So I'm currently a pre-med student, about to enter my junior year. I've been debating taking an extra year to graduate (5 instead of 4) for a number of reasons:

1) To have an additional year to study for the MCAT (this is the big one)
2) So my life isn't hell for the next two years
- Additionally, it gives me more free time to engage in other activities that make me look more "well-rounded"
3) It will give me a chance to get a minor

That being said, there's a few reasons I'd rather not take a fifth year:

1) I've been getting a free ride so far from my parents, but I'm almost certain they won't support me financially for a fifth year (this would be the main reason against)
2) As petty as it sounds, most of my friends are on a four year plan and I don't really want to take the time to find new friends
3) I'm a little worried that I'll simply look "lazy" to prospective schools.
4) The road from undergraduate to licensed physician is already so long and tedious that an extra year doesn't seem too appealing

So I thought I would ask you all what you thought. Which option would you choose? Why? Obviously I realize this choice is ultimately up to me, but outside input is always nice to have.

You're going into med school, you'll be able to pay your parents back fairly soon.

Any benefit of looking more "well-rounded" to admissions officers and future employers is negated by you seeming to not be able to handle graduation in the normal timeframe by taking 5 years.

Just go to med school already, so long as you aren't an idiot and have a proper major the MCATs shouldn't be a problem.

Good luck with whatever you do.

Do it in 4 years. If you can't handle 2 harder years in your undergraduate studies, you probably won't make it through med school. Also, med school can be quite expensive, so anything you can save now would be good.

Any benefit of looking more "well-rounded" to admissions officers and future employers is negated by you seeming to not be able to handle graduation in the normal time frame by taking 5 years.

This

The extra year will raise a few eyebrows. Also, be prepared to tell them why you took that extra year. And it better be a damn good reason. The only acceptable thing really is to go do research, and thats a bit iffy.

If you want, take some time off between undergrad and med school and get a kickass job. This makes excellent conversation starters and can even get you matched in more competitive residencies.

Just make sure you know all of your research and extra activites (mostly research) inside and out, no matter how much (or little) you did. They will nail you for this and can easily find resume padders.

Good Luck!

You're going into med school, you'll be able to pay your parents back fairly soon.

If by fairly soon you mean over ten years from now after paying off over 100 thousand dollars of loans.

focus your decision around gpa. thats all that matters. my friend got a 95% percentile on the mcat, had tons of extra curriculars but a shitty gpa kept him out. He's also white to.

http://blog.wired.com/wiredscience/2008/04/top-5-reasons-t.html

Yeah, I've got nothing.