Benefits to applying while still completing pre-reqs?

[EB73674]

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Hi all,

I had an interesting conversation with my advisor last week about the application process - he thinks it is vastly detrimental to apply to any program without having all of my pre-reqs completed (but having plenty of time left to take them before matriculating), and might even count against me in future application cycles. Have any of you heard about this being a "thing"? I was under the impression that, other than possibly having more strong academic grades to add to your application, there wasn't any "penalty" to applying in essentially your senior year of undergrad. Is that not correct? Admittedly, I don't have a strong academic portion of my application (craaaaappy GPA), and I think he may be trying to encourage me to apply once I have some good grades to counteract my bad ones. But I'm a non-trad that's already put off my application one full year, and I'm not getting any younger, so I'm trying to not get into the perpetual cycle of putting off applying year after year...

Any thoughts on this?

 

[vetwhaley]

I would say that as long as you have the important courses done, like organic chemistry and your bio courses so that they can see how you handle the heavy sciences that would be the most important. I applied and I'm still working on biochemistry and a math and virginia tech requires an english elective im working on. Most schools say you can have up to 12 credits of prereqs you need to do but id get them done asap. (im taking biochem and math atm). I wouldnt think applying at all would ever manipulate you applying the next year or the next. Statistics show that most people get in on their first or second try with a small percentage having to wait until their 3rd try. It really depends on what schools youre looking at. St. Georges and ross are always really good starting points.

 

[SnowJ]

I've never heard anything of the sort, especially it affecting you in future cycles. Since a lot of people apply their senior year of undergrad hoping to matriculate the same year they graduate, I don't think it would make any sense at all to count it against you. As long as you are within the limits they set for how many uncompleted requirements you can have, and you have a good set of heavy sciences, there's no reason for it to be an issue.

 

[Blueangel7]

I have never heard of this. A majority of people apply their senior year of college. I have seen some colleges wanting you to have all but 2-3 courses left as of the beginning of spring semester to complete (meaning you are taking them in spring semester), but those are not very common.

 

[EB73674]

Okay, that's what I thought. Thanks for the confirmation, guys! I may have also misunderstood my advisor & he was mostly meaning to complete all my courses beforehand to show a much better GPA...but if I don't get in the first round, I'll likely be doing that anyway!