delay graduation?

[AnesthesiaMD]

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I just finished my junior year of college this last April and would like to know if it is worth delaying graduation until 2009. I am not applying to medical school this year anyway as I need to improve my GPA (didn't decide on medicine until December of 2006). Would this look bad to an admissions committee if I spend 5 years in undergrad? I could also have another year of volunteer/research if I were to delay graduation. What should I do?

Also, what constitutes a disadvantaged background/underserved area? I grew up in a town of about 2,500 with a small hopital (~25 bed) with the closest major trauma center being 60 miles away.

 

[AnesthesiaMD]

anybody?

 

[pinkblue]

I haven't applied to med school yet, but - in my opinion - I don't see why it would hurt you as long as you're being productive. I'm also spending 5 years in college, because I have a lot of interested (study abroad, engineering, and worked in a lab full time one semester). I'd just make sure you stay focused and show them how you've done 25% more than everyone your competing against. I figure if I'm going to be a doctor and give up all my hobbies/freetime, I might as well fulfill a few of my other goals in college.🙂

 

[bgh]

First year med student with a couple of thoughts on this: it depends on your money situation, and how bad your GPA really is.

If you have a pretty low GPA and money is not too much of a concern, I would definitely delay graduation a year. Admissions committees care mostly about the numerical undergrad GPA and less on how you arrived at the number (ie many use computers to sift applications based on numbers to weed people out pre-interview). Therefore, taking 5 years will go largely unnoticed. If you have a low GPA and you graduate, you are somewhat screwed, since it is mostly undergrad GPA that matters. Therefore I would take classes that you know you will do well in. Remember, it's all a numbers game. Good luck

 

[GuzzyRon]

I just finished my junior year of college this last April and would like to know if it is worth delaying graduation until 2009. I am not applying to medical school this year anyway as I need to improve my GPA (didn't decide on medicine until December of 2006). Would this look bad to an admissions committee if I spend 5 years in undergrad? I could also have another year of volunteer/research if I were to delay graduation. What should I do?

Also, what constitutes a disadvantaged background/underserved area? I grew up in a town of about 2,500 with a small hopital (~25 bed) with the closest major trauma center being 60 miles away.

Completing college in 5 years instead of 4 won't count against you. Even though it's cliched but it's not how long but how well. And yes, it sounds like you're from a medically underserved area.

 

[AnesthesiaMD]

If I were to delay graduation, would I just send my grades to my schools as I receive them after the semester is over so they can consider them since I will have submitted my AMCAS application already.

 

[Catalystik]

If I were to delay graduation, would I just send my grades to my schools as I receive them after the semester is over so they can consider them since I will have submitted my AMCAS application already.

If you did great, you would include the end-of-semester classes/grades in an update letter to schools who have expressed an interest in you (along with new or significantly interesting ECs). If your grades don't boost your GPA, there's no reason to mention them once you submit AMCAS.

 

[GuzzyRon]

If you did great, you would include the end-of-semester classes/grades in an update letter to schools who have expressed an interest in you (along with new or significantly interesting ECs). If your grades don't boost your GPA, there's no reason to mention them once you submit AMCAS.

Word! 👍