Georgetown SMP 2010-2011

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I don't think that you meet the minimum GPA requirement for the program but I would contact them to make sure.
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Gtwn2010 said:
Thanks for the link to GEMS program klmnop. Unfortunately, the application deadline has passed and I believe to apply to this program you need to have applied to medical school and been rejected (I'm applying in June). Also, I talked to someone in the program and was told my MCAT was actually too high for the kind of applicant they look for. Anyone know how strict the 3.0 cutoff is for the Georgetown SMP? (I'm .002 points away)
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I don't think it is very strict, especially if you're that close, but the competition is fierce. For instance, I applied very early with a 3.3, 3.2Sci and 30 MCAT and have been waitlisted for some time. It is the oldest and most recognizable of the SMPs (according to SDN) and thus most probably has the most applicants.
 
so after u get the under review email, should u start calling or emailing after 2 or 3 weeks? it cant possibly take more than 2 weeks go look over your app once its complete. but the email does say at least 4 weeks...
 
Will the MS in Physiology degree gained from this program be helpful at all AFTER we get into medical school? Like to get into a better residency or something?
 
negharmonys said:
Will the MS in Physiology degree gained from this program be helpful at all AFTER we get into medical school? Like to get into a better residency or something?
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short answer, no. not at all. its thesis-based instead of research (actually i think gtown does a 'library research paper'... probably the same thing). anyway, all it is, is a truncated version of the first year of medical school.
 
so if I had a high chance of getting in to med school next cycle without this program there is absolutely no reason to take it?
 
Agree with gujudoc, do not do this program if you don't need it. Loss of money, time, and buildup of way too much unnecessary stress.

There are two types of people this program is for: (1) archetypical low gpa, high mcat, and (2) career-changers/been out of school.

I have some friends in the program in group (2) who have told me that showing they could perform in school after being away was a big part of what got them admitted this year.
 
Haplo said:
Agree with gujudoc, do not do this program if you don't need it. Loss of money, time, and buildup of way too much unnecessary stress.

There are two types of people this program is for: (1) archetypical low gpa, high mcat, and (2) career-changers/been out of school.

I have some friends in the program in group (2) who have told me that showing they could perform in school after being away was a big part of what got them admitted this year.
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Does a 3.3 gpa (both cum and sci) from princeton fall under the archetypical low gpa?

And another question, this is more for the SMP alums- does attending georgetown med school and placing out of the 6 classes you take in the SMP let you do anything special? MBA or something similar?
 
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negharmonys said:
Does a 3.3 gpa (both cum and sci) from princeton fall under the archetypical low gpa?

And another question, this is more for the SMP alums- does attending georgetown med school and placing out of the 6 classes you take in the SMP let you do anything special? MBA or something similar?
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its in range to give DO a shot, but in general its too low for most MDs.

and it allows you to save money/time your first year...so whatever extra you can fit in i guess. though from reading around it sounds like many don't do this because retaking the courses allows for better board preparation.
 
hello,
i applied to this program but am waiting for them to review. i got the email 2 weeks ago should i email them or wait? i'm already accepted to another smp program that starts in 3 weeks but i like this program better. any advice?
 
Sweetpea16 said:
hello,
i applied to this program but am waiting for them to review. i got the email 2 weeks ago should i email them or wait? i'm already accepted to another smp program that starts in 3 weeks but i like this program better. any advice?
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what program starts in 3 weeks
 
I'm not sure if I would push them prior to the timeframe they list on the e-mail. They have a process and probably a fair number of applicants. The ones making the decision are also teaching classes and have other responsibilities. That's why it takes a little while.

It was more than three weeks from the time I received my under review e-mail to when I received my acceptance.
 
ewillia8 said:
I'm not sure if I would push them prior to the timeframe they list on the e-mail. They have a process and probably a fair number of applicants. The ones making the decision are also teaching classes and have other responsibilities. That's why it takes a little while.

It was more than three weeks from the time I received my under review e-mail to when I received my acceptance.
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ok thanks for the advice. i'll just continue waiting til then.
 
koko_eats said:
FWIW, I got a 3.3 from a state school and ended up MD after the SMP. DO or bust is a little harsh.

Also, the SMP year won't save you any money (full tuition is still required) and any time even if you exempt all of your courses. The advantage is that you can do research, take free undergrad classes, work, spend more time with cadavers, or hone your clinical skills. You just have a lot more time, in other words.

You could apply MBA/MD, sure. I'm not sure how well the two schools will coordinate their decisions though.
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nobody said DO or bust, 3.3 is too low now, obviously an SMP would help. but that wasnt the question

and yeah, for Gtown the tuition would be the same, my bad.. but most state med school tuitions are on a per-credit basis, are they not.
 
koko_eats said:
I must've misunderstood the original question re: GPA.

