Year Off...?

[harbor21]

---

Members do not see this ad.

If someone wants to take a year off between undergrad and med school, is it better to apply the summer after junior year and try to defer any admissions or wait until the summer after senior year to apply? Anyone who has done this or who could provide some info on this subject please do.

 

[DoctorFunk]

The answer may hinge on what you plan on doing during your year away from school. If it is something that may add to your chances of admission, I would wait until summer after senior year to apply.

If you plan on sitting around your house eating Cheetos and trying to find the naked parts of GTA: San Andreas, then I would either apply after junior year and work hard to make a BS story explaining your need for deferral, or just reconsider your plans altogether.

 

[jebus]

Schools don't have to accept your application defer matriculation. If they don't accept it you will have to matriculate. It's not the worst injustice in history.
If you are hell bent on taking a year off then take a year off. If you have no interest one way or the other you should apply after your junior year.

 

[laboholic]

If someone wants to take a year off between undergrad and med school, is it better to apply the summer after junior year and try to defer any admissions or wait until the summer after senior year to apply? Anyone who has done this or who could provide some info on this subject please do.

apply after you graduate... this is what I did b/c my 3.9 I got during my senior year really raised my GPA... If you apply your Jr year, you Sr grades will not be seen by med schools...Plus you should have a whole other year of "experiences" that you can supplement your app with.

 

[DeadorAlive]

I would also recommend waiting to apply. I had the same question and was told that I should be ready to go to med school when I was accepted. Since I knew going in that I didn't want to go straight, I waited.

And I'm glad I did - more time for apps, taking days off of work instead of class, etc. Although I'm now more than the intended 1 year off... whoops. The real world is awesome and important, I'm actually sad to leave it....

 

[solitude]

apply after you graduate... this is what I did b/c my 3.9 I got during my senior year really raised my GPA... If you apply your Jr year, you Sr grades will not be seen by med schools...Plus you should have a whole other year of "experiences" that you can supplement your app with.

Alternatively, if your GPA is high after 3 years it's in your best interests to apply before you risk letting it slip your senior year.

 

[laboholic]

Alternatively, if your GPA is high after 3 years it's in your best interests to apply before you risk letting it slip your senior year.

Well, Only do this if you are 100% sure you are going to do better... which was my case. 😉

 

[teflontess15]

Alternatively, if your GPA is high after 3 years it's in your best interests to apply before you risk letting it slip your senior year.

Very, very true. I thought senioritis was just something that happened in high school. Then this semester happened. 🙂

It would also depend on your reasons for wanting a year off. Tired of studying? Want to go work, play, etc? Taking a year off to go travel abroad (all the while adding important life experiences and volunteer work) is probably going to be considered differently than staying at home.

 

[zook]

I would recommend applying senior year. Like people have said, you'll have more experiences to put on your app, and I think most ADCOMs like seeing applicants take a year off to "mature." As far as deferments go, it seems like private schools are a bit more lenient than public schools in granting them, but if a public school is the only place you get in, you're running the risk of having to apply again. The only thing about applying during your year off - make sure you get a job that's relatively flexible, so you can take time off to interview.

 

[erin682]

Not all schools allow deferement and a number of those that do expect you to have a real reason, aside from 'I just want to take a year off'.

 

[drmota]

also keep in mind that a lot of the cool things you may want to do (i.e. travel, or move abroad to teach english etc.) will require you to be out of country thus making it impossible for you to deal with all the applying/interviewing that requires you to be around. just a thought.
-mota

 

[1/2asser]

I'm planning on taking a year off and applied after my junior year anyway. it would be awesome to spend that year off with no stress about getting in. and if you get rejected you can do those follow up interviews at some schools and find out what you need to do for the next go round. As far as not being around, i really hope that if you're teaching english in bangladesh that the adcom would cut you a break and do a phone interview or just drop it all together. i mean you're teaching english in bangladesh, what else do they want to know?

 

[Agent Splat]

sitting around your house eating Cheetos and trying to find the naked parts of GTA: San Andreas

Now I know why I've never met you. You don't come to class, do you? The truth finally comes out....

 

[jeffsleepy]

In the interview feedback page for WashU, a few people said that their interviewers asked them something like "Isn't it selfish to take a year off before medical school?" How can this possibly be construed as selfish. I feel like I need to prepare an answer to this question, but I don't see how selfishness fits in at all.