gap year

I am taking a gap year after finishing undergrad and am not applying to med school until the 2018 cycle, but I will be ready to take the MCAT this August. Is there any benefit in not taking it is August and waiting to take it until it is not prime test taking months (April-August?).

--Hey guys! New to the forum :) -- I am a rising undergrad senior and am planning for a gap year to undertake more research, volunteering, shadowing, ... My question is, how will the medical schools I apply to come next summer know that I have gathered all of this relevant experience during my...

so many of my secondaries ask what you are doing/plan to do during the upcoming year. I'm currently looking for an additional volunteer activity or a job. Also, I plan on traveling early next summer. On my secondaries, should I mention the volunteer activity/job plans (and keeping it ambiguous...

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I recently graduate from undergrad with the intention of working at a dental office for the duration of my gap year. Well.... plans kinda fell through very last minute sadly and now I've kinda frantically been trying to figure things out this whole summer. Does anyone know of any gap year...

Hi SDN! So I am not sure about whether or not to take a gap year before applying. I am going to be a junior this fall semester and therefore applying next spring. Basically I had messed up my freshman year of college with horrible grades as I was dealing with some personal stuff. I decided to...

Hi Everyone, I saw a few threads that were somewhat similar to this, but couldn't find a case that exactly matched mine, and there didn't seem to be a definitive answer as some threads contradicted others. I'm wondering if applying to schools in one cycle, then re-applying in the next cycle...

So I haven't been able to receive a straight answer on some of my questions, so I decided I would give it a shot here. I will be graduating next May (2017), applying to medical school, and then spending a year in Ecuador at a clinic. NOW....assuming that I apply in May/June since I have...

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Long story short I graduated last month from Boston University with a BA in biology and a terrible GPA by med school admission standards (horrible sophomore year - had some personal issues I was dealing with and didn't put in the effort- brought my GPA down a ton and I ended up graduating with a...

Hello! I am new to posting on this website because I am searching for serious advice. I am close to graduating with my BS degree and am hoping to go to medical school afterwards. Now, I am actually hoping to go to a specific out of state school, and have come up with the following plan. Move to...

Hey everyone, Hope this reaches you all during a fun and fulfilling summer. Background: I am entering my 2nd year of medical school. Have always loved public health (working with communities, keeping environment clean, preventative care, etc.). I know I will at some point want to serve in...

I'm taking a gap year after graduation and hope to matriculate into medical school the following year. If I submit my application in June, how do I let the schools know what my gap year plans are? Secondaries? A letter? Also, what is the acceptable time frame for sending letters? I heard that...

I just graduated in May 2016 as an English major. I have done my physics, intro chem, orgo, stats, calc requirements and one semester of bio. I need to retake physics and bio and was hoping to do so at a post bacc but missed most of the deadlines, save for one which I'm not too sure about (Elms...

I am an MS4 (c/o 2016), and here are the facts I delayed taking my Step 1 after my sophmore year, which subsequently led to me not being able to start 3rd year until November ( my schools rules) I completed 3rd year in November 2015, and was not allowed to participate in the 2015- 2016 match...

I will be entering my senior year this fall. Here is a summary of my current stats: ACADEMICS Major - Neuroscience Minor - Chemistry GPA - 3.96 sGPA - 3.95 MCAT - test date Aug. 20th (yes, I am taking a gap year btw) RESEARCH 3 semesters in neuroscience lab (credit, 10 hrs/week), continuing...

I applied to Medical schools this past cycle and was dropped off the waitlist from 2 allopathic state schools that aren't generally considered very competitive. My interviewers commented on the quality of my medical and volunteer experiences, so I'm fairly confident in that area of my...

I applied to Medical schools this past cycle and was dropped off the waitlist from 2 allopathic state schools that aren't generally considered very competitive. My interviewers commented on the quality of my medical and volunteer experiences, so I'm fairly confident in that area of my...

Hi guys, I am just wondering about my path for SMP. Currently, I have two choices. #1. I can finish the SMP in two years by taking out loan and apply after the first year after finishing 18 credit hours. This would make me take out a loan and pile up even more loan before medical school...

Hello! I'm very interested in pursuing an MSTP MD/PhD program. However, with the way my classes are looking like they'll work out, I'll probably be taking one or two gap years. What I'm wondering is how do MD/PhD programs view gap years? I know MD programs don't care but MD/PhD admissions seem...

