Including a "Mainly High School" Activity in AMCAS Work and Activities Section

[sylvester500]

As I contemplate the activities I will be including in my AMCAS Work and Activities (W&A) section, I am reflecting on the martial arts that I began when I was 6, continued through high school, and then participated in minimally during discrete episodes during college (maybe 10 hours total during college). I also taught youth classes throughout middle and high school, and a few when I would go home during college.

I have incorporated the importance of this experience into my Personal Statement, but wondering if it should be mentioned in the W&A section, given the vast majority of my involvement was pre-college. (I spent thousands of hours in the dojo as a student and instructor during my youth, and obviously little as a college student.)

Anybody have thoughts as to whether I should include in the W&A section?

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[GreenDuck12]

As I contemplate the activities I will be including in my AMCAS Work and Activities (W&A) section, I am reflecting on the martial arts that I began when I was 6, continued through high school, and then participated in minimally during discrete episodes during college (maybe 10 hours total during college). I also taught youth classes throughout middle and high school, and a few when I would go home during college.

I have incorporated the importance of this experience into my Personal Statement, but wondering if it should be mentioned in the W&A section, given the vast majority of my involvement was pre-college. (I spent thousands of hours in the dojo as a student and instructor during my youth, and obviously little as a college student.)

Anybody have thoughts as to whether I should include in the W&A section?

Focus on more recent experiences in your WA section. It will not raise red flags if it is in your personal statement and not in the WA section.

 

[sylvester500]

Focus on more recent experiences in your WA section. It will not raise red flags if it is in your personal statement and not in the WA section.

Gotcha. So don't include.

 

[GreenDuck12]

Gotcha. So don't include.

since you only described doing 10 hours in college definitely leave it out.

 

[Talldoctor96]

100 percent do not include.

 

[sylvester500]

100 percent do not include.

Thanks for the feedback big boy.

 

[Talldoctor96]

100 percent do not include.

For example: I did really cool Neuro research in high school. You should not include it in your activity section, most readers don't care about what you did in high school. But you can talk about it. I mentioned my research in two sentences in my personal statement because it really helped define my path. And talked about it in interviews briefly. BUT DON"T waste a spot with it.

It doesn't mean you can never speak of it, just choose your spot wisely and not such a major slot like that.

 

[deleted859689]

Wouldn’t putting it down as a hobby be okay? Add some pizzazz

 

[deleted688779]

Perhaps include in hobbies? I think that's legit.

I bundled all my hobbies into one entry, so that can definitely work.

 

[Moko]

Do you still practice martial arts as a hobby, for self-improvement, and/or for stress relief? If so, this can still be fairly listed under "Hobbies" on AMCAS. You can then briefly write about your extensive pre-collegiate experiences there. Applicants will usually include multiple hobbies under one entry, so using this strategy will not use up an additional slot.

If you no longer practice martial arts in any capacity, then perhaps now is a good opportunity to revive your interest, with the stay-at-home orders in place in most states. Martial arts will be helpful for your application, and in the unlikely event civilization falls from coronavirus, zombies, or anything else.

 

[Talldoctor96]

Do you still practice martial arts as a hobby, for self-improvement, and/or for stress relief? If so, this can still be fairly listed under "Hobbies" on AMCAS. You can then briefly write about your extensive pre-collegiate experiences there. Applicants will usually include multiple hobbies under one entry, so using this strategy will not use up an additional slot.

If you no longer practice martial arts in any capacity, then perhaps now is a good opportunity to revive your interest, with the stay-at-home orders in place in most states. Martial arts will be helpful for your application, and in the unlikely event civilization falls from coronavirus, zombies, or anything else.

Agree with this!!! One of the biggest things the 3 med schools that did a 1 on 1 evaluation of my failed application was telling them more about who I was as a person. I added a hobbies section-- and a few of my interviewers commented how much they enjoyed reading that.

 

[sylvester500]

Do you still practice martial arts as a hobby, for self-improvement, and/or for stress relief? If so, this can still be fairly listed under "Hobbies" on AMCAS. You can then briefly write about your extensive pre-collegiate experiences there. Applicants will usually include multiple hobbies under one entry, so using this strategy will not use up an additional slot.

If you no longer practice martial arts in any capacity, then perhaps now is a good opportunity to revive your interest, with the stay-at-home orders in place in most states. Martial arts will be helpful for your application, and in the unlikely event civilization falls from coronavirus, zombies, or anything else.

My practice is fairly non-existent now that I am away from the Pacific Northwest. I was involved sporadically on visits home throughout college. However, I would say 99% of the hours dedicated (thousands) took place between the ages of 6 and 18.

Do you still believe it would be useful to list as a hobby? If this is the case, I also have run about 15,000 miles in my life since I was 13, but this has been entirely unstructured (no team involvement) since high school.

Should I put this on their as well?

 

[sylvester500]

Agree with this!!! One of the biggest things the 3 med schools that did a 1 on 1 evaluation of my failed application was telling them more about who I was as a person. I added a hobbies section-- and a few of my interviewers commented how much they enjoyed reading that.

Didn't you just say I shouldn't include in the WA section? Confused now...

 

[sylvester500]

Perhaps include in hobbies? I think that's legit.

I bundled all my hobbies into one entry, so that can definitely work.

How did you bundle them? Like I have fairly unstructured (no team, no official contact) hobbies I could certainly list, but their structures pale in comparison to that of the more "formal" entries I have planned to include in my application.

 

[Talldoctor96]

How did you bundle them? Like I have fairly unstructured (no team, no official contact) hobbies I could certainly list, but their structures pale in comparison to that of the more "formal" entries I have planned to include in my application.

Activity: Hobby
Contact: Yourself
Hours: doesn't matter
Description: Blah Blah taught me to blah blah. A good way to balance my life blah blah. Teamplayer blah blah discipline respect blah blah.

 

[Moko]

My practice is fairly non-existent now that I am away from the Pacific Northwest. I was involved sporadically on visits home throughout college. However, I would say 99% of the hours dedicated (thousands) took place between the ages of 6 and 18. Do you still believe it would be useful to list as a hobby? If this is the case, I also have run about 15,000 miles in my life since I was 13, but this has been entirely unstructured (no team involvement) since high school. Should I put this on their as well?

Yes and yes. You can and should include these in your application. Be honest about your involvement in these activities as you have on here and you'll be fine.

How did you bundle them? Like I have fairly unstructured (no team, no official contact) hobbies I could certainly list, but their structures pale in comparison to that of the more "formal" entries I have planned to include in my application.

You do not need to list contacts for hobbies. Also, not everything in the application should be "formal". We want to learn about applicants' interests outside of their academics and structured activities. These experiences contribute to the diversity of a class, and the 'hidden curriculum' in medical school.

 

[sylvester500]

Yes and yes. You can and should include these in your application. Be honest about your involvement in these activities as you have on here and you'll be fine.

You do not need to list contacts for hobbies. Also, not everything in the application should be "formal". We want to learn about applicants' interests outside of their academics and structured activities. These experiences contribute to the diversity of a class, and the 'hidden curriculum' in medical school.

Love to hear it! I'll include it. Thank you very much.