Graduating Early

[thehappydoctor]

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Hey Guys and gals,

so im thinking of graduating early from undergrad ( a year or a semester early depending on how scheduling works out) and i wanted to know other's experience with this. If anyone else has graduated early and applied to medical school, what was your undergraduate experience like? did the heavy course load affect your gpa? did medical schools mention this in interviews? what did you do with the "extra"time you had? any basically, im looking for whatever advice i can get. Thanks in advance!

 

[MicroSteph]

I didn't know I would be applying to med school when I graduated early, but in retrospect, it allowed me to get some real life experiences sooner than my peers, it saved me a lot of money, and I was able to find a job that related to health care. I can't speak to the interview part, but as far as gaining significant experience and saving money, I was really glad I graduated early.

 

[tennis1234]

I was thinking about graduating early during my sophomore year. Ultimately, I decided against it.

You only have 4 years of college, and freshman/senior years are the best. I thought of it this way: when I'm 60 something, if I could, would I pay $150,000 for a senior year at college? To have to body of a 22 year old and to go out and party with my friends? Probably, because $150,000 doesn't really matter at that age. Experiences are what define you. Sure you'll have another year of helping people as a doctor, but your time as a youth is relatively short. Enjoy it while you can 🙂

 

[quiltlady]

Unless you are doing it just to save money, take the extra semester to study abroad. If you do graduate early, still travel/live abroad. You won't get the chance once you start med school and rushing into grad school can lead to burn-out. Adcoms aren't impressed with the fact you graduated in 3 years, it just means you have fewer experiences than those who took 4 years.

 

[mvenus929]

Unless you are doing it just to save money, take the extra semester to study abroad. If you do graduate early, still travel/live abroad. You won't get the chance once you start med school and rushing into grad school can lead to burn-out. Adcoms aren't impressed with the fact you graduated in 3 years, it just means you have fewer experiences than those who took 4 years.

As someone who has been out of the country 3 times since medical school started 2 years ago, I disagree that you don't get the change to travel once you start med school. Many (if not most) schools have rotations that you can do in various countries abroad.

However, I still endorse the idea of traveling or living abroad. Don't apply during your last year if you graduate early... take the time to do something, whether it be work full time (I'm continually surprised how different those who worked and those who didn't work are in terms of personality and dedication to something).

 

[bigdogrob4284]

If your a traditional student with respect to age, I would not try to graduate early. But if your a little older, go for it.

 

[AdrianVeidt]

If your a traditional student with respect to age, I would not try to graduate early. But if your a little older, go for it.

I'm curious as to the reasoning for this.

 

[Euxox]

I'm curious as to the reasoning for this.

Med school admissions committees would think you are too young. One or two years can mean a huge difference in maturity amongst people in their early twenties.

 

[BigBlueBear]

I believe LizzyM mentioned something about 3-year graduates being at a disadvantage to 4-year graduates. Don't remember what her reasons were though, but if she says it it's true 🙂

 

[IncognitoGuy]

Why do you want to do so? If you apply as that, chances are it'll come up during an interview.

 

[AdrianVeidt]

Med school admissions committees would think you are too young. One or two years can mean a huge difference in maturity amongst people in their early twenties.

1. Your first point is extremely broad and not possible to encompass all admissions.
2. No it doesn't. You're just as immature at 20 as you are at 21 (probably more immature at 21 because of the ability to legally drink). You're just as immature at 23 than at 25. Two years doesn't change anything.

 

[Euxox]

You're just as immature at 23 than at 25. Two years doesn't change anything.

I can't speak for everyone, but me two years ago and me now are two entirely different people. I don't think I would have been ready for the rigorous schedule of medical school two years ago.

 

[collegestud2013]

Why do you want to do so? If you apply as that, chances are it'll come up during an interview.

Some possible advantages in general:

1) Save a ton of tuition money (especially those on little FA or those taking out lots of loans).
2) Enter med school a year earlier than most your peers, OR take the extra year to get a job or engage in other ECs full time while still matriculating to med school at the same time as your peers that get into med school after 4 years of undergrad.
3) You don't really like the undergrad institution you are at and would rather spend less time there.
4) And if you choose the first option in #2, you can start your career and start making money earlier than most of your peers. Medical education and training is a long process so it can be a good idea to shorten it whenever possible.

 

[BigBlueBear]

2. No it doesn't. You're just as immature at 20 as you are at 21 (probably more immature at 21 because of the ability to legally drink). You're just as immature at 23 than at 25. Two years doesn't change anything.

Uhh...you must not have seen the several studies that show the brain is much more developed and we are much more mature at 21 than we are at 18. That's pretty much the main argument for keeping the drinking age at 21...

It might not seem like much. But I trust science over my own observations anyday 🙂

 

[ShenanigansMD]

In the long run, it's just one year. Waste it on your youth in undergrad.

 

[tn4596]

One of my interviewers was rather impressed that I graduated in 3 years. I am taking a year off though, ( and I would take it even if I did the full 4 years). For me 3 years of undergrads were enough, it was getting stale anyway. Like other have said, you saved tons of money and I think one good thing is that I have a very lax schedule now. I dont have a lot of commitments so when interviews comes, it is easier to prepare for them.
I mean, if you enjoy college that much, why not just finish ur degree, then find a job near your college campus and enjoy ur gap year there. All the fun minus all the schoolworks lol
If you do plan to graduate in 3 yrs, do plan ahead schedules for every semester, take it to the advisors and especially upperclassmen to see what they say. Take the advices with a grain of salt however, one of my advisor say that my plan was rather unorthodox but I did just fine.
About the workload, it really depend if you already have the extra work/credits or not. If not you can squeeze in a lot of classes in summer but I would rather do some ECs if I was you. Dont take too many classes because your priority is still getting the As.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[tn4596]

double

 

[AdrianVeidt]

I can't speak for everyone, but me two years ago and me now are two entirely different people. I don't think I would have been ready for the rigorous schedule of medical school two years ago.

