Late to volunteer?

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Turkishking

Turkishking

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I applied to volunteer at the hospital down the street, coincidentally they are full. I'm getting in at the spring. The other one I used to go in the city is still taking me. Then in the spring, I have a spot for the hospital down the street. But it's been about 2 weeks of school, am I to early? Late? I know it's bad, but I want to be an extremely well applicant, well rounded. It's my freshman year.
 
Freshman year is still early. Keep going after opportunities that come up and that you are genuinely interested in. The rest will fall into place.
 
No, it's not too late to volunteer. You should concentrate more on classes for (at least) this semester. Worry about ECs (and other things) starting next semester (if you do well in your classes this semester.)
 
treecat said:
No, it's not too late to volunteer. You should concentrate more on classes for (at least) this semester. Worry about ECs (and other things) starting next semester (if you do well in your classes this semester.)
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Everything is currently going fine, and I'm enjoying Biology.. How many hours would you say is optimal for a competitive applicant? I know it's bad that I'm focusing on hours, but I want to get involved with something, or do something I enjoy. I enjoyed being at the MICU. I just hated waking up at 7 a.m in the summer.
 
Stop worrying, you'll be fine. I didn't start volunteering in a hospital until my junior year in college. Start volunteering next semester and focus on classes and getting accustomed to college first.
 
The earlier you start, the sooner you'll get bored with it.
 
Turkishking said:
How many hours would you say is optimal for a competitive applicant? I know it's bad that I'm focusing on hours, but I want to get involved with something, or do something I enjoy.
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There is no optimal hour (as of my opinion), every applicant is different. But, long term commitment is better than short time ones (300 hours over 1 year > 300 hours over the summer.)
There are a lot of other things that you can do, than just volunteering. Just volunteering at a hospital for 1000 hours is not the same as volunteering at a hospital for 300 hours + being a summer camp counselor for 700 hours.

Freshman year of college is the time to figure out what are those other things that you enjoy and want to get involved with.
 
OP you've made multiple threads about when to start volunteering, how much you should do etc. etc. and you keep getting the advice (from me and others) that your GPA should be your priority, there's no obligation to start volunteering a ton right away and so on.

I don't understand why you have to keep asking SDN the same question. I guess you just want constant confirmation of everything you're doing? You're going to drive yourself crazy if you can't make any decision in your life for the next 4 years without 20 people on the internet telling you it's okay.
 
NotASerialKiller said:
OP you've made multiple threads about when to start volunteering, how much you should do etc. etc. and you keep getting the advice (from me and others) that your GPA should be your priority, there's no obligation to start volunteering a ton right away and so on.

I don't understand why you have to keep asking SDN the same question. I guess you just want constant confirmation of everything you're doing? You're going to drive yourself crazy if you can't make any decision in your life for the next 4 years without 20 people on the internet telling you it's okay.
Click to expand...
I'd have to disagree. OPs best course of action is to ransack every party on the frat block. Better get accustomed to ballin' those doctor dollars. Work hard, play hard.
 
NotASerialKiller said:
OP you've made multiple threads about when to start volunteering, how much you should do etc. etc. and you keep getting the advice (from me and others) that your GPA should be your priority, there's no obligation to start volunteering a ton right away and so on.

I don't understand why you have to keep asking SDN the same question. I guess you just want constant confirmation of everything you're doing? You're going to drive yourself crazy if you can't make any decision in your life for the next 4 years without 20 people on the internet telling you it's okay.
Click to expand...

Well, I thought I can get input, I see it's annoying you. Well, sorry then. Don't bother to reply back.
 
Turkishking said:
I applied to volunteer at the hospital down the street, coincidentally they are full. I'm getting in at the spring. The other one I used to go in the city is still taking me. Then in the spring, I have a spot for the hospital down the street. But it's been about 2 weeks of school, am I to early? Late? I know it's bad, but I want to be an extremely well applicant, well rounded. It's my freshman year.
Click to expand...

Dude, I just need to be honest with you right now. It's over.

I mean like if you start a few companies and get mad pubs, mayyyybe a DO would take you. But two weeks in? My god. See people who wanna be docs, they care about people. Not giving your time for free in the first two weeks of your college career is -- you know, dude, I just like to be frank with people -- it's quite damning. I mean, here you are, TWO WHOLE WEEKS in. And you don't so much as express any interest in hospital volunteering? I mean, are you even serious about this? I'd probably start to reevaluate your life plans at this point. Do you really want to be a doc? I mean honestly, truly, do you want to be a doc? Because you need to want it if you're going to get through this. Right now, you're not being very docish. You might be better suited to doing something a lot more selfish. Have you considered IB or law?
 
About your final year of residency is what I'd consider "too late to volunteer."
 
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