Time off from school/NOLS

[SliceNDice]

Hey internet,
I have been struggling a lot this term (fall of junior year) with a lot of anxiety and depression. I have been having a hard time dealing with my classes and have a lot of personal issues as well that I am trying to deal with. I am considering taking the rest of the year off to try and regroup and figure myself out. I am thinking of going home and working for several months and then doing an 80 day wilderness medicine course through NOLS (National Outdoor Leadership School) in the Himalayas. I would then hopefully continue to travel, possibly do another medical internship program in India over the summer. From there I would either return to school (U Oregon) or attempt to transfer to either Cal, UCLA, USC, or UCSB. What do you all think of this idea from the perspective of an adcom? I already transferred schools once from Lewis and Clark after my freshman year but I am feeling really fragmented and confused with my life and am having a hard time dealing with Oregon weather on top of everything else. During my freshman year I had a 3.53 and in my sophomore year I had a 3.81

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[Mt Kilimanjaro]

There is no worse place on earth than Oregon in November, but you risk looking flighty. You could certainly still get in, but with that many schools on your record in such a short period of time, you will appear to be someone who lacks focus and is unable to commit. You need to pick a school, buckle down, and finish your degree without taking too much time off to collect pre-med bullet points along the way.

Personally, if as a college student I had had the money to go chill in the Himalayas for 80 (!) days, then go travel the rest of Asia, I don't think I'd have be worried about going to medical school. Either you or your parents are doing just fine already. You should definitely read this book: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Razor's_Edge

 

[Great White Buffalo]

NOLS is expensive, but great experiences. I've done a few NOLs Wilderness Medicine courses, as well as backcountry adventures, but only in Wyoming and NOrth Carolina. If you have the resources, I highly recommend their programs. They do an outstanding job, and their instructors are top notch. Good Luck to you.