How comparable am I to SMPs?

[krazydesi]

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Hey guys so Im intending on going to med school but my GPA is hurting my chances so i decided to do SMP

cGPA: 3.40
sGPA: 3.13
MCAT: 35R

I was wondering what my chances are at places like Tulane, University of Cincy smp.

I really cannot afford to go to places like georgetown smp and pay 50k because that is way too expensive. However, I really want to increase my chances for med school too. Please let me know what you guys think. THank you very much

Also what other schools is worth applying to?

 

[gl0baltrader]

Hey guys so Im intending on going to med school but my GPA is hurting my chances so i decided to do SMP

cGPA: 3.40
sGPA: 3.13
MCAT: 35R

I was wondering what my chances are at places like Tulane, University of Cincy smp.

I really cannot afford to go to places like georgetown smp and pay 50k because that is way too expensive. However, I really want to increase my chances for med school too. Please let me know what you guys think. THank you very much

Also what other schools is worth applying to?

Your stats are competitive for most SMP, I got in to a couple of em last year with lower stats. I would recommend applying to SMPs with a small number of students, such as EVMS or NYU.

 

[Xcited392]

What are your ECs like?

I think if you applied broadly, you could get into med school, without going through an SMP. You're definitely competitive for DO, so you could also consider that.

 

[krazydesi]

so Im debating between SMP or post-bacc ... what do you guys think? I want to apply end of this year and I can get my gpa upto like a 3.46 about ... however since would remain relatively same ...

But I have time to increase a lot of my ecs and such

Ecs are as follows
-Dancer/Manager of PSU dance team where we went to nationals
100+ hours volunteering in ED and surgical center
-Shadowed pulmonlogist for 20 hours
-Shadowed a DO for 10 hours
-VP for standards of greek council
-VP for finance greek council
-VP for BMB society
-THON chair (fundraising event for kids with cancer) raised over $20k with my organization
-Independent THON fundraiser - Raised $5k so far by myself
-Volunteer abroad in Nicaragua - 2.5 weeks setting up basic health clinics

These are most of my ecs ... i have done other things like blood drives/nursing homes etc...


What do you think if I did post-bacc and just applied this coming year?

I mean I know I am taking my chances but if I do post-bacc and just talk only Science courses then I can probably get my science gpa upto 3.4-3.5 (since i havent taken that many science classes) if I didnt get in ... also maybe I can send update letters to universities after my first semester in post-bacc?

I was thinking on SUNY stonybrook post-bacc since its instate for me. thanks

 

[thomyorke]

Your stats are competitive for most SMP, I got in to a couple of em last year with lower stats. I would recommend applying to SMPs with a small number of students, such as EVMS or NYU.

Hold up a second....NYU has an SMP???? Did you mean NYMC?

 

[Xcited392]

so Im debating between SMP or post-bacc ... what do you guys think? I want to apply end of this year and I can get my gpa upto like a 3.46 about ... however since would remain relatively same ...

But I have time to increase a lot of my ecs and such

Ecs are as follows
-Dancer/Manager of PSU dance team where we went to nationals
100+ hours volunteering in ED and surgical center
-Shadowed pulmonlogist for 20 hours
-Shadowed a DO for 10 hours
-VP for standards of greek council
-VP for finance greek council
-VP for BMB society
-THON chair (fundraising event for kids with cancer) raised over $20k with my organization
-Independent THON fundraiser - Raised $5k so far by myself
-Volunteer abroad in Nicaragua - 2.5 weeks setting up basic health clinics

These are most of my ecs ... i have done other things like blood drives/nursing homes etc...


What do you think if I did post-bacc and just applied this coming year?

I mean I know I am taking my chances but if I do post-bacc and just talk only Science courses then I can probably get my science gpa upto 3.4-3.5 (since i havent taken that many science classes) if I didnt get in ... also maybe I can send update letters to universities after my first semester in post-bacc?

I was thinking on SUNY stonybrook post-bacc since its instate for me. thanks

You shadowed a DO doc? Does this mean you're going osteo? If so, I think you should just apply, no SMP required. If you're applying to DO next year, take some classes in the meantime.

