Background Info Question

[Schnitzels]

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On part of the application it asks,

"Has your education ever been interrupted or affected adversely for reasons other than deficiencies in conduct or academic performance?"

Would you consider a semester off between transferring colleges as an "interruption"?

I don't want to raise any unnecessary red flags, but at the same time I don't want to omit something they are expecting to read when they see the years of my enrollment.

Thanks for your opinions.

 

[jeninny44]

On part of the application it asks,

"Has your education ever been interrupted or affected adversely for reasons other than deficiencies in conduct or academic performance?"

Would you consider a semester off between transferring colleges as an "interruption"?

I don't want to raise any unnecessary red flags, but at the same time I don't want to omit something they are expecting to read when they see the years of my enrollment.

Thanks for your opinions.

No need to mention that.

They're looking more for things like deaths in the family, illness, etc. where there was a direct negative impact on your studies.

Bottom line, if your academics were not affected no need to mention it.

 

[SMCohen]

I would consider that an interruption

 

[jeninny44]

I would consider that an interruption

Why?

Don't take things so literally. If his semester off didn't affect him negatively, why waste the Adcom's time in reading it.

I changed universities, and for reasons I won't go into I worked for a year between the transfer. I never mentioned it anywhere in my AADSAS application and got accepted to 8+ dental schools.

 

[jeninny44]

Can the (other) oracle of logic, armorshell, please weigh in on this?

 

[prez_al]

I would consider that an interruption

I agree. They might wonder why you were gone for a semester. Never hurts to be completely honest and open.

 

[jeninny44]

I agree. They might wonder why you were gone for a semester. Never hurts to be completely honest and open.

Fair enough. I always saw it as a non-issue.

My take is that Adcoms get 1000's of applications, so they're tired of reading through them. If you weren't negatively affected I personally still do not see the point in mentioning it.

 

[SMCohen]

Like the above posters said, I just wouldn't want to be caught in a lie, even if it's a 'non-issue'.

 

[Schnitzels]

Thanks for all of your input. I definitely don't want to draw negative attention to a non-issue, but I also don't want my lack of an explanation to become an issue if the Adcoms do wonder what I did for 6 months inbetween my transfer. (I didn't do anything miraculous during this time.) I agree with both sides of the argument, which makes this such a difficult decision for me.

What about just writing a very brief, to the point explanation? I am sure the Adcoms are used to seeing transfers. Does this seem okay?

More opinions are appreciated.

 

[DMDreaming]

I would consider that an interruption

Don't most of us take the summer semester off? Adcoms don't consider that an interuption.

 

[uesider]

I was out of school for 2 years (working a full-time job) and did not mention it in that area... it seemed to be more for someone that had to take off school due to a family emergency or crisis of some kind... just my thoughts!

 

[El Sol]

So a death in the family could be added? I ask because I ended up getting a W during a pivitol semester when my grandmother died and I made the shift from med to dent.