Low UnderGrad GPA - Which SMP would be the best for me?

[bbllchmpn]

I am currently a pre-med student at the University of Massachusetts in Amherst pursuing a double degree in accounting and psychology. I'm going to be a senior this fall and am on pace to graduate with a cumulative GPA of 3.4X. I'm not quite sure how science GPA is calculated but the way I did it is I only accounted for the courses I have taken that would be considered part of the College of Natural Sciences at my school(even courses that I haven't taken at UMass). Using that method, I'm on pace to have a sGPA of 3.3X. I'm planning on taking the MCAT in January and will apply for SMPs soon after.

The closest program to me is the one offered by Boston University but I wish to finish in one year and I've heard that's frowned upon by their AdComm. Therefore, I have a few questions about SMP programs in general:

1) If completing the program in one year is frowned upon at BU, would I be better off going to Georgetown since I believe their program is only one year long? Or should I apply somewhere else?
2) What are my chances of getting into any SMP(provided I earn 28+ on the MCAT)?
3) I've heard that some SMP students are allowed to take medical school courses with medical school students. Firstly, is that true? Secondly, would that year of courses count towards medical school if I eventually get accepted(meaning I'll only have 3 years left to complete)?

I'm thinking that an SMP will increase my chances given that I earn a much higher PostBac GPA and do well on the MCAT. Also, it will buy me more time to add volunteer hours and possibly research hours as I don't have much of those, either. Please advise me otherwise if any of you think there is a better option for me. I would also like to mention that Accounting and Psychology are just "back-ups" for me as I've always wanted to become a doctor.

---

Members don't see this ad.

 

[pancakesyrup]

I don't know much about SMPs and their admission standards, but I once talked to an admissions officer for Georgetown's SMP, and he told me that Georgetown SMP students typically have above average ECs compared to a typical medical student.

If you want to get an allopathic (MD) SMP, then try getting a 32+ MCAT. Typically, a lower than normal GPA should be the only real weakness on your application.

 

[rgerber85]

I don't know much about SMPs and their admission standards, but I once talked to an admissions officer for Georgetown's SMP, and he told me that Georgetown SMP students typically have above average ECs compared to a typical medical student.

If you want to get an allopathic (MD) SMP, then try getting a 32+ MCAT. Typically, a lower than normal GPA should be the only real weakness on your application.

I'm a non-trad... doing an informal post-bacc now as a second degree candidate... I was told if I have a good post-bacc GPA and get a 32+ on the mcat ... given my outstanding EC's, I wouldn't need to do the SMP, but I'd be a great candidate. I'd assume your situation may be similar OP? Are you planning to do a post-bacc? My ugrad GPA is only a 3.09 and I hope to do well on the MCAT in january.. but I wouldn't apply to med school next september for the following year. Are you trying to do anything similar?

I tell you my lifestory b/c you seem to be in the same boat as me?

 

[bbllchmpn]

I'm a non-trad... doing an informal post-bacc now as a second degree candidate... I was told if I have a good post-bacc GPA and get a 32+ on the mcat ... given my outstanding EC's, I wouldn't need to do the SMP, but I'd be a great candidate. I'd assume your situation may be similar OP? Are you planning to do a post-bacc? My ugrad GPA is only a 3.09 and I hope to do well on the MCAT in january.. but I wouldn't apply to med school next september for the following year. Are you trying to do anything similar?

I tell you my lifestory b/c you seem to be in the same boat as me?

My situation is somewhat similar except I've never been told that I'd be a "great" candidate because of my low GPA and subpar EC's. That's the reason I'm aiming to enroll in an SMP, especially one in which I'd be able to take medical school classes and not lose a year. I'm planning on doing a lot more EC's this semester and next semester but I still don't believe I'd obtain enough hours to appeal to med schools. When are you planning on applying to med school, then?

I don't know much about SMPs and their admission standards, but I once talked to an admissions officer for Georgetown's SMP, and he told me that Georgetown SMP students typically have above average ECs compared to a typical medical student.

If you want to get an allopathic (MD) SMP, then try getting a 32+ MCAT. Typically, a lower than normal GPA should be the only real weakness on your application.

I wasn't aware of this...so if I don't have as much EC's as a typical med school candidate, then an SMP might not even be an option for me?

 

[DrMidlife]

3) I've heard that some SMP students are allowed to take medical school courses with medical school students. Firstly, is that true? Secondly, would that year of courses count towards medical school if I eventually get accepted(meaning I'll only have 3 years left to complete)?

Nope, nothing's getting you out of paying for 4 years of med school after an SMP. Partially this is an accreditation issue, and/but no SMP covers the entire first year of med school. If you stay at the SMP host med school, you don't necessarily have to repeat courses you honored, and in that case you're expected to do something productive with the extra time during M1.

Also, it will buy me more time to add volunteer hours and possibly research hours as I don't have much of those, either.

Nope, you don't have extra time during an SMP. You can do a little bit of volunteering, but not enough to fill out a med school app.

Best of luck to you.

 

[rgerber85]

I would suggest, and it may be riskier... I mean I'm a 3.09 GPA... do a second degree (2 years).. best way IMO and better cost to class ratio to get your ugrad gpa up. In addition, you'll have a bit more free time to volunteer/shadow. Get a high MCAT score (study as if it's your life on the line) and you should be fine. It won't guarantee you Med School entry, but it will help put your name up there. Low GPA's in ugrad can get you dismissed at a number of schools, but some will take your high mcat (if you can) and your personal statement to heart and if you rock your interview, I'd say you're money. EC's will definitely bump up your chances to post an interview.

Something I learned from DrML, have a really good reason why your ugrad gpa sucks... what life happenings helped you grow and mature that would make you a successful candidate at "such and such school"? Be ready to answer honestly, and maturely. Adcoms can read bull****. Some are bull****, supposedly. My uncle does interviews for Johns Hopkins (I only recently found this out lol)... he told me if a student has a low GPA and somehow magically is sitting before him (b/c usually at JHM, low gpa's don't get interviews)... he doesn't want to hear you were immature and blah blah blah and needed to get it out of your system. He wants to hear what you've learned from that low GPA. That it took you 2 years to learn how to properly manage your time. It took you 2 years to assemble a better learning ethic that was strongly associated with an upward curve in your individual course grades, giving you a solid 2-year ugrad GPA for your higher level learning (and you should show this)... or you did a second degree b/c of this... (which is what 'm doing). I had to deal with a personal family issue that left me out of school for 2 - 3 years and significantly impacted MY academic history.

That's my story... what's yours? Be positive!!!

(waits for the blah blah blah from a wanker)

 

[deleted248403]

(waits for the blah blah blah from a wanker)

We are going to start insulting now? Excellent choice

And yes, you KEEP posting your stupid story everywhere.

To the OP - don't do a 2nd bachelors, you don't need it. Something like UPenn's Special Science program plus a good MCAT with excellent ECs should see you get some interviews.

And welcome to a fellow UMass-Amherst (to-be) grad