<p>Would you ever consider postponing graduation for a semester (or a year, max) to take more major-related classes for more experience in a future field and to potentially raise your GPA?</p>
<p>I'm a bio major and I'll probably graduate with about a 3.5 cumulative and ~3.3 in major if I just follow the graduate plan (thanks to the rocky first semester after I declared a Bio major and struggled with chemistry). There are a lot more bio classes I'm interested in taking that don't really fit in my timeline of finishing by May of 2014 that are related to graduate programs I want to apply to in the future.</p>
<p>If did, I think I could do well in those classes as I've done well in bio classes previously and the topics really interest me.</p>
<p>Would it be worth it to boost my GPA from about a 3.2, 3.3 to a 3.5 from a full-time semester of course work (and maybe summer classes) and the extra time to do research?</p>
<p>I think the research especially would help, probably a bit less so the GPA, though it would still help. Will you have the funds for the additional year?</p>
<p>I’m postponing my graduation for a year for the extra relevant courses/in order to complete a thesis. I think the thesis will help, but the courses only if they are recommended/required for the schools I’m applying to - it would likely be similar for you. Is there any chance you can do/are interested in doing a thesis as well? How much do you think you would benefit personally/professionally from the courses?</p>
<p>Sorry for all the questions, it’s just been a topic I’ve had to think a lot about lately as well!</p>
<p>I can afford staying an extra semester. I commute and go to a local public school that is pretty inexpensive.</p>
<p>I would have to look into doing an thesis but it is a requirement for students in the biology honors program that I have yet to apply for. I’m def. interested in it, though.</p>
<p>As far as research goes, I already have about two years worth of experience and will be joining another project in August that I’ll likely stay on until graduation.</p>
<p>So, you are thinking about going back to school for another semister or another year. I would suggest that you think about your options.</p>
<p>Do you have any student loan debt? Because if you do, I am telling you (from experience) that you don’t want to pile any more debt on top of what you already have. You will have to pay that money back, and you only have 10years to do it. But it won’t be too bad if you currently have a scholarship that takes care of everything, and you have no debt. But then, that depends on what school you attend. If you go to Stanford, and will have to shell out >$20K for another year of classes, it probably isn’t worth it. And if you are planning on graduate school, and your loans aren’t subsidized, the interest is going to pile up and crush you. Can’t you do these classes in summer school, or couldn’t you audit some of these classes if they fall into a free hour in your current schedule. </p>
<p>You appear to be a good student, but just because you think that you can do well in a classes doesn’t mean you can do well. I have seen too many people gamble wrong by taking hard classes when the don’t have to, or even if the class is easy, get an ass of a prof teaching the course. Happened to my sister in a grad level stats course she wanted to take before entering grad school. She went in with good intentions, but got an E (F at most schools) in the class, and had to go to summer school to graduate. </p>
<p>You may want to consider a Post Bac program. I know the NIH has one, and they will pay you a small salary (esentually a grad school stipend), and allow you to take classes at Univ. of Maryland, and you get to do reasearch at the NIH! One of my friends did it, and let just say that that experience allowed him to punch his admission ticket to pretty much any graduate program in the country ( he got a couple of pubs in Nature, and got some great recs from some important people at the NIH). The Univ. of Michigan PIBS program has a post-bac program that offers a small stipend, provides a research project, gives you free GRE prep, and also gives you free grad school admission advice/services (personal statement and interview coaching.</p>