is it too late to start ec? applying next year

[zyt2xk]

I am an upcoming junior, planning to apply next year. I have a 3.86 o-gpa, not sure about s-gpa but should be around the same. I don't really have long-term ec, I have done reserach through my sophomore year though and it counts towards ec correct? I have 500+ hours for that and will be working on publishing a review article, being first author (but unsure if it's worth it cause it will take 4+ months). Honestly that is the only "good" ec I had till now, I did volunteered at a couple of other places but no consistency. I plan to start volunteering at a hospice&palliative care center, hopefully this week. My first question: is it okay to only have this one clinical experince but with decent hours (like 100+)? or should I go to multiple clinics? For non-clinical experience, I tutored elementary kids last semester but only like 20 hours. Really nothing else. Question 2: is it going to be like cramming service hours if I start now? As for shadowing, I started this week and goal is to get 150+.
Would anyone give me any suggestions on what to focus more at this time? clinial/non clinical? research paper or no? And, if I should take a gap year?

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[zyt2xk]

Btw, I have a unique ec which I do broadcasting in my language and also in English. We are actually an online studio with over 200 people and I am one of the founder of our news department and the header of broadcast members. It's hard to explain what this studio do but it is non-pofit so I don't think it can count as job. I know it's hard to say the thing we are doing is service to people but we did donate what we earned to poor areas though. I devoted a lot of hours into it since 4 yrs ago. I don't know if I can put it on my ec and if it looks valuable.

 

[Pearl E. White]

Do that. Sounds good. One place with lots of hours is also good. If you have a dental clinic that you can volunteer at, that would also be helpful.

 

[zyt2xk]

Do that. Sounds good. One place with lots of hours is also good. If you have a dental clinic that you can volunteer at, that would also be helpful.

Thank you for your reply! I'm just a bit confused by volunteering at a dental clinic vs. shadowing, what's the difference between them?

 

[Pearl E. White]

Thank you for your reply! I'm just a bit confused by volunteering at a dental clinic vs. shadowing, what's the difference between them?

You might be able to assist the dentist, sterilize instruments ,etc versus watching the dentist (shadowing)

 

[zyt2xk]

You might be able to assist the dentist, sterilize instruments ,etc versus watching the dentist (shadowing)

Got you. Do you have any recommendation for the research paper? It is very time-consuming but is a publication really going to help me stand out? If I'm not doing it, I will simply do more volunteer hours though.

 

[2jz]

Having a publication is always a positive. It will look favorably to admissions as well as employers who conduct research themselves. Being able to talk about your research in an intelligent way (beyond oh I put these small liquids from one tube into another then occasionally heated them up) can really demonstrate your ability to think critically, problem solve, etc. Whether you pursue the paper is entirely up to you.

Even if you don't have a lot of ec's beyond research, the fact you've signed up for something is great. I didn't have a tremendous amount of hours myself when I interviewed, but I had signed up for two more volunteer opportunities. Made for a great answer when they asked why I lacked volunteer hours.

 

[zyt2xk]

Having a publication is always a positive. It will look favorably to admissions as well as employers who conduct research themselves. Being able to talk about your research in an intelligent way (beyond oh I put these small liquids from one tube into another then occasionally heated them up) can really demonstrate your ability to think critically, problem solve, etc. Whether you pursue the paper is entirely up to you.

Even if you don't have a lot of ec's beyond research, the fact you've signed up for something is great. I didn't have a tremendous amount of hours myself when I interviewed, but I had signed up for two more volunteer opportunities. Made for a great answer when they asked why I lacked volunteer hours.

Thanks for your reply! If you don't mind, would you share how you explained your lack of volunteer hours? Honestly, all my volunteer hours will start from junior year and I don't have a job as an "excuse". Only that 500+ research and tremendous amounts of hours managing the online studio. Btw, will that experience of studio be under employment section since it's like self-employment, or ec (not related to service), or volunteer since it's non-profit?

 

[2jz]

Thanks for your reply! If you don't mind, would you share how you explained your lack of volunteer hours? Honestly, all my volunteer hours will start from junior year and I don't have a job as an "excuse". Only that 500+ research and tremendous amounts of hours managing the online studio. Btw, will that experience of studio be under employment section since it's like self-employment, or ec (not related to service), or volunteer since it's non-profit?

They asked what else I've done for volunteering, and I simply told them that I was signed up for a service trip and our community's free dental clinic later that year.

You don't need to think of excuses, if you're making an honest effort towards volunteering now talk about that instead of trying to justify why you didn't volunteer as much in the past. Always focus on positives. I wouldn't know how to classify your studio experience, maybe volunteer if you donated your time and weren't compensated in any capacity (be it money, college credit, etc).

 

[zyt2xk]

They asked what else I've done for volunteering, and I simply told them that I was signed up for a service trip and our community's free dental clinic later that year.

You don't need to think of excuses, if you're making an honest effort towards volunteering now talk about that instead of trying to justify why you didn't volunteer as much in the past. Always focus on positives. I wouldn't know how to classify your studio experience, maybe volunteer if you donated your time and weren't compensated in any capacity (be it money, college credit, etc).

Great advice and thank you again!