools because I know them best but I know that USF has a SMP with a pretty strong track record of alumni getting accepted into "some" medical school. All my buddies who went this route got into where they wanted to go after bustin' their tails in the SMP.

If you're open to DO, Nova Southeastern also loves to accept medical students from their SMP program. No guarantees, but graduate schools tend to love to accept their alumni/in-state residents.

How's your MCAT? If it's in the upper 20s/low 30s, you should be okay for DO (depending on if the rest of your app looks good). It's extremely late in the cycle now so you should be looking to apply IMMEDIATELY when the cycle begins anew.
Click to expand...

MCAT is low--25 unfortunately.

By this cycle, I'm referring to June 1st (which I guess, is the next cycle--just learned this today haha). I was thinking about applying this summer, but I don't know if I would get into any DO schools. I just posted something in the chances forum with my GPA info, so I won't repost that stuff here.
 
cafeverona said:
MCAT is low--25 unfortunately.

By this cycle, I'm referring to June 1st (which I guess, is the next cycle--just learned this today haha). I was thinking about applying this summer, but I don't know if I would get into any DO schools. I just posted something in the chances forum with my GPA info, so I won't repost that stuff here.
Click to expand...

I'm gonna pass on the advice that Dr. Midlife gave me when I was in your situation: a SMP with a 3.5 is overkill and a waste of money.

If I were in your situation (and I was not too long ago), your best bet right now would be to retake the MCAT, kill it, then apply EARLY to both MD and DO. Take the gap year and work a full-time job in healthcare (i.e get certified as a CMA, CNA, C-whatever, and get working); this will prove your dedication to the field, give you something to talk about during your interview, show your desire to continously learn (a trait med schools want to see), and it'll show you're not some lazy schlub who sat on their ass during the gap year.

For what it's worth, I applied with similiar stats and got into my 1st choice MD school. It can be done, but you have to target your weaknesses in your application and conquer them.

Best of luck
 
  • Like
Reactions: 1 user
jac09 said:
I'm gonna pass on the advice that Dr. Midlife gave me when I was in your situation: a SMP with a 3.5 is overkill and a waste of money.

If I were in your situation (and I was not too long ago), your best bet right now would be to retake the MCAT, kill it, then apply EARLY to both MD and DO. Take the gap year and work a full-time job in healthcare (i.e get certified as a CMA, CNA, C-whatever, and get working); this will prove your dedication to the field, give you something to talk about during your interview, show your desire to continously learn (a trait med schools want to see), and it'll show you're not some lazy schlub who sat on their ass during the gap year.

For what it's worth, I applied with similiar stats and got into my 1st choice MD school. It can be done, but you have to target your weaknesses in your application and conquer them.

Best of luck
Click to expand...
Thanks for the advice! My sGPA is not a 3.5, however...it's around a 3.37, which is low for med school.

I've taken the MCAT twice with the same score each time. My reservation about taking it again is that it's a new test, which is supposedly harder, and that there's no guarantee I will do better. I really would just want to work as a clinical research assistant. But I feel like my stats are too low.
 
cafeverona said:
a 3.37, which is low for med school...
Click to expand...

Low, you say? Although the average sGPA for an accepted medical student hovers in the 3.5+ range, a lot of people get accepted with a GPAs lower than 3.5. Hell, go check the "low GPA success" thread and you'll find a bunch of people who had sGPAs lower than a 3.5. Stats don't always tell the whole story, your application will.
 
  • Like
Reactions: 2 users
Sorry for bumping this thread, but I'm desperately searching for something that can help me.

I graduated with a 3.3 GPA and a 3.0 Science GPA. I took the 2015 MCAT when it first came out, and was very ill-prepared. Scored very poorly.

I'm looking for an academic enhancer program, that also could allow me to take the MCAT. Looking preferably for a 1 year program.

If there's a newer thread, can someone redirect me please? Thanks.
 
This was once such an amazing sticky-thread. It's sad that no one could step up and keep the information up-to-date like Dr. Midlife did. It was a wealth of information but much has changed. Maybe someone will pick it up.
 
Hi everyone! I'm currently a junior, and I'm trying to feel out my options for after graduation. My situation is a little unique because my university offers "advanced standing" which means that I'll be graduating after only 3 years of undergrad. Due to my financial situation, I will not be able to afford the final year which is why I am opting for this standing.

Currently, my cGPA is 3.1 and my sGPA is 2.8.
I'd say I have had a pretty strong trend in my semester GPA (2.6->3->3.3); however, I have received a C- in calculus and a C+ in organic chemistry.
The max cGPA I can get due to my early graduation is a 3.6. A more realistic cGPA though would be a 3.4.

I am planning on taking the MCAT over the summer, and although it is not a perfect predictor my ACT score was a 36 cumulative, so I am hoping for an above average MCAT after studying incessantly of course.
My ECs are not very strong, but I have been volunteering at a renowned hospital for almost a year and plan on continuing until graduation.
I have worked in a chemistry lab for about a year and a half and continue doing that until graduation.
I recently received my EMT-B certification and plan on working as an EMT until graduation.

I'm not sure what I should due at this point. I cannot decide whether I should do a post-bac or an SMP or just try and apply to medical schools now?
I'm honestly lost and would appreciate any help that anyone has to offer.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Next unread thread

Similar threads

chocominty
Canadians in US postbac programs?
Replies
0
Views
203
chocominty
chocominty
L
Academic enhancement DIY postbacc: how much will online + cc hold me back?
Replies
2
Views
402
theoceanman
theoceanman
Mr.Smile12
[Survey opportunity] For current M1s who attended postbac programs
Replies
0
Views
146
Mr.Smile12
Mr.Smile12
Mr.Smile12
Study: UCSD postbacs
Replies
0
Views
424
Mr.Smile12
Mr.Smile12
D
Please help me choose between SMPs!
Replies
0
Views
837
deleted1135735
D
Top