Hypothetical: get BCPM to >3.0 or go straight to SMP?

[markps]

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So let's say you've been in an informal post bacc program at a state university, and you've managed to get your BCPM GPA up to a 2.92 (up from 2.4, if you can believe that). Your overall GPA is 3.3. Another year at this state school with good grades would push your BCPM to >3.0 and your overall to 3.35 (you have tons of units, so more courses doesn't necessarily mean huge changes).

Options:
1. Stay at the State school for 2 more semesters in order to get over your BCPM >3.0; apply to medical school (optional: fly by the seat of your pants)

2. Stay at the State school for 2 more semesters in order to get over your BCPM >3.0; apply to SMPs; apply to medical school.

3. Head straight to the SMP and hope that schools don't care that your BCPM is less than 3.0

Starting medical school sooner rather than later is preferable but you're willing to do what it takes in a way that makes sense. In other words, you don't want to do well at the SMP only to get burned because you've put the lid on your undergraduate grades by leaving the state school.

Thoughts?

 

[DrMidlife]

This hypothetical needs an MCAT score and a timeline. If you haven't taken the MCAT and scored at LEAST 27 yet, and if you haven't applied to and been accepted at an SMP, then there's almost certainly no SMP in your upcoming academic year. So what year is in question here?

Are you trying to figure out whether to take more undergrad classes now, vs. going back to work and then maybe doing an SMP starting in '09?

 

[markps]

MCAT: 28Q but I just retook it last Friday and was scoring between 31 and 36 on my practice exams. Obviously the results won't affect my choice to attend an SMP this year.

Timeline: I've applied to two schools and am waitlisted at one and having an interview tomorrow for the other. The reason it's "hypothetical" is because I'm not sure if I'm going to get in, but I think there's a decent chance and I want to have a plan if I am, in fact, accepted. If I'm not, well, I'll have a plan for that too.

So I could stay in my informal post-bacc program from 2008-2009 and do a SMP 2009-2010 while I apply to med schools OR if I get accepted (and it's a big if) to the SMP program I'm interviewing for tomorrow, I could just take off and do that this fall.

I'm not one to count my chickens before they hatch but I would like to be prepared to make a good decision if I'm in a position to do so.

 

[DrMidlife]

From my perspective, I'd go with an SMP this year if:
- you're really ready to work HARD against vigorous competition, do or die
- and your new MCAT lands in a nice 30+ place
(- and you get into an SMP)

Another year of undergrad isn't going to sufficiently change your story. If you want to apply to DO schools, imho your MCAT and recent BCMP performance have already made your case. If you want to apply to MD schools, you really need that SMP, unless you have a card to play (URM, exTREMEly interesting PS, lenient state school, etc.).

In the case where you don't get into an SMP for this fall '08, and you're dead-set on MD over DO, then I would recommend doing work that helps your app (volunteer or paid) and maybe more classes part-time. Save your pennies and get ready to start an SMP fall '09.

Best of luck to you.

 

[markps]

Best of luck to you.

Thanks, I'll need it!

I'm considering the DO route given that I'd like to practice sometime before I'm 40. That being said, if I:

(a) land a spot in the SMP,
(b) get a very, very strong SMP GPA and
(c) my most recent MCAT went as well as I hope it did

then I'm going to give the MD route a shot.

As for extenuating circumstances/plus factors, I only fall into the "really awesome PS" category but I'm not comfortable saying that's going to land me a spot.

Thanks for the input DrMidlife, I certainly appreciate it.

 

[Xcited392]

So, SMPs don't mind if your BCPM is under 3.0?

 

[DrMidlife]

So, SMPs don't mind if your BCPM is under 3.0?

There are a lot of SMPs, so you can't generalize. Some aren't going to differentiate your overall from your BCMP. Some take a sub-3.0 GPA. Take a look at the January '08 shopping list at the top of the forum - the list doesn't answer your question but it's a directory for further research.

 

[markps]

The only reason I could see waiting a year is if you're currently accepted to an SMP with a low success rate (Tulane Genetics, VCU certificate) and you want to improve your stats and go to an SMP with a very high success rate (GTown, EVMS, etc). That might be worth the wait.

Thanks for the input, Perrotfish. I'm familiar with the success rate of Georgetown (where I'm waitlisted) but the one I'm being considered for is the Drexel IMS program. It's been hard to get solid statistics on their programs (DO acceptances, MD acceptances, continuation into the MS program, attrition, etc) but I get a general feeling that Drexel enables students to get into MD programs if they do really well and have decent MCAT scores.

Have you heard otherwise?

 

[markps]

Follow-up: I had a chance to speak with two pre-health advisers who both said that the small increase in GPA that I could earn by taking more undergraduate courses would pale in comparison to the "power" of doing well in a medical school setting.

Sign me up!

*knocks on wood*