How old are you?

[Bleg]

Someone asked for ages of those on this forum. Here's a handy poll to use.

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[Bleg]

bump

 

[Bleg]

Bump again. Looks like most of the "nontrads" in this forum are actually <30 years old. Sounds pretty traditional to me...

 

[Grey Wind]

traditional = high school to college, straight from college to med school without pursuing a different path for a while.

many sub 30's pursued different paths and deviated from the highschool-college-medschool straight go-through.

 

[vc7777]

I understand the OP's curiosity about age. However, if you do want to ask the question you should ask it like AMCAS asks: "What is your age at time of matriculation (expected or actual)". A 29 y/o may be just applying to his/her undergrad and expecting to start med school at 35 or 36.

Current age alone doesn't determine whether one is nontraditional. Yes, age is a convenient proxy for determining a person's nontraditional status. Note recent posts where folks (rightfully) consider themselves a nontrad b/c they studied something like the fine arts as an undergrad. Most - but not all of the time - this implies that they will have to take additional classes either as an undergrad or in post-bacc to master the basic premedical coursework. This often leads to them applying to medical school at an older age. But I think you have to be careful to equate age necessarily with being a nontrad.

Consider this: I could see a child prodigy graduating with a PhD at 15 (it happens) and working in a lab somewhere for 8 years with their PhD and THEN applying to medical school at the ripe old age of 23. Does his age preclude him/her from being considered nontraditional? I don't think that is traditional in any sense of the word! This would be an example where age doesn't determine how nontraditional a person is.

Remember, the forum has a tedious sounding, almost bumbling title "Non-traditional" - Not "Older Applicants" for a reason. I think in part there has been a conscious attempt to keep it from not being inclusive solely based on age.

 

[ArkansasRanger]

Bump again. Looks like most of the "nontrads" in this forum are actually <30 years old. Sounds pretty traditional to me...

Perhaps that's because the sub-30 crowd is more likely to use an internet forum.


I'm 28, finished college at 21, have worked since then, and yes that makes me non-traditional.

 

[SoftwareKevin]

Bump again. Looks like most of the "nontrads" in this forum are actually <30 years old. Sounds pretty traditional to me...

Just because you're under 30 doesn't mean you're traditional. I graduated @ 20 and have been working as a software engineer for the last 7 years. I never took chem, bio, or o-chem the first time around so I'm hardy traditional.

 

[sindadel]

Haha. Watch out non-trads. You have been judged! Anyone under 30 doesn't qualify for non-trad status...

 

[DrMidlife]

Mmmm, statistically relevant facts (see last table): http://www.aamc.org/data/facts/applicantmatriculant/table6-facts2009age-web.pdf

 

[mouthwash4hobo]

I'm 24 now, but I'll be applying when I'm 26.

 

[DrArete]

I understand the OP's curiosity about age. However, if you do want to ask the question you should ask it like AMCAS asks: "What is your age at time of matriculation (expected or actual)". A 29 y/o may be just applying to his/her undergrad and expecting to start med school at 35 or 36.

Current age alone doesn't determine whether one is nontraditional. Yes, age is a convenient proxy for determining a person's nontraditional status. Note recent posts where folks (rightfully) consider themselves a nontrad b/c they studied something like the fine arts as an undergrad. Most - but not all of the time - this implies that they will have to take additional classes either as an undergrad or in post-bacc to master the basic premedical coursework. This often leads to them applying to medical school at an older age. But I think you have to be careful to equate age necessarily with being a nontrad.

Consider this: I could see a child prodigy graduating with a PhD at 15 (it happens) and working in a lab somewhere for 8 years with their PhD and THEN applying to medical school at the ripe old age of 23. Does his age preclude him/her from being considered nontraditional? I don't think that is traditional in any sense of the word! This would be an example where age doesn't determine how nontraditional a person is.

Remember, the forum has a tedious sounding, almost bumbling title "Non-traditional" - Not "Older Applicants" for a reason. I think in part there has been a conscious attempt to keep it from not being inclusive solely based on age.

That is just silly. Try picking something besides 1 in a million hypotheticals to make your point.

 

[Bleg]

Just because you're under 30 doesn't mean you're traditional. I graduated @ 20 and have been working as a software engineer for the last 7 years. I never took chem, bio, or o-chem the first time around so I'm hardy traditional.

Good points, all. 30+ &#8658; nontraditional, but nontraditional &#8655; 30+.

Still, for an old guy like me, it's interesting to see how many <30s there are.

 

[MegaSpectacular]

Bump again. Looks like most of the "nontrads" in this forum are actually <30 years old. Sounds pretty traditional to me...

that statement sounds pretty ignorant to me.

