High Paying Gap Year Job

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bluedevski1992

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Any suggestions? Money is one of my top priorities, as I need to pay for my own living expenses and hopefully save a little for med school. Wouldn't be opposed to a job leaning more finance/administration, but have no idea how to go about finding these or if I'm remotely qualified. Also would like to do research in industry, but also haven't been able to find any. I go to a top 10 and have a 3.8, for whatever it's worth.

Any suggestions about what jobs or how to find such jobs would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!

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You are very unlikely to find work that pays well for a single year. If you know how to code, you may be able to land a software engineering position...but I don't know if they will require an X year contract. Also, what is "pays well"?

Stripping? Call girl/boy? Burlesque?
 
Lol if daddy and mommy can't find you a job or you aren't a graduate from a top business school, it would be a good idea to start realizing high pay gap year job probably won't happen.
 
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Can't code, unfortunately. I should have said "highest in my situation" as opposed to high. I realize I am not going to get into investment banking/management consulting with a bio degree and no work experience. I am asking instead if anyone knows about other jobs, as I know literally nothing and don't know anyone else personally that's in my situation.
 
Lots of people make bank off tips in food service. There's nothing wrong with that if money is the biggest factor. However, is this the gap year prior to application, or following? What is your major?

EDIT: Biology degree, I see. There's not a whole lot you can do with that, I'm afraid. I still like the idea of waiting tables at olive garden or something.
 
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The Biology degree isn't going to do anything for you. You should be thinking about what other assets you have. If you are young and attractive, I'd go with bartender at an upscale club. If you are fit and not afraid of manual labor, you could make a killing doing landscaping work over the summer.
 
Temp contract forklift driver, $12-15/hour.

You're unlikely to get a professional job for 1 year that is going to put up with the time off you need for interviewing. If you don't mind unsteady work, there are more options. Freelance tutoring for high school students, college students, MCAT, etc., but I wouldn't expect to piece together a 40 hour work week.
 
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Bio degree and no work experience does not equal any job, let alone high paying..
 
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Any suggestions? Money is one of my top priorities, as I need to pay for my own living expenses and hopefully save a little for med school. Wouldn't be opposed to a job leaning more finance/administration, but have no idea how to go about finding these or if I'm remotely qualified. Also would like to do research in industry, but also haven't been able to find any. I go to a top 10 and have a 3.8, for whatever it's worth.

Any suggestions about what jobs or how to find such jobs would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!


I'm in the same boat as you. I'm headed to an interview right now to be a barista at a small cafe downtown. It's nothing special but it'll pay the dues for the next year as I am also paying for my living expenses.

Craigslist has been awfully good to me this past month. Try it out!
 
MCAT instructor maybe? Certainly not high paying, but it keeps you in an academic setting and pays you something.
 
MCAT instructor maybe? Certainly not high paying, but it keeps you in an academic setting and pays you something.
90th percentile score needed for any reputable company; not an option for everybody.
 
90th percentile score needed for any reputable company; not an option for everybody.

Ya, I was had just finished checking a Kaplan listing on Craigslist. 90% and above is a 33 and above if I'm not mistaken. Also, if you don't have the scores, you can take an entrance exam according to their website (a sort of MCAT-like test).
 
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Can't code, unfortunately. I should have said "highest in my situation" as opposed to high. I realize I am not going to get into investment banking/management consulting with a bio degree and no work experience. I am asking instead if anyone knows about other jobs, as I know literally nothing and don't know anyone else personally that's in my situation.
A girl from my school was a bio major, did lab research during her summers and had no real finance/ business experience but then decided to apply for a consulting job for her gap years just to do something different. She ended up working for one of the big 3 consulting firms (McKinsey, Bain, BCG) and now she's going to medical school (top 20) this coming year so it's possible, just very unlikely lol. She did say scheduling interviews when she wasn't "on the beach" (in between studies/cases) was a freakin nightmare though.
 
