Is 9 extra curriculars ok?

[kfcman289]

I only have 9 EC's. Is that too little or do you think that is good enough?

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[vicktrump]

It depends on what the EC's are, could be a plenty or it could be too few.

 

[Grace184]

Yes, I agree... If they are meaningful, and not fluffy that sounds appropriate

 

[Nysor_bttw]

Spreading your time across mine things in addition to school either means you're not giving any of them proper attention, or you're god. If it's the latter, you're golden.

 

[ChrisMack390]

Spreading your time across mine things in addition to school either means you're not giving any of them proper attention, or you're god. If it's the latter, you're golden.

The app gives you 15 spaces. He is asking if 9 is enough and its OK to leave 6 blank.


As others have said - it totally depends on the content.

 

[Nysor_bttw]

Ah, this is the difference in systems talking. I'm from Texas, and TMDSAS gives you as many as you need for categories such as employment, medical activities, research, etc. I was under the assumption that he was involved in 9 different activities outside of shadowing/ volunteering/ research/ employment. I was making the point that with that many activities, how can you actually devote yourself to any one of them.

 

[ChrisMack390]

Yup. AMCAS just gives you 15 spots to put whatever into, including all employment, volunteering, research, shadowing, etc.

Its also typically from the start of college onward so its not like you are expecting to be doing all of them at once. Also some things take up multiple spaces, for example I will be putting my research as one, the publication I got as one, and the poster presentation I did at a national conference as one. Technically only 1 activity, but it's going to fill 3 of my spaces.

 

[Grace184]

Yup. AMCAS just gives you 15 spots to put whatever into, including all employment, volunteering, research, shadowing, etc.

Its also typically from the start of college onward so its not like you are expecting to be doing all of them at once. Also some things take up multiple spaces, for example I will be putting my research as one, the publication I got as one, and the poster presentation I did at a national conference as one. Technically only 1 activity, but it's going to fill 3 of my spaces.

That's how I roll.

 

[Mad Jack]

I had three ECs and got in just fine. It's about quality, not quantity. Adcoms know how to spot filler from a mile away, and aren't impressed by it in the slightest, so make sure you have as many activities of substance as possible.

 

[Nysor_bttw]

It's about quality, not quantity. Adcoms know how to spot filler from a mile away, and aren't impressed by it in the slightest, so make sure you have as many activities of substance as possible.

FTFY. So true, though; don't just throw it in there to try to take up space, which brings me to my next point...

Also some things take up multiple spaces, for example I will be putting my research as one, the publication I got as one, and the poster presentation I did at a national conference as one. Technically only 1 activity, but it's going to fill 3 of my spaces.

...that sounds unwise. I may not be as familiar with AMCAS as TMDSAS ( and we are very much encouraged to list singular activities in mutliple of our categories if they fit) but ideally medical school applications should be as concise as possible. If you can meaningfully include everything you've done with your research in one activity, I would think that better than making an admissions committee read through three activities based around really only one activity.

 

[Mad Jack]

FTFY. So true, though; don't just throw it in there to try to take up space, which brings me to my next point...



...that sounds unwise. I may not be as familiar with AMCAS as TMDSAS ( and we are very much encouraged to list singular activities in mutliple of our categories if they fit) but ideally medical school applications should be as concise as possible. If you can meaningfully include everything you've done with your research in one activity, I would think that better than making an admissions committee read through three activities based around really only one activity.

lol, how did I even do that. I'm kind of ******ed when I'm running on 3 hours of sleep.

 

[Mad Jack]

Yup. AMCAS just gives you 15 spots to put whatever into, including all employment, volunteering, research, shadowing, etc.

Its also typically from the start of college onward so its not like you are expecting to be doing all of them at once. Also some things take up multiple spaces, for example I will be putting my research as one, the publication I got as one, and the poster presentation I did at a national conference as one. Technically only 1 activity, but it's going to fill 3 of my spaces.

Be aware that that's going to look really bad to an adcom that actually pays attention. It's not about filling spaces, it's about the quality and depth of the things that occupies said spaces.

 

[ChrisMack390]

Hm. I thought that was kind of what I was supposed to do. I do agree it seems silly...

 

[RubicStorm]

Be aware that that's going to look really bad to an adcom that actually pays attention. It's not about filling spaces, it's about the quality and depth of the things that occupies said spaces.

I was under the impression publications deserve their own box, which is what I had done as well. I think I lumped the posters/contributions under my research/work though.