 

[akinetopsia]

Bump again. Looks like most of the "nontrads" in this forum are actually <30 years old. Sounds pretty traditional to me...

I'll be 30 on May 2 if it makes you feel any better. I'll probably be 31 when I apply, 32 when I matriculate (hopefully).

 

[mnoon1]

I'm 24, started college right after high school but have taken it slow. 6 yrs later I am about to graduate. I have also been married for 6yrs and have two kids. Am I traditioinal for going from hs----->college? or for being under 30? I usually consider myself non-trad considering most students at my school are 20ish and definitely not married/someone's mom.

 

[MLT2MT2DO]

Bump again. Looks like most of the "nontrads" in this forum are actually <30 years old. Sounds pretty traditional to me...

I've been in a career for 10+ years and am 28....I'm curious what your definition of "non-trad" is.

 

[mom2doc26]

Haha, I am in the same mommy/wife boat mnoon1. Undergrad in Biochem, worked on and off since graduation in 2005, including the startup and running of a small construction company with my husband, married 5 years, 2 little ones, starting to do pre-med prep this summer and volunteering and I am currently at the ripe old age of 26...

 

[MichaelRW]

I consider myself nontraditional. I graduated from high school in 2003 and didn't really do much except work as a server at a ritzy restaurant with my girlfriend for a few years. Coming from a family of health care providers (from physicians to nurses to radiological techs) I wanted to be sure the field was right for me, not for my family. So, I didn't end up starting my undergraduate education until I was 24, which I guess makes me a nontraditional student. However, most nontrads I see have all completed their undergrad education, but they are now changing careers. It is uncommon for me to see nontrads completing their undergrad coursework for the first time.

 

[QofQuimica]

Good points, all. 30+ &#8658; nontraditional, but nontraditional &#8655; 30+.

Still, for an old guy like me, it's interesting to see how many <30s there are.

P.S. I was not serious when I called myself an "old guy" -- I'm 47 -- but I am pretty sure many on this forum think of me in exactly those terms (assuming that "many" on this forum think of me at all). Interesting difference of perception.

You've been a member of SDN for all of two weeks, and you have exactly three posts in the Nontrad forum (all in this thread). *That* is the reason why no one on this forum "thinks of you at all." Heck, I'm the mod of this forum, and this is the first time I've even been aware of your existence.

As for the definition of being nontraditional, there isn't one single accepted, cut-and-dry definition. Some schools may define it fairly strictly (ex. age 30+ at matriculation), but for the purposes of this forum, nontraditional is self-reported. In other words, if you think you're nontraditional, then you are, at least by SDN standards.

Concerning your poll, I agree with vc7777. Unless you give more specific instructions, you'll get a hodgepodge of answers without a clear interpretation. I understood your question to mean, "how old are you right now?" and voted accordingly. But I started med school four years ago, so that may not be the info you were trying to get at. If you want to start the poll over with more specific instructions, let me know and I'll see what I can do to reset it.

At any rate, welcome to SDN, and to the Nontrad forum in particular.

 

[Dianyla]

However, most nontrads I see have all completed their undergrad education, but they are now changing careers. It is uncommon for me to see nontrads completing their undergrad coursework for the first time.

Yep. Most people I've met have all assumed that I'm postbac. Actually, I'm just... err... latebac.

I had a year of university coursework from when I was 17, then life went sideways for a decade, and I resumed my undergrad at the age of 28.

 

[Fox800]

I'm 23 now. Graduated from undergrad at age 20. I'll be applying when I'm 24 (almost 25) and entering when I'm 26...damn summer birthdays.

 

[Vanish]

Just turned 23 starting post-bacc in the fall.

 

[OldManDave]

Nontraditional is not a matter of age, it is a state of mind. Essentially, the moniker fits anyone who took a path different than the usual HS>college>med school route. It would be an error to try and nail down this diverse group of people.

 

[n3xa]

Haha. Watch out non-trads. You have been judged! Anyone under 30 doesn't qualify for non-trad status...

I will be 28 next month.. and I'll be taking the MCAT 5 days later.

 

[SB720]

Finished undergrad at 22 (Economics), finished post-bac at 27, expecting to matriculate into med school at 28. I am married and have two children. I would say that I am non-traditional despite being under 30yo.

 

[MoreCoffee]

My 35th birthday is coming up quickly, and it everything goes well I might be able to start a post-bacc in 2 years.

 

[QofQuimica]

Since this poll is now closed and it's ambiguous anyway, please vote to answer the question of how old you were/will be when *matriculating* into professional school.

http://forums.studentdoctor.net/showthread.php?t=723895