I don't know anything about tuition at public med schools, but you can't exempt out of classes using SMP courses except at Georgetown; you wouldn't save money regardless of where you go after.
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most likely true, i havent heard any other schools willing to accept an smp exemption, although its possible other smp-offering institutions may.... its worth inquiring about i guess
 
so i still havent heard anything yet (fingers crossed) but i have a feeling i'll get waitlisted based on the fact i havnet heard back yet and was just waitlisted at cinci.

But i have a problem and im trying to figure out what to do:

this doc that i shadowed and worked with wrote me an amazing letter of rec, but when he sent it to cinci and gtown he actually put cinci and jeannie cummins on both the letters! i've been trying to reach someone at gtown that will tell me that its not that big of a deal and happens all the time, or that they'll go change it...
 
georgetown seems to be one of the more sought after SMPs..do you think I'd stand a shot at georgetown SMP with a 3.08 and a 30+ MCAT? I haven't taken the MCAT yet but that's what I am shooting for.
 
pritomd said:
georgetown seems to be one of the more sought after SMPs..do you think I'd stand a shot at georgetown SMP with a 3.08 and a 30+ MCAT? I haven't taken the MCAT yet but that's what I am shooting for.
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better get like a 34 IMO
 
dekiru said:
oh man.. ur stats are better than mine (i also have a 3.3 and 3.2s, but a 29Q MCAT with a 6 in VR....).. and I just sent out my application a week ago.. i think I don't have any chance of getting in... =(

Do you feel confident about your ECs and LORs?
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Actually, I sent in my app very early but it wasn't confirmed complete until first week of feb because the administration was a disaster in locating my letters. I forgot.

Anyway, I am very confident about my letters and ECs. Nothing that will blow people out of the water, but very respectable and positive.

99.9% sure I would decline a GTown acceptance anyway, so you have a shot. Plus with 180 spots or whatever we could both easily get in over the next month.... though I know most of the people getting in have better stats. Good Luck.
 
klmnop said:
So i turned in my app in the last week of November, and contacted all my letter writers the same evening. But for some reason the administration had trouble receieving my third recommendation and my MCAT scores. After a few rounds discussing the issue with them and accidentally being given an incorrect email address to send documents to, I find out my application was not considered complete until February 12th. Very frustrating indeed. That said, congratulations to those who have been accepted... despite the setbacks I am still positive about the program and hopefully the next round of application reviews comes soon.
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I was put on the waitlist on Feb 23
 
Does the speed with which they accept you correlate with how well of a shot they think you have at getting into med school this upcoming cycle? I think my stats are low- 3.29c/3.33s/34. I put in my app first week of feb, got the application complete email a week later, and an acceptance two weeks after that. Does that mean my EC's and letters were very good?
 
does anyone know how much this program costs for the year? like tuition and living and books, etc?
 
Sweetpea16 said:
does anyone know how much this program costs for the year? like tuition and living and books, etc?
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Do some research. Tuition can be found in 5 seconds, cost of living is different for everyone but you have to assume 10-15k. Books will be 1-2k. Not too difficult.
 
negharmonys said:
Does the speed with which they accept you correlate with how well of a shot they think you have at getting into med school this upcoming cycle? I think my stats are low- 3.29c/3.33s/34. I put in my app first week of feb, got the application complete email a week later, and an acceptance two weeks after that. Does that mean my EC's and letters were very good?
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your stats are on the high side for the GT program.
 
negharmonys said:
Does the speed with which they accept you correlate with how well of a shot they think you have at getting into med school this upcoming cycle? I think my stats are low- 3.29c/3.33s/34. I put in my app first week of feb, got the application complete email a week later, and an acceptance two weeks after that. Does that mean my EC's and letters were very good?
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I don't think that the speed has much to do with it. It seems like they go in batches. Several people on here found out about their decision on the same day with some variation in the time they were complete.
 
Hi guys,
I need your help! I only have a 3.2 Science GPA, 3.5 overall, 36 MCAT I'm an international studies major, chem,spanish minor. Do I have a chance at SMP? I'm worried that my science GPA is too low.
 
Kisseleto said:
Hi guys,
I need your help! I only have a 3.2 Science GPA, 3.5 overall, 36 MCAT I'm an international studies major, chem,spanish minor. Do I have a chance at SMP? I'm worried that my science GPA is too low.
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You have a chance at Med schools
 
Kisseleto said:
Hi guys,
I need your help! I only have a 3.2 Science GPA, 3.5 overall, 36 MCAT I'm an international studies major, chem,spanish minor. Do I have a chance at SMP? I'm worried that my science GPA is too low.
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Those stats are more than sufficient to get you into medical school. If you're having problems, it's elsewhere (can't interview well, no ECs).

