Too late to apply to post-baccs?

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Ian1223

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I have 3.5, 3.6 Science, rising GPA,
10
12PS
10 = 32P

Is it too late too apply for post-baccs if im complete by April 1?

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cargirl110

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I think most people will say your GPA is too high for a SMP, if that is the post-bacc you were talking about.
 

Ehhhh

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No, RFUMS BMS will take you 110%. Barry BMS as well... Also you can look UMDNJ MBS... I'd say you have a 90%-100% chance at all of these if you apply soon...
 
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Ian1223

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Do I even belong in a post-bacc? My application cycle was just so unsuccessful.

What are the benefits as opposed to taking another year of undergrad?

Im talking about SMPs, not pre-req post-baccs.

Will a successful post-bacc at Tufts or BU or georgetown or UMDNJ help me get into a more prestigious school? How can it hurt?

I come from a non-prestigious state school.
 

Jman35

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Do I even belong in a post-bacc? My application cycle was just so unsuccessful.

What are the benefits as opposed to taking another year of undergrad?

Im talking about SMPs, not pre-req post-baccs.

Will a successful post-bacc at Tufts or BU or georgetown or UMDNJ help me get into a more prestigious school? How can it hurt?

I come from a non-prestigious state school.

I've said this in the past, but just to reiterate...SMPs CAN hurt you. Don't have the attitude of "how can it hurt." If you go to an SMP program and do mediocre you end up being worse off than you are...perhaps permanently. With your gpa you could take some more undergrad classes to bump it up, but you might be better off trying to increase your mcat. I mean it's a great score, but it is something that you can do with some brute force. I can't say anything else since I don't know your stats but just consider all your "faults"...ie not enough EC or clinical experience etc. SMP for you would, in my opinion, be a waste of money and an unnecessary risk.
 

Gutierrez001

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DO SMP have admission in spring? or only fall?
 

Isoprop

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Do I even belong in a post-bacc? My application cycle was just so unsuccessful.

What are the benefits as opposed to taking another year of undergrad?

Im talking about SMPs, not pre-req post-baccs.

Will a successful post-bacc at Tufts or BU or georgetown or UMDNJ help me get into a more prestigious school? How can it hurt?

I come from a non-prestigious state school.

there's a thread a few months ago about how someone who got a 3.0-3.2 in an SMP, 3.0 ugrad GPA got rejected by the big 4 carribean med schools. mind you, getting a 3.0 is like a high pass in med school which is extremely well. so you have to do much better than that do be successful or you ruin any chances at med school.

the risk is definitely not worth in for you. do some serious extracirricular work: volunteer or work full-time. even a traditional master's in science is better: research experience + good LORs, though the grad GPA won't help you.
 

Ian1223

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there's a thread a few months ago about how someone who got a 3.0-3.2 in an SMP, 3.0 ugrad GPA got rejected by the big 4 carribean med schools. mind you, getting a 3.0 is like a high pass in med school which is extremely well. so you have to do much better than that do be successful or you ruin any chances at med school.

the risk is definitely not worth in for you. do some serious extracirricular work: volunteer or work full-time. even a traditional master's in science is better: research experience + good LORs, though the grad GPA won't help you.

I dont know Isoprop, my advisors at school all said this was the best way to go...
 

Isoprop

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Advisors are great, and the resources on this forum are great, but do the research for yourself and find out. SMPs are a huge risk. Some things to consider: Have your grades been mostly A's in upperdivision science courses for at least a year? Have you taken any courses on cell biology, physiology, biochemistry, or neuroscience (typical medical SMP classes) and have done well?

Even if you answer yes to the above, you still might not do well in an SMP because B's HURT. in fact, you must be able to HONOR your med school classes. go to the allopathic or osteopathic forum and poke around to see how hard it is for students to honor a class or block.

I'm not saying this to scare you. Many people like you probably have done this successfully. But for you, it may be a big unnecessary risk: you may get accepted to medical school if you improve your application in other ways.

Like I said, a hard master's in the biological sciences, IMO, may be more beneficial. The grades won't count but your MCAT and your GPA are aleady pretty good. You will have more research opportunities. You will have great LORs because you will be working closely with faculty. And you will have more time to do other extracirricular activities. If you do some clinical experience while working on your masters, say volunteering at a hospital once a week for a year, you'll be improving in almost all ways of your application except your GPA and MCAT.
 