Thanks so much for the feedback guys, been very helpful. I see that the spectrum of responses has ranges from you won't get a job to a top tier consulting firm. Few things..

Bartending/tutoring jobs, definitely a possibility.

I actually have a full time offer already in NYC, but it pays 35k and I don't think I'll be able to survive on that amount.

I got a 34 on the MCAT...would that be sufficient for tutoring? I honestly have forgotten most of the stuff by now.

Neilpryde, did you go to an incredible school/did she have an incredible GPA? That is no easy accomplishment.
 
I actually have a full time offer already in NYC, but it pays 35k and I don't think I'll be able to survive on that amount.
:rolleyes: :sour: *cue something about clueless premed seriously needing reality check*

You're looking to beat 35k with your background of no work experience? There are public policy majors with real, marketable skills and experience fighting their way to a similar paycheck on the Hill or at NGOs and flailing. Unless the job is something you'll abhor doing, take it and run; find a part-time duty like tutoring (if you like teaching) to make up for what you need. There are ways to get by in New York with that income.

Just move out of Manhattan, and get a serious grip on what real life outside of school is like.
 
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Seriously, 'unable to survive' on $35k?
You might not get far in your savings, but if you can't survive on $35k, I'd work on living on a budget, as you will need that skill for the next 8yrs or so.

I cheated and decided to stay with family to save money, but in exchange I dedicated the entirety of 1 of my paychecks (which works out to about what I would otherwise pay in rent) to building up savings. I'm stuck in this area, but in exchange I get savings and the ability to stay with the very flexible schedule I have.

The way you save up money, if that is your goal, or make extra, is...work more. Get a part time job, a weekend job, an evenings job. Do what you need to do to reach your goals. But $35k for no experience is not a bad deal.
 
Okay, good to get your guys opinions. I am actually pretty good about managing my money, but I have a slightly skewed sense of what is a normal paycheck for college grads in NYC because the several people I know have high paying jobs and have told me I won't be able to manage with 35k (literally laughed at me). As I have never legitimately needed to pay for 100% of my life, I was uninformed and took what they said as truth.

This makes me reconsider taking this job.
 
@bluedevski1992 actually, no those people are probably about right about 35K being low for NYC. Cost of living is INSANE. You can survive, but you won't thrive on 35K in NYC like you would in a smaller city. Not to say that 35K is "nothing" but location makes a huge difference. Look into rent and other costs of living. Are you applying this year also on that salary? Look into those costs as well.

That said, tutoring is a wonderful side gig, especially in places where people are willing to pay lots of money for people with college degrees to help their kids pass high school science and math classes.
 
90th percentile score needed for any reputable company; not an option for everybody.
Might as well consider studying for the MCAT during your gap year. Considering that applications are becoming increasingly competitive anything below 90 percentile is a no go.
 
Okay, good to get your guys opinions. I am actually pretty good about managing my money, but I have a slightly skewed sense of what is a normal paycheck for college grads in NYC because the several people I know have high paying jobs and have told me I won't be able to manage with 35k (literally laughed at me). As I have never legitimately needed to pay for 100% of my life, I was uninformed and took what they said as truth.

This makes me reconsider taking this job.
Oh, those people. There's a word for those who laugh at others based on the number they bring in from their work. They're called snobs. Newsflash: there are snobs in New York. (I grew up with a whole bunch of them in Long Island, so trust me.) Also worked with a whole bunch of them – I took a year off from college to work as an analyst at a Big 3, and accepted the $42k since I was young (college grad analysts get $65k starting). Lived very comfortably in Washington Heights, could've saved even more if I went across the river to Queens/Brooklyn. If you're a guy, learn to f*cking cook. You won't be able to buy the $9 lunches every day for work.

Don't get me wrong, though. Living on 35k + supplementary stuff from whatever else you decide to do is not going to an easy feat. You will likely not be able to join in with your friends in the city for drinks every weekend and hit up clubs and fancy restaurants that Manhattan is so fetishized for. (And forget the hookers unless you REALLY save up or go to massage parlors. :naughty:) However, if you make yourself a niche in Queens/Brooklyn, you can enjoy [what I consider to be] the better parts of NYC and still have a great experience.
 
