How do ADCOMS view filler activities?

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Lunasly

Lunasly

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Just out of curiosity, but how do ADCOMS view filler activities? I'd say I have a pretty solid set of activities, but I do admit I have some fillers (i.e. what sports I play during my leisure time, hobbies, etc).

Thanks.
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Lunasly said:
Just out of curiosity, but how do ADCOMS view filler activities? I'd say I have a pretty solid set of activities, but I do admit I have some fillers (i.e. what sports I play during my leisure time, hobbies, etc).

Thanks.
Click to expand...


They would view them as fillers? Not sure what exactly you are trying to get at here...

It's slightly possible that interviewer X will also have the the same hobby Y that you both enjoy and talk about at the interview, but that's not critical.
 
Your concern of filler should be dilution. The more filler you add, the more it could possibly detract from the rest of your application in respect to how they perceive you overall. This isn't a guarantee, but its something to consider. I would leave filler out if it doesn't have significant meaning to you, or is not something you have been doing for very long.
 
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Lunasly said:
Just out of curiosity, but how do ADCOMS view filler activities? I'd say I have a pretty solid set of activities, but I do admit I have some fillers (i.e. what sports I play during my leisure time, hobbies, etc).

Thanks.
Click to expand...
Sorry, but if you can't fill every one of the 15 slots with medically-related, highly-meaningful experiences that adcoms have never seen before, you have no chance at an acceptance, better get your suntan lotion packed...

Seriously, having "filler" activities show what you are like as a person aside from being pre-med. As long as you do have the activities they expect to see, having some slots filled with leisure hobbies would be a good thng, not a bad thing.
 
I wouldn't add an activity unless you can articulate its importance on the essays and in the interview.
 
NickNaylor said:
It will be obvious that they're filler activities, and I know I would have a good chuckle if I read your app and saw a "hobbies" section.
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I respectfully disagree. I mentioned the current book I was reading in a "hobbies" like section and it was brought up and discussed in more than one of my interviews. Some other things I listed were also discussed. So some adcoms may see it as nothing but filler fluff, but others may relate to your hobbies and/or enjoy seeing that your a person and not a premed robot.
 
Smokemont said:
I respectfully disagree. I mentioned the current book I was reading in a "hobbies" like section and it was brought up and discussed in more than one of my interviews. Some other things I listed were also discussed. So some adcoms may see it as nothing but filler fluff, but others may relate to your hobbies and/or enjoy seeing that your a person and not a premed robot.
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Fair enough - and I agree that you should do with your app what you think is best (since it is, after all, your app). I can only give my own opinion on how I would interpret such a thing. Not everyone will share that interpretation as you mention, though.
 
NickNaylor said:
Fair enough - and I agree that you should do with your app what you think is best (since it is, after all, your app). I can only give my own opinion on how I would interpret such a thing. Not everyone will share that interpretation as you mention, though.
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Name one thing that every single adcom who could possibly read your application WOULD agree on. :cool:
 
I know, I figure I'd just throw that in there. :)
 
pfaction said:
I know, I figure I'd just throw that in there. :)
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By the way, I should add that having hobbies is of course a good thing. As someone else mentioned, you definitely don't want to be a robot. And they'd be a great thing to bring up during an interview. I just wouldn't recommend outright listing them in your activities section, especially if your goal is for them to serve as "filler" (as the OP has admitted).
 
IMHO, and it is just one opinion, at least one of your items should be something unrelated to medicine or science. For some people it will be athletics, for others arts (performance or studio arts), or an off-beat hobby (jewelry design or motorcycle repair). Some people will shy away from listing anything having to do with religion or politics but for some people it has taken so many hours per week for so many years that if seems odd not to include it. Whatever you list, I'd suggest that not more than 20% of your items be athletics, arts, hobbies, etc. If it gets to >60% it starts looking like filler. Same goes for listing things that you did for a very, very short time like being engaged in a soup kitchen once a year to serve a holiday meal.
 
I definitely agree which is why I put mine in as a stress relief! Nothin' like playin' some blues after a particularly bloody Neuro therapeutics exam :oops:
 
LizzyM is right on target. I listed jewelry design as a hobby, because I am absolutely in love with making jewelry. Activities are only filler if you can't say anything meaningful about them. If you love to knit, articulate it! Hobbies are what make us pre-meds human, as adcoms can get sick of looking at numbers all day. Give them a surprise! Perhaps you like pole fitness as much as I do.

Note: pole dancing/fitness =/= stripping :)
 
NickNaylor said:
It will be obvious that they're filler activities, and I know I would have a good chuckle if I read your app and saw a "hobbies" section.
Click to expand...

Hey now, I had a hobbies section. Also, I get really bored when I'm gearing up to interview someone and it's all research-blah-blah-blah-academics-blah-volunteering-blah-blah-research.
 
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