Nontraditional at age of 24?

[Mdfosho]

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[Ashley1989]

Hmmm personally I don't think so. I think that non trads are typically people who have a family or are married, have had previous careers, are going back to school, have years of stress and wisdom under their belt and aren't reporting back to mom and dad every summer etc.

Honestly though I don't know. Those are all complete generalizations and I've been wondering the same thing. That's just always what I've thought.

For instance: I'm 23, married, and switched majors. I will be applying to medical school when I'm 25 or 26. Am I a non trad? Probably?

 

[H Y F R]

Umm, no. I'm 29.

 

[qwerty2012]

I just turned 24 and I consider myself nontraditional. Traditional for me are for students who went into medicine right after college.

 

[H Y F R]

I just turned 24 and I consider myself nontraditional. Traditional for me are for students who went into medicine right after college.

You're mistaken.

 

[dbeast]

If you hadn't planned on going to medical school during undergrad, that's my best definition of non-traditional. On the other hand, if you found a great lab and stayed for 5 years post-graduation but knew you'd be going to medical school eventually, I wouldn't call that non-traditional.

 

[ccrone]

Traditional is all in the eye of the beholder. As I recall, there isn't really a checkbox in AMCAS to tick for "non-traditional." Just think--if they add one, we can all start arguing over "non-traditional" the way we argue about "disadvantaged." (lol!)

IMHO, it's a lot more complicated than just how old you are. Do you have kids? Have you served in the military? ... ???

ETA: I think defining "traditional" as straight out of undergrad is a great example of how cloudy things can get. Technically, I'm straight out of undergrad. On the other hand, I'm 29, married, and have three kids (9y/o, 8y/o and 8months old, respectively).

 

[capn jazz]

Northwestern defines non-trad as someone who took 2+ years off after college.

 

[Succubus]

I'll be the same age as you, but I consider myself as semi-traditional. I'm not exactly traditional because it will take me 5 years to graduate from college (it taken me 1 yr more to graduate from k-12 too), and because I will be working full-time too. I'm also not expecting my parents to pay for anything, so I had to work for that. I may go homeless during college too to make this work out.

But I think I am traditional because I went to college right after high school, and because I will go into medical after I am done with undergrad. I am also young in the big schemes of life without children, husband, and all that.

semi-traditional I think.

What's the difference between 21-22 and 24? 2-3 yrs? Big deal.

 

[Wubbles]

There is no set definition and I think it's open for interpretation. You're not that non-traditional at 24. I think it's more about life experience.

To me (maybe because it's my experience), not going to college straight from high school is more non-trad. Coming from another career, having children, etc is more non-trad than taking a few years break after undergrad.

 

[Lil Mick]

I considered myself nontraditional, but I had a previous career when I applied at 23.

 

[mmmcdowe]

I just turned 24 and I consider myself nontraditional. Traditional for me are for students who went into medicine right after college.

This is the MSAR technical definition of non-trad. I think to be truly nontrad you have to be at least ~5 years out and/or had a previous career.

 

[qwerty2012]

This is the MSAR technical definition of non-trad. I think to be truly nontrad you have to be at least ~5 years out and/or had a previous career.

I had a previous career of just sitting around and leeching off ppl money. j/k

You're mistaken.

yea probably.

 

[RedSox10]

1) Why does it matter? being termed "non-trad" is less improtant that your experiences.

2) I think only 50% go straight from undergrad. Perhaps more people apply, but aren't strong enough to get in. Soon, "traditional" will be the minority.

3) I wouldn't call working at a job for a year or two before applying/while applying to medical school a "career."

 

[RogueUnicorn]

You're mistaken.

 

[BA11]

The vast majority of med students fall into the 22-25 range as MS1's, your age isn't unique at all. The issue is your background.

 

[Jaqen Hghar]

This might be a dumb question and if it is I apologize in advance but... I'm going to be applying to medical school at the age of 24. Does that make me 'nontraditional'? Again. Sorry.

So, why are people trying to stretch whether they are traditional or not? Is there some advantage to simply be deemed non-traditional?

 

[weezynation]

1) Why does it matter? being termed "non-trad" is less improtant that your experiences.

2) I think only 50% go straight from undergrad. Perhaps more people apply, but aren't strong enough to get in. Soon, "traditional" will be the minority.

3) I wouldn't call working at a job for a year or two before applying/while applying to medical school a "career."

Of course working a job for a couple years is not a career, however the learning experiences of being in the real world for a couple years results in maturity that cannot be learned in the classroom. I'm sure that is probably something that is valued by adcoms. I'm not saying it's like being URM, but schools place so much emphasis on diverse experiences, being unique, and maturity so having been in the real world is a plus.

 

[mapandterritory]

Not at all. Twenty-four is actually in the normal range, it has more to do with your background and what you went through before you applied.

 

[Mjolner]

I think it depends on how much weight you want adcoms to give your non-traditional status. If you've been out of school a dozen years, have a mortgage and have been working the whole time, that'll have more "non-trad" oomph than being 24 and living with your parents.
What I've been able to glean is it's about the experience under your belt and the distance between who you were and are now (if you're looking for some type special consideration of your GPA).
But what do I know. I'm just some guy hoping to get in just like you.

 

[ccrone]

Dear AMCAS,

Please add a "non-traditional" tick box to next year's application. We need something new to bicker over at SDN. Let's be honest: URM, disadvantaged, etc., etc., etc. are getting pretty well-worn.

Git 'r dunn!

Kthxbai.

 

[JESSFALLING]

What's the difference between 21-22 and 24? 2-3 yrs? Big deal.

Percentage wise, it is ~10% diff. between 22 & 24. I'd think you need at least 20-25+% diff. from the median entering age to be considered non-traditional.
(And, hopefully, that 20-25+% is filled with some interesting life experiences.)

 

[deleted307836]

Not that it really matters, but I agree that "nontraditional" implies coming from a different career background in which you were at least moderately invested for a few years. I think some schools have a mean age of 24-25 (obviously affected by outliers but I think the point remains that you won't stand out too much based solely on your age). Personally I think 26+ and coming from an untypical "pre-med" job is more of what is usually thought of as nontraditional.