Delay UG or graduate?

[Vespasian]

I'd like to get some opinions on my situation. I have two options;

1. Apply to graduate in Fall '14, end UG with a 3.506, BS in PH. Take GRE end of Sept. beginning of Oct., apply for grad school Spring/Summer. 

Pros: Less UG debt, potential to begin grad school earlier.
Cons: Take GRE sooner (less studying), slight crunch on LORs, slightly lower GPA.

2. Add a minor, graduate in Spring '15, end UG with a 3.54, BS in PH (Infection Control minor), take GRE toward end of year/beginning of '15. Apply for grad school Summer/Fall.

Pros: More GRE study time, more time to gather LORs, slightly higher GPA.
Cons: Little more UG debt (~$2k more), limited to Summer/Fall admission for grad school.

I'm averaging about a 150-160 on the QR/VR sections. Looking at USF (epi), FSU (MPH), FIU (epi), UF (epi) and Tulane , UGA (epi), and UWF (MPH).

[♀HealthMatters]

I just read your post on SD, but for whatever imagined reason I like it here more. I graduated with my first MA (history, thesis on malaria protocols during WWII) in May of 13 (FSU - don't go there) and decided about 5 months ago that the MPH was the right choice for me. Even just working I feel like taking the GRE again in a month, plus doing the spring apps for Oct. 1/15 is enough to make me want to jump off a bridge. If you're a senior, you're probably 21/22. Take the time. Apply to the best schools, reach as high as you can, and when you decide on a program you'll know you did the right thing for you, and chose the best program of all the options available ... not just the ones open for spring admission. Hell, graduate in December but travel, volunteer, something. Don't confine yourself to Spring admissions for the sake of hurrying up to graduate again. 

[Vespasian]

 If you're a senior, you're probably 21/22. 

 

Should have mentioned this before, I'm 27; have a wife and baby.  LoL.  I've had a handful of jobs (mostly in retail/sales), and have about 9-10 months of research experience (2x 3-4th author pubs, 2 poster presentations).

[♀HealthMatters]

Hey, I'm 28! Instead of a wife and baby, I've got a Dachshund. If you're not familiar with the breed, the name is German for "little pain in the ass." So, for sure go ahead and graduate because it's not like you'll get another epic semester at Pike, spiking drinks with the brahs. You'll miss your last spring break in Panama City, and the neon muscle tank to go with it. But, alas, SB at "our age" isn't what it was at their age. 

 

That being said, consider two important questions. Are you not applying to programs or getting certain recommendations based on the timing? Either a professor just can't get their act together by October 1, or your dream program doesn't offer spring/summer admission. If that's the case, I'd say wait. No matter what, you'll still be an epidemiologist. But will you look on the wall and see FSU (don't do it) and think "Why didn't I hold out and apply to Emory/Harvard/Hopkins?" If you're absolutely confident in your application choices, you've got one more hurdle. Can you and your family realistically move in less than one month? It seems like you're keeping your apps to the southeast, which would make a move easier. But finding a place and moving in the literal two week span between classes ending at your UG and then starting at the new place would be ... challenging. 

 

If you think you and your wife can do it, I'm rooting for you! For me, I just think it would be too much. Like I said, I'm just leaving two jobs and moving (if I get in) and that's more than enough to totally mess with me. 

[♀HealthMatters]

Pro-tip for the GREs: I'm using Magoosh, they've got fabulous videos and it's really helping me. I think I paid $99 for six months access. They have multiple options depending on your needs. Check them out: http://gre.magoosh.com/invite/BC7UGH 

 

PS: I totally don't get anything for that "refer" thing, they just give me gold stars so it looks pretty when I yell at the math videos. 

[Vespasian]

Appreciate the advice and I'm leaning more toward graduating then applying for the Fall semester.  I think hearing someone offer perspective who is heading into a similar journey was what I needed to hear.  I was considering FSU because I spent a year in Tally last year taking classes at FSU and working as a research assistant.  I loved the school and most of the faculty and my research mentors said great things about FSU's MPH program.  To me it's more of a back-up school along with UWF.  I'm definitely hoping for UF, USF, FIU or Tulane.  I'm hesitant to aim for a program that will end up putting me $40-80k in the hole though. 

 

My parents have three dachshunds and they are definitely a pain in the ass.  Cricket farted three houses down?  Barking fit.  Doorbell on TV?  Barking fit.  I've got a 1 year old siberian husky myself and he's a handful; boundless energy and a knack for destruction.

 

I've been using Magoosh's vocab prep on my iPad and I'm going to spring for their prep subscription, also going to grab the ETS guide and the Manhattan GRE books as well.  I've never had a geometry class and I'm ~1.5 years removed from any non-stat math classes so I'm hoping Magoosh and MGRE (+a handful of practice tests) will be enough.

 

Thanks a lot!

Edited August 23, 2014 by Vespasian