Help with SMP/MD acceptances

[arngh16]

Hi everyone! I was hoping to gain some feedback regarding SMP programs. I browse enough threads on here and figured it was just time I posted my own.

I currently have a undergrad + post bacc cGPA of 3.1 as per the aamc scale. I am hoping to have a 3.14 by the end of the fall sem and a 3.18 at end of spring. My uGPA is exactly a 3.00 on amcas but my 3.7 in the post bacc has helped to bring it up a little - I also want to raise this to a 3.8 before I am done with the program. My sGPA currently is 3.4 and I hope to bring it to a 3.47 at end of fall and 3.52 by the time I am done with post bacc around June. I am considering an SMP as I have a strong upward trend based on the end of my college/post bacc. I do not have the required courses done to take an MCAT however want to apply to an SMP in November with a GRE score. I know Temple, Gtown, Rosalind Franklin, Loyola etc accept this. My current GRE score is 155 verbal and 162 quantitative. I do hope to do well on the MCAT however need to finish some courses prior to this, I am hoping for a 515 up but we will see how that goes. With the SMP I am also unsure if I should apply during or after the program is over.

Obviously with the SMP I am shooting for a MD program and just wanted feedback if this seems like a reasonable plan and if anyone has any advice! Any schools recommended to apply to would be great! And if there is anything I should be doing differently.

For background, I went to a state school and am doing my post bacc at Loyola in Chicago since my undergrad was completely unrelated to science/med and I struggled with the curriculum causing my low gpa then. My extra curricular activities currently consist of volunteering as a tutor at a shelter, ER scribing (upwards of 1200 hrs), non published research for 1 yr and part time clinical research for a children's trauma focused non profit!

Thank you all!

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[Dr panda]

What is your question?

 

[bluepeony]

What is your question?

Obviously with the SMP I am shooting for a MD program and just wanted feedback if this seems like a reasonable plan and if anyone has any advice! Any schools recommended to apply to would be great! And if there is anything I should be doing differently.

 

[Engrailed]

Hi everyone! I was hoping to gain some feedback regarding SMP programs. I browse enough threads on here and figured it was just time I posted my own.

I currently have a undergrad + post bacc cGPA of 3.1 as per the aamc scale. I am hoping to have a 3.14 by the end of the fall sem and a 3.18 at end of spring. My uGPA is exactly a 3.00 on amcas but my 3.7 in the post bacc has helped to bring it up a little - I also want to raise this to a 3.8 before I am done with the program. My sGPA currently is 3.4 and I hope to bring it to a 3.47 at end of fall and 3.52 by the time I am done with post bacc around June. I am considering an SMP as I have a strong upward trend based on the end of my college/post bacc. I do not have the required courses done to take an MCAT however want to apply to an SMP in November with a GRE score. I know Temple, Gtown, Rosalind Franklin, Loyola etc accept this. My current GRE score is 155 verbal and 162 quantitative. I do hope to do well on the MCAT however need to finish some courses prior to this, I am hoping for a 515 up but we will see how that goes. With the SMP I am also unsure if I should apply during or after the program is over.

Obviously with the SMP I am shooting for a MD program and just wanted feedback if this seems like a reasonable plan and if anyone has any advice! Any schools recommended to apply to would be great! And if there is anything I should be doing differently.

For background, I went to a state school and am doing my post bacc at Loyola in Chicago since my undergrad was completely unrelated to science/med and I struggled with the curriculum causing my low gpa then. My extra curricular activities currently consist of volunteering as a tutor at a shelter, ER scribing (upwards of 1200 hrs), non published research for 1 yr and part time clinical research for a children's trauma focused non profit!

Thank you all!

Obviously with the SMP I am shooting for a MD program and just wanted feedback if this seems like a reasonable plan and if anyone has any advice! Any schools recommended to apply to would be great! And if there is anything I should be doing differently.

Unclear who the OP is (@arngh16 or @bluepeony ?) but anyhow,
1. Do well on the MCAT
2. Do you think you need to do an SMP? Those programs are also expensive, no? If you have a great MCAT score and at least a 3.6+ and good ECs I think youd have a good chance at MD schools. Also, the GPA upward trend is also a plus
just my 2 cents

 

[arngh16]

Unclear who the OP is (@arngh16 or @bluepeony ?) but anyhow,
1. Do well on the MCAT
2. Do you think you need to do an SMP? Those programs are also expensive, no? If you have a great MCAT score and at least a 3.6+ and good ECs I think youd have a good chance at MD schools. Also, the GPA upward trend is also a plus
just my 2 cents

That would be my post bacc GPA. My cumulative with undergrad and post bacc after I am done with post bacc classes will be 3.18 ish and the science GPA 3.57!

 

[arngh16]

Obviously with the SMP I am shooting for a MD program and just wanted feedback if this seems like a reasonable plan and if anyone has any advice! Any schools recommended to apply to would be great! And if there is anything I should be doing differently.

Yes haha ^ any advice or things I should be doing differently

 

[FutureSurgical]

As @Goro has posted in his reinvention advice thread, post-baccs for the sake of GPA repair isn't for raising your c/sGPA, as the sheer amount of credits are too much to raise anything. Adcoms will see the trend breakdown, year-by-year, and understand you're taking upper level courses and acing them.

