Does this look bad?

[yale MD]

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Members don't see this ad.

Ive been volunteering for 8.5 years, BUT have totaled around 800 hours, which is about 1hr/week.

Also, I've been working part time at a family-owned retail store for~9 years, totaling around 1000 hours. This is also about 1 hr/week.

I'm hoping that the duration will help me stand out... but I'm hearing from people that it doesn't look good because I've only averaged 1hr/week? What is your opinion on this? Thanks!

 

[ITtoMD]

Director of admissions at a florida university said the most important thing about volunteer work is a demonstration to commitment to it...his example was it is MUCH better to have volunteered 20 hours over 20 weeks (hour per week), than 20 hours in one week. They understand that many people have other things going on in their life.

Each school is different, but such a long term demonstration of volunteering is a huge benefit.

Do NOT compare yourself to other premeds, especially those in your premed club. They tend to be horribly misinformed, and some are the future "gunners". You just have to do what you can, and make the best of the cards your dealt . Your personal statement and interviews are the time to highlight or explain things.

 

[NickNaylor]

I think it's fine. As ITtoMD said, it shows commitment to the activity if nothing else. Also, 800 hours of volunteering is a pretty healthy number, regardless of how long it took you to get there.

 

[LizzyM]

800 hours for 8.5 years is almost 100 hours per year which is closer to 2 hrs/wk, isn't it? Ditto for the 1,000 hrs over 9 years. Don't sell yourself short.

 

[muhali3]

1.8 hours/week for volunteering. I don't think it matters, they're not going to calculate it and reject you if they get a number that is < 4. You have shown commitment and have a high amount of hours. That's all that matters.

 

[jj6vcb]

I think you will be fine with your 800 hours of volunteering.

 

[petlee1]

Considering that most ppl won't do half as much I think you're fine

 

[yale MD]

Hello. Thanks for your opinions.

What I meant to say was that since undergrad, I was only able to volunteer about 1hr/week. I volunteered more frequently when I was a high school student. So I guess Ill put x hr/week from y to z and 1 hr/week from a to b?

Do you guys think any of these EC's are 'eye-catching' experiences that will help me stand out from the crowd? I am especially curious about the family-owned working experience (not sure the ad coms will put a great emphasis on this because it was owned by my parents). Thanks!

 

[LizzyM]

Hello. Thanks for your opinions.

What I meant to say was that since undergrad, I was only able to volunteer about 1hr/week. I volunteered more frequently when I was a high school student. So I guess Ill put x hr/week from y to z and 1 hr/week from a to b?

Do you guys think any of these EC's are 'eye-catching' experiences that will help me stand out from the crowd? I am especially curious about the family-owned working experience (not sure the ad coms will put a great emphasis on this because it was owned by my parents). Thanks!

There was a year when 3 of out of 14 on the adcom had grown up in family businesses (2 food related and 1 in clothing).

I'd suggest combining college & hs with regard to volunteering.... some adcoms will discount volunteering done in HS so pointing out that most of the work was done while you were in HS will only hurt you.

 

[RunningDiva]

I think you're overanalyzing this. Your activities are what they are, you can't go back in time and change how much time you've spent doing them. (But if you figure out a way to time travel, please PM me.)

Your length of activity shows commitment. They don't look bad. How interesting or eye-catching they are, well, that's a matter of personal preference. Write them up in the activities and move onto the next section. Adcoms realize that you have a busy life and are a student so you probably aren't going to spend 15 hours a week in one activity.

 

[NotAsking4Much]

Hello. Thanks for your opinions.

What I meant to say was that since undergrad, I was only able to volunteer about 1hr/week. I volunteered more frequently when I was a high school student. So I guess Ill put x hr/week from y to z and 1 hr/week from a to b?

Do you guys think any of these EC's are 'eye-catching' experiences that will help me stand out from the crowd? I am especially curious about the family-owned working experience (not sure the ad coms will put a great emphasis on this because it was owned by my parents). Thanks!

I think it's a neat experience, but I don't think it's one that they'll be amazed by.

The hours of commitment don't really matter but most importantly is what you did with the activity.

Did you do something that went well and beyond what is expected by most? This stuff catches their eye (which incidentally uses correlates to a decent amount of hrs/length).

 

[ITtoMD]

Like the others said, it's nice to have, but most schools (there are exceptions) don't even look at EC's unless you cross some threshold of GPA/MCAT score. If your scores are a little low, THEN your EC's will help, perhaps, get you an interview.

The whole game at your stage is all about getting an interview. Single best thing you can do to ensure that is to keep your grades up and kick butt on the MCAT. During your interview, you can try to wow them with "eye catching EC's" perhaps, but then they just wanna get to know you.

Like someone said, you've done what you've done, can't change it so don't sweat it. Just focus on what you can control, it's pointless to worry about the other stuff.

 

[Penner]

Aw crap, I posted in the wrong thread.

 

[venacontracta]

There are schools that require a letter from every PI you've done research under.

To quote LizzyM:

Which schools explicitly require this?

 

[EpicBearMan]

Which schools explicitly require this?

I think Harvard does. I'm not applying there myself though.

I have a feeling somebody posted in the wrong thread, this LOR stuff doesn't fit the original topic.

 

[Penner]

I think Harvard does. I'm not applying there myself though.

I have a feeling somebody posted in the wrong thread, this LOR stuff doesn't fit the original topic.

XD you're right.