School applications - Former SMP

[riingh16]

Hi guys!

I was wondering if anyone had possible school recommendations. I am from the MW and got a 3.52 in the GT SMP. MCAT of 517. I actually was not a science major in my UG so I did some bare minimum post bacc classes at Loyola in Chicago before starting the SMP - looking back, I think taking more higher-level courses would have put me in a better place to learn with my peers but we are past that now. I am hoping for an MD so if anyone has any feedback/advice for applications, that would be great. Thank you!

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[Goro]

Hi guys!

I was wondering if anyone had possible school recommendations. I am from the MW and got a 3.52 in the GT SMP. MCAT of 517. I actually was not a science major in my UG so I did some bare minimum post bacc classes at Loyola in Chicago before starting the SMP - looking back, I think taking more higher-level courses would have put me in a better place to learn with my peers but we are past that now. I am hoping for an MD so if anyone has any feedback/advice for applications, that would be great. Thank you!

Based upon reports from SDNers who successfully reinvented., a 3.5 GPA in an SMP is good for DO schools (including mine) but for MD, you need a 3.7+. Chances for MD will be best at your own state school. Otherwise, have lots of good service ECs and target service loving schools, like below. But chances will be best at DO schools.


Dartmouth (maybe)
Mayo (maybe)
UCSF
EVMS
Miami
Drexel
Albany
Tufts
NYMC
TCU/UNT
Your state schools
Rush
Loyola
Rosy Franklin
Tulane
Wake
MCW
SLU
Creighton
Wayne State
Netter
NovaMD


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 ARCOM, RVU, Nova, BCOM, ICOM and LUCOM, for different reasons. MSUCOM? Read up on Larry Nasser and you decide. LMU has an accreditation warning, which concerns me. CUHS is too new and appears to be too limited in rotations sites. Avoid those new schools that haven't graduated a class yet, if at all possible.

 

[DocJanItor]

Based upon reports from SDNers who successfully reinvented., a 3.5 GPA in an SMP is good for DO schools (including mine) but for MD, you need a 3.7+. Chances for MD will be best at your own state school. Otherwise, have lots of good service ECs and target service loving schools, like below. But chances will be best at DO schools.


Dartmouth (maybe)
Mayo (maybe)
UCSF
EVMS
Miami
Drexel
Albany
Tufts
NYMC
TCU/UNT
Your state schools
Rush
Loyola
Rosy Franklin
Tulane
Wake
MCW
SLU
Creighton
Wayne State
Netter
NovaMD


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 ARCOM, RVU, Nova, BCOM, ICOM and LUCOM, for different reasons. MSUCOM? Read up on Larry Nasser and you decide. LMU has an accreditation warning, which concerns me. CUHS is too new and appears to be too limited in rotations sites. Avoid those new schools that haven't graduated a class yet, if at all possible.

Just to note, I entered MD school with a 3.53 SMP GPA, and I know I wasn't the lowest one in my year. I'd reapply to Georgetown as well unless you have a strong sense that they wouldn't accept you.

 

[riingh16]

Just to note, I entered MD school with a 3.53 SMP GPA, and I know I wasn't the lowest one in my year. I'd reapply to Georgetown as well unless you have a strong sense that they wouldn't accept you.

Thank you! I do plan on applying there. Do you have any tips for my application before I apply this summer?

 

[riingh16]

Based upon reports from SDNers who successfully reinvented., a 3.5 GPA in an SMP is good for DO schools (including mine) but for MD, you need a 3.7+. Chances for MD will be best at your own state school. Otherwise, have lots of good service ECs and target service loving schools, like below. But chances will be best at DO schools.


Dartmouth (maybe)
Mayo (maybe)
UCSF
EVMS
Miami
Drexel
Albany
Tufts
NYMC
TCU/UNT
Your state schools
Rush
Loyola
Rosy Franklin
Tulane
Wake
MCW
SLU
Creighton
Wayne State
Netter
NovaMD


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 ARCOM, RVU, Nova, BCOM, ICOM and LUCOM, for different reasons. MSUCOM? Read up on Larry Nasser and you decide. LMU has an accreditation warning, which concerns me. CUHS is too new and appears to be too limited in rotations sites. Avoid those new schools that haven't graduated a class yet, if at all possible.

Based upon reports from SDNers who successfully reinvented., a 3.5 GPA in an SMP is good for DO schools (including mine) but for MD, you need a 3.7+. Chances for MD will be best at your own state school. Otherwise, have lots of good service ECs and target service loving schools, like below. But chances will be best at DO schools.


