Dexterity

DATBooster | The Ultimate DAT Resource
This forum made possible through the generous support of SDN members, donors, and sponsors. Thank you.
E

easyas123

Full Member
7+ Year Member
Joined
Jul 4, 2014
Messages
32
Reaction score
7
How does putting down 8 years of gaming experience involving simultaneous movement of all fingers sound? LOOL. There's a game called GunZ: The Duel that requires multiple keys to do basic moves... Imagine what advanced moves are like haha... But I put it down as a joke at first - intending to change it later - but what do you guys think?
Members don't see this ad.
 
  • Like
Reactions: 1 user
I was a professional gamer during high school and into early college (nerdy I know), I put it down. The amount of hand precision and dexterity required was very significant. I am also a musician, and I feel that the dexterity required for gaming at a high level and playing an instrument at a high level makes both noteworthy.
 
  • Like
Reactions: 1 users
Members don't see this ad :)
No.... I played that game in middle school. In the game I stood in the corner looking out into the long hallway waiting for people to come out and BOOM headshot or whatever it was.The game is a joke imho. If you are going with gaming include COD/Halo or something not a cheap mmo lol.
 
  • Like
Reactions: 1 users
It's a gray area, but I personally wouldn't put it down.

I'm a musician, and I know for a fact that all the gaming I did as a kid had at least as much, if not more, to do with my hand dexterity.

But I'm not putting it down for the same reason I'm not going to wear a polo shirt to my interview. You're trying to prove to them that you can dance the professional dance. Video games still have mostly immature connotations and probably will for a few more decades.

But I could be wrong. There might be people on the committees who get it. But my guess is that it wouldn't make up for the points you'd lose with people who don't get it.
 
  • Like
Reactions: 3 users
It depends on where you are including this. If it is under the manual dexterity section which only a few schools are likely to read anyway then why not? I wouldn't put it in your personal statement or anything however.
 
  • Like
Reactions: 1 user
PocketRocket said:
No.... I played that game in middle school. In the game I stood in the corner looking out into the long hallway waiting for people to come out and BOOM headshot or whatever it was.The game is a joke imho. If you are going with gaming include COD/Halo or something not a cheap mmo lol.
Click to expand...
I see. No offense but I don't think you were experienced enough to know the dexterity required to play that game at an advanced level. - judging by the fact that you "stood in the corner .... Waiting for people... ". But thanks for the input.
 
  • Like
Reactions: 1 user
I play Pokemon puzzle, I think that requires a lot of manual dexterity.

When I was young, I also played counter strike. You know all that running and shooting someone to get a head shot?

I never played an instrument, so I can't really comment how comparable it is.
 
Gunz sucks man!! haha jk you are probably right about me not playing at an advanced level but, like someone else stated here, its a gray area. Chances are, given that professional schools tend to prefer the conservative applicant, someone on the committee might think of videos games as insignificant. The only reason why I see anyone putting down video games is if they have something to show for it. Like, if you made a living doing it or played competitively, that's a whole different story. Regardless though, I spent an enormous amount of time playing HORSE in tony hawk proskater 4 with my buddies. The level to which we got is absurd. We were going back and forth with million point combos burning up the cheetos-stained joysticks. It took alot of time to get to that level and I would say that it did involve a lot of dexterity but when comparing it to the years I have spent and efforts I put into practicing technique on the guitar, one can see how to the admin people that would look more impressive.
 
RuffDay said:
When I was young, I also played counter strike. You know all that running and shooting someone to get a head shot?
Click to expand...

That was my game. :)

CAL-I / CEVO-P back when people knew what that meant, haha.
 
RuffDay said:
Haha I think my favorite map was the Aztec. It has been a while! Can't believe I played the game when I was 10 lol.
Click to expand...

I'm pretty sure I played it when I was like 9 and that was before Steam was a thing. Anyways, the first map I tried playing on was called cattsbutthole. So, there's that.
 
Members don't see this ad :)
I started playing that game when I was 14, and I am probably significantly older than most of you. It seems there is some generational overlap at least! ;)
 
Cello said:
I started playing that game when I was 14, and I am probably significantly older than most of you. It seems there is some generational overlap at least! ;)
Click to expand...

Haha no way. I am turning 24 soon. I think we might be around the same age.
 
easyas123 said:
How does putting down 8 years of gaming experience involving simultaneous movement of all fingers sound? LOOL. There's a game called GunZ: The Duel that requires multiple keys to do basic moves... Imagine what advanced moves are like haha... But I put it down as a joke at first - intending to change it later - but what do you guys think?
Click to expand...
the description also says "activities that require hand-eye coordination" so just keep that in mind.
 
Most of the people on admissions committees are likely from a generation that may not view gaming as you do. It still has a connotation of immaturity and asocial behavior, so I wouldn't risk it.
 
