<p>I have often heard that it is difficult to do well as a pre-med student while studying abroad. Though I recognize that every school has different opportunities for studying abroad, do any pre-meds have an especially positive or negative experience abroad that they wouldn't mind sharing?</p>
<p>Do you mean taking pre-reqs while being abroad?</p>
<p>Or do you mean doing a studying abroad while taking “other” classes (classes that aren’t pre-reqs)?</p>
<p>Either response would be great to hear. I did initially mean for those students taking pre-reqs while abroad though.</p>
<p>I believe that at least some schools require the pre reps to be done in the us, but I may be mistaken</p>
<p>I went to Italy to study Italian Renaissance art history in Tuscany for 5 weeks after sophomore year. It was incredible and I would enthusiastically recommend it to anyone with the means to do so.</p>
<p>Personally I wouldn’t take premed prereq science classes abroad under any circumstances. The only classes id take would be the other ones…like my art class!</p>
<p>Do not take pre-med requirements while on study abroad. Use the time to finish your electives and general education requirements so you can focus more on your sciences and major subjects while back at school.</p>
<p>However, pre-med courses usually follow a strict schedule (like 2 semesters of each science) and if you fall behind that could be bad. That is why I chose to study abroad in the summer. I knocked out 12 credits and now freed up much-needed space in my schedule for a Kaplan MCAT class. Look into summer study programs!</p>
<p>Thank you for the advice!</p>
<p>Do you think taking the MCAT sophomore year and getting it over with is a smart move for someone interested in going abroad as a junior? Or would it be more pragmatic to go abroad sophomore year, then come back as a junior and get to work?</p>
<p>Are you doing a full year study abroad?</p>
<p>have you considered doing a summer abroad instead?</p>
<p>Definitely do a study abroad, but schedule carefully so you can stay on track for graduation. One caveat, DD found that while her university says ALL units taken abroad will transfer, that does not guarantee that her major will take those units toward their requirements. Her major allowed her to only use 2 classes taken abroad. That meant, since she was already a junior with her GE mostly done, she only did a semester not a year abroad in order to be sure she finished on time. She had to finish ochem that spring so she could MCAT in the summer and take certain classes senior year.</p>
<p>My DD did take one upper div bio class that counted in her science GPA (and got a B :() on her abroad experience, but it was not one of the basic pre-req classes.</p>
<p>studied abroad after my sophomore year. taking mcat in a week. wish i had the summer to study and take it though</p>
<p>some colleges have study abroad programs offered for specific majors, taught by the colleges own professors. may want to see if the major you take, offers that.</p>
<p>I did a program like that and I highly recommend it.</p>
<p>Napster, I think the general time for doing these things is taking a semester in your junior year. You should definitely take all your pre-med courses at your current school; some med schools may not acknowledge a course if it’s not at a US-sanctioned school. (Check with your advisor about this.) Transfer is okay, not abroad? hum…</p>
<p>As for taking the MCAT, plan to take it only once. Don’t rush it; it’s offered something like 27 times throughout the year. Take it when you’ve had enough time to study for it, generally sometime in your junior year is good, so you can apply in your senior year. Once you get your score, you’ll have a pretty good sense where you might get in.</p>