My EC's are week....

[CollegeGirl94]

WEAK**************

These are the things I plan to stay committed to until senior year (and gap year(s)):

• Volunteering in a clinic (I am a translator for doctors). I schedule myself whenever I want to. In a normal week, once. During no school, almost everyday.

• Volunteering in a hospital. I did this since high school, stopped freshman year, will begin again (this week actually). I'm not sure what I will do, but supervisor told me something that involves patient contact. Once a week.

• I run an optional "course" for students who take Calculus. I receive credit and do have to do homework/learning research project. One year, not sure if I want to continue. On my transcript it is labeled as "Teaching in the "STEM" courses".

• I did a full summer of research my freshman year summer. It was great, I learned SO much, but not sure where to go from here. Had the option to be a lab maid or run independent projects. Will choose one ASAP.

• Volunteered in a Central-American country for a week. Plan to do a few more of these trips by the time I apply. I understand it is controversial, but I enjoyed it.

• Shadowing a doctor this summer. How many hours should I aim for?

Possibles:

• Get some kind of certification so I can work in a hospital during my junior year summer/senior year summer/whenever they need someone during the years.

• Teaching a CPR class. Not sure how this exactly works, I missed the first orientation.

• Some kind of volunteering that is not medical.

Given that I stay dedicated to all of these things, is it enough?

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[Mad Jack]

Would help if I knew what year you were. If you're in your last Junior year and applying this cycle, your ECs will be weak. If you're applying next cycle, you'll be golden, assuming your GPA and MCAT are solid. All the ECs in the world won't save you if you bomb that exam or fail a couple classes late in the game, so keep your priorities straight, and focus on the things that really matter. You can always do a gap year later if you need to.

 

[CollegeGirl94]

Would help if I knew what year you were. If you're in your last Junior year and applying this cycle, your ECs will be weak. If you're applying next cycle, you'll be golden, assuming your GPA and MCAT are solid. All the ECs in the world won't save you if you bomb that exam or fail a couple classes late in the game, so keep your priorities straight, and focus on the things that really matter. You can always do a gap year later if you need to.

I am a sophomore. Applying either my junior or senior year (most likely). Strong possibility of 2 gap years.

 

[CollegeGirl94]

My GPA is less than golden. I am raising it, slowly but surely. I went from a 2.7 to a 3.0. Hopefully 3.2 after this summer.

 

[Mad Jack]

I am a sophomore. Applying either my junior or senior year (most likely). Strong possibility of 2 gap years.

You're fine. You really don't need more than 200 hours of volunteer experience. Put in 4 hours every other week for the next 3 years, and that'll give you 312 hours with a 3 year history of volunteerism. You have research experience, which isn't required anyway, but you've got it, so that box is checked. And you've got some teaching experience with the calculus tutoring- you're totally fine, just chill and focus on your grades and MCAT. If those suffer for your ECs, all that hard EC work will have been for nothing. You definitely won't need two gap years, unless you feel like it.

 

[CollegeGirl94]

You're fine. You really don't need more than 200 hours of volunteer experience. Put in 4 hours every other week for the next 3 years, and that'll give you 312 hours with a 3 year history of volunteerism. You have research experience, which isn't required anyway, but you've got it, so that box is checked. And you've got some teaching experience with the calculus tutoring- you're totally fine, just chill and focus on your grades and MCAT. If those suffer for your ECs, all that hard EC work will have been for nothing. You definitely won't need two gap years, unless you feel like it.

Ah thank you! Hopefully one gap year is enough if I reach my GPA goals/dive into MCAT studying.

 

[nemo123]

You are on the right track in terms of ECs, but your GPA probably is more concerning at this point...

 

[CollegeGirl94]

You are on the right track in terms of ECs, but your GPA probably is more concerning at this point...

I know. I should be able to raise it to a 3.5 (3.3-3.4 with wiggle room) by the end of junior year. With a gap year, even more my senior year.

In the next year alone I'm taking double the science courses I took my freshman-sophomore year + summer. My major classes, continuing Physics, and some lighter Biology/Astronomy/Statistics for a breather.

I hate anything NOT science. Although I didn't develop good studying habits, I can achieve A's in them. In my requirement classes (leaving the rest for senior year), not so much.

 

[chillaxbro]

WEAK**************

These are the things I plan to stay committed to until senior year (and gap year(s)):

• Volunteering in a clinic (I am a translator for doctors). I schedule myself whenever I want to. In a normal week, once. During no school, almost everyday.

• Volunteering in a hospital. I did this since high school, stopped freshman year, will begin again (this week actually). I'm not sure what I will do, but supervisor told me something that involves patient contact. Once a week.

• I run an optional "course" for students who take Calculus. I receive credit and do have to do homework/learning research project. One year, not sure if I want to continue. On my transcript it is labeled as "Teaching in the "STEM" courses".

• I did a full summer of research my freshman year summer. It was great, I learned SO much, but not sure where to go from here. Had the option to be a lab maid or run independent projects. Will choose one ASAP.

• Volunteered in a Central-American country for a week. Plan to do a few more of these trips by the time I apply. I understand it is controversial, but I enjoyed it.

• Shadowing a doctor this summer. How many hours should I aim for?

Possibles:

• Get some kind of certification so I can work in a hospital during my junior year summer/senior year summer/whenever they need someone during the years.

• Teaching a CPR class. Not sure how this exactly works, I missed the first orientation.

• Some kind of volunteering that is not medical.

Given that I stay dedicated to all of these things, is it enough?

Peru is in South America

 

[CollegeGirl94]

Peru is in South America

I went to Panama? I was going to go to Ecuador but unfortunately I will not be able to afford it/fit it in as of now.