A few questions

[PremedGunner]

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1. How can I increase leadership? What are some ideas of how to do this?


2. What are the categories of extracurriculars on the AMCAS? I know one of them is work experience, what are the rest of them?


3. How do you know if something belongs in the leadership section or the volunteerism section if it is a combination of both?


4. Is it a good idea to start a club on campus that focuses on serving the homeless? I am currently serving the homeless at a shelter and I am wondering if it would be a good idea to start a club that encourages others to do the same and also other activities. Would this be perceived as banal?



Thanks for the help!!!

 

[aSagacious]

1. How can I increase leadership? What are some ideas of how to do this?

Coach a sports team (perhaps elementary/middle schoolers), be an elected official of student body/pre-health club, camp counselor, etc

2. What are the categories of extracurriculars on the AMCAS? I know one of them is work experience, what are the rest of them?

Teaching/tutoring, community service/volunteer (medical), research/lab, extracurricular/hobbies/avocations, honors/awards/recognitions

3. How do you know if something belongs in the leadership section or the volunteerism section if it is a combination of both?

Quoted from AMCAS primary, "...select the Experience Type that best represents the experience you wish to include. Because these are arbitrary categories, it is up to the applicant to decide which experience type best suits each particular experience." Just make a judgement call, it won't be a big deal because you'll elaborate in the activity description anyway.

4. Is it a good idea to start a club on campus that focuses on serving the homeless? I am currently serving the homeless at a shelter and I am wondering if it would be a good idea to start a club that encourages others to do the same and also other activities. Would this be perceived as banal?

No it would not be perceived as banal. Any honest effort towards an endeavor such as this would be looked upon favorably and I encourage you to give it a shot.

 

[PremedGunner]

thanks for the reply.

5. what category does shadowing belong under?


6. what category does club founder go under?


7. how do these ec's look for a CA school? not all have been completed, just planning ahead.


Teaching/tutoring
-college tutor
-teachers assistant (maybe)

community service/volunteer
-hospital volunteer
-soup kitchen volunteer
-shadowing


research/lab
-hopefully summer research this summer


extracurricular/hobbies/avocations
-half marathon (not yet done)
-swimming/surfing
-lifeguarding
-certified diver
-started a club (not yet done)
-senator, budget committee member
-fraternity (not yet done)
-volunteer organizer (not yet done)



honors/awards/recognitions
-scholarships (hopefully)
-honors society
-presentation at stanford (maybe)
-campus honors club






8. is there anything i should add to my list of future ec's? things i should be working on?

 

[aSagacious]

Your ECs are pretty good so far (well rounded too). I cannot speak to your chances at a UC school, however, without any stats to work with. You probably want to shoot for a 3.7+, 32+ for most schools in California.

I think, with all of your 'maybe' and 'not yet done' activities completed, you will be fine with ECs.

 

[Catalystik]

5. what category does shadowing belong under?
6. what category does club founder go under?
8. is there anything i should add to my list of future ec's? things i should be working on?

5) "Other"

6) "Leadership"

8) California schools seem to like seeing a substantive amount of research. I'd suggest aiming for more than a summer's worth.

 

[PremedGunner]

Catalystick, according to aSagacious the categories of the AMCAS are:

Teaching/tutoring, community service/volunteer (medical), research/lab, extracurricular/hobbies/avocations, honors/awards/recognitions.


Would you be so kind as to clarify what the categories are? This is very helpful, as I am organizing my experiences. Thank you for your seemingly endless knowledge of this process.

 

[Catalystik]

To be complete, besides those you listed, include: Other, Conferences Attended, Presentations/Posters, Publications, Intercollegiate Athletics, Artistic Endeavors, Employment-Military, Paid Employment-NonMilitary, Community Service/Volunteer-Not Medical/Clinical, Leadership, . . .that's all that comes to mind right now.