Need Advice for a Gap Year!

[Jersanta]

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Hello everyone, I was hoping to get some insight on how to be productive for my upcoming gap year! Especially those who have/are doing a gap year. Continue research? Get a part time job in retail/customer service? Work as a scribe? Work as a TA? More shadowing? Other opportunities? Etc.

I plan on taking the MCAT this August (hopefully once), apply next cycle, and graduating on time, end of Spring 2017.

Current Stats:

Resident: Las Vegas, NV

Major= BS Biology, pre-proffesional concentration. Honors college.

cGPA= 3.91; sGPA= 3.93

Shadowing = ~60 hours w/ a cardiologist

Clinical volunteering = over 140 hours (ED department + 1 week global health program in Mexico)

Nonclinical volunteering = ~200 hours (tutor + variety of community based programs in my city)

Research = 2 straight years (idk hours yet), with no current publications

Commitee officer in my pre-professional honors society


I am leaning towards a clinically oriented career, so not as daring to go for a MD/PhD program or a research route in the future, at the moment.

Any advice would be much appreciated!

 

[Traveler2016]

It seems like you already have a strong application so it wouldn't be the worst thing in the world for you to take some time during your gap year to relax and do things that you enjoy. For my gap year, I spent the first semester TA-ing a class, continuing a research position, volunteering, and working a part-time job. I applied this past cycle so I wanted to have stuff going on to update adcoms about. In spring semester I just kept my part-time job and volunteer position so I could have more free time and I used the money I made in the fall to travel for a few weeks. If you feel there's a weak spot in your application, address it.. but remember that life shouldn't be (and doesn't need to be) all about padding your resume.

 

[Jersanta]

It seems like you already have a strong application so it wouldn't be the worst thing in the world for you to take some time during your gap year to relax and do things that you enjoy. For my gap year, I spent the first semester TA-ing a class, continuing a research position, volunteering, and working a part-time job. I applied this past cycle so I wanted to have stuff going on to update adcoms about. In spring semester I just kept my part-time job and volunteer position so I could have more free time and I used the money I made in the fall to travel for a few weeks. If you feel there's a weak spot in your application, address it.. but remember that life shouldn't be (and doesn't need to be) all about padding your resume.

Thank you for the advice, it really means alot! 🙂 I just wasnt sure if I'm barely making the standards of an "average" applicant to compete for out of state schools.

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[CyrilFiggis]

Also remember that if you're taking this year off, you also have your whole application year to volunteer as well. Anything that you start in the spring you can do throughout the application cycle and those future hours can be calculated into your AMCAS ECs. Basically, don't feel rushed to do all your additional resume building at once.

 

[Petrichor1]

I would get in contact with higher up ppl at volunteering and start asking if they have any jobs opening. It would be better if you stay near your home to subside living costs as any job you get under pretext of only working 1 year will work you like a dog with minimum wage.

 

[Jersanta]

I would get in contact with higher up ppl at volunteering and start asking if they have any jobs opening. It would be better if you stay near your home to subside living costs as any job you get under pretext of only working 1 year will work you like a dog with minimum wage.

So would you advice against taking a part time job during possible interview months? I was planning to start some kind of work (internship or retail/waiter) after sending my apps for next cycle.

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[Petrichor1]

So would you advice against taking a part time job during possible interview months? I was planning to start some kind of work (internship or retail/waiter) after sending my apps for next cycle.

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No, by all means do part time because you can always schedule school interviews. If you can find ppl tht will allow you the opportunity, that would be best.

 

[Traveler2016]

I worked part time as a server during my gap year for the money (and because I like working in restaurants). You'll always know about interviews early enough in advance to request off.

I wouldn't say you're "barely making the standards" - your stats and EC's are way stronger than mine were and I still had a good application year. Obviously there's a lot more to the full application than we can glean from your quick summary but it seems like you're already in good shape.

In my opinion, you can do anything you want with your time off as long as you can explain why pursuing that opportunity was important to you. The adcoms want to see that you have passions and if you pursue those passions during your time off you will have a lot to say when they bring up the subject in your interviews. If you can, find a balance between activities that will pad your resume (ie. research, clinical experiences, etc.) and activities that you feel will help you experience the world and grow as a person (and hopefully there will be some overlap between the two).

 

[Jersanta]

Thank you everyone for the advice! 🙂

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