Confusing Johns Hopkins Secondary?

[kreno]

In the "other experiences and interests" section.... the directions say "List your major unpaid extracurricular activities, hobbies, interests, and travel following entrance to college, and indicate your degree of involvement"; however, there isn't anywhere to put your degree of involvement.

Also, your space allocation is so limited it's hard to put just about anything.

Also, it says list your "Activity" andthen "Position." So, like... where do you put the organization name? For example, I worked as an EMT. So, what do I put? Activity: EMT? Position? Worker? it's just stupid.

help!

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[appomattox]

I wouldn't worry too much about it, since it's redundant anyway--all that info is on your AMCAS. God knows why they ask again and again, unless it's that classic interrogation technique of asking repeatedly until you slip up.

 

[SMW]

Just try to get as much info as possible into whatever space they give you. I would say EMT was your position, so find something else for activity, like Paid (or volunteer) emergency service. Do not take the attitude that these applications are stupid. Be creative and use the spaces they give you to sell yourself! And don't blow off any question because you already answered it on AMCAS. You never know what some adcom member will read or not read.

 

[appomattox]

I wasn't saying you shouldn't use the space to its fullest potential, but just not to stress about whether it asks all the questions you want. If you feel things weren't addressed, just send it in a separate attachment.

Re: Don't take the attitude that these applications are stupid.

I'm sorry, but they are stupid. Or should I say stoopid? Half of the stuff they ask is completely inane. How many middle-class, hyper-educated Americans have ever really faced a "moral or ethical dilemma"? Can I tell you about a time I truly helped someone, while I am simultaneously "trying to sell myself"? Give me a break.

Instead of spending countless hours trying to push our way into a top 10 medical school, we could be pushing children out of poverty. Or our government to get a real health care system.

 

[NineSixteen]

Originally posted by appomattox
Instead of spending countless hours trying to push our way into a top 10 medical school, we could be pushing children out of poverty. Or our government to get a real health care system.

Interesting comment. So how are you working to solve the problems of child poverty and access to health care? Appotomax, are you applying to med school? You seem like an angry person, and for that, I feel sorry for you. Problems are not solved by emotion, only by action.

To the original poster: SMW's comments were right on, just put what you can in the space alloted and use your interview to explain further. Hopkins is looking for people who have done things outside of doing well in college, so EMT experience looks great. Secondaries are a pain, but necessary part of this whole process. Good Luck!

 

[appomattox]

Originally posted by NineSixteen


Interesting comment. So how are you working to solve the problems of child poverty and access to health care? Appotomax, are you applying to med school? You seem like an angry person, and for that, I feel sorry for you. Problems are not solved by emotion, only by action.


1. Appomattox. Like the Court House. Like the Civil War. Like 1865.

2. Yeppers. Sure am.

3. Re: "You seem angry, and I'm sorry for you." I wouldn't say I'm an angry person, but there are definitely things that make me angry (it's like the difference between ser and estar). I'm willing to argue that if you live in the wealthiest country in the history of the world, which also spends the most on health care (per capita) in the world, and leaves out a giant chunk of its population from this, and leaves another giant chunk underinsured, scrounging for care, then you should be angry. Especially if you're looking to join this health care system. As for the application process, I would say I'm rarely angered by it (although it does have its unfairnesses, wouldn't you say?), but I do tire of the master-slave dialectic that characterizes much of it. I also see it as Phase One of an acculturation that goes places many of us don't want to go (see Melvin Konner, Kenneth Ludmerer, Arthur Kleinman, and Byron Good on this one). As for the "I feel sorry for you," that an intriguing mix of back-handed and ad hominem. I'd rather discuss the issues.

4. Re: Problems are solved by action, not emotion. There's some logical flaw here. Is this a tautology? What motivates action if not emotion?

 

[NineSixteen]

Originally posted by appomattox

1. Appomattox. Like the Court House. Like the Civil War. Like 1865.

Thank you for the history lesson. How again does this knowledge of yours show that you are ending child poverty?

2. Yeppers. Sure am.

This helps explain why you are giving bad advice and acting like you are above this process...cut throat competativeness, eh?

3. Re: "You seem angry, and I'm sorry for you." I wouldn't say I'm an angry person, but there are definitely things that make me angry (it's like the difference between ser and estar). I'm willing to argue that if you live in the wealthiest country in the history of the world, which also spends the most on health care (per capita) in the world, and leaves out a giant chunk of its population from this, and leaves another giant chunk underinsured, scrounging for care, then you should be angry. Especially if you're looking to join this health care system. As for the application process, I would say I'm rarely angered by it (although it does have its unfairnesses, wouldn't you say?), but I do tire of the master-slave dialectic that characterizes much of it. I also see it as Phase One of an acculturation that goes places many of us don't want to go (see Melvin Konner, Kenneth Ludmerer, Arthur Kleinman, and Byron Good on this one). As for the "I feel sorry for you," that an intriguing mix of back-handed and ad hominem. I'd rather discuss the issues.

So discuss the issues instead of referring me to some other source. Do you have your own opinions or do you read others? Do you have your own experiences or are you just an elitist scholar with strong ideas about how the world should be, but no practical ideas to improve things? I feel sorry for you because anger with no practical way of improving the situation leads to a very unsatisfying life. I am angry, so I went to a city and taught high school. I am angry, so I do research into ways that we can improve care. I am angry, so I started a mentoring program for high school kids interested in medicine. And no, I did none of these things to "improve my resume." I did them because I see problems as opportunity for improvement, and I certainly don't try to shove my opinions down other people's throats...that acheives nothing.

4. Re: Problems are solved by action, not emotion. There's some logical flaw here. Is this a tautology? What motivates action if not emotion?

True that emotion motivates action, but it also motivates comments like yours that do nothing to help, only to make you sound a little extremist and colors public opinion out of our favor. Sounds like we're on the same team, we just have very different ways of bringing about change.