VCOM MABS 2024-2025

[snailmail7]

Hello friends!
I don’t think a thread has been started yet so here we go.
I applied to the MABS program around August 30th.

Stats:
GPA: 3.9 (3.8 science)
MCAT: 504 —> 501 (2nd attempt)

Praying I get in because I’m honestly so worn out by medical school admissions. Good luck to all of you!

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[snailmail7]

Got an acceptance 11/2! Let me know if you have any questions

 

[fuzzypeachesdoc]

Why didn’t you get? Those are really good stats. I hope you apply this cycle as well because you really don’t need a masters. Anyways I’m applying too! About to submit my app.

 

[snailmail7]

Why didn’t you get? Those are really good stats. I hope you apply this cycle as well because you really don’t need a masters. Anyways I’m applying too! About to submit my app.

Lol so i applied for the 2023 cycle to like 12 MD schools and 6 DO schools, got rejected from all of them. This year, I reapplied to a couple more DO schools and still have yet to hear back from someone. I got accepted into the MABS program though and I am accepting their offer cause I really don't want to retake the MCAT. I think the reason i didn't get into any schools yet is cause of my weak MCAT. Good luck to you!

 

[iusimp]

Finalized 11/22/2023, accepted today 11/28/2023!

 

[steveo1012]

Hey Gang!

Congratulations to those of you who have been accepted! I am a current (in person) MABS student. Feel free to drop any questions you have in the chat thread or PM me! Good luck!

 

[snailmail7]

Hey Gang!

Congratulations to those of you who have been accepted! I am a current (in person) MABS student. Feel free to drop any questions you have in the chat thread or PM me! Good luck!

Unrelated to classes but when did you start looking for places to live?

 

[steveo1012]

Unrelated to classes but when did you start looking for places to live?

That’s a great question. My advice is to start looking as soon as you are accepted. I came to Blacksburg for an open house at the end of March and found that a lot of apartment complexes were already full. Apparently they start to fill up around the October/November timeframe for the following year. I don’t want anyone to panic if you end up reading this in May or June because housing ultimately worked out for everyone. A lot of students will end up pairing up as roommates later in the cycle. However, now would be the time to start looking if you want plenty of options.

Most of our class seems to live in the Vue, Cedar, point, FoxRidge, and the knollwood complexes. I live in foxridge because they were the only place with 1 bedrooms left in March/April. It’s a larger complex with more availability in general. I am planning on staying here next year as well.

 

[snailmail7]

That’s a great question. My advice is to start looking as soon as you are accepted. I came to Blacksburg for an open house at the end of March and found that a lot of apartment complexes were already full. Apparently they start to fill up around the October/November timeframe for the following year. I don’t want anyone to panic if you end up reading this in May or June because housing ultimately worked out for everyone. A lot of students will end up pairing up as roommates later in the cycle. However, now would be the time to start looking if you want plenty of options.

Most of our class seems to live in the Vue, Cedar, point, FoxRidge, and the knollwood complexes. I live in foxridge because they were the only place with 1 bedrooms left in March/April. It’s a larger complex with more availability in general. I am planning on staying here next year as well.

Thank you! is there a place where you can find vcom students to room with?

 

[steveo1012]

Thank you! is there a place where you can find vcom students to room with?

Our class created a FB group and directed students from the SDN thread there. Then we created a GroupMe in the Feb/March timeframe, and most of us used that moving forward to connect about roommates and everything else.

As a MABS student, do you have access to some of the VT resources like the gym?

As a MABS student, you do not have any more access to VT resources than the public would have. You can access the library, and you can get a gym membership there as well. The only issue is parking. During the week, it's free to park after 10pm, and then after 5 pm during the weekend. I did look into their gym (which is pretty awesome) but concluded it would be a logistical nightmare. Many of us (and other VCOM students) do use the library on occasion.

There are plenty of other gyms in blacksburg, and a lot of apt complexes have decent gyms depending on what equipment you need. I joined the weight club and have been happy with it.

 

[Lenlen13]

Hello Everyone!

I was recently accepted for the January start date. I’ll be online though. Did anyone start a Facebook group? I was also wondering how manage the course load and if there are tests in each subject weekly or just a test weekly ?

 

[Lenlen13]

Hey y’all did anyone create a GroupMe for this cohort yet?

