EC's a mess? Transfer kid needs advice!

[Follower12]

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Hello,

Background: I transferred from Rutgers to Drexel after my freshman year.

Freshman year: no research. No real extracurriculars since I spent most of my time at home and planning my transfer out of the school. I was part of our AMSA and went to a few meetings and a premed conference but other than that did nothing.

Sophomore year:
Winter: Joined biological honor society
Spring-Summer: Elected as undergraduate representative. Focus on recruitment
Spring: Joined LXA fraternity.
Spring-Summer (6 months): Secured a job in a major hospital working full-time as a member of the rehab team. Direct patient contact at bedside.
Summer: Volunteered at the same hospital doing what I was doing after work

Junior (now):
Plan for October-June:
- Continue volunteering at hospital 4 hrs/week
- Continue as Undergrad Rep for my first full year and possibly run for a higher position
- Begin being more active in my fraternity and participate in more community service
- Begin volunteering at soup kitchen 3 hrs every other week
- Begin research

Senior :
- Probably continue with research and leadership positions in my fraternity and bio honor society even though med schools wont see any of it. Likely stopping volunteering at hospital because i will probably have overstayed my welcome by this time.


My concern is that I did nothing my freshman year and i feel like i started too late in the game my sophomore year. I don't want admission committees thinking that the only reason I'm starting everything late sophomore/junior year is because I need it for med school.

Is this a real concern or am I just being paranoid?


Hope to hear from you guys soon!

 

[yuiness]

I was in a similar situation-- I started as a freshman at the University of Toronto, then transferred to the University of Chicago when my parents decided they didn't like having me outside the country. During my first year, I basically didn't do any extracurriculars, but really hit the ground running as soon as I transferred.

I don't think anyone really cared that I didn't do much during my 1st year, and one interviewer even asked me something like: "I can see that you like to be involved in a lot of different activities! Do you think you'll have time to be as involved in med school, given the academic rigors?" You look like you're in good shape in terms of ECs.

 

[Doctor Strange]

I didn't do squat freshmen year and currently have a good number of interviews. You're going to be fine.

Sent from my LT28at using SDN Mobile

 

[tn4596]

Paranoid

 

[BlueLabel]

You're being paranoid, sounds like you're in good shape to me. What really matters is that your experiences are meaningful and you can articulate their significance in essays/interviews. If you're genuine it should be obvious.

Also: ZAX, brother.