This program would be mostly waste of time and money for you (and you'd be >99 %ile for gpa and mcat compared to smp-ers, and about 35th gpa %ile, 90th mcat %ile for the Georgetown medical students). If you stand a chance, which you do, of getting in without this SMP, please do it.

If you really think having a stressful year and borrowing $70,000 is worth going from state med school (yes, even for Californians) to mid-tier med school, by all means apply. And let me reiterate this point by saying that this is a brutal and stressful program. Rewarding perhaps, but no fun walk in the park.

I'm not trying to be mean, but you sound like people from my undergrad with 3.8/38 who would go "i'll never get into med school boo-hoo!" because they only applied to to Michigan, Harvard, and UCSF. Now, you probably won't go top 40 without great ECs or that GPA, but mediocre everything else should be fine for many US MD schools. Georgetown SMP is for the desparate with no other chance to go the MD route.

_____________________

Other poster regarding expenses: see previous pages of this very thread. I think it may be page 3 or 4.
 
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Haplo said:
Those stats are more than sufficient to get you into medical school. If you're having problems, it's elsewhere (can't interview well, no ECs).

This program would be mostly waste of time and money for you (and you'd be >99 %ile for gpa and mcat compared to smp-ers, and about 35th gpa %ile, 90th mcat %ile for the Georgetown medical students). If you stand a chance, which you do, of getting in without this SMP, please do it.

If you really think having a stressful year and borrowing $70,000 is worth going from state med school (yes, even for Californians) to mid-tier med school, by all means apply. And let me reiterate this point by saying that this is a brutal and stressful program. Rewarding perhaps, but no fun walk in the park.

I'm not trying to be mean, but you sound like people from my undergrad with 3.8/38 who would go "i'll never get into med school boo-hoo!" because they only applied to to Michigan, Harvard, and UCSF. Now, you probably won't go top 40 without great ECs or that GPA, but mediocre everything else should be fine for many US MD schools. Georgetown SMP is for the desparate with no other chance to go the MD route.

_____________________

Other poster regarding expenses: see previous pages of this very thread. I think it may be page 3 or 4.
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I've been reading all these threads for awhile, but this is the first time I feel like I need to post (so congrats in a way haha).

Haplo, while I generally agree with what you say (given that you're going through the SMP currently), I have to say that as someone currently going through an med app cycle with VERY similar stats to the other poster those stats are not "more than sufficient" to get you into med school. If this app cycle is any indication of what this upcoming cycle is going to be like, it's much more competitive than previous cycles if only because the number of applicants went up a ton.

I'm currently on one waitlist after receiving one interview this cycle. My MCAT was not a 36 but it was over 30, and my weakness according to both my premed advisor and my interviewer was my sGPA (3.25). It's not fair to say that anyone who doesn't get into med school with these stats has other weaknesses in their application. While this may be true, it's also very possible that a 3.2-3.3 sGPA is what's keeping you out. I have plenty of ECs (athletics, volunteering, research with pubs, etc) which I think is what got me my interview in the first place, and I've never been told that I don't interview well (in fact I think my interview went very well).

I was asked in my interview what I would do next year if this app cycle didn't work out for me, and I told him that I would apply for SMP's in an effort to offset my sub par sGPA. My interviewer told me that was the perfect thing to do for my application. I've since been accepted to GTown's SMP and will be attending in the fall if I don't get off the medical school waitlist.

I apologize for the lengthy post, but I just wanted to emphasize that just because you have a 3.5 and a 30+ MCAT with no med school acceptances does NOT mean that there is necessarily anything wrong with the remainder of your application. These current cycles are very very competitive and it is often that one factor (a sub-par GPA) that can keep you from getting an acceptance.

So Kisseleto, I would absolutely apply MD this year, and if it does not work out, then I would definitely apply for an SMP for the following year. No spending 70K for an unpleasant year is not ideal, but I would certainly not call it a waste either if it addresses your main application weakness.
 
Oh and I applied to 20+ schools, wide range, definitely not many top 10 programs, and I'm not a Cali resident. Not trying to cause an argument, just being thorough ;)
 
igivein said:
So Kisseleto, I would absolutely apply MD this year, and if it does not work out, then I would definitely apply for an SMP for the following year.
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if you apply to MD, apply to an SMP the same year, so you don't waste a year
 
klmnop said:
if you apply to MD, apply to an SMP the same year, so you don't waste a year
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Wait do you mean apply for the SMP for this fall and apply to med schools for this coming cycle?
 
