Please Help: Masters vs. Post Bacc?

[Seldentaleli]

Hello everyone, I really need some help and will take any advice I can get! I made a post a couple of days ago but decided to make a more detailed one to provide more information.

I graduated college with a 2.45uGPA and even lower sGPA. Since, I have taken a large course load of courses every semester (pretty much all upper level sciences, some psychology) and my oGPA is almost to a 3.0. I have taken about 60 credits so far post bacc at about a 3.7 post bacc GPA for those courses.

Now, for this Fall term, I have a couple of options. I recently got accepted to an SMP program in IL and a Biology MA in MI. In addition, I could also just continue taking non degree courses at a university instead of those programs and get my overall and science GPA to above 3.0 before the cycle opens in Summer 2024 (if I take the amount of courses I was planning on taking for these two semesters, I could get my overall GPA to 3.4 and sgpa to 3.53). Also, I should add that the SMP I got accepted to does not have a linkage to a medical program as they do not even have a medical school.

I am very confused on what to do. I really want to follow the path that will give me the best chance of being admitted.

Also to get a general idea of my ECs (I plan on continuing my activities until applying so this is what the hours will look like at that time)

non-clinical: 800+ hours
paid clinical: 1000+ hours as a med assistant and scribe
clinical volunteer: 1000+ hours
shadowing: only thing I haven't started yet but everyone says I only need about 80-100 hours within diff specialities
research: I did a very little amount during last semester of undergrad and will do more if I end up going the SMP route.

---

Members don't see this ad.

 

[Seldentaleli]

Potential School list:

MD:

Loyola
Rosalind Franklin
UIC
Oakland William Beaumont
Wayne State
Umich

DO:

Midwestern
MSUCOM

I know my school list is kind of small but I really need to stay within these two states if possible! My residence will either be in IL or MI depending on which path I decide (smp is in IL, post bacc classes and Biology MA will be in MI)

Extra note: If I do the biology MA in MI, I will be able to do the undergrad classes at the same time but if I do the SMP in Chicago, I don't have anymore undergrad courses to take here.

 

[Mr.Smile12]

If money wasn't an issue, I would take the SMP once I knew their track record and student support structure. You spend the money to trust they can prepare you for the intensity of training you will have in medical education, but it will be your best shot to show you are ready. Make sure they can prepare you for the MCAT.

Take UM off your list until you absolutely excel at both the SMP and MCAT.

 

[Seldentaleli]

If money wasn't an issue, I would take the SMP once I knew their track record and student support structure. You spend the money to trust they can prepare you for the intensity of training you will have in medical education, but it will be your best shot to show you are ready. Make sure they can prepare you for the MCAT.

Take UM off your list until you absolutely excel at both the SMP and MCAT.

Thank you for the reply. So having a 3.0 ogpa and high grad gpa + Mcat would give me a good chance?

The only information I’ve been able to find regarding the program is from their website. They do have MCAT prep and they have a list of some of the schools their alumni have attended upon completing the SMP. However, when they list the schools, they don’t say what type of program the student got accepted to(medical, dental, etc). I will reach out to them tomorrow and try to get more information!

 

[MyOdyssey]

What is the nature of your nonclinical volunteering?

Increasing your cGPA to 3.5 via postbacc will improve your chances greatly v a sub-3.0 cGPA.

 

[Seldentaleli]

What is the nature of your nonclinical volunteering?

Increasing your cGPA to 3.5 via postbacc will improve your chances greatly v a sub-3.0 cGPA.

What if I get my GPA to a 3.0 and do the smp?

For my non clinical volunteering:
- After school program for underprivileged kids
- Church volunteer
- virtual tutoring during covid
- (not sure if this counts) 2 leadership positions in sorority

I plan on continuing being a church volunteer and doing more work in underprivileged areas of chicago such as homeless shelters, etc. for the rest of the year.

 

[Mr.Smile12]

So having a 3.0 ogpa and high grad gpa + Mcat would give me a good chance?

I like using the phrase "necessary but not sufficient" rather than talk about your chances. You have more work to do. Find out if this program can actually help you.

 

[Seldentaleli]

I like using the phrase "necessary but not sufficient" rather than talk about your chances. You have more work to do. Find out if this program can actually help you.

