Are there certain experiences that make applicants just stand out.

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Harry Bush

Harry Bush

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Not that I have any. I'm a standard applicant with grades, test scores, and clinical experience. I'm just hoping that I get in.

But are there applicants out there that will just "stand out" to adcom's even if their grades are not as competitive as others?

Experience, life experience, etc.
 
Harry Bush said:
Not that I have any. I'm a standard applicant with grades, test scores, and clinical experience. I'm just hoping that I get in.

But are there applicants out there that will just "stand out" to adcom's even if their grades are not as competitive as others?

Experience, life experience, etc.
Click to expand...
uh, yes there are.

Did you really think everyone is average or below average?
 
This answer is going to vary with the ADCOM member. Obviously to stand out you need to be unique, but HOW to be unique can vary. Some will respond to life experience (kids, jobs). Other want a good story, however asanine (clown college, hot air baloon racing). Some, of course, want ostentatious shows of philanthropy (free clinics, DABs) or commitment to primary care (more dogs than teeth). Finally for many, especially at low and mid range schools, the answer is no: nothing will make up for stats.

Even for those schools, though, there is one thing you can do to stand out. You can be the child of a dean, faculty member, or major donor.
 
Defeating your Adcoms at pokemon is a great way of putting yourself above the norm. So better start EV training those bad boys.




P.s I heard from the grainvine that adcom's pokemon teams are shiny.
 
Yeah stop the bickering cause seriously...your question has no point.

There's about 2,000,000 other posts on here that address every type of EC/experience you could possibly think of. Try not being lazy and look at other threads.
 
serenade said:
Defeating your Adcoms at pokemon is a great way of putting yourself above the norm. So better start EV training those bad boys.

P.s I heard from the grainvine that adcom's pokemon teams are shiny.
Click to expand...

I heard that if you have a whole deck of 1st editions you'll be automatically accepted at harvard.
 
I was told there were a lot of douche bags on this site but I decided to give it a try. Guess I'm an idiot.
 
Harry Bush said:
I was told there were a lot of douche bags on this site but I decided to give it a try. Guess I'm an idiot.
Click to expand...

🙄

Honestly just chill and try to examine it from the posters perspective. They know nothing of you and what you're capable off and to ask them to tell you something which isn't standard ( I.e outside a good guess). Well I'm sorry, but it's not really easy and can't be truly answered. Either way, in terms of applying to medical schools you shouldn't really spend a huge amount of time trying to make yourself stand out. It'll take away more time than it'll ever be worth. Now what is worth your time? Making your application balanced, well rounded, and without major deficiencies in particular area's. So for example, a mission trip to Africa isn't going to compensate for a low mcat or no research (Presuming you apply to a research heavy school). However an applicant with regular EC's + good research + average stats ( I.e a balanced app) will be in great shape.

Yah.. I srs'd.
 
calvnandhobbs68 said:
Yeah stop the bickering cause seriously...your question has no point.

There's about 2,000,000 other posts on here that address every type of EC/experience you could possibly think of. Try not being lazy and look at other threads.
Click to expand...

I dealt weed for three semesters.
 
serenade said:
🙄

Honestly just chill and try to examine it from the posters perspective. They know nothing of you and what you're capable off and to ask them to tell you something which isn't standard ( I.e outside a good guess). Well I'm sorry, but it's not really easy and can't be truly answered. Either way, in terms of applying to medical schools you shouldn't really spend a huge amount of time trying to make yourself stand out. It'll take away more time than it'll ever be worth. Now what is worth your time? Making your application balanced, well rounded, and without major deficiencies in particular area's. So for example, a mission trip to Africa isn't going to compensate for a low mcat or no research (Presuming you apply to a research heavy school). However an applicant with regular EC's + good research + average stats ( I.e a balanced app) will be in great shape.

Yah.. I srs'd.
Click to expand...

👍
 
I understand but don't you think it is just easier to give a good answer or just not answer at all. One thing I see on this site is that these threads get way out of control and off topic.

I mean if you have some relevant information, just post it or just skip the post. People actually use the site to become educated.
 
Just have long standing commitments with things (measured in several months or years, not weeks). Have as much clinical exposure as possible (shadowing, working in healthcare, volunteering). Diversify yourself and have broad interests. That's about all someone can tell you. Adcoms love when you're passionate about an activity, have stuck with it, and can sense your passion when you talk about it in an interview. That speaks volumes...not having one activity over another. I'd take the two year volunteer over someone who did one really interesting thing for a week. After all, medicine is a profession of dedication.

Harry Bush said:
I understand but don't you think it is just easier to give a good answer or just not answer at all. One thing I see on this site is that these threads get way out of control and off topic.

I mean if you have some relevant information, just post it or just skip the post. People actually use the site to become educated.
Click to expand...
 
echen said:
Put that on your application and you'll be accepted to any medical school! 👍
Click to expand...