 

[iusimp]

Hey! I created a GroupMe for this cohort Lets goooo future classmates!!
Click here to join: GroupMe

 

[iusimp]

Log into Facebook

Log into Facebook to start sharing and connecting with your friends, family, and people you know.

www.facebook.com

facebook group for housing, study tools, etc

 

[kro21]

Hey all, I'm also a current MABS student (in person). Feel free to PM/post any questions!

 

[juliealbright]

Hey all, I'm also a current MABS student (in person). Feel free to PM/post any questions!

is the linkage truly as good as they say??

 

[kro21]

is the linkage truly as good as they say??

I have a lot to say about this program so if I don't answer your question fully you can ask specifics. The linkage is the most reassuring compared to others that I've researched. Reassuring as in there's a spot for you at one of the four campuses guaranteed if you get the GPA/mcat in the timeframe they set. With that being said, it's very difficult and mentally taxing. There weren't an abundance of people who met the GPA requirements in the Fall and many people left the program a few months in.

I would only recommend it if you don't think you can get into medical school without it. Or if you're very certain you want to be a doctor and you don't feel like you can get a high enough mcat to bypass a post-bac. This is the experience of my peers and me, I have a lot of good things to say about it too but just want to make sure you get the full picture.

 

[juliealbright]

I have a lot to say about this program so if I don't answer your question fully you can ask specifics. The linkage is the most reassuring compared to others that I've researched. Reassuring as in there's a spot for you at one of the four campuses guaranteed if you get the GPA/mcat in the timeframe they set. With that being said, it's very difficult and mentally taxing. There weren't an abundance of people who met the GPA requirements in the Fall and many people left the program a few months in.

I would only recommend it if you don't think you can get into medical school without it. Or if you're very certain you want to be a doctor and you don't feel like you can get a high enough mcat to bypass a post-bac. This is the experience of my peers and me, I have a lot of good things to say about it too but just want to make sure you get the full picture.

thank you-the program is located in Bluefield, VA ?
also do you know anyone who did the online version?

 

[kro21]

thank you-the program is located in Bluefield, VA ?
also do you know anyone who did the online version?

In-person MABS is located in Blacksburg, VA. It's through Bluefield University but the classroom is near the VCOM campus. I don't personally know anyone who attends the online version. The main difference is that online MABS take their classes on a different schedule (I've heard you have more flexibility with your schedule and can space it out to longer than a year) and have to do a full day in-person interview for admission to VCOM when the benchmarks are met. In-person MABS students do a 30 minute abbreviated interview once benchmarks are met. Hope this helps!

 

[Disease]

With that being said, it's very difficult and mentally taxing. There weren't an abundance of people who met the GPA requirements in the Fall and many people left the program a few months in.

Can you elaborate on why it's very difficult for "many people"? What is the course/test load like? Why do you think a lot of people left so soon?

 

[kro21]

Can you elaborate on why it's very difficult for "many people"? What is the course/test load like? Why do you think a lot of people left so soon?

Postbacs/special masters programs for medical school are notoriously difficult. Any linkage agreement is going to have a hard curriculum because you're basically proving that you'd be a successful medical student - so you get a curriculum similar to that of what a first year medical student would get. This program is great for a lot of people and I don't think many of my peers regret it.

My class was the first year where they lowered the linkage requirements to 496 MCAT and 3.5 GPA in the masters. I think we saw more difficult exams as a result of this, so I'm not sure how the exams will be for subsequent years. We had professors telling us that they're being told by admin to increase the difficulty of exams. They were difficult but not impossible.

We get one or two exams at the beginning of every week, the double exams are stacked so we do them on a single day in one sitting. Each exam is on 9-12 hours of lecture. We have 5 three credit classes and one two credit class in the Fall. You can check the specific classes out on the MABS website. Each exam has 5 questions per lecture, so for a 9 lecture exam you get 45 questions.

I think people left for a lot of different things. Some people found careers outside of medicine that would make them happier. The difficulty of the program definitely tests whether this is what you want to do. Some people couldn't recover from a few lower exam grades in the beginning of the semester. If you are 100% sure you want to be a doctor and you're willing to ask for help and adapt your studying I'm confident anyone is capable of getting what they want out of this masters. MABS definitely prepared me for being successful the first year at VCOM. I share the part about the difficulty and people leaving because I think it's fair that people know what they're getting into, especially if you're on the fence with whether being a doctor is right for you.

