Graduating Early?

[TTigers70]

Hey,

I have just completed my 1st year of undergrad and am currently taking summer classes to stay on pace (didn't want to overload myself first semester considering the big transition and whatnot). In about 3 weeks I'll be done with Bio I/II, Chem I/II (both with lab), and 1 semester of calculus out of my core classes. After next semester, I'll be a full semester ahead (will technically be a junior by credits rather than a second semester soph). If all goes according to plan, I'll be done with Orgo I/II , Physics I/II (both with labs) and a stat class for bio research. With that all said: Are there benefits or detriments to graduating early? I'd like the opportunity to work, travel, or do more research with the semester off but will have limited access to my advisors if I'm not around anymore. Thanks

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[witness23]

i graduated a year early. i don't think it helped me for med school purpose AT ALL. in hindsight, I would have stayed that extra year. even if you graduate early, make sure you make the most out of your college experience. connect with people and learn about yourself. one of the last few chances to be in a situation where you are allowed to **** up here and there.

I'm just talking to myself here, but I said I graduated early for financial reasons. If that was truly the case, I should have transferred schools to a place that offered me a full ride.

 

[Quester]

Do you HAVE to graduate early if you already completed 120 hours of courses, or can you keep taking extra courses until your original anticipated graduation month/year?

 

[bluesmd]

i graduated only a quarter early and it has been great! i already have had 2 months off and have another 3 months to go. i have done a lot of hiking/camping/kayaking which i didn't do much of in college. i am currently in asia working at a bakery/afternoon tea place. i also am kayaking/surfing/sailing and doing lots of other stuff at the beach.i will soon be going on a trip to Europe for the first time and will hopefully get to do some more camping there too.

 

[TTigers70]

I don't think my university would stop taking my money but it is a sort of personal preference. For one, it would be nice financially especially considering I've already paid more for summer classes. I just am considering it as I will have more time to travel and work before starting med school. What would be bad about graduating early other than the the fear that I'm not enjoying my college years?

 

[sportsfreak]

I am graduating early as well..actually this august...just make sure that your gpa doesn't suffer because of early graduation...I think as long as you do all the activities on the side as well there shouldn't be any negative impact, but not much positive impact except the money either

 

[zerial]

I think by not graduating early, you can maximize your GPA while being involved in a lot of extracurriculars/research over a period of years, which I believe would be better than shifting some of that to full time during the time you gain later. You'd have a longer time to form relationships with your letter writers and more time during college to do something that makes you stand out.

 

[nicolesmine4sur]

I think you should take the regular 4 yr route. That way, like said in the other posts, you can keep your GPA high and you can do LOTS of EC's. I'm applying this year and I've been talking to my pre-health advisor, whom WAS an adcom for a top 10 school, and he says that my finishing in 3 yrs is going to be the weakness in my application. Because think about it, there are alot of people that take a year or two off AFTER undergrad to boost their application, which means, I will be at a disadvantage because they had about 4-5 yrs to do EC's, while I only had 2yrs.

In retrospect, I think I should've done the 4 yr route, but I'm not gonna stop now, because I'm the type of person where once I stop, I get lazy and don't want to do anything anymore hahaha besides, I think the reason why I wanted to finish early was because I wanted to test my limits. I see my friends doing it and getting into a top 10 med school, so then I'm like "im just as smart as them, I'm gonna do this too!" hahaha Now, my pride just screwed me over hahaha

Unless you can cram 3 yrs worth of EC's into 2yrs while maintaining a strong GPA, then go for it! you get an extra year of your life and you save money!

 

[MSU2012]

The OP is thinking about finishing a semester early, not a year. So 3 1/2 years puts you right on track to apply with those graduating in 4...so no real difference there. The only thing I would worry about is if you apply the summer after your junior year, be sure to schedule any travel plans around potential interviews.

 

[tiedyeddog]

I am graduating early just so I can start work/travel sooner before medical school... I don't expect it to help at all.

 

[SnarkyMD]

Take your time. You have med school to work yourself to death. Enjoy this time and maintain your sanity. My 4th year of undergrad was one of my favorite times in my life - I was applying to med schools and not overstressed, and I got to take some really interesting classes that made me a better person rather than just another pre-med robot.

 

[med17]

Take your time. You have med school to work yourself to death. Enjoy this time and maintain your sanity. My 4th year of undergrad was one of my favorite times in my life - I was applying to med schools and not overstressed, and I got to take some really interesting classes that made me a better person rather than just another pre-med robot.

so its okay in terms of admissions, to have easier course load senior year?

 

[tiedyeddog]

so its okay in terms of admissions, to have easier course load senior year?

As long as you are full time no one cares. They won't look at each semesters course load and remark "wow, what a took schedule!".

However, if you apply at the end of your junior year then it won't matter how many hours you take your senior year as long as you graduate while covering all the prereqs for each school.

 

[cudoc2014]

Being in your situation, here is the best advice you will ever hear:

First, take your organic, physics, bio, and chem early so you can take the MCAT a summer earlier than the one you will apply. I am currently applying for the 2014 class, but I don't have to worry about studying for or taking the MCAT because I took it last summer. I already submitted my AMCAS, so now I get to just enjoy the rest of the summer. All of my other colleagues are worried about taking the test, getting their scores back, and then submitting their application.

Graduate a semester early, in 3 1/2 years. Most med students wished they had a break before entering med school anyway. If you graduate a semester early, you get 8 months off, and you will still be on track to enter medical school at the most ideal time. I am still living in the spring where I went to undergrad. I still get to hang out with everybody, except for I dont have any classes!

Med schools don't care if you have 30 extra hours, all they care about is if you have a bachelors degree. Don't overload yourself with classes just to impress the adcom committee. Have fun during your undergrad years, and just do enough to get the grades.

 

[USCguy]

Being in your situation, here is the best advice you will ever hear:

First, take your organic, physics, bio, and chem early so you can take the MCAT a summer earlier than the one you will apply. I am currently applying for the 2014 class, but I don't have to worry about studying for or taking the MCAT because I took it last summer. I already submitted my AMCAS, so now I get to just enjoy the rest of the summer. All of my other colleagues are worried about taking the test, getting their scores back, and then submitting their application.

Graduate a semester early, in 3 1/2 years. Most med students wished they had a break before entering med school anyway. If you graduate a semester early, you get 8 months off, and you will still be on track to enter medical school at the most ideal time. I am still living in the spring where I went to undergrad. I still get to hang out with everybody, except for I dont have any classes!

Med schools don't care if you have 30 extra hours, all they care about is if you have a bachelors degree. Don't overload yourself with classes just to impress the adcom committee. Have fun during your undergrad years, and just do enough to get the grades.

I have to say that at first I was thinking, "this person is still premed, what the heck do they know about time off before med school." But after reading what you wrote, I have to agree 100%.

My plan from the beginning of college was to graduate in 3 1/2 years. Personally, I'm really glad that I took that final semester off. I didn't do any traveling/camping/etc with my time off and it was still awesome. I worked in a pet store for a few months before I landed a job in a doctor's office. The pet store job was part time (~30 hrs/week); and the doctor office job was ~45 hours/week. I loved both jobs, especially the doctor's office job. I was very comfortable doing patient histories by the time school started and excited about my future in medicine. I was also very UNburned out on school, so starting up school again wasn't a drag. 8 months off before starting school is the perfect amount of time in my opinion.

Edit: Apply as early as possible so that hopefully you will have your acceptance by the time you graduate. Then you just enjoy the next 8 months. In many ways, the best part of it all is between your acceptance and the first day.

I did get married the summer before school started, so I guess I did take one vacation.