Grad School: Apply now & defer, or apply later?

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Discussion Overview

The discussion revolves around the decision-making process regarding when to apply for graduate school in synthetic biology, particularly whether to apply now and defer admission or to wait a year before applying. The conversation touches on aspects of academic planning, personal development, and the implications of timing in the application process.

Discussion Character

  • Debate/contested
  • Exploratory
  • Conceptual clarification

Main Points Raised

  • One participant expresses a preference for waiting a year to strengthen their application through additional research experience and improved GPA, while also addressing concerns about being perceived as unfocused by applying during a gap year.
  • Another participant suggests that applying now with the intention to defer could be a viable option, raising concerns about the potential difficulty of re-entering academia after a year away.
  • A question is posed regarding whether a previous rejection from a graduate program could negatively impact future applications, indicating uncertainty about the implications of application timing.
  • There is a query about the possibility of deferring admission to graduate school, with one participant noting that they have not encountered this practice before, while another mentions that an advisor suggested it might be an option worth verifying.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants express differing views on the merits of applying now versus waiting a year, with no consensus reached on the best approach. There is also uncertainty regarding the practice of deferring graduate school admission.

Contextual Notes

Participants highlight various assumptions about the application process, including the potential for deferral and the impact of prior rejections on future applications, which remain unresolved.

Who May Find This Useful

Students considering graduate school applications, particularly those contemplating gap years or seeking to enhance their applications through additional experience.

sir_manning
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Hi all

I've got one more year left in my undergraduate degree at a Canadian university in physics. I'll be taking a year off after graduating before (hopefully) going to the US for grad school in synthetic biology. My question is, should I write the GRE and apply to grad school now and then defer a year, or do this next year?

I'd prefer waiting a year before applying simply because I think I can have a stronger application (more research experience, higher GPA, etc). However, I've already talked to one advisor who thought that applying on my year off would make me seem like a bit of an unfocussed flake. I'm planning on moving to Québec and teaching English at a school (while learning French). I'm also hoping to do some physics tutoring (though this will depend where I go). So it's not like I'm just staying drunk and stoned for a year or something like that.

Anyways, any thoughts? Thanks.
 
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Why are they mututally exclusive?

Could you not apply this year and plan to defer acceptance, and then if it doesn't work out they way you would like, apply the following year?

I think the big danger in waiting a year is that despite the best intentions, when you leave academia, it can often be difficult to get back in. People do do this. But many more attempt this, get into a comfortable position out in the real world, and decide they don't want to return to student life.

Maybe 'danger' isn't the right word though. I shouldn't imply that one path is better than the other.
 
If I am not accepted one year at a particular school, does this lower my chances of getting accepted the next year? I'm not worried about whether I'll go back to school or not, more about when I should apply.
 
Is there even such a thing as deferring for graduate school? I've never seen such a thing - you usually apply to start the program in a particular year. If you want to start a year later, you apply a year later.
 
Vanadium 50 said:
Is there even such a thing as deferring for graduate school?

I hadn't heard about it either, but my adviser seemed to think it was an option. I guess it's something to verify.
 

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