Taking a year off during undergrad

[Lady Jayne Grey]

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One of the four classes I needed to graduate was full until Spring 2010. I decided to take a full year off (Spring 09 - Summer 09) since my grades were sub-par due to caring for parent with Alzheimer's since freshman year (science & cGPA are 2.7).

Do you think that they will look down on me leaving for a year even if:

1. I repeat and excel in my core science classes
2. Start and excel in my second undergrad degree (Biochem)
3. and retake my MCAT (29O) before applying

I'm just wondering. Even if they do, I will see this to the end just to get into med school at 32.

 

[Krisss17]

One of the four classes I needed to graduate was full until Spring 2010. I decided to take a full year off (Spring 09 - Summer 09) since my grades were sub-par due to caring for parent with Alzheimer's since freshman year (science & cGPA are 2.7).

Do you think that they will look down on me leaving for a year even if:

1. I repeat and excel in my core science classes
2. Start and excel in my second undergrad degree (Biochem)
3. and retake my MCAT (29O) before applying

I'm just wondering. Even if they do, I will see this to the end just to get into med school at 32.

Okay, so your current science and cGPA is 2.7? Well, I hate to say it but even getting an A in this last class will not bring you to where you will be competitive...most schools are going to screen you out because you are under a 2.75 which has been the lowest GPA I've seen. I know it stinks, but you are going to have to take some major work to change those grades. I think you'll need to forget about going to any allopathic schools unless it is a overseas school. If your core sciences are really poor, I would most definitely retake them and make sure that you do not get anything lower than a B, striding for As in all classes, no matter how much you have to put in to them. Osteopathic schools are much more forgiving and will replace those better grades for the science GPA. You really want to make sure that you get a GPA over 3.0 and the higher the better. Medical schools want you to succeed and will look to see how you've handled your undergraduate classes.

As for you MCAT, for a DO school it really isn't bad, and right now is the plus in your application.

If you want to go further and get a second undergrad in biochem, that's fine but I still don't think that it is going to do much for your GPA in regards to applying to an allopathic school. Go through your transcript and fix every single science class that is C or less. Also, if any other class if you can. Better to hold off applying until you get that taken care of.

Best of luck

 

[Lady Jayne Grey]

thanks for replying. I am going to apply to DO schools only. Even if I ace my last four classes in my first degree, my GPA won't be over a 3.0 but at least it will show an upward tread going into the second degree. I will be repeating any class that isn't a 3.0 (abt 5 classes) during the next two summers. if I bust my butt over the next 2.5 years and the repeats replace the sub-par grades, I could end up in the 3.3 GPA area.

as for the MCAT, I'll wait on approving that score after I get pass the 3.0 gpa

 

[NTF]

Assuming all other things (ECs, LORs, MCAT, A's in classes, the GPA repair you described) the year off won't make them blink an eye. I had a 10 year gap and it wasn't an issue. What was an issue though was that even with GPA repair my GPA was still below average and that just didn't cut it with some schools. But apply broadly and get all the other ducks in a row and you should do fine (especially if you're applying to DO schools). I think you're doing the right thing by committing yourself to a multi-year GPA repair project.

 

[combatwombat]

i think taking a year off could really help or kinda hurt - it all depends on what you do with the time. Get in some research or medically related work and it could be good. A part-time volunteering gig at the American Cancer society (or something like that) could also be good.

As for grades, you should really be gunning for A's in everything. I know it sucks to be one of those anything-for-an-A premeds, but that's what you're going to have to be if you want to get in anywhere.

I'd hold off on retaking the MCAT right now. Just focus on bringing up your grades and making full use of your year off.