Dartmouth (maybe)
Mayo (maybe)
UCSF
EVMS
Miami
Drexel
Albany
Tufts
NYMC
TCU/UNT
Your state schools
Rush
Loyola
Rosy Franklin
Tulane
Wake
MCW
SLU
Creighton
Wayne State
Netter
NovaMD


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 ARCOM, RVU, Nova, BCOM, ICOM and LUCOM, for different reasons. MSUCOM? Read up on Larry Nasser and you decide. LMU has an accreditation warning, which concerns me. CUHS is too new and appears to be too limited in rotations sites. Avoid those new schools that haven't graduated a class yet, if at all possible.

Okay got it. Thank you. I know that a 3.5 puts me in a tough spot when looking at expectations in the program but it is betweeen a B+ to an A-. Would pointing out to adcoms that this GPA was achieved with the bare minimum science courses be good or should I avoid that. I definitely felt behind compared to my peers in the SMP who has studied microbio, biology for 4 years prior. My UG major was Econ and my post bacc courses were all 100 level. Basically I want to highlight that I worked very very hard to keep up with the material as a non trad and am committed to this goal.

 

[riingh16]

Okay got it. Thank you. I know that a 3.5 puts me in a tough spot when looking at expectations in the program but it is betweeen a B+ to an A-. Would pointing out to adcoms that this GPA was achieved with the bare minimum science courses be good or should I avoid that. I definitely felt behind compared to my peers in the SMP who has studied microbio, biology for 4 years prior. My UG major was Econ and my post bacc courses were all 100 level. Basically I want to highlight that I worked very very hard to keep up with the material as a non trad and am committed to this goal.

In addition - would a MCAT retake help or is 517 okay with the SMP GPA. I am willing to retake for higher if advised.

 

[Goro]

Okay got it. Thank you. I know that a 3.5 puts me in a tough spot when looking at expectations in the program but it is betweeen a B+ to an A-.

That's pre-med thinking. Adcoms don't care in seller's market where the median matriculant has a GPA of 3.7+; more importantly, there are higher expectations for SMP students.

Would pointing out to adcoms that this GPA was achieved with the bare minimum science courses be good or should I avoid that.

Won't even make a blip.

 

[Goro]

In addition - would a MCAT retake help or is 517 okay with the SMP GPA. I am willing to retake for higher if advised.

Retaking a >90th %ile MCAT would raise questions about your judgement. A high MCAT score doesn't mediate a lower GPA; it just emphasizes the discrepancy.

 

[riingh16]

That's pre-med thinking. Adcoms don't care in seller's market where the median matriculant has a GPA of 3.7+; more importantly, there are higher expectations for SMP students.


Won't even make a blip.

Got it. I will focus on the service and other aspects and hope for the best. Thank you very much.

 

[DocJanItor]

Thank you! I do plan on applying there. Do you have any tips for my application before I apply this summer?

Did you apply the year of your SMP or did you need to take/improve your MCAT first? Just wondering if you already had an interview or not.

 

[riingh16]

Did you apply the year of your SMP or did you need to take/improve your MCAT first? Just wondering if you already had an interview or not.

I am not applying right now during the SMP. Since I was a career changer I really did not feel that I had enough science/higher-level science courses for an admissions committee to evaluate from - which is why I am here. My MCAT I took right before the SMP and it was a 517 which I did a ton of self-studying for. It may go up after the program but I am not sure that I will retake it, any thoughts on this are welcome!

 

[DocJanItor]

I am not applying right now during the SMP. Since I was a career changer I really did not feel that I had enough science/higher-level science courses for an admissions committee to evaluate from - which is why I am here. My MCAT I took right before the SMP and it was a 517 which I did a ton of self-studying for. It may go up after the program but I am not sure that I will retake it, any thoughts on this are welcome!

Let me make this easier for you: Under no circumstances should you retake the MCAT with a 517. That is currently a 94th percentile score. You're probably thinking "yeah but if I get 525 then maybe better school X will interview/accept me!". No. Going from a 517 to a 520 or even a 528 is not going to net you an invitation from an Ivy. They will look at your app and see that you retook a 517 and, even if you do significantly better, wonder why.

I also had a 94th percentile score. I also considered retaking the exam. The good people here set me straight, and I'm very glad they did. The MCAT is just a single component of your application. While mild weaknesses in GPA can be compensated by a stronger MCAT, that's for like a few tenths of a GPA point. But even a perfect MCAT isn't going to make up for a 3.0 uGPA because they represent different things: the MCAT shows your test taking ability and to some extent your ability to synthesize knowledge while your overall GPA shows your ability to maintain effort over an extended period.

As for your application, I'm somewhat confused. You presumably took all the necessary pre-reqs and you did well on the MCAT - academically, that's all that's required of any medical school application. Unless you have some ECs missing I would assume your advisors at Georgetown would've told you to apply this year. I guess I could see not applying because you didn't want to be a reapplicant if Georgetown didn't workout, but I don't know enough about reapplying stats to advise you on that.

