Graduating early a bad idea?

[mill2011]

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Hi all. I was wondering how this would look to potential schools.

I'm going into my senior year and I am taking all the classes I need this fall in order to graduate in December. During my semester off, I would like to get a job as a lab tech and maybe another random job to save some money to help out with living expenses the next year as well as take a histology class post-bacc. Is graduating early like this perceived negatively by adcoms? Or should I delay my graduation by picking up a minor?

 

[pvmed]

.

 

[tartrate]

You should stay in school long as possible, and still do the things you were planning to after you've graduated. You'll thank me after you get accepted.

 

[OMG Lizards]

Doing what you want to do will only help you. After all, it's much easier to do well in something if you enjoy it as well.
Spending some time in the real world and gaining expierence can only be looked on favorably.

 

[theVster]

Hi all. I was wondering how this would look to potential schools.

I'm going into my senior year and I am taking all the classes I need this fall in order to graduate in December. During my semester off, I would like to get a job as a lab tech and maybe another random job to save some money to help out with living expenses the next year as well as take a histology class post-bacc. Is graduating early like this perceived negatively by adcoms? Or should I delay my graduation by picking up a minor?

Negatively? Hell no. If anything it'll look better. I took my last semester off to do research, I don't regret it.

 

[softmed]

By taking the semester off to work in research you might be taking a risk.

Let me explain: Unless you have a job lined up before your graduation, it may be difficult to find one. Even with decent undergrad experience, most lab tech jobs either require a masters in a related field or 3-5 years of lab work experience. It's a pretty competitive market and in this employment climate it's difficult to find a tech position.

If you aren't able to get a job in that semester, it could make you look worse than if you'd simply spread your senior classes out across the full year. Instead take some science electives, or broaden your horizons with some non-science electives. That could make your application stronger too.

But assuming you can find a job, it may actually look good. Again, you're taking a chance.

 

[deleted202457]

I'd say just stay the extra semester and take fun classes and do research with school. No matter how much money you make it's not going to make that much of a difference in your total debt. Plus it may be hard to get started back going to school once you stop (seen some ppl have that problem).

 

[tartrate]

By taking the semester off to work in research you might be taking a risk.

Let me explain: Unless you have a job lined up before your graduation, it may be difficult to find one. Even with decent undergrad experience, most lab tech jobs either require a masters in a related field or 3-5 years of lab work experience. It's a pretty competitive market and in this employment climate it's difficult to find a tech position.

If you aren't able to get a job in that semester, it could make you look worse than if you'd simply spread your senior classes out across the full year. Instead take some science electives, or broaden your horizons with some non-science electives. That could make your application stronger too.

But assuming you can find a job, it may actually look good. Again, you're taking a chance.

Everything in this post is accurate and true. Make your decision carefully, and don't feel rushed or pressured to graduate early (I was, and I have regrets).

 

[betheltim]

You should stay in school long as possible, and still do the things you were planning to after you've graduated. You'll thank me after you get accepted.

Agreed! I stayed an extra year, actually, and I am so thankful I had that year to tie up loose ends and do some things I wasn't able to do when I was going full throttle. The only reason I would have ever left college early would have been money, and even then I'd just take another loan... Saving money isn't worth the loss in experience (strange, that's how it seems many people view medical school).

 

[TheLesPaul]

Disagree. There's no risk to having an "off" semester. I went to India and bummed around w/ my family for a few months, sight-saw, and did a whole lot of nothing. Even saying something as simple as "spending time with family" is worthwhile as long as its just a semester.

At this point, you should have already applied to schools, anyway.