Looking for advice

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TexasDoc13

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  1. Pre-Medical
I tried to find some information regarding the stats of applicants going the SMP route but I couldn't find any clear statistics.

I am graduating in May with a somewhat low GPA. It comes out to just over a 3.2 (a 3.42 considering retakes) with about a 3.8 in the last 60 credit hours. My mcat score is a 28S and I plan on retaking it over the summer. As far as numbers go, would an SMP / structured post-bacc be my best option?

Thanks
 
In my opinion, your best asset is Texas residency. Texas schools are cheap & plentiful & will give you in state preference...but Texas schools are competitive. You might get lucky with a 3.2/28S, but I think you're right to plan on improving your numbers.

Since the TX app opens on May 1, I think you should apply on May 1 with whatever assets you have on that date. You can indicate a future test date and future academic plans when you apply, but those future plans won't necessarily have a large impact on your app. By contrast, imho, waiting to apply until you have a better MCAT score later in the summer wouldn't be worth losing the early app advantage. So what I'm suggesting is that if you have a nicely packaged, compelling, interesting and early app you might get somewhere with your existing stats - you might get an interview or two, and you might get serious consideration at TCOM. I think you'd get nothing with a late app, even if your MCAT goes up.

Between now and then, make sure that your letters, essay, and extra-curriculars are impressive. You have almost 6 months - what holes can you fill in that time?

I have a high opinion of the postbac program at UT Dallas. They have good structure and you can take a lot of upper div science. In your shoes I'd do this program instead of going east for an SMP. I think an SMP would cost you an additional year unless you leave TX for med school. Which I hope you don't have to do.

Lastly, don't retake the MCAT until you have a large pile of evidence that your score will improve. Half of retakes get the same score or a worse score (see aamc.org for the stats). If you want your score to do up, you have to do a bunch of work - take a prep course (or a different prep course), and take *every* practice test. Plan on losing a point or two on the real exam vs. the practice tests. That said, 28S isn't that bad, but if you can get a better-than-average MCAT (32+), that's a great counterexample to your GPA (which you literally can't get up over the average 3.6+).

Best of luck to you.
 
I appreciate your advice. I have looked into the UTD program, as well as the masters program at TCOM. I feel reasonably confident I can improve my MCAT score if I have a couple months off (ie summer) to really focus and study. I only managed about a month of solid studying the first time. I was scoring in the low to mid 30s on the practice exams. Needless to say I was disappointed with my score.

I think I'll take the summer off as far as classes go and focus on the MCAT, and hopefully start the post bacc at UTD in the fall.

Thanks again.
 
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