Should I do an SMP? Nontrad RN, low sGPA

[RNtoPossibleMD]

I am a nontrad student, late 20s. Based on the AMCAS calculator, my undergrad cGPA is 3.51 & sGPA 3.05. My GPA took a huge hit concentrated around two semesters at a post-bac with excruciating personal circumstances (in hindsight, I should have asked for those grades to be dropped). Previously, I was a straight-A student and most of my pre-reqs are As. After spending some time near-homeless and hopeless, I believed that my chances were shot. I went and got an MSN, became an RN at the beginning of this year, and I still want to be a doctor. There is honestly nothing else I see myself doing at this point. I don't want to become an NP; it's a fallback option. But I will regret it for the rest of my life if I don't try.

Despite my username, I am interested solely in a DO education. I am willing to move anywhere and apply to as many schools as possible. With the amount of credits I have, I am not going to be able to budge my GPA much higher. Is it worth paying additional money to do an SMP? Or should I focus on boosting the rest of my application? I'm going to start studying for the MCAT and looking for recommenders, but I'm not sure what else I can do. Volunteer opportunities are few right now, but I have volunteer experience from ~10 years ago. I know it's a long shot with my poor stats.

Thanks guys. Hope you're staying sane & healthy.

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[dial1010usa]

As an RN you have lot of clinical experience. Focus on your MCAT and that will be the deciding factor, take MCAT when you are 100% ready. If you hit MCAT 510, it will compensate your low sGPA. At this time I don't think you need SMP. Get DO/MD LOR as you are working with them.

 

[BBQisgood4u]

Hey there! If you're truly set on a DO degree I would do the AACOMAS calculations for your grade. I think you will be pleasantly surprised to find your sGPA increasing because it counts nursing classes and "other sciences" (nutrition, health science, exercise physiology, and many more!) as part of your sGPA.

Here's the link:

AACOMAS Course Subjects

help.liaisonedu.com

After doing your recalculation, come back here and let us know what the sGPA is. I truly believe with the increase in sGPA and a 506+ MCAT you're going to obtain multiple IIs.

You won't need to do a costly SMP.

Focus on gaining recent volunteer work with underserved populations (soup kitchen is an example), write killer essays (you sound like someone with great life experience), and aim for the highest MCAT you can get and you'll be golden!

 

[kindenergy]

I personally don't think you need to do an SMP. If anything, you can take a couple of science classes to boost your science gpa. To assure you that you can definitely do it, I got into DO school with a similar sgpa without doing an SMP/post-bac. Focus on meaningful volunteer/work experience and try to get at least a 505+ mcat score. You got this!

 

[DO2015CA]

Just start studying for the mcat if you have the prereqs done. Make sure all prereqs are C or better. Don’t take the mcat until you are scoring where you want. Don’t rush it and you can be accepted to a DO school