Should I apply to CWRU’s MSMP

[deleted1141407]

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[Mr.Smile12]

Let the process play out. You have two Interviews to prepare for. Focus there.

 

[deleted1141407]

Let the process play out. You have two Interviews to prepare for. Focus there.

I agree, however I’m afraid of not getting any acceptances and then either having to reapply with the exact same application or hold off another year. I’m already a bit of an older applicant (still in my 20s) so I’m feeling the pressure to move on with my life already.

Another option I see is to wait till November and, if I don’t hear anything back, then to study hard for an MCAT retake. But I don’t know if schools will still find my transcripts to be an issue and it would be nice to have a guaranteed interview from some school, especially a prestigious one like Case.

 

[Mr.Smile12]

You should always be improving your application whether it is coursework, clinical experience, or nonclinical community service. Most applicants do themselves a disservice if they don't show commitment in some form, even during their application year/s.

Hopefully an offer will come, but if you get two waitlists from. Your interviews, what are you going to do? Hence my point that you should always find an opportunity for growth somewhere.

 

[deleted1141407]

You should always be improving your application whether it is coursework, clinical experience, or nonclinical community service. Most applicants do themselves a disservice if they don't show commitment in some form, even during their application year/s.

Hopefully an offer will come, but if you get two waitlists from. Your interviews, what are you going to do? Hence my point that you should always find an opportunity for growth somewhere.

Yes I am always continuing to gain new experiences and continuing my volunteerism with the organizations I have been with for several years. But I don’t believe my application is really lacking in terms of extracurriculars. I am continuing to do these things because I genuinely enjoy doing them and of course to show my commitment to humanism and medicine.

My greatest flaws are definitely my GPA and MCAT. I am just wondering if I should start applying to programs preemptively in case I do not get any acceptances, in an effort to avoid delaying medical school by another year. I could do a post bacc, but that doesn’t come with any guaranteed interview. Furthermore, it’s a bit too early/late to begin studying for the MCAT right now which is why I wouldn’t begin till November.

Given this do you believe it’s worth for me to apply to the Case MSMP program? Or would my time and money be better spent waiting till November and then signing up for an MCAT prep course if I don’t have any acceptances? Another concern of mine is that if I don’t get in this year, I’ll have been out of school for two years already. Not sure if that will look bad.

 

[Mr.Smile12]

Have you submitted a WAMC in the What Are My Chances forum? Your MCAT is not lethal and your GPA doesn't knock you out of a lot of programs. IMO, it actually is high for an SMP (usually I suggest for 3.2 GPA not 3.5), and that's why I'm holding back to say you should apply. For an SMP.

School lists are a larger than appreciated factor in getting accepted.

Now if your goal is to get into Case, maybe the SMP route would be worth considering. Have you gotten an II from CWRU yet? I'm guessing that's where your anxiety about your GPA and MCAT lie.

 

[deleted1141407]

Have you submitted a WAMC in the What Are My Chances fotum? Your MCAT is not lethal and your GPA doesn't knock you out of a lot of programs. IMO, it actually is high for an SMP (usually I suggest for 3.2 GPA not 3.5), and that's is why I'm holding back to say you should apply. For an SMP.

School lists are a larger than appreciated factor in getting accepted.

Now if your goal is to get into Case, maybe the SMP route would be worth considering. Have you gotten an II from CWRU yet? I'm guessing thats where your anxiety about your GPA and MCAT lie.

Yes I have and I did not apply to Case since it was not one of the schools Faha mentioned when giving me a school list. I just mention them specifically because I keep getting emails about their program, and think it would be amazing if someone with my background could get into a school like that.

Regardless, I am not worried about getting into Case but rather getting into any of the schools I applied to. My anxiety lies with my poor CASPer score which makes me feel like I will bomb the interview. My stats are already below average, so I understand that I will need to rock my interview if I am to get an acceptance. I’ve already completed one interview and my next one is next week, and I still haven’t identified what is the reason for my poor score. The people who I have done mock interviews with say there are no major problems they can see, so I am no closer to elucidating the issue. I suppose I feel if I can improve myself academically then I may be able to still get in with an average interview.

Edit: to clarify, neither of the schools I’m interviewing at are CASPer schools, but they both do MMIs. Im not sure if there is a correlation with a poor CASPer and poor MMI performance.

