Future hours

[Malake]

Hi all,

So I am applying this upcoming cycle (June 2015) and have only found one thread on this. I am currently planning to do research full time and volunteer during my gap year.

According to the thread, your future activities and hours are now to be listed on AMCAS (can someone confirm?). I will graduate in May and begin my gap year jobs/volunteering in June. If I plan to volunteer 4 hours/week, should I list the volunteer activity as June 2015-June 2016 (200 hours) and research as June 2015-June 2016 (2000 hours), although I would have only just begun the activity and perhaps make a little note that they are anticipated hours in the description? Thanks.

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[cactus8910]

Yup! It's probably not necessary to explain that they are anticipated hours, as that will be evident from the dates listed.

 

[Komorebi2]

Prospective 2015 applicant here.

From what I've read, you can certainly include future activities on your primary app, but it may be more advantageous if you did not for two reasons.

First, if you apply in June and haven't started working yet, you will nothing to say about the position in the description. In other words, it's would waste valuable space that you could be using to showcase your wonderful abilities. So you're probably better off not listing it in the work and activities section and instead focus on activities that you have meaningful things to say.

Second, having looked into many secondaries already, I can say that a good number of schools ask you to explain what you are doing in your gap year(s). I think this would be a better place to talk about your future activities.

Hope this helps!

 

[usmd01]

You can put your anticipated participation dates as you've suggested, or you can write in each activities section you plan on volunteering here through the next summer.

Also, if you haven't even started this volunteer activity before your application, it looks a little fishy to include a year of volunteering for something you haven't even started. I would save this for a secondary where you can pull from an experience in this volunteer opportunity to "describe a patient interaction" or "describe a time you failed."

 

[On Eagle's Wings]

Agree with other posts to save this activity for a secondary. Save the space you would give this activity to use for another one. Also means you will have something significant to talk about on your secondary. Win-win