Maturity is indeed individual and varies dramatically from person to person, but if someone has done well enough in college to get a medical school interview at the age of say 20, I doubt they are less mature than someone who did it at 22. Hell, people who finish college in less than 4 years or if they start a year early, I'd say that they are extremely mature.

Uhh...you must not have seen the several studies that show the brain is much more developed and we are much more mature at 21 than we are at 18. That's pretty much the main argument for keeping the drinking age at 21...

It might not seem like much. But I trust science over my own observations anyday 🙂

Oh I have, and to be specific it's not the entire brain it's the prefrontal cortex. You must have missed the part of my post where I said that there's no difference between 2 years in terms of people in their early twenties because you just mentioned a 3 year gap between late teens and early twenties. As for the drinking age, no it isn't kept at 21 because of science, it's kept at 21 because (1) legislation to change it would be entirely too difficult to pass, (2) give kids more time to understand the dangers of driving and most importantly (3) because people hate changing things. If the science was a factor then people wouldn't be allowed to smoke, gamble or get married at 18 (even younger in some states). If you're 18, I'd say gambling away your inheritance is worse than drinking a few beers.

Also you really should value your own intuition and observations. What is scientifically significant and what is relevant to human society are many many many times different. Science cannot explain human behavior because humans are entirely too unpredictable. Like the other guy said, it's all individual when it comes to maturity. I'd be willing to bet that kids of tiger moms are more mature at the age of 10 than many people are at the age of 25.

 

[mtremblay]

I'm graduating this semester (1 semester early). For me it came down to the fact that I would save a whole semester's tuition. I already had all my credits done so there was no point in staying for an extra semester. I have a job as a scribe close to my university so I'm still going to live here and party as much as I can...if not more than I could've with a full course load. I might even have time to finally get my diving license and go dive somewhere!!

 

[MaxillofacialMN]

I'm graduating this semester (1 semester early). For me it came down to the fact that I would save a whole semester's tuition. I already had all my credits done so there was no point in staying for an extra semester. I have a job as a scribe close to my university so I'm still going to live here and party as much as I can...if not more than I could've with a full course load. I might even have time to finally get my diving license and go dive somewhere!!

I'm tossing this idea around too... I've filled out all the paperwork to graduate in december, but I just need to think if saving ~10k is worth not having a senior spring... I really wouldn't take meaningful classes in the spring, and I just can't seem to validate the cost... I'd probably just work or travel somewhere for a while....

 

[mtremblay]

I'm tossing this idea around too... I've filled out all the paperwork to graduate in december, but I just need to think if saving ~10k is worth not having a senior spring... I really wouldn't take meaningful classes in the spring, and I just can't seem to validate the cost... I'd probably just work or travel somewhere for a while....

You can still have a senior spring. If you find work close to campus you can stay there and do everything seniors do but work instead of attending classes. I really can't see myself spending money for another semester if I can both make money and party with my friends at the same time!

 

[mvenus929]

1. Your first point is extremely broad and not possible to encompass all admissions.
2. No it doesn't. You're just as immature at 20 as you are at 21 (probably more immature at 21 because of the ability to legally drink). You're just as immature at 23 than at 25. Two years doesn't change anything.

Maturity is indeed individual and varies dramatically from person to person, but if someone has done well enough in college to get a medical school interview at the age of say 20, I doubt they are less mature than someone who did it at 22. Hell, people who finish college in less than 4 years or if they start a year early, I'd say that they are extremely mature.

I used to agree with you. I graduated in 3 years, and thought I was the most mature person in the world (far more mature than many people older than me, at any rate). But, I took two years off before starting medical school, and changed so much in those two years.

Obviously, it varies from person to person. That's why we have an interview process, rather than a 'we won't accept those under the age of ___' statement. But I'd argue that someone on a traditional track (high school --> college --> medical school) will be much more mature and aware of the world if they take a year off between high school and college or college and med school in order to work full time. There's a difference between being gifted enough to finish college early and being able to function in the world.

 

[vokuf]

I graduated from college in 3 years because I came in as a sophomore with college units. But I'm taking a year off to learn to surf and I've been traveling across the coast of California

 

[AdrianVeidt]

I used to agree with you. I graduated in 3 years, and thought I was the most mature person in the world (far more mature than many people older than me, at any rate). But, I took two years off before starting medical school, and changed so much in those two years.

Obviously, it varies from person to person. That's why we have an interview process, rather than a 'we won't accept those under the age of ___' statement. But I'd argue that someone on a traditional track (high school --> college --> medical school) will be much more mature and aware of the world if they take a year off between high school and college or college and med school in order to work full time. There's a difference between being gifted enough to finish college early and being able to function in the world.

That's a pretty good case for taking gap years (I'm taking one but it's so I can get a job, save some money and get a better car) but I'm under the assumption that we're talking more about say someone who starts college at 17, graduates at 20 and enters medical school at 20 compared with someone who starts college at 18, graduates at 22 and enters med school at 22. I don't believe there will be a major difference in those two people, but I certainly believe that exposure to the real world i.e. having a real job can mature people (especially financially).