SMP vs MPH vs MS

[amanda5]

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I have been doing research on these programs and reading threads on SDN... i am really confused about which to apply to? So according to what i have read on SDN, if you apply to SMP and do bad, you chances are ruin? a MS is safer, but they are mostly in nutrition (columbia or NYU has this programs) and MPH has no science classes and is probably the least prefer by dental or med schools.

Also is the biomedical program at UMDNJ a SMP or just a MS? i went to the school webpage and it is stated as a MS degree not a SMP but some people have listed this program under the SMP threads???

AND does anyone have experience in the columbia's master in nutrition program because i have read only one thread that had described about this program and a few thread saying this program is not worth applying to??? and does anyone if this program is similar to the one at NYU (master in Nutrition or public health)???

 

[Perrotfish]

What is your GPA and what is your MCAT?

 

[amanda5]

What is your GPA and what is your MCAT?

My GPA is around 3.0 and i currently at my junior year so i am hoping to bring it up more by my senior year and i am a pre dent so i will be taking the DAT instead of the MCAT (aiming at 20+ at the DAT, also taking a kaplan course)

 

[Instatewaiter]

For those with low GPAs in terms of bang for your buck:
SMP > MS > MPH

In terms of risk
SMP > MS > MPH

 

[Perrotfish]

Well, I don't know much about dental schools, but at MD schools they really only seem to care about 3 things: your Ugrad GPA, your MCAT, and your perfomance in an SMP (if applicable). For MD schools that means your only 3 ways in are to either get your undergraduate GPA up by taking more classes, improving your MCAT score, or taking an SMP.

I don't know if the same advice applied to Dental school.

 

[gasapple]

For those with low GPAs in terms of bang for your buck:
SMP > MS > MPH

Wrong.

According to a number of admissions deans I've spoken with in the past regarding this topic, SMPs are not viewed favorably when compared to MCAT improvement - or even your garden variety science MS with thesis.

Do the research on your own, people. Unfortunately, not everything on SDN is accurate and definitely isn't as rudimentary as (>), (<), or (=).

Ask the admissions deans at your schools of interest on your own and see what they say...

 

[Perrotfish]

Wrong.

According to a number of admissions deans I've spoken with in the past regarding this topic, SMPs are not viewed favorably when compared to MCAT improvement - or even your garden variety science MS with thesis.

Do the research on your own, people. Unfortunately, not everything on SDN is accurate and definitely isn't as rudimentary as (>), (<), or (=).

Ask the admissions deans at your schools of interest on your own and see what they say...

People who do well in SMPs have close to a 100% accept rate to medical school. Most top SMPs have close to a 90% accept rate to medical school for the entire program despite their matriculants having signifcantly below average stats. An MS is no where close to that, judging for the experience of the thousands of MS grads with high MS GPAs and low UGrad GPAS. 'MCAT improvment' might help if you improve by 10 points (which you won't) but otherwise nothing but an SMP is getting rid of a truely bad GPA. Thanks for your input, go away.

 

[Instatewaiter]

According to a number of admissions deans I've spoken with in the past regarding this topic, SMPs are not viewed favorably when compared to MCAT improvement - or even your garden variety science MS with thesis.

Do the research on your own, people. Unfortunately, not everything on SDN is accurate and definitely isn't as rudimentary as (>), (<), or (=).

Ask the admissions deans at your schools of interest on your own and see what they say...

Funny this pre-med followed me here just to refute my post because he's pissed off at me from another thread. Cute.

First, SMPs are for those with strong MCATs already. Going from a 32 to a 35 is going to give you limited bang for your buck when you have a 3.1. Sure going from a 22 to a 30 is going to help but you're still SOL w/ a 3.1

Second, given the right profile (low GPA high MCAT) the data support the fact that SMPs are strongly favored.

I think the 'deans' (*hobos on the corner) were probably talking about someone with a low MCAT.

 

[amanda5]

any inputs or commons from a pre dent or dental student? I think SMP is for pre den too? right? And does anyone know any programs that takes DAT for admission because it seems like they all take GRE or MCAT?

 

[Bizznet]

any inputs or commons from a pre dent or dental student? I think SMP is for pre den too? right? And does anyone know any programs that takes DAT for admission because it seems like they all take GRE or MCAT?

look into Barry SMP in south Florida... They take the DAT and place you accordingly into a 1yr or 1 1/2 year program.

 

[Lokhtar]

Hmm, if I have a 3.5 overall and a 3.2 sci, but a 30-33 MCAT, would it be better to spend a year taking upper level courses, or do a SMP?

If I spend a year doing classes, my overall would go to 3.6, and my sci to 3.5 (my history is really bad, with Fs and Ws, but I have a 3.9 over the last two years, and after post-bac, it will be 3.5-3.55, but since F is in CALC IV, and I have a couple other low grades, my sci is still low - though I can improve it by .3 in one year since I don't have THAT many sciences compared to like 170 cr. overall).

 

[DrMidlife]

An SMP is a last-ditch hail-Mary effort. If another year of undergrad will change your numbers, that's a better idea, plus it's cheaper and more flexible.

If I could do it over, I would not have applied with a circa-3.0 GPA. It would have been worth it to do an SMP, which in my case was the only option. (My GPA was rigid by around 1989.)

I also would have established TX or FL residency, to have more of a cheap school choice. Plus both TX and FL have more state schools coming in 2009 (and I adore El Paso). NY, OH and IL have good odds too.

So this old fart likes the following plan for you:

1. Finish this year of school and kill the MCAT.
2. Move someplace where you'll be happy and where they have lots of state med schools, and get a part time job (like EMT or teaching Kaplan) right away to establish state residency.
3. While working, enroll for a full load of upper div undergrad at a school you really like, private is fine, because you'll pay OOS tuition for this year.
4. Apply, get in, be happy.

Best of luck to you.