 

[iusimp]

Hey all, I'm also a current MABS student (in person). Feel free to PM/post any questions!

How much time do you dedicate to studying? Do you have any study tips?

 

[kro21]

How much time do you dedicate to studying? Do you have any study tips?

Everybody's different, you just have to find what works for you! Personally I'll try to get through 3-4 hours worth of lectures per day then the 4 or 5 days leading up to an exam aim for more. The weekend before an exam probably 8-12 hours a day. Some people might be successful with less, that's just me. I also wake up early the morning of exams and review for two or three hours.

My tips would be to stay openminded about trying new study tactics and asking for help. What worked in undergrad might not work for med school content. Also, not spending too much time on one lecture; making sure to get first and second passes done through material before deeper dives so you can digest it all.

 

[Disease]

Postbacs/special masters programs for medical school are notoriously difficult. Any linkage agreement is going to have a hard curriculum because you're basically proving that you'd be a successful medical student - so you get a curriculum similar to that of what a first year medical student would get. This program is great for a lot of people and I don't think many of my peers regret it.

My class was the first year where they lowered the linkage requirements to 496 MCAT and 3.5 GPA in the masters. I think we saw more difficult exams as a result of this, so I'm not sure how the exams will be for subsequent years. We had professors telling us that they're being told by admin to increase the difficulty of exams. They were difficult but not impossible.

We get one or two exams at the beginning of every week, the double exams are stacked so we do them on a single day in one sitting. Each exam is on 9-12 hours of lecture. We have 5 three credit classes and one two credit class in the Fall. You can check the specific classes out on the MABS website. Each exam has 5 questions per lecture, so for a 9 lecture exam you get 45 questions.

I think people left for a lot of different things. Some people found careers outside of medicine that would make them happier. The difficulty of the program definitely tests whether this is what you want to do. Some people couldn't recover from a few lower exam grades in the beginning of the semester. If you are 100% sure you want to be a doctor and you're willing to ask for help and adapt your studying I'm confident anyone is capable of getting what they want out of this masters. MABS definitely prepared me for being successful the first year at VCOM. I share the part about the difficulty and people leaving because I think it's fair that people know what they're getting into, especially if you're on the fence with whether being a doctor is right for you.

I very much appreciate your response and insight!

 

[vcc]

Hi guys! I just came across this program and was wondering if you guys knew if it is too late to apply/ what the process is?

 

[kro21]

Hi guys! I just came across this program and was wondering if you guys knew if it is too late to apply/ what the process is?

Not too late to apply! I applied in April of last year. There's a zoom info session today at 5 pm EST for anyone who wants to learn more.

MABS 2024-2025 Info Session

After submitting your application on postbac cas you get a notification that you're in review and then after a few days accepted/waitlisted etc. The application deadline is June 20th.

 

[vcc]

Not too late to apply! I applied in April of last year. There's a zoom info session today at 5 pm EST for anyone who wants to learn more.

MABS 2024-2025 Info Session

After submitting your application on postbac cas you get a notification that you're in review and then after a few days accepted/waitlisted etc. The application deadline is June 20th.

Thank you!!

 

[vcc]

Not too late to apply! I applied in April of last year. There's a zoom info session today at 5 pm EST for anyone who wants to learn more.

MABS 2024-2025 Info Session

After submitting your application on postbac cas you get a notification that you're in review and then after a few days accepted/waitlisted etc. The application deadline is June 20th.

How long after you initially submit your Postbacas do you usually receive the final review email?

 

[kro21]

How long after you initially submit your Postbacas do you usually receive the final review email?

I was marked complete on the 24th of April, got an email about being in the final review / accepted the day after.

 

[Christian Reans]

For those that are already in the program, how safe is the town of Blacksburg (where the program will be) is?

 

[kro21]

For those that are already in the program, how safe is the town of Blacksburg (where the program will be) is?

it's a college town, so pretty populated at night during the semester. I've always felt pretty safe running during the daytime and even closer to when it gets dark (I'm a girl). I've lived near DC and Baltimore before and comparably this feels safer, but I'm sure that's just because it's more rural and every city is going to have a little more crime bc of a higher population

 

[jmcooper02]

I just finalized my application yesterday. Are there enough slots left open this late in the cycle? I don't know why I thought apps opened in the spring instead of last fall.

 

[Christian Reans]

What are the best options for places to live? Looked at The Edge, but they’re already booked until 2025. View & Cedar Pointe are waitlisted.

