So based on coming in with some credits and taking some summer courses, I am going to be graduating early at the end of my junior year this May, and hopefully applying in June if I have enough clinical hours and my MCAT is where I want it to be at. My gpa will be a 3.6 when I apply. I'm making this thread because I spoke with a prehealth advisor at my school a few weeks ago who told me that graduating early and applying right away is "frowned upon" by medical schools- they see someone who graduated junior year and starts medical school that following year is not as prepared and mature as someone who finished regularly, which I didn't understand as even if I did stay my senior year I'd be starting the same time anyways. I do see his point somewhat but he just seemed very against it and I don't see a point in me staying another year when I have no prereqs left, no classes for my major left, and although I wish my gpa was higher, I don't think it is low enough for me to really need to waste more time/money to raise it. I thought I'd turn to here and ask you all your opinions about whether graduating early is truly seen as bad or not, as I don't really have any premed specific mentors to consult about this question. Sorry if it's a silly one!
Is graduating early viewed poorly by adcoms?
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It’s not a silly question. Your advisor just might be right. Many applicants take gap years even when it takes them 4-5 years to graduate. The average age of matriculating students is 24. The big concern is maturity and life experiences. Your GPA is a bit below average. You don’t have a MCAT score and you have made absolutely NO mention of ECs. It’s hard to get expected ECs when you graduate in four years. It’s really tough to get them in three years. How are your ECs right now? How will they be in June? Do you have hobbies, what makes you stand out.
IMO you seem defensive of your advisor’s advice. I’m not sure why but it might be a little bit of immaturity. No matter how much you think you know about the application process, there are lots more that know more. You only want to apply one time with the best possible application. It’s the same for taking the MCAT. Do it right the first time.
Are you aware that just over 40% of ALL applicants are accepted each cycle, and of those about half are accepted at one school. This means that around57% of all applicants are out right rejected each cycle. Including people with stellar applications.
How do you plan to use the year after you graduate? If your MCAT is strong and your ECs are stronger and you are determined to apply in June, be sure you have a well thought out plan for your gap year and a good reason for rushing through the application process.
IMO you seem defensive of your advisor’s advice. I’m not sure why but it might be a little bit of immaturity. No matter how much you think you know about the application process, there are lots more that know more. You only want to apply one time with the best possible application. It’s the same for taking the MCAT. Do it right the first time.
Are you aware that just over 40% of ALL applicants are accepted each cycle, and of those about half are accepted at one school. This means that around57% of all applicants are out right rejected each cycle. Including people with stellar applications.
How do you plan to use the year after you graduate? If your MCAT is strong and your ECs are stronger and you are determined to apply in June, be sure you have a well thought out plan for your gap year and a good reason for rushing through the application process.
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So you will take a gap year after graduating early?
There have been discussions here about age versus maturity. I am sure some experts will chime in.
Graduating early, as long as you are done with pre-reqs and have good grades etc should not by itself be a bad thing (actually should be a good thing to your advantage).
There have been discussions here about age versus maturity. I am sure some experts will chime in.
Graduating early, as long as you are done with pre-reqs and have good grades etc should not by itself be a bad thing (actually should be a good thing to your advantage).
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No need to be sorry. It's a great question, and I think your advisor is conflating taking gap years and graduating early. It's very en vogue nowadays to take at least one gap year (2/3 of matriculants do so) in order to build up ECs, gain "real world" experience, do GPA repair, whatever. That's where he's getting "applying right away is 'frowned upon.'" It's true, but doesn't apply to the 1/3 who successfully make it through the gauntlet each year without at least one gap year.
Then there's graduating early. Your points are well taken about not wanting to waste time and money if you are done, but see above regarding adcoms wanting applicants to have more experiences and maturity than can be typically obtained in 4 years of UG. Still, I think the advice you received would be more relevant if you were asking about applying after sophomore year with a view toward entering med school immediately after junior year.
Doing what you are contemplating seems to be the best of all worlds, TBH. You're finishing academic requirements early and taking a gap year during the time "traditional" applicants take their 4th year of UG. This will allow you to gain "real world experience" while your peers are still in school and allow you to have a gap year while not losing the year most people lose in order to do so. You will actually have more substantive experiences than the typical traditional applicant, albeit while having less than someone who is a year older. I don't see why this wouldn't give you an advantage over traditional applicants.
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What's will be your age by application time? I know some adcoms equate age with maturity but not all do. I will be more concerned about GPA and ECs. Also depending on the state of residence and ORM/URM status your GPA could be on the low end of the range.
Did you ask your advisor what the alternative plan would be? You are applying at the same time as any other traditional applicant, except you have already finished your degree. I can't imagine how that would be viewed negatively.
Plus, staying another year would cost a lot of money.
Plus, staying another year would cost a lot of money.
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deleted889094
It should be pointed out that your application at the time of applying would be identical to someone doing a 4th year of UG because that last year of classes aren't reported until later.
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Graduating early? No
Being immature? Yes.
One has nothing to do with the other either.
So I have 98 hours of non-clinical volunteering as of today. I will continue volunteering weekly until I apply in June, I volunteer at a food pantry and with hospice every week. As well as crisistextline. I have 4,000 hours of research with a psychology research lab at my undergrad and my current job at a hospital. I only have a small handful of clinical hours but I just got a job as a scribe at a ER near me so fingers crossed I can get a good amount of hours through that working part time until June.
I completely understand that most med school matriculants have taken gap years and I am definitely not doing this because I am in a particular rush to start. For my gap year I am planning on continuing my research position and working as a scribe! I mostly certainly see your point in adcoms having a big interest in accepting experienced mature applicants. I think my desire to graduate early and apply is just stemming from that I don't see a point in postponing graduation, nor postponing my application unless I have to. I know for sure there are others who know far more about this process than I do and I appreciate your input!
Yes I will be taking a gap year. I will be continuing my current research position as well as a scribe position during that time.
Thanks for your input!
I will be 21 when I apply. Yes my GPA is the thing I am a bit more concerned about and will need to look into about how it will fair at my instate schools and other schools I am interested in applying to.
Thank you!
I think my advisor was suggesting I stay an extra year and take some more science courses. Like you said, money is a big thing since I do have a good amount of loans already and would like to avoid taking out more than necessary so I could avoid it I'd like to.
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Then age shouldn't be an issue despite some adcoms saying age=maturity. My kid applied as a 20 year old and that didn't impact at all. Focus on getting high MCAT and you should be good for lot of schools.
So if I graduate in May and apply that summer, will my spring semester courses be factored into my GPA?
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Yes.
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deleted889094
Just make sure you have your MCAT score before you apply
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I am concerned that graduating early with a low GPA, and average ECs, will not give you the best application. I'm not saying you shouldn't do it, just that you should keep in mind that if you don't have a successful application cycle, you may end up in a postbacc program. I'm not sure how the cost of a postbacc year (to raise your GPA) would compare to the cost of one more year of college (to raise your GPA).
Yeah that's definitely something I am also concerned about. I'm just not sure what constitutes as above average EC's, so I can gauge whether I would have a chance at getting in if I applied with the 3.6 gpa (of course MCAT will be a big thing as well but I am not taking it until spring).
