Waiting 2 years between college and grad school?

[gaver77wool]

I graduated from college this past spring with a BS in biology and want to get a PhD eventually. I didn't know that I really wanted to go to grad school until I started doing research during my senior year, so I didn't apply for this school year. I currently have a job as a research assistant at a well-known university doing genetics/developmental research (evo-devo research is the area I that I'd really like to study eventually). I am thinking about applying to grad school for the 2017-18 school year, but I'm not really sure if I'm ready. I just feel like I'll be rushing the application process now and won't take my time. I also had a difficult senior year (mentally) and I don't think I've fully recovered, so I don't if I really need time to sort things out or I'm just procrastinating. I just feel like I'm behind everyone else who is my age (career-wise) or that others will think I'm stupid for not applying now or that I really must not want to do research (but, I really do). Do you think it's okay to wait two years before applying to grad school?

[TakeruK]

Totally okay. 2 years is not a big deal. Many grad students are going to be coming into grad school a few years removed from undergrad, whether it's because they did something else, worked in industry, did a Masters, etc. I don't think most people will even notice that you are a different age.

[Glasperlenspieler]

I think that for lots of people it can actually be beneficial. I actually applied for graduate school during my senior year and was shut out (despite a couple promising wait-lists). I'm only now applying for graduate schools again. So if I get accepted it will have been three years out of school. Obviously I'll have to wait and see how things play out, but I'm feeling much more confident this time around. Looking back, I simply wasn't ready. I wasn't mature enough and my intellectual interests hadn't crystallized enough to make me a competitive applicant. Obviously we'll have to wait and see how things play out, but I think that the personal growth, experiences, and time away from school (to consider what I was really interested in with the benefit of a little distance) will only help me be a stronger applicant and more successful in my program if I am admitted. So not only do I think some time off is OK, I'd encourage it for most people (there are obviously exceptions), and while an admissions committee might raise on eyebrow about an applicant who has been out of school for 5+ years (depending on what she was doing in that time), I think they won't care about a few years, especially if you have been using them to grow in some way.