Based on my conversation with the admissions coordinator, I found out the following info:
- they don't have a linkage to any medical schools
- they have advisors to help with the application and free mcat tutoring
- they have research opportunities

There is another program that seems to be well respected and has a linkage to their medical school. I applied but was not admitted for the Fall due to my GPA being under 3.0, but they do accept students in the Winter term as well. Would it look bad if I attended the program I've been admitted to during the Fall term and transferred to the other program, if admitted for Winter? I could make sure to take courses this term that would transfer over.

 

[candbgirl]

Based on my conversation with the admissions coordinator, I found out the following info:
- they don't have a linkage to any medical schools
- they have advisors to help with the application and free mcat tutoring
- they have research opportunities

There is another program that seems to be well respected and has a linkage to their medical school. I applied but was not admitted for the Fall due to my GPA being under 3.0, but they do accept students in the Winter term as well. Would it look bad if I attended the program I've been admitted to during the Fall term and transferred to the other program, if admitted for Winter? I could make sure to take courses this term that would transfer over.

Why start one place and then transfer? Just keep doing the post bacc and see if you get into the other SMP for the Winter. SMPS are high stakes-high rewards and very expensive.
I’m from Chicago and can’t even imagine what the first school is with no linkage. It’s in Chicago?

 

[MyOdyssey]

Based on my conversation with the admissions coordinator, I found out the following info:
- they don't have a linkage to any medical schools
- they have advisors to help with the application and free mcat tutoring
- they have research opportunities

There is another program that seems to be well respected and has a linkage to their medical school. I applied but was not admitted for the Fall due to my GPA being under 3.0, but they do accept students in the Winter term as well. Would it look bad if I attended the program I've been admitted to during the Fall term and transferred to the other program, if admitted for Winter? I could make sure to take courses this term that would transfer over.

Don’t do the transfer.

Work on your post bacc classes for now.

 

[Seldentaleli]

Why start one place and then transfer? Just keep doing the post bacc and see if you get into the other SMP for the Winter. SMPS are high stakes-high rewards and very expensive.
I’m from Chicago and can’t even imagine what the first school is with no linkage. It’s in Chicago?

My thought process behind that was that so even if I didn't get into the other SMP again for whatever reason in Winter, I would at least still have this one. I understand that SMPs are difficult but I know I can handle it and want to prove to medical schools as much as possible that I have changed my studying habits since undergrad. I would prefer to keep doing the post bacc but the only issue is that I am running out of classes to take so I'm worried about that. Yes it is in Chicago, it's the Biomedical Sciences masters at Roosevelt University.

 

[MyOdyssey]

SMPs are able to validate academic preparedness by putting students in the same classes as M1 medical students: same curriculum & grading.

How is Roosevelt able to provide that environment without ties to a medical school?

 

[candbgirl]

My thought process behind that was that so even if I didn't get into the other SMP again for whatever reason in Winter, I would at least still have this one. I understand that SMPs are difficult but I know I can handle it and want to prove to medical schools as much as possible that I have changed my studying habits since undergrad. I would prefer to keep doing the post bacc but the only issue is that I am running out of classes to take so I'm worried about that. Yes it is in Chicago, it's the Biomedical Sciences masters at Roosevelt University.

Thanks. Had no idea Roosevelt even had advanced science programs. Interesting. I’d still sick with your post bacc at least for the upcoming semester. When do you plan to apply?

 

[Mr.Smile12]

Stick with the program you are in. Really work closely with the advisors and do a lot of networking with the medical schools near you.

 

[Seldentaleli]

SMPs are able to validate academic preparedness by putting students in the same classes as M1 medical students: same curriculum & grading.

How is Roosevelt able to provide that environment without ties to a medical school?

Yes, that is what my main concern and why I prefer the other SMP. Hopefully I will get accepted there in winter. Also, I did reach out to them and told them I would be starting a masters in the fall and they told me that was good and that they would consider those courses favorably when they review my application again

 

[Seldentaleli]

Thanks. Had no idea Roosevelt even had advanced science programs. Interesting. I’d still sick with your post bacc at least for the upcoming semester. When do you plan to apply?

I’ve been doing so much research about it and there is so little information available from actual people that attended which is worrying me. I plan on applying the next cycle if I feel I am prepared by then (2024)