Please help!! Applying the Summer after Senior Year

[kinkocopies3]

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Hi Everyone,

I was just wondering, does it look bad if you apply the summer after your senior year? I was going to apply this year, but I just don't think I will have everything in on time, and I want to try to improve my MCAT score. But, does it look bad if you do this? I am majoring in Chemical Engineering. I will graduate next summer, and I want to apply next summer and take the MCAT next August. During that year, I will most likely do research or work in the Chem E industry.

Do admissions committees look at this badly upon? I don't wanna be looked at as a slacker or anything.

What do people usually do if they decide to take that year off? Research, work, volunteer?

Thanks

 

[Kurleyfry]

i took a year off and did genetic research in a lab while i took the august mcats and applied to schools. i got in, so no, it doesn't hurt to do it this way. i got interviews damn near everywhere i applied so once you get there, it doesn't make a bit of difference if you applied during school or the summer after. i would say maybe half of the interviewers asked why i waited a year and i just said that i wanted to enjoy my time as an undergrad and be patient with mcats/applying so that i only had to do the application process once. i also wanted to have some money in my bank account to pay for all these secondaries and travel to interview at schools. they seemed to understand just fine. good luck!

 

[brats800]

i'll be applying after my senior year and taking a year off, too. i've actually heard from advisors / interviewers that taking a year off makes you look better, if anything, especially if you work somehow in the medical field during your time off. it helps you become more mature and stuff 😉

 

[ATPase]

I graduated back in December and am just now applying. I wanted to have plenty of time to study for the MCAT (took it in April) and not deal with classes on top of that. Since graduation I've been working in a nonmedical job, but I'm about to start a job in a hospital. I hope the above poster is right about adcoms looking favorably on later applicants. Besides, if I were still in school, I wouldn't have the money to pay for all these application fees!

 

[oldman]

Originally posted by kinkocopies3
Hi Everyone,

I was just wondering, does it look bad if you apply the summer after your senior year? I was going to apply this year, but I just don't think I will have everything in on time, and I want to try to improve my MCAT score. But, does it look bad if you do this? I am majoring in Chemical Engineering. I will graduate next summer, and I want to apply next summer and take the MCAT next August. During that year, I will most likely do research or work in the Chem E industry.

Do admissions committees look at this badly upon? I don't wanna be looked at as a slacker or anything.

What do people usually do if they decide to take that year off? Research, work, volunteer?

Thanks

most people have a year off between med school and college.

i got a job, earned some cash and now i have less debt after a year of med school. i probably shaved off 10K of debt after working an entry level job for one year.