Medical SMP with 3.65 GPA?

[GoSpursGo]

State MD offered a conditional acceptance if I complete SMP with 3.6 GPA. The issue I have accepting is that my GPA has increased from last application and so will my mcat.
Last cycle: 3.53, 3.42sgpa, 495 mcat
Upcoming cycle: 3.65, 3,62sgpa, (4.0 last 40 hours.) I took a mcat course and am averaging 510 on the AAMC practice tests.

I live in one of the “lucky” states so lower stats are average for the accepted students.

This acceptance does not stop me from applying to other programs. I do not reinterview.

General overview of my ECs:
Clinical: 120 hours of volunteering at a hospital spread over the past 4 years
Non-Clinical: 112 hours of local community volunteering.
Shadowing: 50 hours FM
Research: 2 years in organic lab. 1 year at public health nonprofit where I got 2 awards for my presentation.
leadership: resident assistant, officer in few clubs, and senator in student government

I think my application doesn’t need a SMP, but I want to attend my state MD. I fear by rejecting the conditional acceptance I be viewed negatively applying again.
ORM, first generation immigrant, am US citizen so not applying as international

Honestly, while I’m loathe to recommend an SMP when you have already done well with upward trend... if you want to attend your state school, and they are telling you to do an SMP, then do the SMP. You have shown that you can succeed academically so a 3.6 should be doable. while everyone thinks they’re gonna do better on the MCAT sometimes things don’t work out as planned—and if you do “better” but only get a 505, I’m not sure that you’re in a great spot anyways.

I furthermore agree that if you turn down this conditional acceptance, you will struggle to get in if you reapply unless you really crush the MCAT.

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[GoSpursGo]

In secondaries, would I have to write this conditional acceptance if asked if I had previously been accepted to medical school?

No

 

[Goro]

Retake the MCAT and score 505+ for DO and 510+ for MD.

You don't need an SMP. Is the tuition at the SMP the price you're willing to pay for an accept to the SOM?

 

[Goro]

Tuition is $7k per semester.
My reasoning for not worrying about the cost to attend is that the in state tuition to the MD school would be cheaper than me going OOS MD/DO.

Sounds like a plan!

 

[TheBoneDoctah]

The SMP is tempting for sure as I feel like if you had that hanging over your head, you would study hard and get a 3.6. If the cost of the SMP + medical school is still less than most other medical schools, still is a good option.

You still need to get non-clinical experience helping the less fortunate though. What did you do for your non-clinical? If you are going to bypass the SMP, you would need to work on that.

Also, what is the timing here? You would do an SMP, and then start medical school the following year pending the 3.6?

 

[TheBoneDoctah]

I was a student coordinator at a local non profit where I helped plan walkathons, health screenings, and public health awareness sessions. I did random volunteering at local churches, soup kitchens, and homeless shelter cleanups.
Right now, I am planning a donation drive at my college in collaboration with another charity focusing on helping those affected by covid.

I also did research with a public health non profit where I worked with the community to figuring out the local stigmas associated with STDs in URM population (didn’t know if volunteering so didn’t list as volunteering in first application)

I graduate this May. Start the SMP in August. If I keep the 3.6, I start med school next August.

Very good. Would still try and add some more non clinical hours. SMP sounds like a good path, but you gotta weigh that vs. your chances getting in the regular way.

 

[Mr.Smile12]

SMP makes the most sense for anyone with a GPA lower than 3.0. Something else is going on, or maybe this is something different, like a prematrication pathway. Do you come from a disadvantaged background? Granted that's a sneaky way that the med school is trying to keep a pool of good applicants for the next cycle.

 

[Mr.Smile12]

Without identifying which school it is, I would accept the spot and ask what if you posted a better MCAT and final GPA. I would not shy away from a chance at a more streamlined pathway to your desired medical school.

 

[TheBoneDoctah]

I will have my new mcat start of May. I will reach out the school asking what my chances would be applying regular rather than the smp path.

thanks everyone!

Whatever you can do to decrease the price of medical school education.