<p>S2 has plans to apply to md/phd programs... typically as a (about to be)3rd year ug he would be organizing his timing of mcat and applications now but we have a possible glitch... He is doing 2 degrees in undergrad and needs about 160 credits. he recently won a scholarship which requires 40 hrs per week in labs during the summers, and 10 hours per week during fall and spring... His plan had been to go right through the summers taking classes and complete both degrees in the "4" years, but the research requirement means he cant take as many credits in the summer... There is a possible problem in that he might be a few credits short now by the end of senior year and may need one more semester,... does he continue with a plan of applications or will he need to take a gap between that fall semester and apply for the following year (mcat scores are only good for 2 years so that may affect timing of taking those tests too?)</p>
<p>He cannot be fully admitted to MD or PhD programs until he can produce a transcript showing he has earned a his baccalaureate degree. They might admit him provisionally, but in June before he can fully enroll he will have to produce the transcript. </p>
<p>(BTW, some small schools will ONLY designated a student as having graduated once a year if they only hold commencements once a year. Happened to me. I finished my all degree requirements in December but had to wait until June when the school held commencement to have my transcript marked as having completed my degree. Was a MAJOR PIA since I couldn’t be hired for a job that required a BA/BS nor receive my teaching credentials. Nor start my grad studies at a different university.)</p>
<p>He also needs to consider that he may not be able to take a full courseload during his senior/application year due to the need to travel for interviews. </p>
<p>I would strongly suggest he consider taking a 5th year to graduate and postpone his MCAT until spring of his senior year. If indeed he will finish up degree requirements in December of his ‘super senior’ year, he could use the extra (spring) semester to take grad classes in his research area or work full time as a RA. Both will only enhance his MD/PhD app.</p>
<p>MCAT scores are usually good for 3 years, but he will need to check each school’s policy to see what they will consider.</p>
<p>I would also caution your son against taking on too many classes during the regular school year in an attempt to graduated ‘on time’. One my double-major kiddos took that route. She took 22-24 credits/semester, had 10+ hours of weekly research, a TA position (plus other volunteer and club commitments) for an entire academic year. She took a ding on her GPA ( a couple of B+s that could have been As) and suffered from stress-induced burn out. She cut back to a more “reasonable” 18-19 credits/semester the next year and managed much better.</p>
<p>thanks wowmom… sounds similar to my son…research, ta position, many ec’s and leadership positions… he has carried 18-20 all along and had some advanced placement, plus full summer credits. his school doesnt use plus minus, so any b is a 3.0…which could hurt if overloaded. i know his school has december and may graduations. may need to look again if he could clep some of his core curriculum…he keeps putting those off and somehow that would bother me more if he does a 5th year for a history or english, than a med school requirement :)</p>
<p>My over-achiever was not allowed to use most of her AP credits. (Her school has a fairly restrictive policy on the use AP and IB credit in fulfilling graduation requirements and does not accept CLEP at all.) She only took 1 summer class because she was away from her home school 2 out 3 years and her summer research programs prohibited taking any coursework during the program. </p>
<p>She was in a kind of bind since her merit scholarship was good for only 4 years and a fifth year at full pay would have been tough.</p>
<p>OP, I also started out doing dual degrees but I made a (painful) decision that there was just no need to be doing this. I am also doing MD/PhD so I want to start immediately after graduation(why add a year to an already long program). Since I won’t do summer classes (my summers are reserved for experiences outside the classroom) my choice was to do the dual degrees or do one degree (the other a minor) and have extra slots to enrich the study in my major. I will graduate with about 180 credits, a good number of which will be grad courses taken as ug credit. My current plan makes more sense to me. </p>
<p>I have had the chance to personally talk to many admins and directors of (top) MD/PhD programs around the country and whenever they are questioned about people doing dual/triple degrees, many of them come back with the question “why are you doing this”? If your son takes just one degree, problem solved, right?</p>
<p>It kind of depends on his area of interest/research and what his majors are. In D2’s case, her research area (and post-grad RA) are in an cross-over field requires in-depth knowledge from both her majors.</p>
<p>plumazul… that is definitely something we are looking at…right now he still feels pretty strongly about staying with the 2 (forensic chem and molecular biology) …but i think the option of dropping one has to stay on the table for a decision no later than this fall. summer between 1st and second year he was able to do research at another university full time while doing some core courses online. this summer he was already registered for courses before he knew about the scholarship…so has been able to do both (while alot of the ec, committee stuff was reduced) …dont think he will be able to do that next summer though. so an available semester gone from the original plan. </p>
<p>wowmom… he didnt use alot of his ap credits either… he ta’s for some courses that he had credit for, and has to retake the course before he ta’s in the lab.</p>
<p>We are just beginning to investigate all of this in our house - but one thing I’ve read. Is that you want to also time the m-cat to the classes that are tested. As in don’t wait too long to take it - or you have to relearn everything. So you may also want to consider that in the timing of the test. I have read, take a lighter load the semester you want to take it - and take it fall of your junior year. If it’s good for three years - might make sense to stay on that track.</p>
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<p>He can pick one for his degree while taking as large a subset of classes in the other as will fit within his four year plan. Having these classes on his transcript is what matters. Having an extra major/degree, no so much.</p>