Ian1223

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Advisors are great, and the resources on this forum are great, but do the research for yourself and find out. SMPs are a huge risk. Some things to consider: Have your grades been mostly A's in upperdivision science courses for at least a year? Have you taken any courses on cell biology, physiology, biochemistry, or neuroscience (typical medical SMP classes) and have done well?

Even if you answer yes to the above, you still might not do well in an SMP because B's HURT. in fact, you must be able to HONOR your med school classes. go to the allopathic or osteopathic forum and poke around to see how hard it is for students to honor a class or block.

I'm not saying this to scare you. Many people like you probably have done this successfully. But for you, it may be a big unnecessary risk: you may get accepted to medical school if you improve your application in other ways.

Like I said, a hard master's in the biological sciences, IMO, may be more beneficial. The grades won't count but your MCAT and your GPA are aleady pretty good. You will have more research opportunities. You will have great LORs because you will be working closely with faculty. And you will have more time to do other extracirricular activities. If you do some clinical experience while working on your masters, say volunteering at a hospital once a week for a year, you'll be improving in almost all ways of your application except your GPA and MCAT.

My last 2 years of college I have a 3.9.

And my science professors already said they would help me prepare to succeed during the summer time. One used to teach Caribbean MD school.

I could spend a year undergrad raising my gpa from 3.5/Sci3.5 to 3.6/3.6 and doing extracurriculars but I think doing this program at a more prestigious school has the potential to set me apart from the rest in a better way that ugrad is able. And if I get alot of B's then Ill just go to DO school or caribbean MD which is no place different then I am right now.

If I succeed I could go to schools that would otherwise be way out of my league. Which, as I have recently learned, is every American MD.
 

xeulee

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My last 2 years of college I have a 3.9.

And my science professors already said they would help me prepare to succeed during the summer time. One used to teach Caribbean MD school.

I could spend a year undergrad raising my gpa from 3.5/Sci3.5 to 3.6/3.6 and doing extracurriculars but I think doing this program at a more prestigious school has the potential to set me apart from the rest in a better way that ugrad is able. And if I get alot of B's then Ill just go to DO school or caribbean MD which is no place different then I am right now.

If I succeed I could go to schools that would otherwise be way out of my league. Which, as I have recently learned, is every American MD.

I would think DO's would look down on getting B's in a SMP program too since some of them have the same type of program. Why take the chance? You have a strong upward trend. I don't think every American MD school is out of your way, the gpa's they list are averages. Not everyone in that school had that gpa. If I were you, I just wouln't want to waste the money or time.
 

Isoprop

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Again, getting high passes (B's) in an SMP could be potentially bad for candidacy in even carribean schools. But if you're set on this, then power to you man! I wish you a lot of luck! And given your high recent GPA, I would bet that you would do well. But I just want you to know that SMPs are a gamble and a risk that you don't have to take. It's all about full disclosure here. Just know what you are getting yourself into. Good luck.
 

Ian1223

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I think when were talking about A's and B's we dont have the same perspective. I thought A meant top 25% of the actual medical school class, B meant next 25 percent, and so on.

Is this correct?
 

Isoprop

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well, it varies per school, but 25% is pretty high. i mean, that would mean that 50% of students get honors or high pass. i typically hear 10% for honors and 15% for high pass from med students i know (medical campus is right next to my ugrad campus). also, some schools don't curve and you need a straight 90% on an exam to get an A. and since there are maybe 30 questions per exam, missing a few questions can reduce your grade from an A to a B pretty easily.

i've reread some of the points, and i think i might have misreprsented SMPs a little. yes they are hard and they are a gamble. but many people have succeeded through them. so think hard before you start, and if you do, work your *** off. :luck:
 

Ian1223

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well, it varies per school, but 25% is pretty high. i mean, that would mean that 50% of students get honors or high pass. i typically hear 10% for honors and 15% for high pass from med students i know (medical campus is right next to my ugrad campus). also, some schools don't curve and you need a straight 90% on an exam to get an A. and since there are maybe 30 questions per exam, missing a few questions can reduce your grade from an A to a B pretty easily.

i've reread some of the points, and i think i might have misreprsented SMPs a little. yes they are hard and they are a gamble. but many people have succeeded through them. so think hard before you start, and if you do, work your *** off. :luck:

Something I definately wont be doing is underestimating the difficulty level.

I appreciate your advice. Thanks! :) :idea:
 
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