My Plan B, SMP, should I do it?

[mattng]

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So basically interviews are winding down and I haven't gotten a single invitation for an interview (what a waste of money...). Anyways, now I'm debating on whether I should apply for a SMP. I have a 3.8 and I'm going to graduate with a B.S. in Respiratory Therapy, and got a 28R on my MCAT. These are my options.

Apply for SMP, retake MCAT
Retake the MCAT, take a year off and work as a Respiratory Therapist (I could also get excellent shadowing experience, etc...)
Do not retake the MCAT, still work, but apply once AMCAS opens?

Your input would be great! You can also check out my mdapp profile in my signature. Thanks!

 

[JoeCool]

IMHO... Your GPA is competitive so forget the SMP. Just retake the MCAT. Study, study, study and get your score up above 10 for each section.

Cheers.

 

[Perrotfish]

GPA probably too high for the SMP. Retake the MCAT and either work, travel, or pick up a1 year MPH/1 year masters.

 

[Ian1223]

GPA probably too high for the SMP. Retake the MCAT and either work, travel, or pick up a1 year MPH/1 year masters.

Too high to be accepted or too high that it is not necessary to take it?

 

[Isoprop]

both

 

[mattng]

I really don't want to restudy this mcat. I'm really stressed about this...I see people getting in with 25-30s. I thought I would just apply as early as possible and just build up clinical stuff the year I have off.

 

[Isoprop]

you can do that too. your mcat isn't terrible, but if you already have everything else in order, then your mcat score is the weakest part of your application.

it's hard to tell why you were unsuccessful this cycle without more details. what schools did you apply to? when did you apply? how are your ECs, personal statement/essays, and LORs?

in any case, you should not do an SMP. it is high risk, and it only helps your application marginally. and the competitive SMPs don't like to accept applicants with GPAs that are too high.

 

[Perrotfish]

I really don't want to restudy this mcat. I'm really stressed about this...I see people getting in with 25-30s. I thought I would just apply as early as possible and just build up clinical stuff the year I have off

Definitely an option, if you apply early (primary out on day 1 and no more than a 2 week turnaround on secondaries) and much more broadly (25 schools, about?) you´ll probably get at least a few interviews. I´d say retake the MCAT, though. It just seems like a waste to have a GPA that high and to not break 30.

 

[mattng]

Definitely an option, if you apply early (primary out on day 1 and no more than a 2 week turnaround on secondaries) and much more broadly (25 schools, about?) you´ll probably get at least a few interviews. I´d say retake the MCAT, though. It just seems like a waste to have a GPA that high and to not break 30.

Darn you verbal reasoning...darn you!

 

[igcgnerd]

There are people who need an SMP, mostly because of GPA, and you are definitely not one of them! Take the year off, work as an RT and study for the MCAT. If you can push that up to a 30, your golden. With a 3.8 and early application, your competitive at the top schools.

 

[HerrTex]

There are people who need an SMP, mostly because of GPA, and you are definitely not one of them! Take the year off, work as an RT and study for the MCAT. If you can push that up to a 30, your golden. With a 3.8 and early application, your competitive at the top schools.

I've heard this a couple of times for people with good gpa and alright mcat. But what if you can't improve on the mcat, wouldn't an smp still be a positive on your app. I think an smp would also keep you in a academic mindframe where if you take a year off it may be harder to get back on the horse

 

[Perrotfish]

I've heard this a couple of times for people with good gpa and alright mcat. But what if you can't improve on the mcat, wouldn't an smp still be a positive on your app.

Maybe if Chinese is your first language and you absolutely can´t get passed a 5 on the verbal section, but I wouldn´t start screwing around with SMPs until you´ve failed to improve your MCAT score on at least 2 retakes. Of course if you did the SMP, and did well, it would still be a positive statment on your application, but that´s a very large expense and a very large risk for somone that has over a 3.5 (let alone over a 3.7)

I think an smp would also keep you in a academic mindframe where if you take a year off it may be harder to get back on the horse

If you want this, do a 1 year MPH, or a 1 year masters. It´s less risky than an SMP, generally less expensive, and also will help you get the resideny and/or fellowship of your choice further down the line.

 

[mattng]

haha, honestly, chinese is my first language. but growing up in America i'm fluent in english now (i did go to pre-school not knowing a lick of english)

how bad would it look if i didn't at least match my original grade? I mean I don't have as much time to dedicate to the mcat if I want to apply ASAP, I'm thinking of the May 10th one plus I got to worry about graduating!

 

[spicey]

Hang in there. Please don't give up. It will happen...SOON!
FROM A Fellow Respiratory Therapist

 

[Perrotfish]

how bad would it look if i didn't at least match my original grade? I mean I don't have as much time to dedicate to the mcat if I want to apply ASAP, I'm thinking of the May 10th one plus I got to worry about graduating!

If you can´t do it you can´t do it. I´m no MCAT teacher, but my take would be that if you´re not hitting 31-32 on practice tests, then don´t retake the MCAT. Id say sign up and then, if you´re not hitting your targets on the practice tests, don´t go. Depends on how hard your current course load is, though.

 

[mattng]

If you can´t do it you can´t do it. I´m no MCAT teacher, but my take would be that if you´re not hitting 31-32 on practice tests, then don´t retake the MCAT. Id say sign up and then, if you´re not hitting your targets on the practice tests, don´t go. Depends on how hard your current course load is, though.

Yea, I think I'm going to try a practice test. I got screwed over by Kaplan because I was outside their 90-day policy so they won't give me back my program. Anyone have any idea how to get around this? I'm so upset about that. I paid $1599 and now they want an additional $500 to get it back. I think it's a bunch of bull

 

[Instatewaiter]

try RU486- a great plan B