ECs

[Sparda29]

Alright, what is considered an EC to put on an application? Do they want to know my hobbies, what I do in my spare time?

Is volunteering an EC or a job?

This summer I'm gonna be an Orientation Leader for the school. Basically, I wanna make sure that the incoming Freshman don't get screwed over like how a lot of the people including me at LIU did. So would that be an EC? And I'm gonna be either volunteering or working at a hospital and doing research with my former Organic Chem professor (he is interested in Medicinal Chemistry Synthesis)

Would me going and playing paintballs once a week be an EC if I'm the Captain of the paintball team?

Or do they honestly think that a Pre-Pharmacy student has the time to study, keep fit, work, go to class, join clubs, have fun, eat, and get 8 hours of sleep a day?

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[shunsistoesis]

yes..i think everything you listed are considered ECs. if the point of mentioning them is to let them know how well-rounded you are, then yes

 

[RxWildcat]

Is volunteering an EC or a job?

EC

This summer I'm gonna be an Orientation Leader for the school. Basically, I wanna make sure that the incoming Freshman don't get screwed over like how a lot of the people including me at LIU did. So would that be an EC? And I'm gonna be either volunteering or working at a hospital and doing research with my former Organic Chem professor (he is interested in Medicinal Chemistry Synthesis)

EC to both

Would me going and playing paintballs once a week be an EC if I'm the Captain of the paintball team?

Bonus EC- This is a leadership position, thats something people usually struggle to find to put on their app.

Or do they honestly think that a Pre-Pharmacy student has the time to study, keep fit, work, go to class, join clubs, have fun, eat, and get 8 hours of sleep a day?

Yea, thats what they expect, plus if everyone else applying is filling their apps with great ECs, you better make sure you do too

 

[bubbleteajelly]

what does EC stand for? haha

 

[Sparda29]

Extracurricular.

Hmm, thought of something else. I do go to the mosque like 4-5 hours a week, would you list that? The only downside I see to this is if I am being interviewed by an Atheist.

 

[jmcfa002]

Does weight lifting count lol? I've been lifting ~4x a week. I'm not buff and huge at all lol. I started off skinny, and still pretty much am. Its something I do in my spare time

 

[medicalCPA]

Extracurricular.

Hmm, thought of something else. I do go to the mosque like 4-5 hours a week, would you list that? The only downside I see to this is if I am being interviewed by an Atheist.

When you go to the mosque, do you do anything there (volunteer, help out), or do you just go to pray? If the former, then I think you can list it, but you should list what exactly you do there. I wouldn't list it if it is the latter. It would be like a Christian saying they went to church 4-5 hours a week. If they were Catholic, and those hours consisted of mass and confession, I would not consider it an EC.

 

[Sparda29]

Generally just helping them set up, or helping distribute food after the group prayer or gathering is done, etc.

 

[inquirer89]

Does weight lifting count lol? I've been lifting ~4x a week. I'm not buff and huge at all lol. I started off skinny, and still pretty much am. Its something I do in my spare time

Not really, unless you're part of a weightlifting club or team. I do cardio and weight lift also, but it's more of a personal and lifestyle choice than an extracurricular. Now if you can somehow relate an experience that you "persevered" and concentrated on a goal and achieved it, i.e. going from skinny to buff, then that might be a good side point in a personal statement.

Sparda29, I'm not sure if that could be considered an EC either, unless you volunteered in an official role. I was an alter server for my church and now I teach young kids. I can put that down as an activity, for example. But I guess it's your call.

 

[Sparda29]

Well, looks like I won't be doing research with the OChem professor. He doesn't want to do it unless I become a Chemistry major. Pretty much, he's gotten the idea that I want to do it in order to pad my resume, which is mostly true. He only wants long-term commitments as opposed to 5 week projects.

 

[UES Girl]

Well, looks like I won't be doing research with the OChem professor. He doesn't want to do it unless I become a Chemistry major. Pretty much, he's gotten the idea that I want to do it in order to pad my resume, which is mostly true. He only wants long-term commitments as opposed to 5 week projects.

Sorry but that's just how it is. At my school it's a minimum of 2 semesters.

