Leaving graduate school a problem?

[grt398]

I noticed this subject came up in a recent thread and I was curious about the consensus response to my situation. I'd appreciate any responses on how much of an issue this might be when I finish my post-bac and apply to med school down the road. As an fyi, I won't be starting a post bac until Fall '09 so I've got a long road to travel.

I finished undergrad with a degree in finance and after being unable to secure the kind of job I wanted, I decided to go to law school. During my first semester in law school the opportunity to go work at the kind of job I was originally hoping for presented itself, so I left law school after 1 semester to work at an investment bank. I've since been in finance for 3 years now. My undergraduate GPA was good (3.9) so that shouldn't be an issue, but I was a bit concerned about how an adcom may interpret the fact that I left law school. It was a question I answered many times during my finance interviews and the answers I've given satisfy everyone I've spoken to in the finance industry, but I don't have much experience with med school adcoms and it doesn't change the fact that I did leave a good law school after 1 semester.

Any feedback would be appreciated.

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[NTF]

I noticed this subject came up in a recent thread and I was curious about the consensus response to my situation. I'd appreciate any responses on how much of an issue this might be when I finish my post-bac and apply to med school down the road. As an fyi, I won't be starting a post bac until Fall '09 so I've got a long road to travel.

I finished undergrad with a degree in finance and after being unable to secure the kind of job I wanted, I decided to go to law school. During my first semester in law school the opportunity to go work at the kind of job I was originally hoping for presented itself, so I left law school after 1 semester to work at an investment bank. I've since been in finance for 3 years now. My undergraduate GPA was good (3.9) so that shouldn't be an issue, but I was a bit concerned about how an adcom may interpret the fact that I left law school. It was a question I answered many times during my finance interviews and the answers I've given satisfy everyone I've spoken to in the finance industry, but I don't have much experience with med school adcoms and it doesn't change the fact that I did leave a good law school after 1 semester.

Any feedback would be appreciated.

I think the explanation you've given is plenty good enough. Just make sure you build the ECs and commitment to medicine in your application that will squash any suspicion that you'd pull the same thing if accepted to medical school.

 

[grt398]

Will do. I'm starting a volunteer program soon and should have at least 2 full years of regular volunteer experience by the time I am ready to apply, plus I'm trying to figure out a way to exchange my finance knowledge for some kind of assistant research position. Thanks for the reply.

 

[sindadel]

Your story sounds fine to me and you have experience delivering it convincingly. I think your biggest challenge will be demonstrating your sincere commitment to medical school. I'm sure they hate it when people leave after a semester.

Good luck!