Activities after AMCAS/During Year Off

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2050vlsb

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Hi all,

I just graduated from undergrad this past May and am taking a year off to apply. I listed a few activities on AMCAS that I'll be continuing with this year .. but there are a others that I couldn't list (mainly because they hadn't started). I'm wondering how much these activities that you start during the year off factor into the admissions process?

The main reason I'm asking is .. I have had decent clinical exposure and community service work through the activities I already listed on AMCAS, but I envision several of the ones I'm starting soon will substantially contribute to this. Do you just mainly refer to these in secondaries and such? And if so, is there still enough time for these additional activities to help strengthen your application?

Thanks so much!

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If your activity list as submitted on the Primary is borderline, then additional activities can help sway adcomms positively. The Secondary essays are one way to refer to new activities, but a better way to keep adcomms in touch with your ongoing efforts is the Update Letter sent to schools later in the cycle, from time to time. Here you can refer to added hours in old ECs, new responsibilities, honors, publications, or new activities that are pertinent. Often mentioned also, are new grades and why a school is perfect for the applicant.

Beyond the Secondary essays and update letters, are the value of these activities during interviews, as your interviewer will want to know what you're doing to stay busy. If your activities are relevant to medicine, it puts you in a good light.
 
If your activity list as submitted on the Primary is borderline, then additional activities can help sway adcomms positively. The Secondary essays are one way to refer to new activities, but a better way to keep adcomms in touch with your ongoing efforts is the Update Letter sent to schools later in the cycle, from time to time. Here you can refer to added hours in old ECs, new responsibilities, honors, publications, or new activities that are pertinent. Often mentioned also, are new grades and why a school is perfect for the applicant.

Beyond the Secondary essays and update letters, are the value of these activities during interviews, as your interviewer will want to know what you're doing to stay busy. If your activities are relevant to medicine, it puts you in a good light.

Perfect .. thats exactly what I was hoping for! I'm starting a premed surgery internship in the fall and possibly a clinical job, so I was hoping to incorporate these somewhere in the admission process. Thanks so much Catalystik!
 
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