Confused about the concept of a gap year

[700003]

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[justAstudent]

You can send letters of update during the application cycle to tell them about your recent activities.

 

[Ace-Co-A]

Many medical schools have a "What are you doing in the year before you matriculate?" essay on their secondary application. You get to tell them how you're doing really awesome and innovative things to diversify their class.

 

[700003]

Even if they don't offer you an interview? Like can you send all the school you applied to these update letters?

 

[medmedman]

So I am planning to graduate in Summer 2015, take a gap year and matriculate into med school Fall 2016. Obviously this means that I will start med school applications in June 2015. However, I am planning to do things in my gap year, like research and study abroad. How will med schools ever know about the things I did in my gap year if I already submitted my applications before I had the chance to "improve my app?"

In other words, how does taking one gap year help improve your app? Doesn't this mean you would have to take two gap yrs. or something?

Ready? First off this is why some people take 2 years as a gap year so that all the things they do in their first year they can write on their application. Some people believe that if you tell med schools that you are taking a gap year and getting a masters that they won't care. I don't think this is true. Anyway, the best way for med schools to know about what you're doing durng that year post-application submission is by sending the admissions people an update with your recent activities. Some schools don't accept updates so whatever you are planning on doing during your gap year, you should include on your primary and secodnary app

 

[justAstudent]

Even if they don't offer you an interview? Like can you send all the school you applied to these update letters?

There are some schools that don't allow updates, but most do. Ace-Co-A also brought up something important in that a lot of secondaries ask what you are doing with your gap year too so you can use that space to explain your activities.

 

[turayza]

Also if you take a gap, you get to include all the things you did in your senior year of college in your primary. That's a whole year of hopefully meaningful activities that someone who applied the summer before his/her senior year wouldn't have a chance to show.

 

[deleted407021]

It seems that you are going to apply the summer following your graduation. That there is a plus because you get to include all your grades and activities from your senior year on your app. Also, you have a full degree and an extra year to learn about yourself, so you should do better on your interviews than you would have post junior year. I have decided to apply during my senior year (2016) and take a gap year for all the above and the following:
1. I get a year off from academia to relax that part of my psyche.
2. I get to work (planning on being an EMT; will get cert this summer) in the "real world" and make some money as I have 6 mo. before I must begin loan repayment. I will also have the opportunity, since I live at home, to save all the rest to furnish my new place when I go to school.
3. I get to immerse myself deeper into healthcare during a year as an EMT-B.
4. I can continue my clinical volunteering and work even closer to my Yudansha rank in Aikido, and perhaps learn to ride a horse, which is something I have wanted to do for a while.

Perhaps all that is good enough for them to hear upon asking me what I am doing during the gap year. If anyone sees a flaw with this projection, please speak up.

 

[lobo.solo]

Many medical schools have a "What are you doing in the year before you matriculate?" essay on their secondary application. You get to tell them how you're doing really awesome and innovative things to diversify their class.

I did this and had no problem getting in. However, this takes into account that you have semi-solid ECs and the stats to get secondaries. In some interviews, I was asked what I had been doing, that is another opportunity to talk about a new and cool EC. GL.

 

[AliciaAccepted]

So I am planning to graduate in Summer 2015, take a gap year and matriculate into med school Fall 2016. Obviously this means that I will start med school applications in June 2015. However, I am planning to do things in my gap year, like research and study abroad. How will med schools ever know about the things I did in my gap year if I already submitted my applications before I had the chance to "improve my app?"

In other words, how does taking one gap year help improve your app? Doesn't this mean you would have to take two gap yrs. or something?

Taking a gap year or two can help you become a more competitive applicant for medical school. By taking time off before applying, you will become a nontraditional applicant. Medical schools love nontraditional applicants. Any life experience that you gain during that time will only help your application if you are strategic about the activities that you select. I recommend that you review your resume or CV in detail to determine if you have enough activities in the areas that are important to medical schools, i.e. leadership, clinical experience, volunteer work, etc. If you are able to identify any areas of weakness, strategically selecting activities will have the greatest impact on improving the strength of this section of your AMCAS application. You may decide to pursue additional coursework if your science GPA does not have an increasing trend. For more information about how to use that time most effectively, please see this article.

 

[Ace-Co-A]

Taking a gap year or two can help you become a more competitive applicant for medical school. By taking time off before applying, you will become a nontraditional applicant. Medical schools love nontraditional applicants. Any life experience that you gain during that time will only help your application if you are strategic about the activities that you select. I recommend that you review your resume or CV in detail to determine if you have enough activities in the areas that are important to medical schools, i.e. leadership, clinical experience, volunteer work, etc. If you are able to identify any areas of weakness, strategically selecting activities will have the greatest impact on improving the strength of this section of your AMCAS application. You may decide to pursue additional coursework if your science GPA does not have an increasing trend. For more information about how to use that time most effectively, please see this article.

Wait wait wait... what the heck is an exhibitor? Like a posting advertisement?