Will ADCOMS see this as being positive or negative?

[torshi]

I was enrolled through dual enrollment when i was 16 yrs old after my sophomore year in high school.

-Through dual enrollment i was able to attend college full-time. I'm currently 17 years old and a junior in college.

I will most likely be applying to med schools around 19 yrs old.

Will ADCOMS look down on that? I can understand they might think that i have intentions of rushing my education, but I'm really not. I had the opportunity after my soph year in HS so i took it. I am just a motivated student willing to finish anything anytime, not necessarily in a rush.

But i have been involved in many EC's and have had clinical exposure by Volunteering/shadowing. i also plan on doing some research.
I'm doing everything needed, so i wouldn't think it's a problem.

I do know they tend to favor older students rather than ones trying to graduate early etc. (if that's true.)

Any additional information would be appreciated.
-Thanks

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[BigEast55]

The big question is going to be maturity. People have certainly done it before, but I have to imagine it is pretty hard, I have a friend who graduated one year early but he was on several EMT trucks and volunteer firefighter brigades showing his interest and maturity and stuff, so I think that showing maturity is vital as underage. 19 might just be a little too young though, you may want to look into doing something for a year or two, maybe an MPH or a research-intensive master's in clinical research or something, or just enjoy yourself and travel the world or something. Just relaxing is so key.

 

[torshi]

The big question is going to be maturity. People have certainly done it before, but I have to imagine it is pretty hard, I have a friend who graduated one year early but he was on several EMT trucks and volunteer firefighter brigades showing his interest and maturity and stuff, so I think that showing maturity is vital as underage. 19 might just be a little too young though, you may want to look into doing something for a year or two, maybe an MPH or a research-intensive master's in clinical research or something, or just enjoy yourself and travel the world or something. Just relaxing is so key.

Well yea i see myself as being a motivated, mature student because i took the opportunity to attend college full-time when i was 16 and I've been doing excellent. Also, on top of all this, i have been involved in many EC's related and non-related to medicine.

So i mean personally i wouldn't think it would matter or at least hope not. When applying it's just that i had the opportunities at such a young age and finished everything.
I would die if i had to take a year off.. I need to be involved, and not just EC's but education wise. The weeks off i have from school i dread because I just can't wait to leave my home...
Hopefully they take in consideration of the circumstances.

 

[TriagePreMed]

Having a strong clinical background before you apply is all that's truly necessary to prove your maturity and commitment to medicine. ADCOMS understand that some people are ahead of the curve, so don't excessively worry about it.

 

[SFO-IST]

Well yea i see myself as being a motivated, mature student because i took the opportunity to attend college full-time when i was 16 and I've been doing excellent. Also, on top of all this, i have been involved in many EC's related and non-related to medicine.

So i mean personally i wouldn't think it would matter or at least hope not. When applying it's just that i had the opportunities at such a young age and finished everything.
I would die if i had to take a year off.. I need to be involved, and not just EC's but education wise. The weeks off i have from school i dread because I just can't wait to leave my home...
Hopefully they take in consideration of the circumstances.

how come you don't have numbers on your mdapps profile? It will boil down to numbers. if you have a high gpa/mcat, you'll get in somewhere. if you then add incredible clinical/work/research experience to that too, you'll get into more places. good luck!

 

[Forthegood]

You sound like a rock-star. You should be looking for scholarships, not just acceptances. And for the most part, medical school itself will make you mature.

 

[NickNaylor]

There's a guy at my school who is 18 or 19 and applying this cycle and doing extremely well. As long as you come across as professional, age shouldn't (and I imagine wouldn't) matter for you.

 

[torshi]

how come you don't have numbers on your mdapps profile? It will boil down to numbers. if you have a high gpa/mcat, you'll get in somewhere. if you then add incredible clinical/work/research experience to that too, you'll get into more places. good luck!

The reason for me not posting my scores is the fact I'm still in school and not yet finished.

But currently as of right now it's a 4.0 cGPA and 4.0 sGPA But, no telling what my future grades will be, that's the reason i haven't posted it yet.

Also, i am involved in volunteering and shadowing about 100+ hrs in both.
I also plan on doing some research sometime soon and hopefully publish.

But yes I'm still doing what i need and as i go i will list it on my MDapps.
Thank you!

 

[torshi]

There's a guy at my school who is 18 or 19 and applying this cycle and doing extremely well. As long as you come across as professional, age shouldn't (and I imagine wouldn't) matter for you.

Thank you, that's sort of what i was thinking because i see myself as a mature and professional adult.

Hopefully everything goes well.