Sorry this method is now pretty standard and the adcom's will not be impressed with high weed dealing hours.. You need to think outside the box and stand out by working with crack or cocaine.. or if you want to go to JHU you need to be pretty familiar with heroin.
 
Thanks for those replies. Where I was going with the post was. Even though most of us all have the standard volunteer work, research, shadowing, clinical experience, etc. I'm sure after a while, it all looks the same to an adcom. What would immediately jump out to an adcom and stick in their minds.
 
Read what I said. I meant it. Staying with an activity for 2-3 years and being able to talk about it with passion, vigor speaks volumes. You would be surprised how many pre-meds apply to med school who think that getting in is a certainty because they shadowed a cardiothoracic surgeon for two days. 👎

Volunteering with an organization for 2-3 years, building relationships, memories is what adcoms want. The end.

There is no magic bullet.

Harry Bush said:
Thanks for those replies. Where I was going with the post was. Even though most of us all have the standard volunteer work, research, shadowing, clinical experience, etc. I'm sure after a while, it all looks the same to an adcom. What would immediately jump out to an adcom and stick in their minds.
Click to expand...
 
Want a useful post?

Go be an engineer at Apple and help develop the iphone and ipad...thats what one of the guys interviewing with me at Case did. Guaranteed every adcom member who has an iphone will love you.
 
calvnandhobbs68 said:
Want a useful post?

Go be an engineer at Apple and help develop the iphone and ipad...thats what one of the guys interviewing with me at Case did. Guaranteed every adcom member who has an iphone will love you.
Click to expand...

Which is 99% of adcom.
 
All bickering aside, I have some advice that is actually honest and potentially helpful... but you might not like it.

Harry Bush said:
Not that I have any. I'm a standard applicant with grades, test scores, and clinical experience. I'm just hoping that I get in.

But are there applicants out there that will just "stand out" to adcom's even if their grades are not as competitive as others?

Experience, life experience, etc.
Click to expand...

Answer: Usually no. You have to have competitive grades and MCAT just to get someone to really read your personal statement. Therefore, even if you really did cure cancer they won't know about it unless your grades and MCAT are acceptable.

Extra curricular really are extra. You still have to start with the non-extra stuff.
 
Perrotfish said:
This answer is going to vary with the ADCOM member. Obviously to stand out you need to be unique, but HOW to be unique can vary. Some will respond to life experience (kids, jobs). Other want a good story, however asanine (clown college, hot air baloon racing). Some, of course, want ostentatious shows of philanthropy (free clinics, DABs) or commitment to primary care (more dogs than teeth). Finally for many, especially at low and mid range schools, the answer is no: nothing will make up for stats.

Even for those schools, though, there is one thing you can do to stand out. You can be the child of a dean, faculty member, or major donor.
Click to expand...
Just out of curiosity, how much advantage would you wager having a non-adcom faculty parent would give an applicant? There must be quite a lot of kids in that situation to be honest...
 
run sub 14:00 5k's - adcoms eat that up! In fact, in most of my interviews we discussed running more than anything else.

just talk about something else you do that's unique to you. if you don't have any deficiencies in the rest of your application, the interviewers will just want to talk about your unique interests, which makes interviews VERY easy and relaxed.
 
hopefuldoc97239 said:
All bickering aside, I have some advice that is actually honest and potentially helpful... but you might not like it.



Answer: Usually no. You have to have competitive grades and MCAT just to get someone to really read your personal statement. Therefore, even if you really did cure cancer they won't know about it unless your grades and MCAT are acceptable.

Extra curricular really are extra. You still have to start with the non-extra stuff.
Click to expand...

Nah I think they'd read your statement in this case.

The brainwashing that goes on here sometimes is just too much.
 
gettheleadout said:
Just out of curiosity, how much advantage would you wager having a non-adcom faculty parent would give an applicant? There must be quite a lot of kids in that situation to be honest...
Click to expand...

Depends on how much "worth" that faculty member carries. There are plenty of students in my class with a prominent parent/relative on faculty. Interestingly, most of them got in through a program that allows them to skip the MCAT 🙄
 
SuperHiro said:
Depends on how much "worth" that faculty member carries. There are plenty of students in my class with a prominent parent/relative on faculty. Interestingly, most of them got in through a program that allows them to skip the MCAT 🙄
Click to expand...

I don't approve.
 
OP, I stand out. I didn't try. I just do.

Many others here are the same way.

What can you do stand out?

Perhaps you should try:

-Earning a medal at the 2012 Olympics (heck, even getting on a team....)
-Playing piano your whole life and performing solo at Carnegie Hall during peak season
-Producing a nationally-recognized feature-length film

These are all things I have friends who are doing or will have done by the time they apply. Perhaps you could follow their examples. Good luck.
 
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