What constitutes a non-trad student?

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I posted this Q in non-trad ages but the forum has been dead for a while. I tested out of high school when I was 16. I started at a CC but dropped out after 2 quarters. I was out of school for 3 years and lived on my own & still do. I am 21 now and a sophomore working 48 hrs a week. no kids & not married. I plan to apply to med school next yr ( no gap yr). Would I be considered non-trad?




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Not really, but if you want to call yourself that, it's fine. Doesn't really mean anything outside SDN to be honest, but in general it means someone who didn't have medicine in mind from the very beginning of their college career and/or adult life. That covers anything from art majors to 40-year-old oyster divers.

Kinda confused as to why you're applying next year though.

Originally Posted by qqDipps

I posted this Q in non-trad ages but the forum has been dead for a while. I tested out of high school when I was 16. I started at a CC but dropped out after 2 quarters. I was out of school for 3 years and lived on my own & still do. I am 21 now and a sophomore working 48 hrs a week. no kids & not married. I plan to apply to med school next yr ( no gap yr). Would I be considered non-trad?




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Technically a nontrad is anyone who doesn't follow the "normal" progression from high school to college to med school without gaps. However a lot of folks who only take a one or two year detour aren't really any differently situated than the traditional students, so it's hard to lump them in with the 30 plus year old career changer or older person with a family. So many on here don't really regard folks who are still under the average age of matriculation for traditional students (ie 24) nontrads, absent something else atypical of trads (ie family, additional degree/professional schooling, military service, a career).

Honestly you probably don't count, but as was said above it doesn't really matter.

FWIW, my highly opinionated definition of a non-trad is: "an applicant that has done something productive in life other being a student prior to making the decision to apply"

I'm well aware this excludes some on this site that choose the label and that is fine. It is very subjective. However, since you are applying at a 'traditional' age, and don't speak of any great contribution to the world (peace corp) or your own personal development (lived in a yurt in Mongolia) most ADCOM's will consider you a traditional applicant.

Well, SDN considers anyone who calls themselves non-traditional is non-traditional, which incidentally includes all traditionals.

I personally go by the non-traditional rules that Med Admissions uses, which is typical "out of school for X years", since that definition actually gets you something concrete, namely waivers for LoRs, etc. For me, everything else is pretty meaningless except in the philosophical sense.

Okay. Well next year as in late summer /early fall of next yr. 2013. That's what was recommended to me. Is that not right? I'll have a BS in biochem before I would matriculate (assuming I'll get in somewhere).



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Originally Posted by LifeTake2

Honestly you probably don't count, but as was said above it doesn't really matter.

FWIW, my highly opinionated definition of a non-trad is: "an applicant that has done something productive in life other being a student prior to making the decision to apply"

I'm well aware this excludes some on this site that choose the label and that is fine. It is very subjective. However, since you are applying at a 'traditional' age, and don't speak of any great contribution to the world (peace corp) or your own personal development (lived in a yurt in Mongolia) most ADCOM's will consider you a traditional applicant.

I see your point. I was just curious as it is fairly subjective. I def. feel that I've had a pretty intense personal journey but I am hesitant about highlighting it as it is controversial.



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Thanks for insight!


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I would say anybody that doesn't go straight from HS to a bachelor's degree (or higher) in 4 years followed by medical school is a non-trad. That's sort of exaggerated, but the more work experience you have outside of schooling, the more 'non-traditional' you are. My class has a lot of non-trads (older, second professional careers...)