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igivein said:
Wait do you mean apply for the SMP for this fall and apply to med schools for this coming cycle?
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no, if the kid applies to med this june for the 2011 fall, they should also apply for smp's for the 2011 fall (though the apps only open in dec/jan). ie. the same academic year.
 
Yes, that's what I meant initially. No need for a year in between, thanks for clarifying.
 
igivein said:
I've been reading all these threads for awhile, but this is the first time I feel like I need to post (so congrats in a way haha).

Haplo, while I generally agree with what you say (given that you're going through the SMP currently), I have to say that as someone currently going through an med app cycle with VERY similar stats to the other poster those stats are not "more than sufficient" to get you into med school. If this app cycle is any indication of what this upcoming cycle is going to be like, it's much more competitive than previous cycles if only because the number of applicants went up a ton.

I'm currently on one waitlist after receiving one interview this cycle. My MCAT was not a 36 but it was over 30, and my weakness according to both my premed advisor and my interviewer was my sGPA (3.25). It's not fair to say that anyone who doesn't get into med school with these stats has other weaknesses in their application. While this may be true, it's also very possible that a 3.2-3.3 sGPA is what's keeping you out. I have plenty of ECs (athletics, volunteering, research with pubs, etc) which I think is what got me my interview in the first place, and I've never been told that I don't interview well (in fact I think my interview went very well).

I was asked in my interview what I would do next year if this app cycle didn't work out for me, and I told him that I would apply for SMP's in an effort to offset my sub par sGPA. My interviewer told me that was the perfect thing to do for my application. I've since been accepted to GTown's SMP and will be attending in the fall if I don't get off the medical school waitlist.

I apologize for the lengthy post, but I just wanted to emphasize that just because you have a 3.5 and a 30+ MCAT with no med school acceptances does NOT mean that there is necessarily anything wrong with the remainder of your application. These current cycles are very very competitive and it is often that one factor (a sub-par GPA) that can keep you from getting an acceptance.

So Kisseleto, I would absolutely apply MD this year, and if it does not work out, then I would definitely apply for an SMP for the following year. No spending 70K for an unpleasant year is not ideal, but I would certainly not call it a waste either if it addresses your main application weakness.
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There are easier better options, such as supplementary post-bacc science classes, which will boost your sGPA. A graduate SMP program will not.
 
to go from the 3.2x to a competitive (3.5) sci gpa, he would have to take a lot of supp. undergrad classes (and ace them all). i think smp would be the better route if he can hunker down for a year and ace the smp.
 
Hey guys, so I'm currently applying to georgetown SMP. I was wondering if you guys think it's a good idea for me to do the program. I'm a canadian applicant with the following stats.

cGPA is 3.91 and sGPA of 3.98.
My MCAT is 12B/9V/12P Q (2nd time taking) and going to re-write this summer.
ECs: minimal clinical volunteering, shadowed 4 doctors, 1.5years of research (including thesis project), exec positions on many clubs/counsels, other random volunteering things.

I only got one interview this year, at wayne state and am currently on the waitlist. So if I don't get off the waitlist, should I do the SMP or similar programs? Any advice will be appreciated!
Also, what are the chances of a Canadian like myself getting into medical school after the SMP program? Thanks!
 
astr1x said:
Hey guys, so I'm currently applying to georgetown SMP. I was wondering if you guys think it's a good idea for me to do the program. I'm a canadian applicant with the following stats.

cGPA is 3.91 and sGPA of 3.98.
My MCAT is 12B/9V/12P Q (2nd time taking) and going to re-write this summer.
ECs: minimal clinical volunteering, shadowed 4 doctors, 1.5years of research (including thesis project), exec positions on many clubs/counsels, other random volunteering things.

I only got one interview this year, at wayne state and am currently on the waitlist. So if I don't get off the waitlist, should I do the SMP or similar programs? Any advice will be appreciated!
Also, what are the chances of a Canadian like myself getting into medical school after the SMP program? Thanks!
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SMP is not the way to go. Its for applicants with medium to high MCATs and low GPA (< 3.4) that are trying to get into US schools. It will not help you.

Edit: In fact anything short of a 4.0 will hurt you.
 
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astr1x said:
ECs: minimal clinical volunteering, shadowed 4 doctors, 1.5years of research (including thesis project), exec positions on many clubs/counsels, other random volunteering things.
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your GPA is way too high, your MCAT is solid..

spend the year getting more clinical volunteering and add to your application in other ways. SMP isn't the way to go for you.

klmnop said:
Edit: In fact anything short of a 4.0 will hurt you.
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agreed.
 
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