Do my ECs meet up to an Ivy school standard?

[druggeek]

Here's what I will have by the time I apply:

- 12 years of competitive track and field (5-6 years national level), several provincial championships won (individual, relays, team, etc.)
- competitive powerlifting for 2 years
- volunteering at track and field meets casually over a period of time
- hospital volunteering, playing games/doing activities with elderly (continuing care and palliative care) over 3-4 years, leadership involved as well
- 4 years of competitive soccer
- 1 summer as a sports camp counsellor for kids (leadership)
- writer for an online athletics site with heavy traffic
- certified personal trainer (nationally)
- 4 time award winner by the mayor for high athletic achievement
- certified in budo
- Presidents list/deans list
- dedicated bodybuilder for 8 years

(keep in mind I will be 21 when I apply, so the years are still "pending")

Things I'm trying to still get:

- research award for an entire summer, maybe have a shot at a pub. (NSERC award)
- research volunteering
- physician shadowing


Any more ideas/suggestions will be appreciated. But what are thoughts on this so far? I think I am missing a couple things though (somewhere).

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[1TB4RKSB4CK]

Yeah, but if you don't got the grades or MCAT, then it's a different story.

 

[druggeek]

Yeah, but if you don't got the grades or MCAT, then it's a different story.

Well this is all assuming strong stats (ex. >3.9/mid 30s)

 

[ADolefulDream]

I read through and forgive me, but you sounded a little one-dimentional. By that I mean you are very athletics heavy. Be sure to do things that make you seem well rounded.

 

[druggeek]

I read through and forgive me, but you sounded a little one-dimentional. By that I mean you are very athletics heavy. Be sure to do things that make you seem well rounded.

well there's my long term hospital volunteering in a difficult unit andd well.. research/counsellor/shadowing (that I hope to get)

 

[candav]

I interviewed at many of these schools this cycle, and I can tell you it all boils down to one question: are you good-looking? If not, you may as well resign yourself to your state-school fate.

 

[ReptarBar]

quite honestly, no, your activities are not up to ivy league standards. top tier med schools want research, research, and more research. they like to see hardcore student researchers who are ALSO interesting. you certainly have great depth to your EC's, which might be your hook, but lack that research foundation so far. get some good research, stay over 3.9, get a 37+ mcat, and then you will be an ivy match.

 

[sylvanthus]

Ya looks to me like you'd be a great future PE teacher/coach. Not to be a douche, but you need to step it up with academic activities. It is great that you are into sports, but medical schools need to see that you are interested in medicine.

 

[ADolefulDream]

I interviewed at many of these schools this cycle, and I can tell you it all boils down to one question: are you good-looking? If not, you may as well resign yourself to your state-school fate.

OP needs pics then

 

[sector9]

- research volunteering

By the way, I wouldn't plan on doing research as a volunteer. I would get class credit for it if your school offers it. It isn't seen as being very altruistic to do your research as a volunteer as opposed to other avenues so you might as well get some benefit from it, either by being paid or credits or something. Plus, on the AMCAS app, it will be listed as "Research" not as "Community Service."

Oh, and moving to "What are my chances" and marking as "MD".

 

[sliceofbread136]

Seems like you consulted the wrong forum when you were thinking of extracurriculars.... Do something academic....

 

[1TB4RKSB4CK]

Well this is all assuming strong stats (ex. >3.9/mid 30s)

Then yes, you are a well rounded applicant.
Research experience is what you need to get now before the next cycle.

 

[druggeek]

I interviewed at many of these schools this cycle, and I can tell you it all boils down to one question: are you good-looking? If not, you may as well resign yourself to your state-school fate.

7.5 face and 9/10 body, am i hot enuf for ivy?

quite honestly, no, your activities are not up to ivy league standards. top tier med schools want research, research, and more research. they like to see hardcore student researchers who are ALSO interesting. you certainly have great depth to your EC's, which might be your hook, but lack that research foundation so far. get some good research, stay over 3.9, get a 37+ mcat, and then you will be an ivy match.

Well my plan actually is these 3 for research:

- NSERC award (I'm in ontario, canada and this is basically like 10k for summer research for 16 weeks where you have a good chance at a pub. )
- volunteering in a lab for a bit
- thesis project in 4th year

By the way, I wouldn't plan on doing research as a volunteer. I would get class credit for it if your school offers it. It isn't seen as being very altruistic to do your research as a volunteer as opposed to other avenues so you might as well get some benefit from it, either by being paid or credits or something. Plus, on the AMCAS app, it will be listed as "Research" not as "Community Service."

Oh, and moving to "What are my chances" and marking as "MD".

well I meant the volunteering as being a bit of a "bonus" to that. I mean there's only so much time (2 summers out of an undergrad) where one can do research, and those I'd be paid for or get credit for.


Anyway I guess part of this thread was suggestions for academic ECs. But aside from 1-2 summers of research, what else is there? what's your gpa for then lol.

 

[Catalystik]

Leadership for AMCAS purposes implies peer leadership. I suggest you list camp counselor under Teaching and look for another activity to have an application up to "Ivy" standards.

 

[druggeek]

Leadership for AMCAS purposes implies peer leadership. I suggest you list camp counselor under Teaching and look for another activity to have an application up to "Ivy" standards.

Any specific suggestions?

I'm thinking of tutoring as being one possible non-research academic EC to get.

 

[Catalystik]

Leadership possibilities: Team captain, volunteer trainer at the hospital or your lab, start a special interest group and make it grow, take on a committee chair position at a nonprofit, organize others on one of your teams to mentor/ coach kids in your sport in a neaby poor school district?

You probably have plenty of teaching already if you work as a personal trainer.