should i apply this year? doing UC smp

[chweasel]

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I am going to be taking the university of cincinnati smp this upcoming year, and I plan on applying to their medical school this year as well. Should I apply to other medical schools for this year? I took my MCAT April of 2010, would it still be valid for the next application cycle (2013)?

Also, if I should apply to more schools than just Cincinnati this year, which schools would look favorably upon concurrent application? I know the UC (university of california, where im from) system will not acknowledge smp until it has been completed.

thanks!

 

[DrMidlife]

Option: wait a year to apply so that you have a chance at CA instate tuition.

Option: go nuts for Ohio. Ohio's pretty much the only state that lets you become a resident by going to school there. In other words, apply to all the Ohio med schools.

Option: apply to all the med schools that host SMPs.

Option: study the MSAR obsessively and target schools that are not too far out of reach for your MCAT & GPA.

Best option, imho: do very, very well at Cincy and get into Cincy. Your first year of med school there will be easier and you'll have a leg up on faculty relationships & lab opps.

Best of luck to you.

 

[leggo]

Yup, focus on Cincy. They have a pretty good linkage with their SMP.

 

[chweasel]

so based upon the advice, I would apply to just Cincinnati this year. Would my MCAT be valid for 2013 application cycle (took it in April 2010) assuming I did not get into Cincinnati this year?

Thanks!

 

[doctorgonzo]

so based upon the advice, I would apply to just Cincinnati this year. Would my MCAT be valid for 2013 application cycle (took it in April 2010) assuming I did not get into Cincinnati this year?

Thanks!

The best thing to do would be to call the schools you are considering applying to and ask them how long your MCAT will be valid.

 

[DrMidlife]

Call? Like with a phone? Baffling.

The average expiration on MCAT scores is 3 years, so generally if you're applying in June 2012 with an April 2010 MCAT you're fine.

You can find per-school info in the MSAR, and always confirm on med school admissions websites.

Best of luck to you.

 

[chweasel]

sorry for spamming this thread.

i just talked with someone who kind of shook my faith in applying to only 2 schools (university of cincinnati and ohio state) and my possible success of getting in while applying to only 2 schools

his advice was that I should apply to as many schools as possible (30+)

I am a reapplicant, i am sure that makes a difference. anyways, my concern is that if i apply to so many schools, and god forbid dont get in again this cycle, isn't there some sort of unspoken rule that you cannot apply a third time or something like that?

sorry if this sounds stupid, but i dont really know where else to find this sort of information

 

[DrMidlife]

I am a reapplicant, i am sure that makes a difference. anyways, my concern is that if i apply to so many schools, and god forbid dont get in again this cycle, isn't there some sort of unspoken rule that you cannot apply a third time or something like that?

Every school has its own rules. The two schools I know best cut you off after the 3rd app.

Note that I listed 4 options earlier in this thread. It appears you made your decision based on a single poster's advice, which is a terrible thing to do in general on an anonymous forum. Don't be passive: you can find a LOT of discussion in this forum on how to manage med school apps during an SMP, and you can get help with figuring this out from UofC staff and alumni...such as the forum moderator. Take positive action - don't wait for somebody to come along and take care of things for you.

Best of luck to you.

 

[DCBFan]

If you're sold on applying this year and not sure how many schools to apply to, the good news is it is easy to add more schools later on.

Of course, that would mean working on secondaries while in your SMP. Not an ideal situation, but I'll be doing it too.

 

[chweasel]

Hi Dr. Midlife,

I actually am doing your options, that is, I am applying to all schools in Ohio as well as schools with SMP's

However, I am still applying to a couple more, and honestly, I totally agree with you about just waiting and doing well in the SMP, but I have the money to apply to more schools, and I really want to get in this cycle as well somewhere. Hopefully, in a year, I can look back and tell myself it was a huge waste of money since I will hopefully go to UC medical school, but right now, there is fear gripping me, haha.

Also, the general consensus I am getting from others is that California really does not care if you do well in an SMP if your undergraduate grades are as poor as mine. Obviously, if I do not get in this time, I will apply to more cali schools, but I will not be optimistic about it.

With that said, what do you think about this list?

UCI, USC (complete reaches, but i would like to go to med school in cali, where i live)
Wright, Toledo, UCinci, NEUCOM, Case, OhioSt (i get residency in Ohio after this year)
NYMC, albany, Slu, georgetown, EVMS, VCU, Creighton, Tufts, Drexel, BU, Tulane (all have SMP i think)
SUNY (downstate, upstate, buffalo), GWU, UCF, Vtech, FIU, FAU, SLU, MCW, UWiscon, RFU, WayneSt, MSU, Loyola, Temple (i believe all are not ridiculous reaches?)

@DCBFan,

Maybe we can help each other out writing them on the weekends haha