Waitlisted & Making Plan B: SMP vs Post-Bacc Classes

[1993SLE]

I am on the "upper half" of the waitlist at my top choice school (UMSOM), which happens to be the only chance I'll get to matriculate this year if they accept me (I got rejected from all the other schools I applied to). While I'm keeping my fingers crossed, I also need to be smart and start planning to reapply if I don't get off the waitlist. My MCAT is 508, cGPA 3.7, sGPA 3.5

I recently got accepted to the 1-year Biomedical Sciences Masters program at Rosalind Franklin University (after being rejected from their med school, lol). Since their guarantee for a CMS interview following successful completion of the program is only valid if you apply to medical school during the same year that you complete the BMS masters program, I would already need to have my MCAT score ready by that time. If I do this, I would need to re-take my MCAT on 8/8/19 before classes start, b/c my score wasn't great but mostly b/c I took it in Sept 2016, so it's expired.

Plan 2: Alternatively, I've thought about skipping the RFU master's program (it's ~$15000 per semester and requires moving to Chicago) and instead taking more post-bacc classes at my state school (University of Maryland, which is close to me) to strengthen my cGPA/sGPA. I know this wouldn't be as rigorous as the masters program, but it would allow me to keep my job in healthcare, be near my family, and continue my shadowing opportunity that I have. I would specifically take Human A&P 1 and 2, general microbiology, possibly virology, public health related classes, and whichever others I'm able to fit into my schedule. If I go this route, I could take the MCAT in mid-August before classes start, do well in the classes I take, and submit my AMCAS in June 2020.
In plan 2, if I reapply in 2020 and (god forbid) get rejected by all the schools I apply to, I would at least have at that point all the pre-reqs for applying to pathologist assistant school (which is my ultimate plan B if med school won't take me), since most PathA programs require A&P1/2 and microbio. With my work and extracurricular experience in pathology + my GPA, I believe I could be competitive for PathA school.

If you have any thoughts on doing the SMP vs taking post-bacc courses to increase my GPA (while not spending the loads of $ I would for the SMP), please let me know what you think. Which one do you believe would be more helpful?

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[BOAO523]

Hard for me to say which one would be more helpful (an adcom would know better) but if I were you I'd follow plan 2 and not think twice. Like not even close. You keep your job, be around family, enhance your sGPA, and can add a bit more clinical/volunteer experience to make you a better candidate come 2020 (as a previous applicant you know how quickly the next cycle begins). $30K for an SNP + moving when you're already a strong enough applicant to get interviews + WL seems excessive to me and would be a huge expenditure.

 

[1993SLE]

Hard for me to say which one would be more helpful (an adcom would know better) but if I were you I'd follow plan 2 and not think twice. Like not even close. You keep your job, be around family, enhance your sGPA, and can add a bit more clinical/volunteer experience to make you a better candidate come 2020 (as a previous applicant you know how quickly the next cycle begins). $30K for an SNP + moving when you're already a strong enough applicant to get interviews + WL seems excessive to me and would be a huge expenditure.

Thank you for your input. I don't know why I didn't consider plan 2 sooner!! Looking at RFU's BMS student stats, most of them have MCAT scores around 503 with cGPA 3.25 and sGPA 3.15. That's not me at all. I shot my undergrad pre-med advisor an email about both options to see what he says.

 

[Goro]

I am on the "upper half" of the waitlist at my top choice school (UMSOM), which happens to be the only chance I'll get to matriculate this year if they accept me (I got rejected from all the other schools I applied to). While I'm keeping my fingers crossed, I also need to be smart and start planning to reapply if I don't get off the waitlist. My MCAT is 508, cGPA 3.7, sGPA 3.5

I recently got accepted to the 1-year Biomedical Sciences Masters program at Rosalind Franklin University (after being rejected from their med school, lol). Since their guarantee for a CMS interview following successful completion of the program is only valid if you apply to medical school during the same year that you complete the BMS masters program, I would already need to have my MCAT score ready by that time. If I do this, I would need to re-take my MCAT on 8/8/19 before classes start, b/c my score wasn't great but mostly b/c I took it in Sept 2016, so it's expired.

Plan 2: Alternatively, I've thought about skipping the RFU master's program (it's ~$15000 per semester and requires moving to Chicago) and instead taking more post-bacc classes at my state school (University of Maryland, which is close to me) to strengthen my cGPA/sGPA. I know this wouldn't be as rigorous as the masters program, but it would allow me to keep my job in healthcare, be near my family, and continue my shadowing opportunity that I have. I would specifically take Human A&P 1 and 2, general microbiology, possibly virology, public health related classes, and whichever others I'm able to fit into my schedule. If I go this route, I could take the MCAT in mid-August before classes start, do well in the classes I take, and submit my AMCAS in June 2020.
In plan 2, if I reapply in 2020 and (god forbid) get rejected by all the schools I apply to, I would at least have at that point all the pre-reqs for applying to pathologist assistant school (which is my ultimate plan B if med school won't take me), since most PathA programs require A&P1/2 and microbio. With my work and extracurricular experience in pathology + my GPA, I believe I could be competitive for PathA school.

If you have any thoughts on doing the SMP vs taking post-bacc courses to increase my GPA (while not spending the loads of $ I would for the SMP), please let me know what you think. Which one do you believe would be more helpful?

In your situation, go for the postbac.

You're fine for any DO program right now, including mine.