 

[kro21]

I just finalized my application yesterday. Are there enough slots left open this late in the cycle? I don't know why I thought apps opened in the spring instead of last fall.

MABS Site - attached is the mabs page that shows the deadline for applying. It's not until June 20th so they are absolutely still accepting people. Classes start in July

 

[kro21]

What are the best options for places to live? Looked at The Edge, but they’re already booked until 2025. View & Cedar Pointe are waitlisted.

I had to look through zillow pretty actively for a few weeks to find a place. I would also look at the accepted students facebook page if you're looking for a roommate, some people might have found a place and just need a roommate. Cedar pointe and cascade pointe are good options too! Christiansburg is not too far from the MABS building too in case you find a place there.

 

[jmcooper02]

I just got rejected. My GPA was dragging due to some classes I flunked my junior year but I retook them my senior year and did better. Unfortunately the original grades still counted and I didn't get credit for all my As during my freshman year since they were more than 120 credit hours behind. If I did some sort of post-bacc program it would only get rid of the good grades I got my sophomore year and not replace the bad grades I made that year. I have an upward trend since then but it's sitting right in the middle of my transcript. Any advice? Other masters programs that also offer a pipeline to medschools?

 

[kro21]

I just got rejected. My GPA was dragging due to some classes I flunked my junior year but I retook them my senior year and did better. Unfortunately the original grades still counted and I didn't get credit for all my As during my freshman year since they were more than 120 credit hours behind. If I did some sort of post-bacc program it would only get rid of the good grades I got my sophomore year and not replace the bad grades I made that year. I have an upward trend since then but it's sitting right in the middle of my transcript. Any advice? Other masters programs that also offer a pipeline to medschools?

I'm sorry to hear that. I would recommend taking extra classes at a community college to get your overall GPA up to a 3.0 if you want to continue pursuing MABS. I had to retake a class at a community college and it boosted my GPA. If you're considered a disadvantaged applicant there are other programs with linkages like Drexel's pathway to medical school. I was rejected without an interview because I think my MCAT was too low (496 with one subsection below 123) I have attached their requirements, just keep in mind other SMP's are likely more competitive than MABS to get accepted and have higher MCAT requirements (Drexel's is 499 to matriculate into DCOM I believe and NSU's is 497 for their certificate program and a 500 or 501 to matriculate into the med school).

 

[jmcooper02]

I'm sorry to hear that. I would recommend taking extra classes at a community college to get your overall GPA up to a 3.0 if you want to continue pursuing MABS. I had to retake a class at a community college and it boosted my GPA. If you're considered a disadvantaged applicant there are other programs with linkages like Drexel's pathway to medical school. I was rejected without an interview because I think my MCAT was too low (496 with one subsection below 123) I have attached their requirements, just keep in mind other SMP's are likely more competitive than MABS to get accepted and have higher MCAT requirements (Drexel's is 499 to matriculate into DCOM I believe and NSU's is 497 for their certificate program and a 500 or 501 to matriculate into the med school).
View attachment 384990

Do most medical schools look at your undergraduate GPA along with your SMP GPA or do they just look at your grad school GPA? Or is it different everywhere? My GPA is fine overall it was just my junior year is unfortunately very weak so I guess I may just look for a program that looks for more than just the last 120 hours. I retook all the classes and did well the second time but it didn't replace the first score so I got screwed. Ironically if I didn't retake them my sGPA would be high enough to matriculate because my freshman year was so strong. Everything else for my science GPA is either an A or B.

 

[kro21]

Do most medical schools look at your undergraduate GPA along with your SMP GPA or do they just look at your grad school GPA? Or is it different everywhere? My GPA is fine overall it was just my junior year is unfortunately very weak so I guess I may just look for a program that looks for more than just the last 120 hours. I retook all the classes and did well the second time but it didn't replace the first score so I got screwed. Ironically if I didn't retake them my sGPA would be high enough to matriculate because my freshman year was so strong. Everything else for my science GPA is either an A or B.

medical schools will look at every GPA but there's a heavy emphasis on doing well in an SMP if you're going to do one. MABS is a reputable program for getting people into med school but I 100% do not recommend it if you're looking to boost your overall GPA because most people are not coming out with tons of A's. If your science or overall GPA is under 3.0 unfortunately your best bet is retaking classes to get it to a 3.0 even if you've already retaken what you need for your degree. It's going to be hard to find something that takes below a 3.0 (trust me I looked because for MD schools my science GPA is lower compared to applying DO).

