Finishing Your Under-Graduate Work in 5 Years?

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SomeStupidName

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Hey everyone.

This might be a pretty stupid question, but I keep on seeing people talking about post-bacc programs and how AMCAS seperates your GPA into Freshman, Sophomore, Junior, Senior, and post-bacc.

What if you switch majors at the end of your sophomore year, and it's not realistic for you to finish up in 4 years with all of your pre-med courses and other interests. Do Medical Schools frown upon that--or would I be okay staying for 5 years instead of 4?

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Hey everyone.

This might be a pretty stupid question, but I keep on seeing people talking about post-bacc programs and how AMCAS seperates your GPA into Freshman, Sophomore, Junior, Senior, and post-bacc.

What if you switch majors at the end of your sophomore year, and it's not realistic for you to finish up in 4 years with all of your pre-med courses and other interests. Do Medical Schools frown upon that--or would I be okay staying for 5 years instead of 4?

I don't see any reason why they would frown on it. Take what you're interested in, but if you end up taking more credits AMCAS just adds them to your senior year.
 
Shouldn't be a problem, and med schools don't necessarily frown upon a 5 year-undergrad. Sometimes, people decide to change majors or decide on a completely different career path. As long as you don't take 6 credits a semester over 5 years to finish one degree when you could've finished the same degree program taking at least 12 credits in 4 years. You're okay if you take a well-sized course-load each semester.
 
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I don't see any reason why they would frown on it. Take what you're interested in, but if you end up taking more credits AMCAS just adds them to your senior year.

Awesome, okay. Thanks for the information. I figure it just makes more sense for me to do 5 years and get everything I want done accomplished, rather than scramble to graduate in 4 years and deal with the hassle of a post-bacc program.

Edit:

In response to the above, I'd be taking a full course load each semester--it wouldn't be a case of just slacking off.
 
I think they definitely understand that this situation happens...myself, I didn't even declare a major until halfway through my junior year (when the school started sending angry letters/emails to me)...like you, with requirements and the times certain classes were offered, I had to stay 5 years to finish...as other posters have stated, I think you would ideally continue to take a full load of classes...I know I used my few extra spaces to take classes like a graduate level human physiology class and a medical sociology class that I loved...so I was pretty happy I got the chance to do this...and as far as schools are concerned, I've never been asked why it took me so long or anything, though I've brought it up myself before...and I've received multiple acceptances, so don't worry that it is some red flag that you are a slacker or anything....goodluck and take some classes that really interest you if you get the chance!!!
 
They don't care. As far as the transcript is concerned, all of the hours past 96 (or whatever the senior cutoff is) will cram in as senior classes. No biggie.

I actually spent 6 years in undergrad. Didn't phase anybody. Granted, I had a coop job that ate up close to a year of that, but the rest was a matter of deciding to go to med school as a junior and having to find time to fit in pre-reqs that weren't in my major. That added 2 semesters in itself. Like was said earlier, just don't take less than a full load. :)
 
Hey everyone.

This might be a pretty stupid question, but I keep on seeing people talking about post-bacc programs and how AMCAS seperates your GPA into Freshman, Sophomore, Junior, Senior, and post-bacc.

What if you switch majors at the end of your sophomore year, and it's not realistic for you to finish up in 4 years with all of your pre-med courses and other interests. Do Medical Schools frown upon that--or would I be okay staying for 5 years instead of 4?
I can't imagine many, if any schools, have a problem with that. Do what you realize you really want to do.

Hell, if I could go back, I would change my major senior year (for the 3rd time in undergrad, though it was just back and forth between 2 majors, but they were very different) and taken another year to get the major in what I realized I really wanted to do. Instead, I was so burnt out and miserable I just finished the other degree so I could get out of school. I regret that very much.
 
I'll be graduating in five years...but that's mainly because I'm a Journalism/Biology double major and a University Honors co-major :D
 
In retrospect, I think I should've stayed a fifth year just to take some classes that I wanted to take but never found the time for.

Life sucks a little once you're out of school, so don't be in a hurry to leave.
 
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