Might as well consider studying for the MCAT during your gap year. Considering that applications are becoming increasingly competitive anything below 90 percentile is a no go.
OP has a 34, so that doesn't apply.
 
Ya, I was had just finished checking a Kaplan listing on Craigslist. 90% and above is a 33 and above if I'm not mistaken. Also, if you don't have the scores, you can take an entrance exam according to their website (a sort of MCAT-like test).

I got a 34 on the MCAT...would that be sufficient for tutoring? I honestly have forgotten most of the stuff by now.

In the process of applying to Kaplan, submitted audition recently. They wanted a 90% on the MCAT (which is a 33) AND 90% on EACH section (which equals a 12/11/12). This must be on an official test; they apparently only offer testing for people who scored 90% several years ago. When I showed them my 12/12/11 they asked to see multiple official AAMC practice tests on which I had scored 12+ on BS, which thankfully I had. I doubt I would have been asked to audition had I scored an 11/11/11.

Also considering applying to TPR or EK. I'm fairly confident I'll get one of them, so I'll keep you guys updated.

Ideally I'll find some private VR tutoring gigs, if people get tutoring in just VR (no idea).
 
If your goal is a $35k/year job, why don't you move to some rinky dink town with low COL. You can make $35k/year anywhere.
 
If your goal is a $35k/year job, why don't you move to some rinky dink town with low COL. You can make $35k/year anywhere.

Yeah, no question about it. There are some personal reasons to why I should live in or around NYC, though (outside of personal desire).
 
I work for TPR as an instructor (when I started I had a 33 mcat, but when I retook it after months of working with tests all the time it went to a 37, so added bonus of working there). Each company is a bit different in how they approach MCAT teaching qualifications. Initially I qualified only to teach physical sciences and verbal. As for getting the job... I just showed up one day and bugged them about it.

Also, you can do cross training pretty easily (I teach GRE and ACT now) so it's an interesting option. I tutor/teach nights so I can work a second job as well. So... options.
 
I am finishing my gap year and do clinical research at a VA hospital and make 35k. They were also immensely flexible with the 10 interviews I had- government is pretty cushy and I could have easily bartended in the evenings on top of it if money was the goal.
 
I am finishing my gap year and do clinical research at a VA hospital and make 35k. They were also immensely flexible with the 10 interviews I had- government is pretty cushy and I could have easily bartended in the evenings on top of it if money was the goal.

Last time I checked, peeps at the VA were known for not working
 
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You graduated from a top ten school. One of the perks of going to those schools is that you can get a job outside healthcare much easier than most. You also have a good GPA. Apply to a bunch, you're gonna be fine
 
You graduated from a top ten school. One of the perks of going to those schools is that you can get a job outside healthcare much easier than most. You also have a good GPA. Apply to a bunch, you're gonna be fine

... and one of the things OP said was that he has no work experience, and one thing employers love is no work experience!
 
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Forgot to include that I did 3 months of biotech research over last summer. Not that that would help me immensely with consulting positions...
 
Bio degrees are hard. There is always the option of getting two jobs, one for the resume and another for additional pay. For example lab tech during the day and something else at night. I've a friend who made good money as a promotor for clubs
 
... and one of the things OP said was that he has no work experience, and one thing employers love is no work experience!

Yeah if OP was a handful of years out of undergrad in this position, then that would be a problem. Not everyone in undergrad has work experience. Some people are studying, volunteering, doing research, etc. I don't know how high paying of a job OP can get with no work experience, but with a degree from a top 10 and a good GPA, a job is secureable.
 