That's what they told me for the Air Force and one of he biggest reasons they selected me was because of my gaming experience. Seriously.
 
Cello said:
That's what they told me for the Air Force and one of he biggest reasons they selected me was because of my gaming experience. Seriously.
Click to expand...
They interviewed you first though, didn't they? You had a recruiter, who then vouched for you? The problem with health professional degree programs is that usually they only see you on paper before they decide if they want to see you in real life, so sometimes they form preconceived ideas of who you are and if you are a "good fit." I'm sure the Air Force knew what they were doing, and knew that success at gaming would correlate with success at your intended MOS. They probably also had already seen that you aren't perpetually covered in Cheeto dust (or that they'd change that real fast). ;)
 
Last edited:
Yes, write that you are good at GunZ on your professional school application. Tell the you have exceptional Lego building skills and that you are rank one at dungeons and dragons.
 
  • Like
Reactions: 1 users
easyas123 said:
How does putting down 8 years of gaming experience involving simultaneous movement of all fingers sound? LOOL. There's a game called GunZ: The Duel that requires multiple keys to do basic moves... Imagine what advanced moves are like haha... But I put it down as a joke at first - intending to change it later - but what do you guys think?
Click to expand...
BROOOOOOOO rs, butterfly, double butterfly haha good times. i would try to talk about something more professional in your personal statement though on the real
 
  • Like
Reactions: 1 user
and yeah the game took manual dexterity for us, but maybe not for pocketrocket
 
  • Like
Reactions: 1 user
strep mutans said:
They interviewed you first though, didn't they? You had a recruiter, who then vouched for you? The problem with health professional degree programs is that usually they only see you on paper before they decide if they want to see you in real life, so sometimes they form preconceived ideas of who you are and if you are a "good fit." I'm sure the Air Force knew what they were doing, and knew that success at gaming would correlate with success at your intended MOS. They probably also had already seen that you aren't perpetually covered in Cheeto dust (or that they'd change that real fast). ;)
Click to expand...

The research is clear, video games significantly improve your hand-eye coordination:
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3772618/
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/9073766

Particularly "action" games:
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2884279/
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2871325/

And if it is relevant to surgeon's laparoscopic skills then why not dentists?
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/15865530

I studied very little for the PAT (scored 26) but was scoring very highly on practices tests early on. I believe I owe that to the CAD I did in high school and video games. If the PAT is a valid measure of your visual acuity, why not video games?

The method the Air Force recommends for practicing the TBAS (pilot test) is simply to play video games. The test is secret, so you can't study ahead of time except to know that it involves hand-eye coordination and there is no better way to enhance those skills than to play games.

Accessions recruiters vouch for you, sure, but no more than they vouch for any other candidate.
 
Last edited:
I never said anything about the actual usefulness of playing video games, so I don't know why you're defending it...? I said that adcoms may view it as an immature and asocial activity, and I stand by that statement.
 
And I said it depends on where you include it in your application. I wouldn't recommend including it on your personal statement. When you are explicitly asked to mention any and ALL activities which you believe may increase your manual dexterity, then why not include it there? What makes knitting, painting / building models, or sewing a socially acceptable activity? You do those things alone for hours on end too...
 
  • Like
Reactions: 1 user
Cello said:
And I said it depends on where you include it in your application. I wouldn't recommend including it on your personal statement. When you are explicitly asked to mention any and ALL activities which you believe may increase your manual dexterity, then why not include it there? What makes knitting, painting / building models, or sewing a socially acceptable activity? You do those things alone for hours on end too...
Click to expand...
Video games are primarily played by children and teenagers, historically. Knitting, painting, sewing, woodworking, etc. are primarily done by adults, historically. It's not that hard to figure out. I didn't say it's right or fair, but the connotations exist and are undeniable.

I gave my opinion on the matter, so I'm done here.
 
Also, wouldn't you guys agree that there are different levels of dexterity required for console games with joysticks and computer games with keyboard/mouse?
 
I was once a top-30 worldwide player in Minesweeper and solved an Intermediate board in 15.6 seconds. I mentioned it. But I suppose Minesweeper is more of a "mature" game than shoot em ups. It's still a video game though.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Next unread thread

Similar threads

P
Manual Dexterity
Replies
4
Views
521
SV7855
SV7855
S
Manual Dexterity Question
Replies
10
Views
1K
Faefly
Faefly
V
Dental Assisting as Manual Dexterity
Replies
1
Views
509
kavitykween
K
T00thFa1ry
Narrative list for manual dexterity
Replies
2
Views
3K
T00thFa1ry
T00thFa1ry
TheBookCookout
Activities to improve manual dexterity?
Replies
0
Views
979
TheBookCookout
TheBookCookout
Top