How much time off is too much?

Started by Dictionaria
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You don't have to retake the classes at the same university you took them the first time. I think the best thing for you to do would be to find (ideally) another 4 year university to retake the classes (just make sure if it's gen bio 1 at your school, you take gen bio 1 at the new school-same number of credit hours is a must), or find a community college (less desirable, but still ok) to retake the classes at. No amount of time between school and med school is going to forgive a bad gpa. Your best bet is to retake them in a year off and take the MCAT and apply. I'm sure time in the military would look good on an application, and if you would do it even if you had a 3.8 gpa then I say go for it, but it isn't going to forgive a 2.7 science gpa. You really have to get that over a 3.0.
 
I don't really know to much about time commitment about military or what "OCS" is... so don't do it if it will require you to be out of school for a while. If you do well on the MCATs you might get in and you won't have to take a year off. Try to take some upper level classes to boost your GPA or do a post-bacc, if you do well it will balance you out (presuming you do well on the MCAT). Good luck to ya
 
Dictionaria said:
They did improve, just not as immediately or dramatically as I would have liked. Admittedly, the worst effects were on their way. I got out early, but all of the pre-med and pre-vet students who stayed in for another year (stuck because of scholarships) appear to be flunking their core science courses.
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As the MSIV CDT BN CDR, who was recently accepted to med school nothing in your post about ROTC time commitment could be farther from the truth.

I am a DMG and know for fact that ROTC fosters good grades and bends over backwards to help all pre-health students.

And as a freshmen or sophomore your time commitment is minimal. You apparently need to learn time management. ROTC is not to blame.
 
One thing I learned after undergrad is that I needed to stop blaming others for my poor grades. Own that sht. Realize its your issue and you can change it and overcome it. I went from a 2.45 undergrad to a 3.75 in grad school to solid med school grades once I realized this.

That being said I took 4 years off after undergrad. Nobody cares. Hell it makes you way more interesting than the average run of the mill applicant...as long as you are making proper use of that time. I worked full time as a clinical lab technologist in multiple hospitals and got a masters. If you just sit around doing BS for several years its not going to change you, and its not going to make you a better applicant in anyones eyes.

Time off doesnt matter...its what you do with it that matters.
 
Dictionaria said:
Unfortunately, ROTC is something that varies greatly from university to university with leadership.
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No, that is simply not true. I have been in the Army for over 6 years now, and I am well aware of the federal laws that mandate and dictate EXACTLY what the standard is across all units, be it an ROTC batallion or a National Guard infantry unit.

Congress tells TRADOC who tells USAAC who tells USACC what the standard is.

Time to take ownership of this one, and I am not going to let you badmouth ROTC on this forum because it has been a very good thing for me and many, many other soldiers.
 
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