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Sorry for all the posts. Thanks for all your help. I'm also asking these questions for medical school, not pharmacy.
I've been struggling for the longest time to figure out whether or not to study abroad this upcoming year. I now know that I really want to and would regret not being able to go.
I have four options:
1) Study abroad sophomore year. No financial aid. Give up on-campus housing. All summer sessions afterwards devoted to classes...do all shadowing/volunteering this summer. Graduate winter of senior year since I was able to cram four difficult classes into summer.
2) Study abroad senior year. Cram EVERYTHING into one and a half summer sessions prior. I say a half because I would leave the country before the end of the second summer session, so I'd have to take two classes at the same time in the first summer session. (One ge, one lab probably) If I can't arrange courses well enough to fit them all in before spring of senior year (due to sequential classes), take two gap years since spring quarter might be rather difficult :'c
3. Same as above except I don't cram summer sessions and space out two classes so I can apply spring of senior year while taking GEs and fly out for interviews during fall quarter of the fifth year. However, I risk my grades that quarter if I fly out a lot..?
4. Same as above except I space out classes so I take a quarter into the fifth year and apply later that year...so have 1 2/3 gap year essentially.
Would adcoms see my schedule senior year and wonder why I didn't go abroad earlier if I end up taking two gap years? Would they think I didn't schedule well enough? I've talked extensively to the university abroad and my study abroad office and I am certain that I would not be able to complete relevant coursework or GEs while abroad.
I'm scared how 2 gap years would look to an adcom who could see that I took nothing relevant while abroad and thus had to push back classes. The first two options involve me cramming 3-4 courses per quarter to graduate on time, so ECs might suffer. Since I was planning on going, I screwed myself over for this summer in terms of internships or research. But if I drop a class or two in my ambitious schedule, option 3 and 4 result.
Would it be better to plan a fifth and gap year, or two gap years after four years? I would stay productive but I'm scared adcoms will see those gap years were a result of study abroad. I don't want to abandon study abroad!
I've been struggling for the longest time to figure out whether or not to study abroad this upcoming year. I now know that I really want to and would regret not being able to go.
I have four options:
1) Study abroad sophomore year. No financial aid. Give up on-campus housing. All summer sessions afterwards devoted to classes...do all shadowing/volunteering this summer. Graduate winter of senior year since I was able to cram four difficult classes into summer.
2) Study abroad senior year. Cram EVERYTHING into one and a half summer sessions prior. I say a half because I would leave the country before the end of the second summer session, so I'd have to take two classes at the same time in the first summer session. (One ge, one lab probably) If I can't arrange courses well enough to fit them all in before spring of senior year (due to sequential classes), take two gap years since spring quarter might be rather difficult :'c
3. Same as above except I don't cram summer sessions and space out two classes so I can apply spring of senior year while taking GEs and fly out for interviews during fall quarter of the fifth year. However, I risk my grades that quarter if I fly out a lot..?
4. Same as above except I space out classes so I take a quarter into the fifth year and apply later that year...so have 1 2/3 gap year essentially.
Would adcoms see my schedule senior year and wonder why I didn't go abroad earlier if I end up taking two gap years? Would they think I didn't schedule well enough? I've talked extensively to the university abroad and my study abroad office and I am certain that I would not be able to complete relevant coursework or GEs while abroad.
I'm scared how 2 gap years would look to an adcom who could see that I took nothing relevant while abroad and thus had to push back classes. The first two options involve me cramming 3-4 courses per quarter to graduate on time, so ECs might suffer. Since I was planning on going, I screwed myself over for this summer in terms of internships or research. But if I drop a class or two in my ambitious schedule, option 3 and 4 result.
Would it be better to plan a fifth and gap year, or two gap years after four years? I would stay productive but I'm scared adcoms will see those gap years were a result of study abroad. I don't want to abandon study abroad!
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