[PindropSilence]

Hey.. over the past week ive been wondering... i want to go on to do medicine at uni after my A levels (im doing AS at the moment).. but was thinking if it would be better to take a gap year?

i would get work experience done and get a job to save up some money, and go to uni in 2010... or will uni's look for someone whos just come out of college

just asking if anyone has any advice for this? or knows anyone that has done this.. and think its a bad/good idea?

thanks

[generalebriety]

Take a gap year if you have something worthwhile to do. Saving up money is borderline acceptable - that's what student loans and summer jobs are for! But if you feel you need to, then fine, do it. You won't be disadvantaged unless you take fifty gap years.

[firebird_myth]

Why not apply and then defer by a year? I think that's a relatively common thing to do. That way you'll have the application process out of the way but feel free to do whatever you want for a year. You should check though with your top choices whether they would be okay with deferring your enrollment.

[geetar]

I'm on a gap year at the moment, though I can't give any specific info pertaining to medicine, as I'm off next year to do English.

I've earnt quite a bit of money doing about 4 months temping work, and also stuff to put on my CV. This will may also benefit you when applying to uni (although I already had a confirmed place when I started working): ie, if you demonstrate that you are willing to go further than another candidate -this could also work with travelling and showing your personal skills with independence, etc. So yes, subject-specific work during a gap year may well benefit you when applying, but I'm not guaranteeing that it will.

I was actually semi-forced into taking a year out because I left my previous uni about a term in, and on reflection shouldn't have bothered going at all because I wasn't ready for uni. After this year, however, I am. So in short that's my advice: if you feel ready to go to uni, apply now; if you don't, take a year out and see how you feel down the line.

Hope that helps.

[BlueSkiies]

actually work experience does look really good on CVs and personal statements for uni so dont worry about that!
I nearing the end of a year doing work experience int he music department at my school and i could not be enjoying it more!

[PindropSilence]

ok, thanks, i know what i'll do then... i'll apply in October this year like everyone else, but apply for 2010... that's as long as my AS grades are good (fingers crossed), if not i'll just apply in my gap year

work experience at the hospital and a job it is then

thanks for your help