Benefits and Drawbacks: Taking a Gap Year Between Undergrad and Med School

[CaffeinatedSquirrel]

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[Evisju7]

This is a really great post. Is it viewed negatively to graduate one semester behind schedule (if, of course, you're using your undergraduate years wisely)? That way you'd only be taking one semester of "gap". Less time to accumulate the drawbacks, but still enough to gain some benefit.

 

[nycdreamer]

If I would like to avoid taking a gap year, but advisors highly recommend taking one, due to a low BCPM GPA and an average overall GPA after sophomore year, and really only one bad grade of a C in Orgo I, should I take it? My parents and I would not be too happy with the gap year, although I do understand that it might make me a more competitive applicant, as the grades from senior year would be counted as well. I am striving to end up with a 3.69 GPA and 3.52 BCPM GPA by the end of junior year, which is when I would apply if I were not to take a gap year. Any advice, please?