Hey guys, So I'm kinda confused on whether or not I should take a gap year. I just finished junior year and my GPA is a 3.66 and sGPA is 3.54. My GPA dropped after a rough semester junior year from 3.75 because I had to work full time due to family financial issues. I only have 30 hours of...

I'm a junior in MIMG/Microbio (Path 2) at UCLA. Currently 3.5c/3.2s with some ECs and research under my belt; will take the new MCAT before coming back for senior year. Though I can graduate in fall by major reqs completion, I may stick around to do GPA repair. May as well use that financial aid...

Hello! Long lurker, new poster here. //waves I'm a junior at UCLA sitting at a 3.5 cGPA, 3.2 sGPA (2/3rds B's, rest A's or A-'s), a slight upwards trend in all GPAs, and according to my major requirements, capable of graduating next quarter (though by the looks of it, it'd be wiser for me to...

Hello, thanks for opening this thread. For the first time in my life, I feel like I have failed in my academics seeing my GPA drop from a 3.73 to a 3.66 (science GPA 3.80 to a 3.68) when I'm just about to apply to medical school. I didn't manage my time well, and overall was unmotivated...

Hello all! I am just seeking an answer on if I count as a nontraditional applicant. I graduated from university 2 years ago and then had to take a little over a year for health problems and then after that time I entered into an AmeriCorps program that I am currently serving with until August...

I am currently a rising junior and have to make a decision soon about whether or not I should be taking a gap year prior to applying to medical school. This past semester I suffered from 2 concussions causing my GPA to drop, for this past semester alone my GPA will be at best a 3.1, dropping my...

Hi guys, I graduated from undergrad this past weekend with a B.S. in Chemistry and minor in Mathematics. My overall and science/math GPA is in the average ranges for medical school acceptance, about a 3.65. I've planned on taking a year off and applying this cycle (so I would be admitted for...

Hello everyone! I am currently a week from graduating college and will be taking my MCAT for the first time this fall and applying next cycle. I have done research all of my undergraduate carrier and keep being encouraged to pursue a research post-bac or some similar position for the mean time...

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Hi SDN community! I've been rummaging through posts for a year or so now but found it is about time for me to ask the dreaded question myself. Senior (May '16 grad) undergrad about to obtain BS (Neurobiology/Physiology) taking at least 2 gap years, matriculating Fall 2018 if possible. cGPA...

My stats are little lower than what I'd like. Biology BS with a concentration in neurobiology/physio/behavior cGPA: 3.7 sGPA: 3.64 MCAT: 508 (129,128,126,125) (physical, reading, bio/biochem,psych) - I'd consider retaking it. I also took the old MCATbut that was awful. I was extremely...

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I'm at a bit of a cross roads. I took two years off (graduated may 2015) to retake my MCAT and apply to med school. My retake went well (516, 95th percentile) and the rest of my application is solid (3.9 GPA with a BS in bio, 3 other research opportunities, a publication from another lab in a...

Hi all, this is my first time posting in SD! Until now I have only stalked hundreds of forums. :) I would really appreciate any insight about my application, i.e. what you think may be the weakest part of my application and what it is that may have held me back from getting accepted my first...

I graduated last year and was looking for some good part time jobs and also may consider full time jobs. So far, I'm aware of scribing, EMT, medical Techs and assistants, and for research I've thought about being a research tech or a clinical research coordinator. I have tons of clinical...

My pre-health advisor at my college said I should take a gap year because I don't have any job shadowing in the United States. She said I need shadowing in the US BEFORE I apply (I am applying June 2016) I totally disagree with her because: 1) I have done maybe cumulatively 3-4 months of...

So I recently was accepted to St. George's in the Caribbean, and they want my deposit soon. I still have 4 DO schools to hear back from, and I want to avoid going to the Caribbean. My GPA is 3.4, MCAT 496. I'm pretty sure it's because of my low MCAT score that I'm not getting accepted to DO...

Hi everyone! I unfortunately didn't get accepted into dental school this year. My GPA was on the lower end for the first two years of my degree, but it has increased quite a bit since then, and is now fairly good (well above the required GPA for admissions). I'm wondering if anyone here has...