Have you talked to Dr. M or any of the advisors about this?

 

[riingh16]

Let me make this easier for you: Under no circumstances should you retake the MCAT with a 517. That is currently a 94th percentile score. You're probably thinking "yeah but if I get 525 then maybe better school X will interview/accept me!". No. Going from a 517 to a 520 or even a 528 is not going to net you an invitation from an Ivy. They will look at your app and see that you retook a 517 and, even if you do significantly better, wonder why.

I also had a 94th percentile score. I also considered retaking the exam. The good people here set me straight, and I'm very glad they did. The MCAT is just a single component of your application. While mild weaknesses in GPA can be compensated by a stronger MCAT, that's for like a few tenths of a GPA point. But even a perfect MCAT isn't going to make up for a 3.0 uGPA because they represent different things: the MCAT shows your test taking ability and to some extent your ability to synthesize knowledge while your overall GPA shows your ability to maintain effort over an extended period.

As for your application, I'm somewhat confused. You presumably took all the necessary pre-reqs and you did well on the MCAT - academically, that's all that's required of any medical school application. Unless you have some ECs missing I would assume your advisors at Georgetown would've told you to apply this year. I guess I could see not applying because you didn't want to be a reapplicant if Georgetown didn't workout, but I don't know enough about reapplying stats to advise you on that.

Have you talked to Dr. M or any of the advisors about this?

Yes, I agree! I am not in any way wanting to take the MCAT again either and would rather devote my time and energy to other things.

Hm well. I took necessary pre reqs, yes. But the bare mininum. Nothing above a 100 level course. And the most advanced course being biochemistry. So while that is what is required, there is a very limited number of credit hours associated with my post bacc and I just felt that only having 100 level hours did not give adcoms much to go off of in an application. Yes, my main reason for not applying this year was that I did not plan at all to apply this year in any case because I only started my pre med journey in 2018 and wanted to finish this program first - the MCAT I worked hard for just to get it out of the way when I did apply, not really to use it to apply with this year. I was wrapping up my post bacc when applying to the SMP so it just felt too soon for me personally to put in a medical school application.

And I definitely will - as soon as some exams are over and we have a litttttle more free time.

 

[DocJanItor]

Yes, I agree! I am not in any way wanting to take the MCAT again either and would rather devote my time and energy to other things.

Hm well. I took necessary pre reqs, yes. But the bare mininum. Nothing above a 100 level course. And the most advanced course being biochemistry. So while that is what is required, there is a very limited number of credit hours associated with my post bacc and I just felt that only having 100 level hours did not give adcoms much to go off of in an application. Yes, my main reason for not applying this year was that I did not plan at all to apply this year in any case because I only started my pre med journey in 2018 and wanted to finish this program first - the MCAT I worked hard for just to get it out of the way when I did apply, not really to use it to apply with this year. I was wrapping up my post bacc when applying to the SMP so it just felt too soon for me personally to put in a medical school application.

And I definitely will - as soon as some exams are over and we have a litttttle more free time.

You don't have to have a science background to impress Adcoms. There are some people I know at school who majored in English literature and political science. All you have to do are fulfill the class requirements (chem, phys, math, orgo, whatever) and a degree, have your volunteering and shadowing, and a good MCAT.

I can understand not applying right away. Best to have everything prepared where you want it.

 

[riingh16]

You don't have to have a science background to impress Adcoms. There are some people I know at school who majored in English literature and political science. All you have to do are fulfill the class requirements (chem, phys, math, orgo, whatever) and a degree, have your volunteering and shadowing, and a good MCAT.

I can understand not applying right away. Best to have everything prepared where you want it.

Definitely makes sense. I am here now so here's hoping everything goes smoothly moving forward

 

[ampersandwich]

I got a 3.58 in my SMP + 517, and had a sub-3.0 uGPA. I also had to reapply (was complete Labor Day my first cycle due to June MCAT and secondary burnout). In my second cycle, I applied early and received 4 MD II --> 2 A, including my SMP school. Just wanted to drop by to say that you can definitely still get MD with a well-rounded application.

 

[riingh16]

I got a 3.58 in my SMP + 517, and had a sub-3.0 uGPA. I also had to reapply (was complete Labor Day my first cycle due to June MCAT and secondary burnout). In my second cycle, I applied early and received 4 MD II --> 2 A, including my SMP school. Just wanted to drop by to say that you can definitely still get MD with a well-rounded application.

Thank you for the encouragement! I'd like to believe its holistic and not as black and white with the numbers as it may seem on here sometimes. Not sure when you started, or if you have, but congrats on the acceptance