 

[Drug Doc]

Well, looks like I won't be doing research with the OChem professor. He doesn't want to do it unless I become a Chemistry major. Pretty much, he's gotten the idea that I want to do it in order to pad my resume, which is mostly true. He only wants long-term commitments as opposed to 5 week projects.

as far as your professor expecting you to become a chem major just to do research in his lab, thats ridiculous. however, him rejecting you cause you said you could only do it for 5 weeks is logical. the way research works, 5 weeks will be sufficient to do...well, nothing. if u want to get into research expect to commit at least like 4ish months or so, and thats at the very minimum. its not like you have to work a million hours or anything, but you need to stick around long enough so that you actually have time to put to use all the things they will have spent their time teaching you.

 

[Sparda29]

The whole way I got interested in it was because they had a program during the winter when undergraduates were allowed to do research for 2 weeks and if they like it, continue in the Spring.

Most of the people who signed up for it, disappeared when the semester started including me. Just no time.

The whole point of that program was to get people to become Chemistry majors and to get people to be realistic about Pharmacy and not waste 3-4 years repeating classes trying to get in.

I mean, for me, I only have like 3 days when I can come in and work for like 2-3 hours a day. That is a severe problem with the synthesis he had me doing because some of the procedures take 6 hours to complete.

He recommended me to work in a Biology research project though.

 

[91946]

The whole way I got interested in it was because they had a program during the winter when undergraduates were allowed to do research for 2 weeks and if they like it, continue in the Spring.

Most of the people who signed up for it, disappeared when the semester started including me. Just no time.

The whole point of that program was to get people to become Chemistry majors and to get people to be realistic about Pharmacy and not waste 3-4 years repeating classes trying to get in.

I mean, for me, I only have like 3 days when I can come in and work for like 2-3 hours a day. That is a severe problem with the synthesis he had me doing because some of the procedures take 6 hours to complete.

He recommended me to work in a Biology research project though.[/QUOTE]

I worked in a Molecular Bio Dept for 2 years in undergrad. It'll be hard to find a faculty to sponsor you unless you're willing to commit at least a year or more.

 

[medicalCPA]

Have you tried a summer undergraduate research program? You do research over the summer, and you can put that on your resume. I did one last summer (it was the only way I could get research experience), and it was incredible.

 

[Sparda29]

I really wanted to do one this summer, but by the time I found out about it, the deadlines had passed for them.

Honestly, I thought these undergraduate research programs were something where you just sign up and go, I had no idea I was competing with other people for them.

 

[medicalCPA]

If you really want research experience, and are willing to commit a summer, you could simply send several emails to faculty at schools around you and see if they could take someone into their lab. Usually, faculty are impressed when someone volunteers to do research, and if they can, they will take you. I did this also, and a professor was willing to have me work in his lab, but I declined because I was accepted to the summer research program I mentioned earlier.

 

[Sparda29]

I mean, right now my best chance is actually a job at a medical laboratory. My physiology professor recommended me for it. Once I get around to writing a Curriculum vitae or altering my resume, I gotta send it to my professor.

 

[IrishRxMan]

Is there a pharmacy school near you Sparda? I know that state schools usually are doing a lot of research projects and private schools will do research as well, but some aren't as pressured to bring in research grants as state funded schools are. If you want to go into pharmacy, volunteering for a pharmacy prof doing research will look really great on apps. You may be the gofer for all the people doing the research, but you gotta pay your dues somewhere and get your foot in the door.

 

[Sparda29]

Is there a pharmacy school near you Sparda? I know that state schools usually are doing a lot of research projects and private schools will do research as well, but some aren't as pressured to bring in research grants as state funded schools are. If you want to go into pharmacy, volunteering for a pharmacy prof doing research will look really great on apps. You may be the gofer for all the people doing the research, but you gotta pay your dues somewhere and get your foot in the door.

Yeah, I go to LIU. I just submitted my appeal because I got rejected.

 

[IrishRxMan]

Yeah, I go to LIU. I just submitted my appeal because I got rejected.

The whole rejection/waitlist thing is pretty strange from what I can see, at least at my school. Since it's a new school, they are adjusting class demographics to see what mix of people is the best to have as their students. I see someone not get into a school that is in some trouble with their pass rate on the NAPLEX but get accepted to one that has stellar scores on pass rates. You just never can tell with schools, especially with the PharmCAS system. Hang tough and just continue to improve your image to the school any way you can.