So would taking a year off mean you apply like after your 4th year?
Is this rather common?
Is this rather common?
taking a year off
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Yup, it means you apply in the 5th year, and start school in the 6th, given that you only take 1 year off. It's becoming more and more common, mainly to take a small break between undergrad and grad/profession school. I'm currently enjoying my year off, took some pre-req classes in the fall and now I'm just working and saving up money for upcoming expenses.
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that's exactly what I did. I was "pre-med" most of my undergrad until at the end during my senior I realized man this isn't right. I took some time off, turned my part time clerking pharmacy job into a full time sales/managed care position. The time "off" for me really helped for me to take a break step away from school and put a lot of things into perspective and figure out where I wanted to be. It was one of the best things that I did for myself. Now for me I was one of those semi confused semi lost semi burnt out types.
But for anyone, a year off can allow you to save money (which hopefully is going to come in handy), and just do a lot of things that you can't do later on in your life once more school rolls along, marriage, having kids etc. Like when else in your life can you just pick up your life and go live in foreign countries for 4 months? Or when can you try working in a job that might not be related to what you ultimately want to do with your life, but have always wanted to try? (I almost went into financial consulting because I thought it was interesting).
For me and a lot of people in my graduating class there was a huge stigma against taking a year off. I don't know if this is common among other students, but a lot of people felt they were a "failure" or some other negative term because they didn't go to grad school directly from the undergrad. Hopefully, people pick up on the trend that it isn't the end of the world
Hmm. Oh i thought like taking a year off would be like..
Ok for example I'm a 2nd year right now.
If I apply after my 3rd year I would attend pharmacy school after i graduate on my 4th '12 year. Wouldn't taking a year off mean. like I apply right after I graduate and Don't attend school til the fall '13?
Ok for example I'm a 2nd year right now.
If I apply after my 3rd year I would attend pharmacy school after i graduate on my 4th '12 year. Wouldn't taking a year off mean. like I apply right after I graduate and Don't attend school til the fall '13?
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Exactly.
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Depends on your current stats. If your grades are competitive, or will be competitive by the time you decide to apply, then I don't think you should wait that extra year.
About your medical condition, that is purely a personal decision on your part.
EDIT: I personally needed that extra year because it gave me more time to prove to the ADCOM's that I was capable of excelling in upper level science courses. But again, I only did it because I thought I had to get my grades up and show an upward trend prior to applying.
Yeah, that time off was so valuable for me and don't regret it at all. I asked what the average age of P1s were at the schools I interviewed at and it was usually around 24. Which shows that a LOT of students take time off. It's nothing to be ashamed of. Honestly, I don't think I would have gotten in this year if it weren't for the experience and knowledge I gained and the excellent relationship I built with my pharmacists who wrote me awesome LORs.
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