General Please help me decide between SMPs!

[deleted1135735]

Hi! My stats are: cGPA: 3.5, sGPA: 3.45, MCAT: 515. Please help me decide between the following SMPs:

I have been accepted at:
BU MAMS
Tufts MBS
Georgetown SMP
Cincinnati SMP
EVMS
Case Western

I'm still waiting to hear from:
Loyola MSMP

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[Question]

Hi! My stats are: cGPA: 3.5, sGPA: 3.45, MCAT: 515. Please help me decide between the following SMPs:

I have been accepted at:
BU MAMS
Tufts MBS
Georgetown SMP
Cincinnati SMP
EVMS
Case Western

I'm still waiting to hear from:
Loyola MSMP

— Experts please respond to this post —

 

[GoSpursGo]

In general, no SMP is notably "better" than any other. So, what are the linkage agreements, what are the costs, and where do you want to live/where will you have the most support to give you the best chance to succeed?

Furthermore... are you sure you need an SMP with those stats? Because I suspect that if you stand a decent shot at some state MD schools depending on your GPA trend, and definitely at DO schools. If you previously applied and were unsuccessful, I suspect your problem was either your school list or somewhere other than your stats.

 

[PerioDont]

Why are you doing an SMP?

 

[TheBoneDoctah]

Lowest cost and closest to where you want to live.

 

[deleted1135735]

In general, no SMP is notably "better" than any other. So, what are the linkage agreements, what are the costs, and where do you want to live/where will you have the most support to give you the best chance to succeed?

Furthermore... are you sure you need an SMP with those stats? Because I suspect that if you stand a decent shot at some state MD schools depending on your GPA trend, and definitely at DO schools. If you previously applied and were unsuccessful, I suspect your problem was either your school list or somewhere other than your stats.

I messed up the first two years of college (58 credits at 2.56), but transferred and then did a post bacc to do another 166.5 credits at 3.85.

 

[TheBoneDoctah]

I messed up the first two years of college (58 credits at 2.56), but transferred and then did a post bacc to do another 166.5 credits at 3.85.

Great job!

 

[deleted1135735]

Great job!

Thanks! Do you have any opinions on the SMPs I listed?

 

[GoSpursGo]

I messed up the first two years of college (58 credits at 2.56), but transferred and then did a post bacc to do another 166.5 credits at 3.85.

Since you have already completed so many credits with a clear upward trend, I really think an SMP will be of marginal value for the cost unless you are targeting a specific MD school with strong linkage. You should be able to get into DO schools as is, and may be competitive for state MD schools too. In fact, an SMP may just cost a lot of money and potentially jeopardize the strong work you have put in.

Why do you want to do an SMP? You’ve already proven reinvention. If you are focused on SMPs, then answering my original question about linkage/cost/location would be helpful.

 

[deleted1135735]

Since you have already completed so many credits with a clear upward trend, I really think an SMP will be of marginal value for the cost unless you are targeting a specific MD school with strong linkage. You should be able to get into DO schools as is, and may be competitive for state MD schools too. In fact, an SMP may just cost a lot of money and potentially jeopardize the strong work you have put in.

Why do you want to do an SMP? You’ve already proven reinvention. If you are focused on SMPs, then answering my original question about linkage/cost/location would be helpful.

I would really love to have a shot at US MD schools.

 

[GoSpursGo]

I would really love to have a shot at US MD schools.

I just really think your post bacc has already demonstrated reinvention and there will be very marginal if any benefit to the SMP except specifically at schools that have linkage to your SMP. And while you have every reason to be confident in your abilities based on your recent performance, there is real risk if you don't ace the SMP.

In any event, if you're set on this course of action then I have nothing to add beyond again encouraging you to carefully look at the linkage agreements. You're paying a very high cost to maximize your chances at a specific school, so make sure you get bang for your buck.

 

[deleted1135735]

I just really think your post bacc has already demonstrated reinvention and there will be very marginal if any benefit to the SMP except specifically at schools that have linkage to your SMP. And while you have every reason to be confident in your abilities based on your recent performance, there is real risk if you don't ace the SMP.

In any event, if you're set on this course of action then I have nothing to add beyond again encouraging you to carefully look at the linkage agreements. You're paying a very high cost to maximize your chances at a specific school, so make sure you get bang for your buck.

If I do well in the SMP, do you think I would have a good chance at MD? Or should I retake MCAT?

 

[TheBoneDoctah]

Absolutely DO NOT retake the MCAT. You took a ton of courses already in your post bac and got 3.85. This alone shows reinvention. Agree that an additional ton of units may do more harm than good.

If I were in your shoes, I would apply in state MD/lower tier MD and DO.

The only caveat to this would be if a SMP said basically if you get X GPA you are in at our medical school which is highly unlikely.

 

[GoSpursGo]

If I do well in the SMP, do you think I would have a good chance at MD? Or should I retake MCAT?

Absolutely do not retake the MCAT.

You will have a good shot at any program with linkage to your SMP. Your shot at MD overall will likely depend on your state of residence and the strength of the rest of your application, and I’m not sure it will be significantly enhanced by the SMP above and beyond what you have already demonstrated with your post bacc.

You have done an amazing job showing reinvention. Nevertheless, what’s done is done and you’re never going to be able to fully wipe away those first two college years. You are in a good place RIGHT NOW to get into med school, and probably with a decent chance to get into MD. I would not take on any additional risk (or debt) chasing marginal stat advantages and instead would focus on ensuring your ECs are stellar

 

[Goro]

I messed up the first two years of college (58 credits at 2.56), but transferred and then did a post bacc to do another 166.5 credits at 3.85.

You don't need an SMP. Apply to the following med schools NOW:
Dartmouth
Pitt
Mayo
Mt Sinai
Keck (maybe)
Temple (maybe)
UCSF
EVMS
Hofstra
Emory
Jefferson
U VM
Miami
Drexel
Albany
Tufts
NYMC
TCU/UNT
Your state schools
Rush
Loyola
Rosy Franklin
Tulane
Wake
MCW
SLU
Creighton
Wayne State
Netter
NovaMD
NYU.LI
Any DO program. Include UNECOM if you’re from the NE, OSUCOM if you’re from the Plains states and PacNW if you’re from that region. I can't recommend LMU, ARCOM, RVU, BCOM, ICOM and LUCOM, for different reasons. Avoid those new schools that haven't graduated a class yet, if possible.