Don't know why no one has suggested yet but why don't you tutor? Some college students pay crazy much especially for help with Chemistry. Also, many rich parents hire science tutors for their high schoolers who they are trying to push into medicine :D
 
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Don't know why no one has suggested yet but why don't you tutor? Some college students pay crazy much especially for help with Chemistry. Also, many rich parents hire science tutors for their high schoolers who they are trying to push into medicine :D
People have suggested both MCAT and high school tutoring. I definitely plan on pursuing tutoring as a part time job if I take a job where I work 40h/week or less.
 
Lots of people make bank off tips in food service. There's nothing wrong with that if money is the biggest factor. However, is this the gap year prior to application, or following? What is your major?

EDIT: Biology degree, I see. There's not a whole lot you can do with that, I'm afraid. I still like the idea of waiting tables at olive garden or something.

90% of wait staff make 0 dollars. I've noticed that waiters/waitresses always seem to give me their best week night as their "average" night. I think it's because they get no respect that they feel like they have to act like they actually make all this money so they are the last ones laughing or whatever.
 
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The Biology degree isn't going to do anything for you. You should be thinking about what other assets you have. If you are young and attractive, I'd go with bartender at an upscale club. If you are fit and not afraid of manual labor, you could make a killing doing landscaping work over the summer.

Oh yah, maybe in 1995 you could "make a killing" in landscaping. Hello, have you been alive for the last 20 years? Landscaping companies still charge a ton, but they've "in-sourced" a new labor pool that is willing to work for 5 dollars an hour. Good look competing with that!
 
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Well I was in your situation one year ago. Bio degree and no work experience. I applied to hundreds of job ads and I landed a couple of interviews. Only one place hired me. It was a daycare. lol So i made $8/hour in a 40 hour work week and spent it all in traveling/vacations ( i live with my parents). It was a great experience and completely unrelated to my major lol
 
Waitress in some high end resort town. Work insane hours, collect amazing tips. My buddy made $12,000 in 6 weeks!
 
What do you think your chances are? I think it's worth taking a lower paying job that will build your application in case you need to re-apply. I say this as a non-trad who makes a good salary -- I've always made decisions to prioritize money and I think it's held me back in the long run, since I'm starting fresh with medicine!

If you wanted to work in San Francisco, I hire bio degrees as entry level contractors doing research on tech companies! :)

Haha thanks. Appreciate the offer/advice. Gotta stay in NYC though.
 
Waitress in some high end resort town. Work insane hours, collect amazing tips. My buddy made $12,000 in 6 weeks!

But that has to be seasonal. That's 96K per year, and if they were really pulling that much down, the competition to get that job would be worse than med school, in the sense that ever waiter in America would be vying for that job. -- as I said above, wait staff only ever give their best amount over whatever period, rather than what they actually make in a year.
 
What do you think your chances are? I think it's worth taking a lower paying job that will build your application in case you need to re-apply. I say this as a non-trad who makes a good salary -- I've always made decisions to prioritize money and I think it's held me back in the long run, since I'm starting fresh with medicine!

If you wanted to work in San Francisco, I hire bio degrees as entry level contractors doing research on tech companies! :)
I agree -- you should do something medical related... you'll have a lot to talk about in interviews.
 
Depending on where you live, manual labor. I installed fences for $20/hr for 12 hours a day. However, this is seasonal work unless you live in a warm region. It is very hard work, but you make a lot of money and get in good shape/tan.
 
What do you think your chances are? I think it's worth taking a lower paying job that will build your application in case you need to re-apply. I say this as a non-trad who makes a good salary -- I've always made decisions to prioritize money and I think it's held me back in the long run, since I'm starting fresh with medicine!

Yep. Thats what I did. Took a ~35k clinical research job at a big hospital over a ~55-70k as a chemist (not at a bio/med company, but physical organic) one year out of undergrad. Don't really regret it. The application process was tough, and without that job in a hospital setting, etc I would have not been able to present myself as a strong applicant. Also, that gave me a lot to talk about in terms of clinical experience, shadowing, complicated issues I saw, etc.

I also wouldn't have met my PI/mentor. She is amazing!
 
