NU takes 32 AP credits max which is equivalent to 8 classes or a full year of classes (I think) which leaves me needing to get only 3 years worth of credits. I tried looking online for any info about it but couldn’t find stuff on possibly graduating early from NU. My understanding would be that I would be reduced to one co-op and possibly need to take summer classes. Is there a benefit to doing this especially if I’m seriously considering applying to medical school?
In order to make it possible, a lot of things have to be just right:
- Come in with 32 useful credits to your major (can be electives)
- Take 2 summer sessions
- Prerequise sequence for your major can be done in 5 semesters (most upper-level courses will not be available in summer unless you do a session freshman year summer, which is possible, but still, to be safe I would make sure you can do it in 5 semesters)
- Do one co-op
Now on to if it’s a good idea. Yes, it’s technically possible. I’ve certainly heard of a lot worse ideas, and I do know of someone who finished in 3 years with a co-op to go to grad school, but they were a sociology major and did not have to do pre-med prerequisites.
With med school, you’re on a long path, and making it a year shorter doesn’t mean the path is shorter, it just means you’re going through it quicker. That would concern me because of academic burnout. I think it’d be a lot better to do a relaxing 4 year 2 co-op plan, use your summers to recharge a bit (or you can extend a co-op to be 8 months and cover the full summer, but you have the option), and still go to med school in less than 5 years like most at NEU, because 5 years before med school would be a bit much.
Another advantage of 4 years is that it gives you more time to adapt should you change your mind, as well as another co-op. You could change over from 3 years to 4 years, but if you do summer sessions before changing you’ll have fewer classes left to use for the change.
Thanks for your detailed help @PengsPhils ! I was mainly considering it because my current major, behavioral neuroscience, has a ton of overlap with medical school requirements anyways and if I tried to graduate in 3 years, I could have a whole year after without having to worry about school where I can do volunteering, find a job and generally just work on my application.
Taking a gap year versus doing a second coop may not be a good idea.
Just be careful to have five months as a FT student each calendar year or potentially lose dependent status, if that is a concern. Some US students take a gap year and then have a not so pleasant surprise at the end.
Weather you do your volunteer time after graduation or in year 2 or 3 of NEU won’t make any difference for med school. Why rush through to graduate and then volunteer? Do the volunteering or research in year 3 as part of co-op.
My freshman daughter sent all her AP scores and her transcript lists all 49 credits. Will this be reduced down to 32 after orientation and meeting with advisor?
@tganns 32 credits max can be applied to a degree, regardless of how many earned.