Taking a year off after undergrad?

[zehl3]

What does everything think about taking a year off after graduating from undergrad?

I'm 21 years old and I will be graduating in May of 2010. I'm thinking about taking a year off to travel abroad for a semester. However, I'm concerned about being overseas when interview dates ectera are set. I would be in Europe from August to December which is normally the time when people are anxiously waiting to hear back from the respective schools.

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[JamesOSU]

do it. you won't regret it

 

[Vicviper]

Maybe about half of the people I've talked to from my undergrad are applying during their senior year, this taking a year off, and I hear that many people end up doing that, so it's really no problem as long as you do something meaningful in that time.

As far as the interviews, there are interviews that take place after December, but your chaces do get decreased. All of my interviews were in January or later. It may be possible to schedule the interviews after December when you get them.

 

[zehl3]

Hmmm. I would hate myself if this trip overseas interfered with my application.

Do the schools contact you via e-mail or letter? And does the student have much say as to when the interview takes place?

 

[enfuego]

I'm taking a year off, but I'm not travelling until the Spring. I want to be in town in case something goes wrong with my application, and I don't want to change/miss any interviews I get.

 

[Vicviper]

Hmmm. I would hate myself if this trip overseas interfered with my application.

Do the schools contact you via e-mail or letter? And does the student have much say as to when the interview takes place?

Normally they email you and give you a selection of dates over a wide range. They're pretty flexible, and I'm sure they'd let you get an interview at a later date (until they're not sure if they'll have any more scheduled).