Extracurriculars My Freshman Year

[pastelblue]

Hi everyone!

I've been eavesdropping in a lot of forums here at SDN, but finally decided to make an account to ask a question. I've read similar forums, but can't seem to get a full answer. So, I know that ECs will only carry you so much and that I should focus on a strong GPA. Personally, I love ECs, but as incoming freshman, how many ECs are too many or enough? I plan on working because I need money (so this will take up some time). Should I start shadowing my fall semester?

As for volunteering, should I volunteer at a hospital or can I volunteer at a non-profit? I have two in mind; one offers healthy food for children (I am applying to the Public Health Nutrition program at my school) and the other is focused on health within the Hispanic community (I want to be fluent in Spanish).

Thanks in advance!

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[WedgeDawg]

If you're about to be a freshman in college, you shouldn't take on any other responsibilities until you can demonstrate to yourself that you can maintain a high GPA. For a lot of people, there is an adjustment period to the type of learning that is required in college, and trying to do too many things at once before you are acclimated may jeopardize your GPA.

GPA is the most time consuming, most difficult, and most expensive thing to fix post-college. The best way you can set yourself up for med school success is to create and maintain a high GPA from the get-go. Everything else comes after.

 

[pastelblue]

@WedgeDawg Thank you for replying!

I come from a difficult residential high school, similar to the college experience. We come in our junior year and that's when I did a lot of my adjusting and handful of bad grades. From what I've been told by alumni, college is much easier to get acclimated to coming from my high school (a lot of them go to my college). Do you think I should still wait for ECs? If so, when should I start picking them up?

 

[Swish16]

First semester focus on GPA. Maybe pick up one extracurricular activity like a club or Greek life. Pick up research and/or volunteering in the spring


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[mcatjelly]

I agree with the majority of people here that you shouldn't take on too much until you are comfortable academically.

That being said, if you're like me who needed ECs to stay focused on academics and learn time management, there's nothing wrong with getting involved early. I think you'd be more than fine starting with maybe 10-15 hours a week of work and one EC/volunteer activity. Just be sure to do periodic, honest assessments of how you're doing academically, and adjust your ECs accordingly.

 

[pastelblue]

@mcatjelly Hi, do you think the volunteer experience should be at the hospital or a non-profit (as mentioned above)?

Okay, so I should focus on my GPA and minimize ECs for now. I'm just scared to make the wrong move. Thank you so much, everyone!

 

[WedgeDawg]

@WedgeDawg Thank you for replying!

I come from a difficult residential high school, similar to the college experience. We come in our junior year and that's when I did a lot of my adjusting and handful of bad grades. From what I've been told by alumni, college is much easier to get acclimated to coming from my high school (a lot of them go to my college). Do you think I should still wait for ECs? If so, when should I start picking them up?

Do you want to stake your GPA on the claim that you think you'll be able to quickly adjust because of your background? I knew plenty of people from Exeter and Thomas Jefferson that had trouble adjusting. There's no point rushing into anything because you won't get any benefit from it. But the benefit of protecting your initial GPA is enormous.

 

[mcatjelly]

@mcatjelly Hi, do you think the volunteer experience should be at the hospital or a non-profit (as mentioned above)?

Okay, so I should focus on my GPA and minimize ECs for now. I'm just scared to make the wrong move. Thank you so much, everyone!

Whichever one sounds more exciting/interesting to you. Honestly.

 

[PB&Jam]

I'm going to go against the grain a bit and say don't hold yourself back from a club or organization you really want to join because you're afraid of how the involvement will affect your grades. I joined my college's marching band coming in as a freshman, and it was the best decision I could have made. Not only did the extra commitment help me manage my time, but it gave me a built-in group of friends that I could go to for academic and emotional support. Also, being a part of the band and a few other clubs helped me get over a lot of social anxiety and make friends that I have stuck with over the past 3 years.

Of course, this is all n=1, and if you feel overwhelmed by coursework in the first few weeks then don't leap into ECs.

 

[pastelblue]

@WedgeDawg That makes a lot of sense. I'll focus a lot more on GPA and see how I am adjusting before I pick up any ECs. Thank you!

 

[confidentandgood]

If you find an extracurricular that you really want to commit to, there's nothing wrong with trying it out. Most only require commitment weekly or biweekly. But the instant you feel like it's negatively affecting your GPA, you're going to have to make that sacrifice.