Applying Junior vs Senior year?

[NescacPremed]

1. Do most people apply junior or senior year?
2. What are the benefits of applying junior year vs senior year (application/ acceptance wise)?
-- does it help to apply one way or the other?
3. What do people do during their gap year if they apply senior year?
4. Is it hard to miss a lot of school senior year having to travel for interviews?

Thanks!

I am currently a sophomore and I will have all of my requirements done by the end of my junior year, but I'm not sure whether to apply junior or senior year!
Thanks!

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[ready2go2]

1. Do most people apply junior or senior year?

I think the numbers are around a 50/50 split between and applying junior year or taking 1 or more years. The general trend is that each year more students are deciding to not apply straight through. They would rather take a year or two to pursue something interesting for both personal and professional development.

2. What are the benefits of applying junior year vs senior year (application/ acceptance wise)?

Obviously if you apply your senior year (or later) you'll have more experience to include and discuss, more classes to potentially increase GPA, more time to study for MCAT etc etc. It really depends on what you make of that extra year.

Some people suggest that ADCOMs prefer older applicants because they are more mature due to having more life experiences out in the real world. Not sure about difference in acceptance rates though.

3. What do people do during their gap year if they apply senior year?

Obviously this depends on the individual and their needs, wants, desire, resume and bank account. I'd imagine most get a job in a science or medicine related field (think lab techs, research coordinator, scribe, EMT, etc). Some might pursue teaching/tutoring gigs. Some completely irrelevant to med jobs. Some travel. Some continue to volunteer. Some pursue interesting hobbies. Some pursue specific fellowships. Possibilities are endless.

But remember, because you're applying essentially a few weeks/months after your graduation in the spring (assuming you apply early in the cycle), these activities may not make it onto your application (because you probably wouldn't have started them yet). Of course they may come up in interviews so it's definitely a neccesity to do SOMETHING. Living in your parents basement doing nothing for a year but applying won't cut it.

4. Is it hard to miss a lot of school senior year having to travel for interviews?

I'm taking a gap year so I can only speak about the complaints my friends who applied their junior summer and not my own experience. They found it difficult missing certain classes, because some professors proved more understanding than others. I know one friend strategically scheduled her course load so that she had two full days of no classes to help mitigate that problem.

Also realize if you take a gap year you still might run into a similar problem of missing work, obligations or have to figure out the timing logistics of activities like traveling out of the country during interview season.

 

[aldol16]

1. Do most people apply junior or senior year?
2. What are the benefits of applying junior year vs senior year (application/ acceptance wise)?
-- does it help to apply one way or the other?
3. What do people do during their gap year if they apply senior year?
4. Is it hard to miss a lot of school senior year having to travel for interviews?

1. It used to be rarer for people to apply senior year but now it's so prevalent that it could be called one of the traditional pathways. But it depends on the school. If you're applying to top schools, there are many people (I would say 50/50 or more) who have taken one or more years off before applying. Some schools have entering classes that are 1/3 straight through, 1/3 one year off, and 1/3 multiple years off. This tends to be more prevalent at top schools.

2. The best time to apply is when you are at your strongest. For some people, their junior year application is strong enough - an extra year won't add anything substantial to their application. For these people, it makes sense to apply junior year. But for many other people, their senior year application is much stronger, due to more grades, strong upward trends, better clinical experiences, graduating with honors/publications, etc. For them, it makes sense to apply senior year. So it does help to apply one way or another but the extent to which it helps is dependent on the individual and when that individual can make the strongest application. This argument applies to taking multiple years off as well.

3. Many people do research but many research assistant positions now require a two-year commitment because of lengthy training and induction periods. Others take on a variety of jobs in other industries - pharmaceuticals, consulting, finance, etc.

4. I didn't have to do this but from other people I know, it can be quite difficult if you don't plan your courses appropriately/can't plan your courses around the interview schedule. This also assumes that you will have multiple interviews (many people who apply to medical school only get one or two interviews - all you need is that one acceptance).

 

[rolliespring]

1. Do most people apply junior or senior year?
2. What are the benefits of applying junior year vs senior year (application/ acceptance wise)?
-- does it help to apply one way or the other?
3. What do people do during their gap year if they apply senior year?
4. Is it hard to miss a lot of school senior year having to travel for interviews?

Thanks!

I am currently a sophomore and I will have all of my requirements done by the end of my junior year, but I'm not sure whether to apply junior or senior year!
Thanks!

1. I haven't been to a lot of interviews yet but about 2/3 of candidates who interviewed with me are taking a gap year or been on multiple gap years. I think MCAT 2015 is part of the reason since it takes more time to finish up biochem and social science classes, but there could be a lot of other reasons as well
2. Applying junior year certainly saves time and applying senior year might give you more experience. Acceptance-wise I don't think it makes a big difference if stats and ECs are the same, but people with a gap year or two tend to have a stronger app. Agree with the above posters, apply only when your app is the strongest.
3. See above posters
4. It depends on your senior year commitment and the number of interviews you receive. If you only have one or two, no biggie. If you have 5+ and many OOS it could be a little tiresome. I have friends who had to miss class and lab while applying and making up work after interviews do feel annoying. I would suggest you to loosen up your senior year schedule if you decide to apply junior year, not just for interviews but senioritis kicks in as well.