So I am a recent grad with a cGPA of roughly a 3.64 and sGPA of around a 3.57. I took the MCAT this past summer thinking I was going to go ahead and apply for the 2012 cycle but unfortunately got a 26 (10-ps,9bs,7vr 🙁 ). I ended up withdrawing my application and decided to reapply this upcoming June. What I want to know is if an SMP help me out in any way? I am considering applying to one pretty much asap as well as applying to med schools this upcoming June. I plan on retaking the MCAT either in march or april. I know SMPs are mostly to boost one's cGPA but I was curious whether attending one can help enhance my application. I also do understand that attending an SMP after having applied to med schools doesn't allow these schools to see my SMP grades, but can they wait until like december to see that I am doing well? Essentially I would like to take an SMP to strengthen my med school application as well as for the sake of not being out of academia for roughly 2 years. Any help would be greatly appreciated!
How should I proceed
- Thread starter dnovikov
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deleted248403
I wouldnt do an SMP in your shoes.
There are plenty other ways to bolster your app - teach for america, research job (either clinical or bench based), MPH (if u were so inclined), shadowing or some other clinical job, etc etc
At the end of the day, you need to retake your MCAT - but you know that already. Don't bother with an SMP
There are plenty other ways to bolster your app - teach for america, research job (either clinical or bench based), MPH (if u were so inclined), shadowing or some other clinical job, etc etc
At the end of the day, you need to retake your MCAT - but you know that already. Don't bother with an SMP
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An SMP wouldn't help you, but it could hurt you. First thing is you get absolutely no MCAT credit for doing an SMP - the MCAT is critical, and there's no backup for a low score. Second, a good SMP is most of the first year of med school, which is extremely difficult work, and if you do poorly, then you hurt your med school acceptance chances. Third, an SMP is well over $50k cost of attendance - you're paying for 5 years of med school by doing an SMP. (Edit: thus, an SMP makes sense only for candidates who need one, where need is defined by an irreparable undergrad GPA in the midst of an otherwise outstanding app package.)
Give the MCAT everything you've got. Make sure to review the SDN MCAT forum and see if your level of effort is good enough. Don't retake until you have multiple full-length practice scores above your goal (your goal should be 31+, 31 is average).
What you need to show with your next MCAT score is that you can adapt and that you don't give up.
Best of luck to you.
Give the MCAT everything you've got. Make sure to review the SDN MCAT forum and see if your level of effort is good enough. Don't retake until you have multiple full-length practice scores above your goal (your goal should be 31+, 31 is average).
What you need to show with your next MCAT score is that you can adapt and that you don't give up.
Best of luck to you.
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Thanks for the advice, cleared things up for me. It was weird, I was avging about a 32 on the aamc practice tests ( actually got a 33 on aamc 11) so it might have just been test day pressure. While I know my GPA is good enough do get into an MD school, is there anyway I can raise it? Like a post bacc or take grad classes? If possible I would love to have it come down to having a choice at a med school instead of only getting one acceptance. Regardless thanks for all your help!
