MCAT and SMP Applications

[steveo1012]

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Hi Everyone,

I'm posting this here since it applies to both MD and DO and I figure more non-trads will have experience with SMP's.

I'm currently set to take the MCAT March 26th, but I am not confident with my practice tests right now. They are not yet above 30, and I know they need to be. I had decided in January to apply to UCinn, EVMS, and G'town's SMP's. These apps drove the March 26th MCAT date. My question is how much harm would I do to my apps waiting another month to sit for the MCAT? I know admission is rolling, but when you won't have MCAT scores until late April I figure what's another month if it means a 3-5 point improvement.

A little background to help you:
I'm 29 and have a 3.0 according to AAMCAS, so I obviously need to rock the MCAT. I have good LOR's and good research experience at Hopkins (5 pubs, 1 NEJM). I've worked in a number of different fields and have had some time to gain the perspective I need to pursue medicine. In my mind, the SMP's are my only link to an allo school given my GPA. I am fine with going to a DO school but figure it's worth it to give the SMP's a shot. I am planning to apply to DO schools this June.

Possible Solutions -
1) Push the MCAT back 4-6 weeks and still apply to the SMP's (unless the SDN powers that be say it's worthless to do so with MCAT scores being so late)
2) Continue with the current March 26th date assuming a high 20's is more competitive for SMP's than I may have thought...option of re-taking the MCAT for DO apps if the SMP's reject me.
3) Forget about the SMP's (havent submitted app fee yet), take the MCAT in late April/early May, and focus on my DO apps.

Sorry this got longer than I wanted. Much appreciation to anyone with some insight willing to share!
Steve

 

[0919mmk]

Hi Everyone,

I'm posting this here since it applies to both MD and DO and I figure more non-trads will have experience with SMP's.

I'm currently set to take the MCAT March 26th, but I am not confident with my practice tests right now. They are not yet above 30, and I know they need to be. I had decided in January to apply to UCinn, EVMS, and G'town's SMP's. These apps drove the March 26th MCAT date. My question is how much harm would I do to my apps waiting another month to sit for the MCAT? I know admission is rolling, but when you won't have MCAT scores until late April I figure what's another month if it means a 3-5 point improvement.

A little background to help you:
I'm 29 and have a 3.0 according to AAMCAS, so I obviously need to rock the MCAT. I have good LOR's and good research experience at Hopkins (5 pubs, 1 NEJM). I've worked in a number of different fields and have had some time to gain the perspective I need to pursue medicine. In my mind, the SMP's are my only link to an allo school given my GPA. I am fine with going to a DO school but figure it's worth it to give the SMP's a shot. I am planning to apply to DO schools this June.

Possible Solutions -
1) Push the MCAT back 4-6 weeks and still apply to the SMP's (unless the SDN powers that be say it's worthless to do so with MCAT scores being so late)
2) Continue with the current March 26th date assuming a high 20's is more competitive for SMP's than I may have thought...option of re-taking the MCAT for DO apps if the SMP's reject me.
3) Forget about the SMP's (havent submitted app fee yet), take the MCAT in late April/early May, and focus on my DO apps.

Sorry this got longer than I wanted. Much appreciation to anyone with some insight willing to share!
Steve

Its a tough judgement call, but also pretty simple IMHO: if you will really break 30 by waiting a month, then wait a month. Being >30 rather than <30 is a pretty big deal I'd say.

The problem is trying to predict where you stand/if you can break 30. If you study your ass off, and lets say you are averaging 28 right now, there's no reason you can't break 30 in a month. I guess if I were you, I wouldn't take the MCAT until I was breaking 30. Good luck!

 

[EdLongshanks]

1) Push the MCAT back 4-6 weeks and still apply to the SMP's (unless the SDN powers that be say it's worthless to do so with MCAT scores being so late)
2) Continue with the current March 26th date assuming a high 20's is more competitive for SMP's than I may have thought...option of re-taking the MCAT for DO apps if the SMP's reject me.
3) Forget about the SMP's (havent submitted app fee yet), take the MCAT in late April/early May, and focus on my DO apps.

Sorry this got longer than I wanted. Much appreciation to anyone with some insight willing to share!
Steve

I'm trying to understand why an early May MCAT is different than a March MCAT? (Yeah, I know, 2 months), but unless this matters for an SMP (I know nothing about SMP's) then a May MCAT is equivalent to a March MCAT in terms of the regular application cycle.

 

[steveo1012]

Yeah mmk that's my thinking as well. The most important thing is the MCAT score. The incoming classes for SMP's are generally in a state of flux until July/August anyway as kids get accepted to med school off the waitlist and forego their seats in the SMP. I think the higher MCAT score will offset my completed app being a month later since we're already getting into the latter part of the cycle. That WOW factor will need to be as large as possible.

Just to clarify, the SMP app cycle is more similar to undergrad with applications opening in the fall and ending in the late spring.