Too late to start volunteer activities this cycle?

[moemoekyun]

So my volunteer supervisor at the hospital sent me an email regarding two activities: hospice volunteering and reading to children. While I plan to look into these, I don't believe I can start either till August (the hospice for sure, orientation is at the end of the month). So if I do start these activities later, would they even be worth bringing up later? A student I tutored told me the advisor told him that I can update schools on activities.

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[Catalystik]

So my volunteer supervisor at the hospital sent me an email regarding two activities: hospice volunteering and reading to children. While I plan to look into these, I don't believe I can start either till August (the hospice for sure, orientation is at the end of the month). So if I do start these activities later, would they even be worth bringing up later? A student I tutored told me the advisor told him that I can update schools on activities.

Hospice in particular would be a good activity to mention for appropriate Secondary prompts, a fall update letter (where allowed), interview conversations, and if you end up needing to reapply.

 

[jaga1603]

So my volunteer supervisor at the hospital sent me an email regarding two activities: hospice volunteering and reading to children. While I plan to look into these, I don't believe I can start either till August (the hospice for sure, orientation is at the end of the month). So if I do start these activities later, would they even be worth bringing up later? A student I tutored told me the advisor told him that I can update schools on activities.

You can always update schools on ongoing activities. In general I think these things would be best saved for an interview/post interview update. Are the raw number of hours going to make a big difference? Probably not. But if you enjoy the position and have meaningful things to share about it as time goes on, I think it's worth talking about in an interview.

 

[moemoekyun]

I am involved in other activities atm like hospital volunteer and shadow, so it's not the hours I'm looking for, just the experience and if it's ok to bring up at some point this cycle, like the interview. Didn't want to send an email saying something that wouldn't be an appropriate time to bring up and mark me off the list.

Hospice in particular would be a good activity to mention for appropriate Secondary prompts, a fall update letter (where allowed), interview conversations, and if you end up needing to reapply.

Ok, so for an appropriate secondary, I can say something around the lines of "I'm starting in July/August to volunteer at (name) hospice for x hours a week?" Also, when you say update letter, when is that usually done, like after an interview? Would schools say explicitly somewhere to not send a letter? Thank you.

 

[Catalystik]

1) Ok, so for an appropriate secondary, I can say something around the lines of "I'm starting in July/August to volunteer at (name) hospice for x hours a week?"

2) Also, when you say update letter, when is that usually done, like after an interview?

3) Would schools say explicitly somewhere to not send a letter? .

1) Yes.

2) Common times are after fall grades are in. Some will send them in spring as well. Or awhile after interviews. A few way over do them by barraging schools with them constantly. Don't be THAT person.

3) Yes. There are schools that are open to them, but some never accept them and others, only post-interview.

 

[moemoekyun]

So any thoughts on whether to ixnay or not mentioning reading to kids? From my understanding, it's for elementary school kids (so August), 1/2-1 hours a week, and it's presented as a helping underserved kids get into reading, raise literacy rates, etc. I'm sure that reading The Giving Tree to kids can't compare to being there for the end of someone's journey for an update letter.
Also, the reading stuff is in 3 categories/activities: read aloud, reading skills/tutor, and reading workshop. I'm sure when I meet those in charge, they'll put me in one they need, but any stand out compared to the others I should push for? Thank you

 

[Banco]

Hospice seems like a better opportunity for an aspiring med student; you get a different view of medicine.

 

[Catalystik]

the reading stuff is in 3 categories/activities: read aloud, reading skills/tutor, and reading workshop. I'm sure when I meet those in charge, they'll put me in one they need, but any stand out compared to the others I should push for? Thank you

Reading skills/tutor, since I don't know what's meant by "reading workshop".

 

[Spector1]

always good conversation materials for interview. never could hurt

 

[moemoekyun]

Reading skills/tutor, since I don't know what's meant by "reading workshop".

No idea either. From the flyer, it sounds like supervising the kids who would be reading to each other. I should be meeting the sponsors in a few days so I'll find out, but I'ma try to get a tutoring position.
Thanks for the comments everyone. I was ultimately worried that it'll look like box checking and would look bad, but I get now that it's exposure, interview material, updates, etc.