Average Age Matriculant: 24 y.o.?

[dancingdoctor]

Why is the average age of medical school matriculants 24? Is this because most are non-traditional of re-applicants?

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[medguy83]

I think it has to do with reapps, and the fact that for some they have to complete college in five or so years. There's the occassional grad student, post bacc, and the 2 or so people who are say 43 or something. In general, I think there are a lot of students who take a year or two off after college graduation and do some travel/research/work. I know of several students at my school who plan on completing their MPH first, so that ought to put them in the 24-26 age bracket upon MD applications. While I'm pretty young myself, I do think there is a national trend towards admitting slightly older applicants. There will always be the occassional doogie howser BS/MD student, but in general the average age is increasing a little bit.

 

[Law2Doc]

Why is the average age of medical school matriculants 24? Is this because most are non-traditional of re-applicants?

It's usually a spread like- 71% of matriculants right out of college, 26% will be a year or two out of college, perhaps postbac related, but most not reapplicants, and 3% will be much older nontrads 10-15 years out of college. The number of reapplicants isn't as high as you would think, because advising and sites like SDN are going a good job of steering noncompetitive applicants away from applying too early.

 

[MaineMan]

...71% of matriculants right out of college...

I didn't realize this many students go straight from undergrad.

 

[ADeadLois]

It's usually a spread like- 71% of matriculants right out of college, 26% will be a year or two out of college, perhaps postbac related, but most not reapplicants, and 3% will be much older nontrads 10-15 years out of college. The number of reapplicants isn't as high as you would think, because advising and sites like SDN are going a good job of steering noncompetitive applicants away from applying too early.

This seems awfully high. Is this from AMCAS?

 

[Law2Doc]

This seems awfully high. Is this from AMCAS?

Nah, this is just from personal observation/head counting during class. Not very scientific, I know.

 

[ADeadLois]

Nah, this is just from personal observation/head counting during class. Not very scientific, I know.

Gotcha. At my school, I would say no more than half the 1st years are 07 college grads.

 

[notdeadyet]

Gotcha. At my school, I would say no more than half the 1st years are 07 college grads.

I'd say only about 30% are 07 grads, 50% graduated the last year or two, and the other 20% are from all over the place. Different schools place different weight on life experience.