Justifying Gap Year?

[helpmee]

Hello, it's the end of my sophomore year and my GPAs are not good, my ECs are not good, and I don't even know when I'll begin studying for the MCAT.

This summer I'm taking classes and volunteering. So even if I get straight As my junior year, I won't have a good amount of free time to study for the MCAT (is 3 weeks enough?).

As much as I know it makes sense to take a gap year to show my senior year grades, have time to study for MCAT junior summer, and have more time for ECs, I can't justify wasting a year.

What should I do?

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[Ismet]

my GPAs are not good, my ECs are not good, and I don't even know when I'll begin studying for the MCAT.

If the above is not justification enough for you to take a gap year, I don't know what is. Those 3 things are 3 of the MOST important components of your application. You need to improve your GPA, you need to study hard for the MCAT (no, 3 weeks is not enough), and you need meaningful extracurriculars. Applying with a mediocre GPA, a mediocre MCAT, and mediocre ECs would be selling yourself short. Take the gap year and do something worthwhile during it, such as research or TFA or whatever interests you.

 

[helpmee]

Thanks, I will.

 

[mvenus929]

I can't justify wasting a year.

Why do people continue to have the attitude that taking a gap year means 'wasting' a year?

I took two years off prior to starting med school. I met a lot of people and matured tremendously. Plus, I paid back my student loans and credit cards and saved up enough change to pay for another application cycle, moving expenses, and reduced my loan burden by about 10K overall.

Which would be worse:
1) You continue to not have good ECs, and don't have the opportunity to show a significant upward trend in your GPA because you applied too early, and don't have enough time to study for the MCAT so end up getting a sub-par score, resulting in you getting a rejection from every school you apply to and being forced to apply during another cycle?
or
2) Build up your application during your senior year, take some time to study for the MCAT and take it a bit later than most, do some traveling and working in your gap year that gives you a different perspective on the world as a whole, and get accepted to med school the first time you apply?

 

[aspirantmed]

I interviewed at medical schools as a college senior and was often asked why I had not taken years off and whether I would be mature enough to handle medical school without "real world" experience. When the average matriculant to medical schools is 24, you're probably in the minority if you haven't taken time off .. if anything, you're just as likely to have to explain why not, if you're concerned about having to justify why.

 

[moisne]

Better take a gap year than doing poorly and get rejected.

There isn't really a need for justification. Just say your 3 reasons. Some do it to experience more of the world, some aren't ready for that 7-12 year commitment, some have other things they want to do.

 

[pepocho]

.

 

[kyamh]

I second this. I don't see why people panic at thinking they will be delayed another year. I mean shoot man. It's only one year. It really isn't a lot of time. It is definitely enough time to make a difference on your application and do a few things you will definitely not have time to do after you're in med school (i.e. hanging out with your family and friends without that looming feeling of some kind of test over your shoulders)

+1

I never felt the need to "justify" taking time off. In fact, many of my schools had secondary essays asking what you have done in your time off (if you have already graduated). It wasn't a space to defend the choice to take time off, it was space to show off the cool things you've accomplished in that time.