Going 4.5 years, when to apply for grad school?

Graduate School
1

<p>I’m going to be going to college an additional semester for two reasons:</p>

<li>I want to take calculus and an additional psych elective.</li>
<li>I wasn’t majoring in psych until this semester and want to make sure I have enough credits in psych.</li>
</ol>

<p>Most people who go four years seem to apply in December, right? What should I do for application time–should I apply in December with everyone else, graduate, and then find some job in my field for the spring/summer before I start?</p>

<p>I’m doing the internships next summer right before the supposed December application time. My advisor instructed me not to do any this summer due to health concerns (I am fighting a good deal of mental health issues right now, which is another reason I’m extending one more semester).</p>

<p>Given that I changed majors (from elementary ed to psych) I’m willing to bet that the folks who look at applications aren’t really going to care if I go another semester, especially since I want to advance myself in terms of math courses. At least that’s what I think.</p>

<p>Is it bad to take three semesters of 12 credits? Due to my health conditions I really can’t take 15 next semester and my thought was that if I took 12 next time I’d be able to take 12 the next two–that way I’d have additional time if I wanted to start an internship in the spring working a few days a week in lieu of a class. Is this a good idea or have I just killed any chance to get into grad school by opting to take 12 credits?</p>

<p>I’m guessing I either apply in December like everyone else or maybe I apply in the spring next year so I start during a spring semester? But then again, I wouldn’t have any internship experience until the summer unless I start over the spring next year.</p>

<p>It’s my mental health that is prohibiting me from doing an internship this summer. I am in awful shape right now and every professional I have talked to has told me not to do anything academic.</p>

<p>EDIT: Would I want a job or an internship of some sort (while working on weekends for cash) from January-whenever grad school semesters start in 2010? (I’m graduating, as in getting my bachelor’s degree, in December 2009).</p>

<p>To clarify things:</p>

<p>I’m expecting to graduate in December 2009.
I’m thinking internships for Summer 2009.
I’m thinking 12 credits for the three remaining semesters I have.
Health is a problem right now.
I want to take calculus next spring. If I took it by going two more semesters 15 and 15, I wouldn’t have room for it.
My last stats course was college in high school, Spring 2005. Should I take a stats elective as a refresher?
Projected GPA after this semester is about 3.91.
My questions: when do I apply and due to taking an extra semester and taking less credits, are my chances impacted negatively?</p>

2

<p>"should I apply in December with everyone else, graduate, and then find some job in my field for the spring/summer before I start?"
Yes.</p>

<p>"have I just killed any chance to get into grad school by opting to take 12 credits?"
No.</p>

3

<p>--Most people who go four years seem to apply in December, right? What should I do for application time--should I apply in December with everyone else, graduate, and then find some job in my field for the spring/summer before I start?--
Yes, but you might have little luck with the jobs, as most might be hesitant to hire you for 9 months. Look for internships for sure, and other relevant opportunities (eg research at the university, etc)</p>

<p>--I'm doing the internships next summer right before the supposed December application time. My advisor instructed me not to do any this summer due to health concerns.--
I had my most relevant internship the summer before I applied (I also graduated in December), nothing wrong with that. Try to volunteer or somehow otherwise show you are "still interested" in this field during the meantime though, otherwise it might look like a sudden and not well thought out interest.</p>

<p>--Given that I changed majors (from elementary ed to psych) I'm willing to bet that the folks who look at applications aren't really going to care if I go another semester, especially since I want to advance myself in terms of math courses. At least that's what I think.--
I changed universities 2 years in, and that didn't hurt my applications it appears... So you are likely thinking correctly. Alot of people these days take more time to graduate.</p>

<p>--Is it bad to take three semesters of 12 credits? Due to my health conditions I really can't take 15 next semester and my thought was that if I took 12 next time I'd be able to take 12 the next two--that way I'd have additional time if I wanted to start an internship in the spring working a few days a week in lieu of a class. Is this a good idea or have I just killed any chance to get into grad school by opting to take 12 credits?--
No, but keep active outside of classes as I said--volunteer, work... do something.</p>

<p>Not sure your exact field, but some programs allow winter start dates. None of mine did, so I have been hanging out interning at working part time (crappy retail job), and am hopefully moving out to the city my grad school is in early to intern there all summer. So there are options, as long as you can financially pull them off.</p>