The better option?

[juca67]

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I recently graduated with a c3.35, s3.15, and have previously taken the mcat once. I am currently registered for the 1/26 mcat and am averaging a 29-30 on the aamc practice exams. My 2 options:

1. Take the mcat in a few days and apply for DO next cycle.

2. Postpone the mcat until march, raise my mcat, and apply to SMP.

If I take option 2, will MD be a possibility, given I raise my MCAT to ~33, and do well in a SMP? Will applying to competitive SMPs so late in the cycle significantly hurt my chances? Would it be ok to instead take the mcat on 1/26, use that score to get into SMP, and take the MCAT for a 3rd time later to raise my score to one competitive for MD?

If I take option 1, will it still be necessary to go to a SMP?

Thanks in advance!

 

[Josh7]

I recently graduated with a c3.35, s3.15, and have previously taken the mcat once. I am currently registered for the 1/26 mcat and am averaging a 29-30 on the aamc practice exams. My 2 options:

1. Take the mcat in a few days and apply for DO next cycle.

2. Postpone the mcat until march, raise my mcat, and apply to SMP.

If I take option 2, will MD be a possibility, given I raise my MCAT to ~33, and do well in a SMP? Will applying to competitive SMPs so late in the cycle significantly hurt my chances? Would it be ok to instead take the mcat on 1/26, use that score to get into SMP, and take the MCAT for a 3rd time later to raise my score to one competitive for MD?

If I take option 1, will it still be necessary to go to a SMP?

Thanks in advance!

DO unless you really really want MD for some reason.

 

[juca67]

DO unless you really really want MD for some reason.

I will certainly go the DO route if I feel that my chances at MD are really slim/nonexistant. If however, an extra year of hard work can give me a much better chance at an MD acceptance, I'd much prefer that.

 

[IslandStyle808]

I will certainly go the DO route if I feel that my chances at MD are really slim/nonexistant. If however, an extra year of hard work can give me a much better chance at an MD acceptance, I'd much prefer that.

Based on this statement, I think option 2 might be your best bet if you want to maximize your chances across the board.

 

[aspiring20]

I recently graduated with a c3.35, s3.15, and have previously taken the mcat once. I am currently registered for the 1/26 mcat and am averaging a 29-30 on the aamc practice exams. My 2 options:

1. Take the mcat in a few days and apply for DO next cycle.

2. Postpone the mcat until march, raise my mcat, and apply to SMP.

If I take option 2, will MD be a possibility, given I raise my MCAT to ~33, and do well in a SMP? Will applying to competitive SMPs so late in the cycle significantly hurt my chances? Would it be ok to instead take the mcat on 1/26, use that score to get into SMP, and take the MCAT for a 3rd time later to raise my score to one competitive for MD?

If I take option 1, will it still be necessary to go to a SMP?

Thanks in advance!

you might not need a formal smp to be competitive for some MDs. is it possible for you to raise your cGPA to a 3.5 and sGPA to at least a 3.3 by taking courses at your local university after graduating from your alma mater? it'll be much much much much cheaper and easier than a smp.

also, a lot depends on your MCAT since your GPAs are low (and wont likely get above 3.6).

 

[goldenroc]

If you don't care about the title behind your name and don't want to wait for two and a half years to start med school, go DO.

If you know you want to specialize in competitive fields and don't mind waiting to get into an average MD school, then I would go #2.

 

[juca67]

Thanks for the input! Just to clarify, when you guys say option 2, do you mean I shouldn't take/void the january mcat, or would be ok to take it 3 times?

Also, aspiring20, I'm not sure what classes I would take at a local college. I've taken all my pre-reqs, repeated one semester of a science class, and taken a few science electives.

 

[aspiring20]

Thanks for the input! Just to clarify, when you guys say option 2, do you mean I shouldn't take/void the january mcat, or would be ok to take it 3 times?

Also, aspiring20, I'm not sure what classes I would take at a local college. I've taken all my pre-reqs, repeated one semester of a science class, and taken a few science electives.

hmm...is it possible to take a few more upper div bios to boost your sGPA?

if possible, just go to an "easier" school and grade inflate your GPA. now is not the time to hold back.

 

[IslandStyle808]

Thanks for the input! Just to clarify, when you guys say option 2, do you mean I shouldn't take/void the january mcat, or would be ok to take it 3 times?

Also, aspiring20, I'm not sure what classes I would take at a local college. I've taken all my pre-reqs, repeated one semester of a science class, and taken a few science electives.

I know what aspiring20 is talking about and I actually am more anti-SMP (however I was just responding between the two choices given).

He means try to raise the cGPA and sGPA by taking more classes as an unclassified post-baccalaureate student. This means taking more undergrad upper division science courses and pushing that cGPA to 3.5 and sGPA to 3.3 (meaning you must dominate your post-bacc semesters with virtually all As). It will put you in the running for MD schools without spending too much $.

EDIT: Whoops he responded already.

 

[aspiring20]

I know what aspiring20 is talking about and I actually am more anti-SMP (however I was just responding between the two choices given).

He means try to raise the cGPA and sGPA by taking more classes as an unclassified post-baccalaureate student. This means taking more undergrad upper division science courses and pushing that cGPA to 3.5 and sGPA to 3.3 (meaning you must dominate your post-bacc semesters with virtually all As). It will put you in the running for MD schools without spending too much $.

EDIT: Whoops he responded already.

haha thanks for the clarification.

 

[lobo.solo]

Take a year worth of classes, make As and rock the mcat. Do like a half year prep or something crazy 😉

 

[juca67]

Thanks guys. Would it be fine to take these upper level science classes at a city college (to save money and live at home) or will medical schools just attribute A's to the fact that it was a city school?