EC Check In

[tessellations]

Now that I'm midway through summer I figured it would be a good time to check in with my ECs since I'm hoping to apply next year. I'm a rising junior biochemistry major, and I'm thinking of taking the MCAT next May, and will be studying throughout the upcoming school year. Ideally, I'd like to be competitive for Top 20 schools.

Here's what I have so far.
- 4.00 GPA at a New England state school
- 300 hours (1 summer) working as a CNA at a local nursing home. I worked with long term care, dementia/Alzheimer's, and rehab residents. Some people were also hospice patients.
- ~250 hours working in a neuroscience lab. I work for credit during the school year, and am getting paid this summer. I'm starting an independent project that I'm hoping will at least lead to a poster. We also have a publication in the works where I'll be third or fourth author.
- ~100 hours of non clinical volunteering. Most of that is working at a soup kitchen and at a community center (that contains a soup kitchen, free community store, and food pantry - I work in the store), but I also have some hours as an ESL conversation partner.
- 23 hours of shadowing (EM and family medicine). This is a weak spot. I might be able to get 8ish more in family med by the end of the summer.
- ~250 hours working as PBL small group tutor for my school's tutoring center. Tutored calculus and Orgo I.
- Head of a committee for a non social Greek organization, will be Parliamentarian (in charge of by laws, risk management events, leading debate, parliamentary procedure) for the upcoming school year.
- Hobbies: baking (I do this in my personal life as well as at the soup kitchen), crafting/sewing, and singing/playing music. I like to write music in my spare time. Also I like to read a lot, particularly the New York Times and The New Yorker.

Things I'm planning on doing in the upcoming year:
- More volunteering at the community center and potentially more ESL conversation partner volunteering
- More research and more tutoring
- I'm considering starting a club to raise awareness of poverty/homelessness in the area I go to school as well as to fundraiser for the awesome organizations that help deal with these things. I've learned a lot about these places from my volunteering this summer and feel inspired to take action.
- Maybe an intramural sport!

My questions: How am I doing? How can I improve? If you're an adcom, how much more shadowing would you like to see? What do I need, other than a good MCAT score, to get into a top 20?

Also, before I get freaked out on, I know that I'm fairly on track. I just want to make myself the best candidate possible.

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[Goro]

Outstanding!

 

[anonymoose1640]

I agree, you're in fantastic shape!

If you want "top 20" you should focus some more on your research as many of those schools are research powerhouses. Having a long-term project that is yours is key (you said this is a possibility, so if it is, definitely pursue it!). Also, just make sure you are passionate about your ECs. They should be things you enjoy to do, not because you want to check off boxes on an application. Longitudinal work is great, so if you can continue working in that soup kitchen and the ESL work, that would be ideal.

Finally, the MCAT will largely decide your fate so make sure you take it seriously and study for it as much as you can. Keep in mind that around May you may be more focused on final exams/preparing your AMCAS application, so I would recommend striving for a January or March/April test date. That's just my 2 cents, if you're more comfortable with a May test date, then by all means take it then.

Good luck! Make sure you take time to enjoy your junior year of college

 

[tessellations]

I agree, you're in fantastic shape!

If you want "top 20" you should focus some more on your research as many of those schools are research powerhouses. Having a long-term project that is yours is key (you said this is a possibility, so if it is, definitely pursue it!). Also, just make sure you are passionate about your ECs. They should be things you enjoy to do, not because you want to check off boxes on an application. Longitudinal work is great, so if you can continue working in that soup kitchen and the ESL work, that would be ideal.

Finally, the MCAT will largely decide your fate so make sure you take it seriously and study for it as much as you can. Keep in mind that around May you may be more focused on final exams/preparing your AMCAS application, so I would recommend striving for a January or March/April test date. That's just my 2 cents, if you're more comfortable with a May test date, then by all means take it then.

Good luck! Make sure you take time to enjoy your junior year of college

Thank you for your insight! I'm definitely pursuing the independent research project - I've basically been approved, I just need to finish finetuning the protocol before I get officially started in the wet lab. I'm super stoked. As for ECs, I love what I'm currently putting my time and energy into. I agree that that's very important.

You're totally right about the MCAT though. Depending on how I'm feeling, I think March or April might be better because I really don't want to be thinking about finals or the apps. Plus it'll give me time to plan if God forbid it doesn't goes as well as hoped.

And Goro, thanks for the concise peace of mind!!!