I'd apply with just the post-bacc if you get the goal score of 515 on the MCAT. If you're still feeling like it won't work out despite the great work in the post-bacc, you could also apply to SMP programs during the cycle as well. The only school that has a linkage program is Temple ACMS. Other notable programs are U Cinci, Tufts, Georgetown, Tulane, VCU, and any DO program with a linkage.

 

[arngh16]

As @Goro has posted in his reinvention advice thread, post-baccs for the sake of GPA repair isn't for raising your c/sGPA, as the sheer amount of credits are too much to raise anything. Adcoms will see the trend breakdown, year-by-year, and understand you're taking upper level courses and acing them.

I'd apply with just the post-bacc if you get the goal score of 515 on the MCAT. If you're still feeling like it won't work out despite the great work in the post-bacc, you could also apply to SMP programs during the cycle as well. The only school that has a linkage program is Temple ACMS. Other notable programs are U Cinci, Tufts, Georgetown, Tulane, VCU, and any DO program with a linkage.

Its primarily to show that I am capable of a much better GPA than what I have and that too in science courses since my undergrad degree was not related to science however was low for this reason. It's more to show them my capabilities vs the actual number I present. I see! Thank you for your input - do you think I have a good chance of getting into an SMP with my grades?

 

[FutureSurgical]

Its primarily to show that I am capable of a much better GPA than what I have and that too in science courses since my undergrad degree was not related to science however was low for this reason. It's more to show them my capabilities vs the actual number I present. I see! Thank you for your input - do you think I have a good chance of getting into an SMP with my grades?

I guess because I'm a non-trad trying really hard to not go into too much debt unless I have to, I'm erring on the side of waiting to do an SMP lol. Also because those can either make or break you. Once again, the overall number is important, but equally-as-important are the grade trends.

Let's say you get a 3.2 cGPA, a 3.52 sGPA, and 515 MCAT by the end of June 2020; but want to take an SMP anyway. You'd honestly be capable to get into any program you want to. The average stats for Temple ACMS is about 3.4 c/sGPA and 510 on the MCAT (they pay more attention to sGPA.) That program is intended for people who have an app that is normally competitive to land an II somewhere, but it just didn't work out. They have a conditional acceptance to Temple SOM if you get a 3.5 GPA in the program. They get over 2000 applications a year for a class size of 35.

The reason I'd apply next cycle is, if you get a waitlist, you can apply to Tulane's Anatomy certificate program (which requires a waitlist from an MD program.) It doesn't have any linkages but if you ace the program, you will get an II at Tulane. They also are known to send people to other competitive programs like USC.

There are other programs (VCU, Tufts, Boston MAMS, RF, etc.) that have no linkages but will make you highly competitive if you make a 3.7+ GPA.

 

[Goro]

Its primarily to show that I am capable of a much better GPA than what I have and that too in science courses since my undergrad degree was not related to science however was low for this reason. It's more to show them my capabilities vs the actual number I present. I see! Thank you for your input - do you think I have a good chance of getting into an SMP with my grades?

Yes

 

[arngh16]

I guess because I'm a non-trad trying really hard to not go into too much debt unless I have to, I'm erring on the side of waiting to do an SMP lol. Also because those can either make or break you. Once again, the overall number is important, but equally-as-important are the grade trends.

Let's say you get a 3.2 cGPA, a 3.52 sGPA, and 515 MCAT by the end of June 2020; but want to take an SMP anyway. You'd honestly be capable to get into any program you want to. The average stats for Temple ACMS is about 3.4 c/sGPA and 510 on the MCAT (they pay more attention to sGPA.) That program is intended for people who have an app that is normally competitive to land an II somewhere, but it just didn't work out. They have a conditional acceptance to Temple SOM if you get a 3.5 GPA in the program. They get over 2000 applications a year for a class size of 35.

The reason I'd apply next cycle is, if you get a waitlist, you can apply to Tulane's Anatomy certificate program (which requires a waitlist from an MD program.) It doesn't have any linkages but if you ace the program, you will get an II at Tulane. They also are known to send people to other competitive programs like USC.

There are other programs (VCU, Tufts, Boston MAMS, RF, etc.) that have no linkages but will make you highly competitive if you make a 3.7+ GPA.

Yes I honestly am really aiming for Temple...Do you think I have a chance there. Of course I won't have an MCAT at the moment but I am hoping they will consider me with a higher GRE since my GPA is a little under their average. And Tulane I will definitely apply to next year once I have an MCAT if I do not have luck at the moment with SMPs that seem worth the price.

Thank you for your feedback, appreciate it!

 

[junky372]

There are other programs (VCU, Tufts, Boston MAMS, RF, etc.) that have no linkages but will make you highly competitive if you make a 3.7+ GPA.

While there may not be a formal linkage, at least a couple of the schools you listed seem to look very favorably on their own high performing SMP students come interview season.

 

[arngh16]

Do such programs not look favorably at GRE scores instead of MCATS...I definitely do need to take biochem in the spring prior to MCAT but want to apply with my GRE in December/Jan