GAP YEAR?!?!?!?!?!

[bbdylan87]

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Long story short, is there anything bad at all in the eyes of adcoms for taking a gap year (besides losing a years salary, not saving the world for a year, blah blah blah)? Are the reasons for taking a gap year normally asked during secondaries or interviews? I ask as I have high numerical scores (GPA/MCAT are competitive for top 10 easily) and decent extra-curriculars. I'm thinking about gap year as I started about 1/3 to 1/2 of my activities my junior year and don't want to appear box-checking. Also, don't have too many "life experiences" yet for essays (and subsequently interviews). Are these reasons (activities/essays) good enough to warrant a gap year? Of course, I will be doing a lot of volunteering, clinical work, and research during this gap year time.

 

[BigBoss]

Long story short, is there anything bad at all in the eyes of adcoms for taking a gap year (besides losing a years salary, not saving the world for a year, blah blah blah)? Are the reasons for taking a gap year normally asked during secondaries or interviews? I ask as I have high numerical scores (GPA/MCAT are competitive for top 10 easily) and decent extra-curriculars. I'm thinking about gap year as I started about 1/3 to 1/2 of my activities my junior year and don't want to appear box-checking. Also, don't have too many "life experiences" yet for essays (and subsequently interviews). Are these reasons (activities/essays) good enough to warrant a gap year? Of course, I will be doing a lot of volunteering, clinical work, and research during this gap year time.

They do ask during interviews and it’s okay as long as you do something productive that can strengthen your application.


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[AccessMD]

Long story short, is there anything bad at all in the eyes of adcoms for taking a gap year (besides losing a years salary, not saving the world for a year, blah blah blah)? Are the reasons for taking a gap year normally asked during secondaries or interviews? I ask as I have high numerical scores (GPA/MCAT are competitive for top 10 easily) and decent extra-curriculars. I'm thinking about gap year as I started about 1/3 to 1/2 of my activities my junior year and don't want to appear box-checking. Also, don't have too many "life experiences" yet for essays (and subsequently interviews). Are these reasons (activities/essays) good enough to warrant a gap year? Of course, I will be doing a lot of volunteering, clinical work, and research during this gap year time.

A gap year is often seen as a sign of maturity, especially if you are able to pursue something that you are truly passionate about and that helps to paint a more complete picture of who you are and what you see as your vision for what you want to do in medicine in the future.

 

[mvenus929]

They are only bad if you don’t do anything during them.

 

[bbdylan87]

Do gap years often make an applicant more competitive? Because it appears that adcoms are already expecting you to be doing a lot of activities during this time period, so as long as I am volunteering and helping others, this would only strengthen my app correct?

 

[2019App]

Sorry if I'm piggybacking on your thread here, but if you apply after your Senior year is that considered taking a "gap year"? In that case, how do you handle/address that in your primary and secondary applications assuming you'll be spending that year applying, interviewing (hopefully), continuing your volunteering, clinical work, (taking a vacation), etc?

 

[joeception]

I would argue that is seen favorable to take a gap, maybe even several gap years with the average age of applicants slowly increasing. It all depends on what you do in the gap year. As long as your are doing something and not just being home playing video games (heck I still get to do this even when working full-time).

 

[mvenus929]

Do gap years often make an applicant more competitive? Because it appears that adcoms are already expecting you to be doing a lot of activities during this time period, so as long as I am volunteering and helping others, this would only strengthen my app correct?

Correct.

Sorry if I'm piggybacking on your thread here, but if you apply after your Senior year is that considered taking a "gap year"? In that case, how do you handle/address that in your primary and secondary applications assuming you'll be spending that year applying, interviewing (hopefully), continuing your volunteering, clinical work, (taking a vacation), etc?

Yes. You indicate your plans for your gap year. I highly recommend having a paying job during that time. Even if it is part time.

 

[Deleted member 737595]

Honestly, a year is a long time to just 'bulk up on EC's,' but that's just my view. If you have high GPA and MCAT (>3.7 and > 513), as long as you have the boxes checked you have a good chance of gaining some interviews. If you have really low hours of your volunteering activities or basically none (< 50), then maybe it would be good idea for a gap year.

But don't take a gap year thinking it will be all fun and games. A year is a long to be bulking up an application. If for some reason you want to go into academic medicine, then you probably need good research experience and commendable clinical, non-clinical experience.

Unless we get specifics, its hard to tell. That's what I'm basically saying.

 

[2019App]

Yes. You indicate your plans for your gap year. I highly recommend having a paying job during that time. Even if it is part time.

Thank you!

 

[bbdylan87]

Honestly, a year is a long time to just 'bulk up on EC's,' but that's just my view. If you have high GPA and MCAT (>3.7 and > 513), as long as you have the boxes checked you have a good chance of gaining some interviews. If you have really low hours of your volunteering activities or basically none (< 50), then maybe it would be good idea for a gap year.

But don't take a gap year thinking it will be all fun and games. A year is a long to be bulking up an application. If for some reason you want to go into academic medicine, then you probably need good research experience and commendable clinical, non-clinical experience.

Unless we get specifics, its hard to tell. That's what I'm basically saying.

I only ask because I have a lot of things going against me at the moment. I spent 2 years in community college where I took most of my pre-med requirements, I will be applying early July due to the quarter system, and while I do have all the box-checking activities in addition to more activities, I don't want to appear as a "box checker"

 

[Dagrimsta1]

Dont worry about taking a gap year. Do something productive and you’ll be fine. Take the time to grow and think about if you really wanna do medicine. Get more exposure while at the same time doing something completely opposite to make yourself more well rounded.

 

[FutureSurgical]

I'm in my second gap year and I am so happy I took time off. The primary reason I went in wasn't favorable (family issues,) but what I've gained from it is something I wouldn't ever take back if I could do it all over again. It really opened my eyes to the field of medicine--the good and bad--which validated my dreams to be a physician; rather than a PA, CRNA, NP, etc.