 

[SooConfused]

Hello! I apologize if this is the wrong place to post this.

I am considering applying to the Case Master of Science of Medical Physiology program, mainly due to the guaranteed interview I would get at Case if I manage to score 5 points higher on an MCAT retake. From what I’ve heard, doing an SMP also helps students score higher on the MCAT. I know their deadline is next week so it’s not likely that I’d get in, but worst case scenario I figure I can apply for the Spring. I wanted to know your alls thoughts. I’ve already applied to medical school, but I am preparing myself in case I don’t get accepted anywhere this cycle.

My current situation: I have a 3.5 GPA both science and overall. My last 60 credit hours are at a 4.0 taking rigorous science classes, however I was not full time for many of the semesters due to having to take care of family issues. My low GPA is really just due to 1 F and a couple Cs that I received several years ago. My MCAT is a 509 (128/125/129/127), and i achieved this without doing any prep course, only reading the Kaplan books and taking some AAMC practice tests. I have received a couple IIs already from some out of state schools, however I’m afraid as I scored in the first quartile in CASPer and thus feel that I may bomb the interview. I have done some mock interviews already and they told me I seem fine, but Im still lacking confidence really just due to my performance on that exam.

TBH, the fact that you already have a few IIs, this early in the cycle, with your stats, indicates that you are a pretty strong applicant and are really not a candidate for a SMP. SMPs are high risk, high reward propositions for candidates with major deficiencies in their applications, and major cash cows for schools. There is no reason to think you need one.

As @Mr.Smile12 suggests, it is far too early to write this cycle off. If things don't work out, a MCAT retake with proper preparation might be all you need. Your GPA is clearly not holding you back based on your IIs so far.

Also, don't get too hung up on CASPer. A lot of people think it is garbage. Most schools don't use it at all, and it is unclear how the schools that do use it actually do so. DO NOT allow it to get in your head as you prepare for your interviews.

 

[deleted1141407]

TBH, the fact that you already have a few IIs, this early in the cycle, with your stats, indicates that you are a pretty strong applicant and are really not a candidate for a SMP. SMPs are high risk, high reward propositions for candidates with major deficiencies in their applications, and major cash cows for schools. There is no reason to think you need one.

As @Mr.Smile12 suggests, it is far too early to write this cycle off. If things don't work out, a MCAT retake with proper preparation might be all you need. Your GPA is clearly not holding you back based on your IIs so far.

Also, don't get too hung up on CASPer. A lot of people think it is garbage. Most schools don't use it at all, and it is unclear how the schools that do use it actually do so. DO NOT allow it to get in your head as you prepare for your interviews.

Thank you for your comments!

So do you think then that if the worst case scenario happens, which is not getting any acceptances and having to retake the MCAT, it won’t look bad to be out of school for two years at the time of applying next year? Im always continuing to show my dedication to medicine but I’m not sure if they will question my aptitude based off how far out I am from undergrad.

 

[SooConfused]

Thank you for your comments!

So do you think then that if the worst case scenario happens, which is not getting any acceptances and having to retake the MCAT, it won’t look bad to be out of school for two years at the time of applying next year? Im always continuing to show my dedication to medicine but I’m not sure if they will question my aptitude based off how far out I am from undergrad.

Nope! A ton of people take multiple gap years. The key is doing something productive with them, as I'm sure you will.

I do honestly think you are getting way ahead of yourself here. Multiple IIs this early in the cycle is incredibly positive, especially with your stats. You must have an awesome application that is far stronger than you realize.

It is highly likely that you are going to receive more IIs. I don't want to jinx you or anything, but I really think you are going to be enrolled somewhere next year, and will not be a reapplicant.

 

[Mr.Smile12]

Thank you for your comments!

So do you think then that if the worst case scenario happens, which is not getting any acceptances and having to retake the MCAT, it won’t look bad to be out of school for two years at the time of applying next year? Im always continuing to show my dedication to medicine but I’m not sure if they will question my aptitude based off how far out I am from undergrad.

Yes, be confident in yourself. Focus on the right things (like prepare for your interviews). As long as you do your best, that's all you can do. Let the process play.

 

[Mr.Smile12]

Also, Casper is not MMI. Yes you need to peepare to stay calm but the scenarios and scoring are totally different.