Does non traditional mean changing careers or older age?

[dpk211]

Is a non-traditional student someone who is switching careers or also someone who is just older and is deciding to apply?

In other words, do you have to have done something else, career wise, to be considered non-traditional?

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[LifeTake2]

Is a non-traditional student someone who is switching careers or also someone who is just older and is deciding to apply?

In other words, do you have to have done something else, career wise, to be considered non-traditional?

This has been asked more times that one can count. But....

Traditional = went to college either already planning, or quickly decided to go into medicine. Likely matriculate by early/mid 20's without a signficant gap between Bachelors & matriculation.

Non-trad = not traditional. Can be you wanted to be a Dr, but took a 5-yr break to have a family after you BS, or you never went to college initially and went at 30, or you never considered medicine, got a degree in Computer Science, a Masters in Int'l Management and worked for a decade for the Japanese mfg industry and decided at 34 to walk away from it all and go into medicine (ie me).

Ultimately, IMHO it is more a mind-set than a number or set of criteria.

 

[0919mmk]

Non-trad means anything but went straight in to med school from college!

I'm not old (25), and havent had an alternate career, but I am definitely non-trad. Graduated college, joined a rock n roll band, then a year or two later decided I want to be a doc, then took the MCAT, then applied, then got waitlisted, then moved to a new city, now reapplying.

Yes, its a mindset. You don't get any special treatment from adcoms if that's what you're wondering If anything, being non-trad sucks because all the adcoms want to know what kept you from going straight thru.

"Uh, I wanted to do something other than school for my whole life"

dummies...

 

[EdLongshanks]

Is a non-traditional student someone who is switching careers or also someone who is just older and is deciding to apply?

In other words, do you have to have done something else, career wise, to be considered non-traditional?

I'm tempted to say something sarcastic like "good luck on the verbal section of the MCAT." But that's not totally fair, because I think that you are asking if the non-trad phrase means anything during the admissions process.

The answer is "no", especially since the term has gotten so popular. There isn't a URM designation "non-trad"

 

[ejw5075]

http://forums.studentdoctor.net/showthread.php?t=782695

Please see Myth #2