 

[torshi]

You sound like a rock-star. You should be looking for scholarships, not just acceptances. And for the most part, medical school itself will make you mature.

Hmm i was thinking about that, but obviously they are very competitive i assume.

But, I'll need to look more into that. Thank you!

 

[ArkAngel]

I feel your pain. I'm 20 and this had been brought up at several of my interviews. Many of them are just curious as to how I happened to be ahead and after explaining that I went to high school up till 10th grade in a different country, they usually understand. I find myself hoping that they don't hold it against me but I think most interviewers are willing to give you the benefit of the doubt when you walk in the door and as long as you appear to be a mature, confident adult, being 19/20 should not be an issue. However, I am not on an adcoms so who the hell am I to be talking

 

[texahn]

are you a tams kid

 

[jm192]

Your age may raise a question or 2. But, if the numbers are good, someone somewhere is going to take you.

 

[torshi]

are you a tams kid

I'm sorry but tams?

 

[torshi]

I feel your pain. I'm 20 and this had been brought up at several of my interviews. Many of them are just curious as to how I happened to be ahead and after explaining that I went to high school up till 10th grade in a different country, they usually understand. I find myself hoping that they don't hold it against me but I think most interviewers are willing to give you the benefit of the doubt when you walk in the door and as long as you appear to be a mature, confident adult, being 19/20 should not be an issue. However, I am not on an adcoms so who the hell am I to be talking

I see, yea i think i could explain my reasoning behind it all and i think they won't see it as "rushing through an education" when I'm technically not because I'm doing all necessary EC's along the way. I just so happened to start early.

Thanks for the reply

 

[ReptarBar]

are you enrolled in a CC or a 4 year? you need to be in a 4 year, otherwise **** off with your gpa.

 

[torshi]

are you enrolled in a CC or a 4 year? you need to be in a 4 year, otherwise **** off with your gpa.

I was my freshman year only, but now i have been attending SMU by scholarship, and I'm almost a junior there.

 

[musafirah]

are you enrolled in a CC or a 4 year? you need to be in a 4 year, otherwise **** off with your gpa.

this.. make sure most of your classes, especially pre-reqs/science are at a 4 yr college.

there's a handful of people i know that started med school in the US at 20 yrs old. its not that big of a deal as long as you show maturity and have all the experiences like people said.

 

[texahn]

which scholarship

 

[torshi]

which scholarship

Academic and phi theta kappa
they were supplemental. I was a transfer student from CC freshman year

 

[torshi]

this.. make sure most of your classes, especially pre-reqs/science are at a 4 yr college.

there's a handful of people i know that started med school in the US at 20 yrs old. its not that big of a deal as long as you show maturity and have all the experiences like people said.

Yea i also hear it's beneficial to obviously take upper-level science courses which i plan on doing soon.

thanks for the reply.

 

[wallmartcart]

n

 

[1TB4RKSB4CK]

Grow facial hair and talk like a British person.

 

[Knocked Up]

I was enrolled through dual enrollment when i was 16 yrs old after my sophomore year in high school.

-Through dual enrollment i was able to attend college full-time. I'm currently 17 years old and a junior in college.

I will most likely be applying to med schools around 19 yrs old.

Will ADCOMS look down on that? I can understand they might think that i have intentions of rushing my education, but I'm really not. I had the opportunity after my soph year in HS so i took it. I am just a motivated student willing to finish anything anytime, not necessarily in a rush.

But i have been involved in many EC's and have had clinical exposure by Volunteering/shadowing. i also plan on doing some research.
I'm doing everything needed, so i wouldn't think it's a problem.

I do know they tend to favor older students rather than ones trying to graduate early etc. (if that's true.)

Any additional information would be appreciated.
-Thanks

Take the MCAT first THEN come back here and try to get advice. You may very well have to take some time off to prep and score decently on the MCAT. There are FAR too many variables for you to start anticipating anything yet.

There's a guy at my school who is 18 or 19 and applying this cycle and doing extremely well. As long as you come across as professional, age shouldn't (and I imagine wouldn't) matter for you.

Yes, and I am sure he has a very high MCAT score to go with his young age.

 

[girlofgrace7]

There is a bias toward slightly older applicants in admissions. You're going to have to prove you're ready for med school. By that, I do not just mean "mature enough" but also that you can fit in with your classmates/be viewed as a peer and that you know who you are and what you genuinely want to do. That said, two in my class were newly 20 when they started. Whenever there's a question of an applicant being "old enough" to thrive in med school, our adcom puts extra weight on the interview as well as on interactions with current students. It makes a world of difference if a current student says something along the lines of "I would have never known he was that young. I viewed him as a peer."