BU has a strong core course requirement. Hopefully, this student should be able to satisfy that during the time abroad. This would mean that more time will be available in years 2, 3, and 4 to do the required courses for medical school applicants.
If a student applies to medical school to start immediately after undergrad, they would need to have these courses done by the end of their junior year. That might not be possible for this student, but so what?
The average age of starting medical school is now mid 20’s. This student could use the full year after undergrad graduation to beef up their volunteer work, direct contact with patients, and to prep and take the MCAT.
@bcuzicare I know you said your son loves Boston and BU…but did he get accepted anywhere else where he would be starting at that college freshman year, and not abroad? I only ask this if he intends to send his medical school applications out at the end of his junior year.
Aah, but does a kid want to go overseas to take the core requirements? I studied in London- the best part of the experience was the coursework which took advantage of what was actually there. I was a Classics major and a junior- spent half a day a week in the British museum on a research project. Took a class on Roman Civic life (astonishing early conquest ruins are within a days commute of London via train). And the obligatory “Comedy and Tragedy” with live performances every week. I audited a class (hadn’t taken the prerequisites so couldn’t register) on Tudor/Stuart/Georgian art and furnishings. The final exam was about a chair (yes, a chair) in the V&A museum.
Does this kid really want to be overseas and NOT take advantage of the whimsy/serendipity of studying in whichever city he lands in???
My kid was only there a semester…and fulfilled two of the core course requirements. One was an arts thing and they went to museums. Another was history, and they went all around London learning about the history there.
It’s not all or nothing.
But it might mean this kid will need to apply to medical school his senior year and not his junior year. Nothing wrong with that.
Do the study abroad, enjoy…if he goes to medical school, he will have eight years about with little time to travel anywhere!
But swinging back…will this affect medical school admissions? No.
No, it won’t med school admission in general. but doing freshman year abroad may make it impossible for the student to apply without a gap year–which what the OP had asked about.
Did this student receive an acceptance where he can start his freshman year and complete his degree in one place? Does he want to apply to medical school at the end of his junior year so he can start the fall after he gets his bachelors? Is that his goal?
@bcuzicare will your son be willing to wait to apply to medical school not starting until a year after he completes his undergrad (applying at the end of his senior year of college)?
As noted by everyone…it is possible he won’t be able to complete all of the required courses for medical school applicants in time to apply at the end of his junior year. How much does this matter to him.
Also, the study abroad as a freshman might be his last chance to travel abroad for 8 years or so…if he does go to medical school.
Also, fewer and fewer students apply their junior year. (Average age for med school admitted students is 24-25.)
Students basically have one shot so they do everything in their power to have the strongest application file, especially wrt volunteering or clinical experiences.
Yes, he has said before he wants to take a gap year, study for the mcat and do more research etc before applying. His cousin who recently graduated med school, has been his mentor of sorts and did the same so I don’t think that’s a deterrant.
He did get other options at schools but BU remains his top choice. It’s attractive for many reasons, mostly lots of research opportunities and close proximity to several hospitals for volunteering shadowing etc.
We are from CA and he has UC options but between impacted classes, long lines for food and everything else, impacted housing it’s not something we are interested in.
My friend has her son at UCLA,he’s a junior and she said right now he has 0 classes for next quarter. He was unable to get any class he needs for his graduation requirements and is set to now graduate in 5 years if he can’t get the classes.
My son has an outside scholarship that will cover tuition + room&board so will have 0 debt graduating. Very very thankful for this.
Hes been a big travel kid, we’ve always traveled abroad throughout his life…in fact getting ready to leave now for spring break. So studying abroad fits his personality and I agree it’s his last great chance to do something like this for a long time.