Fun ECs?

[Revilla]

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Reading some threads from the past few years, I've seen people mention unusual hobbies as part of their ECs. Is this expected or is the EC slot used mainly for serious activities?

 

[HPMMajor]

I've coached Freshman Football for 3 summers- great mentoring and leadership opportunity- it's also a blast to work with kids who play the game because they love it

 

[Revilla]

But I'm talking more about the ECs that are more frivolous. I have the mentoring ECs and the clinical ECs, but what about the ECs where you're not taking away a deeper experience. For instance, a friend of mine is a singing-telegram clown during the summers just for kicks. She doesn't get paid so it isn't technically a professional experience. I twirl sabers for fun. Are those things appropriate to mention?

 

[doomknight]

World of Warcraft, Guitar Hero, Grand Theft Auto IV are fun
Playing actual guitar, or in a band is fun

 

[Myuu]

But I'm talking more about the ECs that are more frivolous. I have the mentoring ECs and the clinical ECs, but what about the ECs where you're not taking away a deeper experience. For instance, a friend of mine is a singing-telegram clown during the summers just for kicks. She doesn't get paid so it isn't technically a professional experience. I twirl sabers for fun. Are those things appropriate to mention?

I think the real measure here is if you can say something interesting about them. ECs outside of the norm can be something to differentiate you from the aspiring clinical hordes if you can convince someone that you're getting something beneficial (not necessarily clinical, or even professional) out of it! What does this EC experience say about you? Does it emphasize any positive traits?

 

[Revilla]

I think the real measure here is if you can say something interesting about them. ECs outside of the norm can be something to differentiate you from the aspiring clinical hordes if you can convince someone that you're getting something beneficial (not necessarily clinical, or even professional) out of it! What does this EC experience say about you? Does it emphasize any positive traits?

In my case, not really, unless long-term commitment counts. I've been doing it for 15 years.

 

[ESzczesniak]

You could consider taking up beer drinking? In seriousness though, I knew a guy who really had beer and beer brewing down and that went on AMCAS.

 

[doomknight]

beer brewing and beer tasting could count if you get paid for doing it, it would go under as a job

 

[LizzyM]

Stuff you do for fun that you wouldn't mind discussing with your grandma (which rules out some of the stuff you do for fun and/or as a stress reliever) is fair game on the AMCAS. Reading your AMCAS, the adcom member should come away with some idea of you as a person. You are not just your transcript & academic scores. The LORs don't capture the essence of you. The PS and the experience section are the places where information that sets you apart from the 100s of other applicants belongs.

It is always fun to see that someone has done something unusual whether it is to have competed in a state beauty ("scholarship") contest, worked at a major league ball park, or starting a campus business. Seeing an application from a singing telegram clown would really cheer up an adcom member. Just don't wear the costume when you pose for your application "head shot".

 

[EpiPEN]

I wrote on my apps that I played the accordion since I was a kid.

only one interviewer ever noticed it and we had a one-liner talk on it.


guess playing the accordion is too common an EC.

That... or what you write here don't matter all that much

 

[Revilla]

Stuff you do for fun that you wouldn't mind discussing with your grandma (which rules out some of the stuff you do for fun and/or as a stress reliever) is fair game on the AMCAS. Reading your AMCAS, the adcom member should come away with some idea of you as a person. You are not just your transcript & academic scores. The LORs don't capture the essence of you. The PS and the experience section are the places where information that sets you apart from the 100s of other applicants belongs.

It is always fun to see that someone has done something unusual whether it is to have competed in a state beauty ("scholarship") contest, worked at a major league ball park, or starting a campus business. Seeing an application from a singing telegram clown would really cheer up an adcom member. Just don't wear the costume when you pose for your application "head shot".

Thanks, Lizzy. That's good to know. I assumed adcoms looked down on things like pageants, which I've also done.