Correct, I don't want to sit around for a year. I had sort of thought taking a year off might look lazy to a medical school admissions committee, but admit this is purely an instinctive thought.
don't think of it as looking lazy. rather, well prepared and committed. there's a name for the extra year, as it's such a common experience for those applying: "gap year." adcoms are certainly used to seeing that; the only way it hurts you is if you don't make good use of the time. i agree, in some ways it's a drag, but usually folks use the time to strength their application somehow in a way that would have been difficult or impossible while they were in the midst of taking classes. an in-depth clinical or research experience, for example.
Well, to be clearer, by August 2010, I will have taken:
Intro Biology (1 semester-4 credits)
General Chemistry (2 semesters-9 credits)
Human Anatomy (1 semester-4 credits)
Human Physiology (1 semester-4 credits)
Human Genetics (1 semester-4 credits)
Microbiology (1 semester-4 credits)
*Organic Chemistry (1 semester-4 credits)
For a total of eight science courses, worth 33 credit hours...at the moment still all A's.
*First semester Organic Chemistry will be taken over the summer term.
ok, you're further along than i at first thought. that's my bad: i and most other people in my post-bac took two years to get through the pre-reqs, taking 8-12 credits at a time, so i was biased. this looks good. two things though: Anatomy and Physiology may not be verified by AMCAS as "science" unless they were taken through the Biology department at your school. dumb, but true. also: best case scenario is you take both orgos over the summer, but i'd guess that the grade for the second one won't be on your transcript until August, which means if you want it on your verified AMCAS report then you have to wait to submit until the grade comes out, which means you are verified in September (it takes 4-6 weeks) and completing secondaries in October. which is late. which is bad.
Coursework notwithstanding, won't schools have some idea of my abilities as a result of the MCAT? That is to say if I do well on that (for argument's sake, let's say 33-37), what cause would they have to think I was unable to do the coursework?
they wouldn't, necessarily. except that you are competing for interviews/acceptances with other candidates who have completed more work, including all the required courses. this places you at a disadvantage, because their track record is better. every time a school extends an offer to interview, they are taking a risk on someone. often they are saying no to four, five, sometimes six other applicants so that they can talk to YOU. without three/eight of the required courses, you are more a risk than someone with eight/eight. by progressing with this plan, you are not putting yourself at best advantage in this very competitive process.
What is the logic behind this statement? I really am in the dark on why this is your opinion. Is there a stigma associated with reapplicants?
There is not as much stigma towards reapplicant as initially believed.
ok, to be fair i didn't word this well enough. from what i've seen, reapplicants can do well if they demonstrate substantive improvements in their file from the previous attempt, which you would for 2012 with the new A's and whatever other ECs/LORs you might have by then. i guess really where i'm coming from is my position right now, as my application cycle is winding down... the year you will spend applying to medical school is an enormously draining process, both emotionally and financially. i for one can speak to the fact that i was not prepared for how tough it would be on me. much like the MCAT, the best approach to applying is to be as well prepared as you possibly can be
so that you only have to do this once. the added benefit is that, as a stronger applicant, you will have a better chance to be admitted to stronger/more reputable schools, qualify for scholarships, etc. if you apply before you are ready, if you aren't prepared to put everything you've got into the process, the what-ifs will cost you more sleep than you would ever have thought possible.
To be fair, I have little knowledge of admissions committees, and only a vague understanding of the rigors of the application process, as told to me secondhand. I'm not a big ass kisser, but I am a charismatic, likeable guy. 🙂 All facts aside, I have considered taking a year off before applying just for a study break, to do some other things, like volunteering or something. I guess I need to give this some more thought...thanks for your comments.
i'm not an expert either by any means. i'm certainly not an adcom, just another person trying to make sense of this process and pass on what i've gleaned along the way. i do feel confident telling you that, regardless of your MCAT score, you are a substantively weaker applicant for 2011 than you would be in 2012.
