After how many years is someone considered a "Real" Nontraditional Applicant/Student?

[Gandyy]

Title. Simple question. After how many gap years is someone considered a "real" non traditional student?

1? 3? 5?

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[piii]

1

 

[Goro]

As soon as you graduate.

Title. Simple question. After how many gap years is someone considered a "real" non traditional student?

1? 3? 5?

 

[0dee]

It's all about what you feel on the inside. I don't consider myself non trad over though I am over the age of 24 lol.

 

[narvik2016]

I think it depends on what you've been doing and the experiences you have had that makes you a "non-trad." I was probably considered very traditional throughout college until the time I graduated and decided to become a high school teacher in a low-income neighborhood. My work experience, interests, motivations, etc. outside the realm of healthcare, medicine, research, etc. is what makes me feel non-traditional, even though I am currently only 24 and will probably be 26 when I matriculate.

 

[y123]

1

 

[takeurmeds02]

I feel pretty traditional as a time-taker off-er lol but maybe that's because I know a lot people who did or are planning to..

 

[LizzyM]

I do think that the answer is somewhere >1 year and, in my mind, generally requires having done something full-time outside of academics for at least one year. This might be full-time volunteerism such as Peace Corps or full-time employment in a clinical setting, lab, or another industry.

 

[Law2Doc]

Title. Simple question. After how many gap years is someone considered a "real" non traditional student?

1? 3? 5?

You aren't a nontrad until you stop posting this kind of question in pre-allo and take it over to the nontrad board (where BTW) this question has been asked and answered dozens of times already...

 

[Gandyy]

You aren't a nontrad until you stop posting this kind of question in pre-allo and take it over to the nontrad board (where BTW) this question has been asked and answered dozens of times already...

Well, you are in a good, responsive and well mannered mood as usual.

 

[NonTrad16]

I think it depends less on the time and more the journey. If you're a dance major who became interested late and does a postbac for the required courses... That seems nontraditional. If you're a bio major who worked in a pharm lab for a few years, that would do it. If you've pursued an unrelated grad degree or extended work experience... That seems nontrad. Alternatively, if you're a bio major who had a gpa slump or never did research and wants to improve your app, so you do that for a year or so and apply, you're still a "premed" in my mind since you're doing the standard pieces along the typical timeline (which seems to be drawing out longer now).

Really, I think it's easier to say who the "traditional" applicant is: someone who has been a premed since sophomore or junior year (regardless of major) and takes between 0 and 2 gap years for med school reasons (MCAT, grade boost, SMP, research, etc). The shades of grey outside of this box can include the dance major or the 10 year post-grad/alt career applicant, and any variant you can think of in between.

 

[skinofteeth]

1738

 

[Law2Doc]

Well, you are in a good, responsive and well mannered mood as usual.

No, I meant you are posing your question to a board populated predominantly by 18-23 year olds, when there's an actual Bon Fide nontrad board on SDN filled with people who actually went the nontrad route and who have answered the exact question quarterly for years. Until you bother to look over there you don't really want a real answer. That's all I'm saying.

 

[AORiverContra]

A real "nontrad" is someone who has been out of school 10 years, married, 3 kids, and is switching careers from finance. Everyone else is "traditional"