 

[krazydesi]

no I want to do MD ... i shadowed a DO because a friends dad was a DO doc and my friend asked me if I wanted to see how he did his job ...

 

[wannabesrgn]

I think doing a post-bacc and applying would probably get you into some lower tier schools. You should definitely look into getting some research experience. That's pretty essential to have.

An SMP is more of a last-ditch effort or for people that really need more than a little boost. You would be more than qualified for an SMP if you were interested in it though.

If financial restrictions are not an issue, apply to both SMPs and post-baccs while you decide so that you have options.

 

[Xcited392]

What was your major?

If you were a non-science major, then I'd definitely do a post-bacc and take upper-level science classes.

If you were a science major, you'd probably have less course options (since you've taken a lot at UG). So, I'd probably do an SMP.

 

[krazydesi]

im an industrial engineering and have only taken the "pre-med" courses plus one 400 level biology and nothing more ...

and I do have some research experience ( 2semesters) totally forgot to list that. ...

 

[Xcited392]

im an industrial engineering and have only taken the "pre-med" courses plus one 400 level biology and nothing more ...

and I do have some research experience ( 2semesters) totally forgot to list that. ...

Okay, then I'd definitely do a post-bacc and just take upper-level bio classes. This is much safer and cheaper than an SMP. You can do this at any university, and can choose to do a formal or informal post-bacc.

You could raise your overall GPA to 3.5, which is pretty competitive.

 

[deleted248403]

So you wouldnt qualify for a true post-bac given that you've done the pre-reqs. Something like UPenn's Special Science program is a fit for your situation, not sure what other formal programs there are for you.

You can always do an informal one, i.e. take classes on your own without necessarily being in a program.

 

[krazydesi]

I was really thinking about taking an informal one starting next summer at Suny stonybrook which is like 10 minutes from my house. If I can take like 22 credits from next summer to end of next fall then my sGPA would go up to like a 3.4 and cGPA to like 3.5+ and possibly I can send in updated transcripts and such towards end of semester and maybe another recommendation letter.


What do you guys think of that ... this would save me tons of money ..

 

[deleted248403]

What GPA are you assuming you can get in those 22 credits to raise your GPA upto 3.5?

Also, you are planning on doing 6 in the summer and 16 in the fall?

Don't underestimate the difficulty of getting a 4.0 taking 22 credits of upper level sciences - not saying it can't be done, nor that you can't do it but its worth keeping in mind

 

[krazydesi]

oh yea defeinitely ... i mean assuming i get that ... not always guaranteed to get that ... but yea my cGPA would go from like a 3.47 to 3.5+ i assume and hopefully my sGPA would go up ... yea i was thinking summer and fall so i can send update transcripts to schools ... i am goign to speak with the post-bacc lady on tuesday after my finals and see what she says.

 

[deleted248403]

not sure assuming you get a 4.0 in 22 credits is a realistic way of going. Its not easy for anyone and your track record (no offense) doesn't indicate you can achieve it. Not saying you can't, but its a tall order.

 

[krazydesi]

understandable but saying I do decent 3.5+ do you think i f i took the classes summer and fall and did informal that would be good? i mean it will still boost my science gpa much ... because i have not taken many science classes and i can probably send an updated transcripts to some schools of interest.

 

[faith2]

I got 70 credits of A's( 12 are A+ and 4 A-) post bac and SMP combined I had to because G was a 2.49. The point is you can do it but it takes discipline. Good LUCK

accepted UCF 2014 My Knights in shining armour

 

[deleted248403]

great work faith - congrats! I would say you are the exception not the rule tho

To the OP, if you have a 3.5 GPA now - why not apply DO?

 

[faith2]

I agree with you but I just wanted to say the average or below average person can be the exception depending on how bad you want it!!!


and yes with that GPA why not DO? Especially one of the top schools, and you have the choice to do a DO residencey or a MD residency making you more marketable in the long run. I do not think they let MD's do DO residencies again I stress do not think 😍😍😍
accepted 2014 UCF my knight in shining armour

great work faith - congrats! I would say you are the exception not the rule tho

To the OP, if you have a 3.5 GPA now - why not apply DO?