Any suggestions? Money is one of my top priorities, as I need to pay for my own living expenses and hopefully save a little for med school. Wouldn't be opposed to a job leaning more finance/administration, but have no idea how to go about finding these or if I'm remotely qualified. Also would like to do research in industry, but also haven't been able to find any. I go to a top 10 and have a 3.8, for whatever it's worth.

Any suggestions about what jobs or how to find such jobs would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!

I work for United Allergy Services doing allergy testing and allergy shots. They partner with physicians in their clinics and bring us in to open a mini-allergy clinic. I make $15/hr with free medical and it will likely go up to $16/hr after 90 days. full time
 
A girl from my school was a bio major, did lab research during her summers and had no real finance/ business experience but then decided to apply for a consulting job for her gap years just to do something different. She ended up working for one of the big 3 consulting firms (McKinsey, Bain, BCG) and now she's going to medical school (top 20) this coming year so it's possible, just very unlikely lol. She did say scheduling interviews when she wasn't "on the beach" (in between studies/cases) was a freakin nightmare though.

I am doing something similar, applying this cycle while working a high-powered business job (not big 3 tho). While deciding whether to take that job, I got two kinds of feedback: 1) "that'll be great business experience, something different to discuss in interviews" etc and 2) a very confused "why would you do that..."

My reasoning: I need to earn money from my current degree before going into more debt. I hope adcoms will be understanding. I'll keep volunteering at a local hospital throughout my gap year to keep myself sane. And I think business experience will eventually be a plus; hospitals are businesses, too. (part of my job decision: I am in a good place for gpa/mcat/ecs/volunteering/research)

OP, could always utilize connections from your top-20 school (that's what I did). It seems like some companies are less particular about what your degree is in when it has a big school name attached to it. When interviewing, you don't have to tell them you're looking for a short-term job... I worried about that for a while but was reassured that everyone in business has their own agenda, you don't have to be totally open about yours.

Hope someone in a similar situation finds this helpful!
 
Yep. Thats what I did. Took a ~35k clinical research job at a big hospital over a ~55-70k as a chemist (not at a bio/med company, but physical organic) one year out of undergrad. Don't really regret it. The application process was tough, and without that job in a hospital setting, etc I would have not been able to present myself as a strong applicant. Also, that gave me a lot to talk about in terms of clinical experience, shadowing, complicated issues I saw, etc.

I also wouldn't have met my PI/mentor. She is amazing!

I've been looking at hard science jobs with similar pay and almost all of them require phds, or at the least a masters. I agree with the sentiment that a higher intensity job would make the application process significantly more difficult.
 
I am doing something similar, applying this cycle while working a high-powered business job (not big 3 tho). While deciding whether to take that job, I got two kinds of feedback: 1) "that'll be great business experience, something different to discuss in interviews" etc and 2) a very confused "why would you do that..."

My reasoning: I need to earn money from my current degree before going into more debt. I hope adcoms will be understanding. I'll keep volunteering at a local hospital throughout my gap year to keep myself sane. And I think business experience will eventually be a plus; hospitals are businesses, too. (part of my job decision: I am in a good place for gpa/mcat/ecs/volunteering/research)

OP, could always utilize connections from your top-20 school (that's what I did). It seems like some companies are less particular about what your degree is in when it has a big school name attached to it. When interviewing, you don't have to tell them you're looking for a short-term job... I worried about that for a while but was reassured that everyone in business has their own agenda, you don't have to be totally open about yours.

Hope someone in a similar situation finds this helpful!

If you don't mind me asking, what sort of job are you working (Consulting, some form of banking, marketing?) and what was your past experience. I (maybe incorrectly) assume that you didn't have too much relevant work experience entering the job, are you finding that you need to overcompensate and do many things on your own time to get by, or are you performing just fine? Lastly, I know the application process hasn't begun in full force, but do you think that you will be able to have enough time and flexibility to effectively apply?

Thanks a lot for your response
 
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