How does one manage to fit in so many activities if college coursework is so demanding?

[StressfulMD]

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The only "free" time (if you can honestly call it that) for ECs I would imagine someone would have during the year would be during vacations, whether during the summer or the holidays. Thus, how would I find time to do so many things during the rest of the year?

I understand GPA and other stats trump ECs, since that's the initial sieve within admissions, but I just don't see how it's feasible for one to get a 3.7+ and work/volunteer/research during the year. I totally get how it differs by institution, but of course, there's a universal sense of difficulty that comes with college coursework and the workload.

I'm a sophomore who's about to start, and as of this point, I have minimal shadowing experience, an EMT-B license I want to use through volunteering with my school, and some other clinical and non-clinical volunteering here and there. In addition, I have a 3.3 cGPA, 3.32 sGPA.

Is this a "meh" resume at this point in time? Am I where I need to be, so to speak? I do have a research position lined up with a lab at school, but do not know if I will be able to be part of any pubs or such.

I absolutely want to take my time with this whole process, and will not apply before I graduate college (i.e., a 4-year plan). Definitely don't want to rush or be hasty with any of this since everything has been so obscenely competitive these past few years.

Thanks everyone!

 

[Lucca]

Easy rule to follow:

Is your GPA below a 3.8???
- Do fewer things
- Focus on improving your grades

Is your GPA above a 3.8???
- You could do more things
- Don't do too many things

Alternatively:

- Take fewer classes per semester, make a timeline to make sure you can still graduate on a timeline appropriate for your goals
- Do a better job of picking class combinations that allow for you to have more control of your own schedule. I.e., don't take more than 1 lab course per semester, pick classes with optional discussion sections, etc.

 

[PreMedMissteps]

Right now, your GPA needs improving. focus on that.

During breaks and summers, you can shadow/volunteer.

It will do no good to have EC hours to report if your GPA isn't acceptable to med schools.

 

[Goro]

The only "free" time (if you can honestly call it that) for ECs I would imagine someone would have during the year would be during vacations, whether during the summer or the holidays. Thus, how would I find time to do so many things during the rest of the year?

I understand GPA and other stats trump ECs, since that's the initial sieve within admissions, but I just don't see how it's feasible for one to get a 3.7+ and work/volunteer/research during the year. I totally get how it differs by institution, but of course, there's a universal sense of difficulty that comes with college coursework and the workload.

I'm a sophomore who's about to start, and as of this point, I have minimal shadowing experience, an EMT-B license I want to use through volunteering with my school, and some other clinical and non-clinical volunteering here and there. In addition, I have a 3.3 cGPA, 3.32 sGPA.

Is this a "meh" resume at this point in time? Am I where I need to be, so to speak? I do have a research position lined up with a lab at school, but do not know if I will be able to be part of any pubs or such.

I absolutely want to take my time with this whole process, and will not apply before I graduate college (i.e., a 4-year plan). Definitely don't want to rush or be hasty with any of this since everything has been so obscenely competitive these past few years.

Thanks everyone!

Learn how to master time mgt.

 

[Lannister]

Learn how to master time mgt.

This. You should have more free time right now, as an undergrad, than you will for the rest of your life, minus retirement. If you don't have free time (assuming you want free time), you're doing something wrong

 

[Coltuna]

It scares me seeing forum topics like this... I felt like I was involved in quite a bit in undergrad and still had time to go out 3 (sometimes 4) nights a week. Maybe I wasn't involved in much after all.