Some MABS students previously came in with below a 3.0 and they were required to keep a 3.8 GPA in the fall and spring because of their low stats coming in which is incredibly difficult. This is just opinion and advice, I'm not a professional advisor.

 

[jmcooper02]

medical schools will look at every GPA but there's a heavy emphasis on doing well in an SMP if you're going to do one. MABS is a reputable program for getting people into med school but I 100% do not recommend it if you're looking to boost your overall GPA because most people are not coming out with tons of A's. If your science or overall GPA is under 3.0 unfortunately your best bet is retaking classes to get it to a 3.0 even if you've already retaken what you need for your degree. It's going to be hard to find something that takes below a 3.0 (trust me I looked because for MD schools my science GPA is lower compared to applying DO).

Some MABS students previously came in with below a 3.0 and they were required to keep a 3.8 GPA in the fall and spring because of their low stats coming in which is incredibly difficult. This is just opinion and advice, I'm not a professional advisor.

Thanks man I appreciate it. I have a meeting with an old premed advisor of mine on Monday and I hope she'll be able to give me some good ideas of how to get started with this. I'll do anything but give up.

 

[Throwlemon23]

I'm a current student, and I'm happy to answer any questions, speak about my experiences, etc. if anyone has any.

I just finalized my application yesterday. Are there enough slots left open this late in the cycle? I don't know why I thought apps opened in the spring instead of last fall.

Last year, I applied in May and got accepted in June. So for any other prospective peeps out there, it's definitely not too late to give it your best shot.

 

[tulips.net]

I'm a current student, and I'm happy to answer any questions, speak about my experiences, etc. if anyone has any.


Last year, I applied in May and got accepted in June. So for any other prospective peeps out there, it's definitely not too late to give it your best shot.

how are you liking it so far?

 

[Throwlemon23]

how are you liking it so far?

I first want to start with a word of warning about SMPs in general. Personally, I feel that SMPs are the nuclear option of backup plans. The goal of an SMP is to simulate the rigors of the medical curriculum to prove to schools that someone is medical student material. If you succeeds in a SMP, you've unequivocally demonstrated a med-student level capacity to learn dense material, deal with stress, and meet academic expectations. Congratulations, you're now the A5 wagyu of med school applicants—you can even apply to MD schools and find success. However, if you don't succeed in a SMP, well, you've just unequivocally demonstrated that you aren't med-school material. This double-edged sword is very sharp.

With that in mind, I entered MABS with mixed feelings, but I quickly found myself very happy with the program. The journey definitely isn't easy, but I feel the strongest I've ever been academically, I have made very strong friendships, and I feel much more confident in my future compared to where I was a year ago. Qualitatively, I am not the same person that arrived in Blacksburg last July, and I mean that in a good way. Quantitatively, thanks to MABS, I am matriculating to a medical school this Fall, so I got what I paid for.

Don't let the above scare you too much; no great reward has come without significant risk. Everyone's situation is different, and for me, it was a good fit.

 

[kro21]

I first want to start with a word of warning about SMPs in general. Personally, I feel that SMPs are the nuclear option of backup plans. The goal of an SMP is to simulate the rigors of the medical curriculum to prove to schools that someone is medical student material. If you succeeds in a SMP, you've unequivocally demonstrated a med-student level capacity to learn dense material, deal with stress, and meet academic expectations. Congratulations, you're now the A5 wagyu of med school applicants—you can even apply to MD schools and find success. However, if you don't succeed in a SMP, well, you've just unequivocally demonstrated that you aren't med-school material. This double-edged sword is very sharp.

With that in mind, I entered MABS with mixed feelings, but I quickly found myself very happy with the program. The journey definitely isn't easy, but I feel the strongest I've ever been academically, I have made very strong friendships, and I feel much more confident in my future compared to where I was a year ago. Qualitatively, I am not the same person that arrived in Blacksburg last July, and I mean that in a good way. Quantitatively, thanks to MABS, I am matriculating to a medical school this Fall, so I got what I paid for.

Don't let the above scare you too much; no great reward has come without significant risk. Everyone's situation is different, and for me, it was a good fit.

^^ also a current mabs student matriculating to med school this fall. I can second 100% of this.