Extra Curriculars

[wilsonlaguna]

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Does anyone know if ECs from before when you started undergrad. still give you brownie points with the admissions committee? I did a ton of stuff in high school (music, performing, sports, student teaching, etc.)

 

[randombetch]

Not really, you aren't typically supposed to include them.

 

[LuciusVorenus]

Only if you continue them throughout college.

 

[lorenzomicron]

Only if you continue them throughout college.

I have a similar question.
I was a student ambassador to Korea in a highly competitive program, the spring and some of the summer of my senior year.
Of course, I didn't even get to use it for college apps or anything.
Could I use it for MD apps?

 

[LuciusVorenus]

I have a similar question.
I was a student ambassador to Korea in a highly competitive program, the spring and some of the summer of my senior year.
Of course, I didn't even get to use it for college apps or anything.
Could I use it for MD apps?

I wouldn't. Unless you're desperate for ECs a couple of months abroad (even if it was part of a really competitive program) won't really affect your application. Save the space for some other stuff! Now, if you started a Korean club at school, etc you might be able to sneak it in when describing your hobbies related to that particular culture.

 

[lorenzomicron]

I wouldn't. Unless you're desperate for ECs a couple of months abroad (even if it was part of a really competitive program) won't really affect your application. Save the space for some other stuff! Now, if you started a Korean club at school, etc you might be able to sneak it in when describing your hobbies related to that particular culture.

Well, I'm not even Korean, but you think it wont affect the particular application? I was thinking of using it as like cultural/politic/business experience as I got to meet with CEOs of large companies. Is there a section for cultural experience or like travel experience? Where does one list travel experience, as so far I have been in two competitive travel programs, with full funding from specific organizations?

 

[wilsonlaguna]

Well, I'm not even Korean, but you think it wont affect the particular application? I was thinking of using it as like cultural/politic/business experience as I got to meet with CEOs of large companies. Is there a section for cultural experience or like travel experience? Where does one list travel experience, as so far I have been in two competitive travel programs, with full funding from specific organizations?

See, in my opinion, I think that if you sneak one or two in, but emphasis more on your undergrad, EC then you should be okay. I mean, there are plenty of things I did during HS, but only one that I can remember was life-changing and valuable. So, I'm going to put that one on there and if they ask me why, I'll just say it contributed to who I am today.

 

[Practitioner]

Like others said (and in the activities thread question comes up now and then throughout the 40 some pages -- yes I read through most of them!): No. Don't include unless continued through college.

If there was something in high school that had particular impact on your choice to pursue medicine or personality/life choices/etc, then consider including it in your PS.

As stand alone activities use the section on the AMCAS to include only things done during college years.

That sums up the numerous responses in the activities thread to similar questions.

 

[wilsonlaguna]

Like others said (and in the activities thread question comes up now and then throughout the 40 some pages -- yes I read through most of them!): No. Don't include unless continued through college.

If there was something in high school that had particular impact on your choice to pursue medicine or personality/life choices/etc, then consider including it in your PS.

As stand alone activities use the section on the AMCAS to include only things done during college years.

That sums up the numerous responses in the activities thread to similar questions.

Thanks. That's sort of what I expected to hear. I was only going to put one into the application anyways.

 

[justdoit31]

The general rule is you can start with the day you graduated high school. So I did include some stuff I did between HS graduation and starting college.

Anything before that is not suppose to be an EC- however you can put something that was important (like the program to Korea) into your PS.

I had an encounter with an orphan in Africa that really impacted me and I put it into my statement cuz it was during my senior year that I went to Mozambique. Because it was in my PS I got asked about it at interviews.

Also, you get 15 EC's if you only have 10 or 12 just do the ones you have- don't try to BS stuff... I started making a list of my EC's about 6 months before filling out my applications so I could edit them as I thought of stuff.

 

[wilsonlaguna]

So, what about activities in which I am still affiliated with, but am on sabbatical to focus on research? I was involved with the activity sometime during undergrad., but just not now.

 

[bravofleet4]

the primary app actually requires you to go into detail about the time you put into your activities including the number of hours per week, total hours, and the duration (from what month/year to month/year). therefore, you can list everything you did in undergrad even if you are taking a semester break from them or quit after a year or two.

 

[lorenzomicron]

Also, you get 15 EC's if you only have 10 or 12 just do the ones you have- don't try to BS stuff... I started making a list of my EC's about 6 months before filling out my applications so I could edit them as I thought of stuff.

Good idea. I have actually kept a list of ECs for the last 3 years, which I update constantly. Kewl. It might be hard to choose.

 

[Narmerguy]

So, what about activities in which I am still affiliated with, but am on sabbatical to focus on research? I was involved with the activity sometime during undergrad., but just not now.

I would include them.