No EC's freshman year? Is this really bad?

[screwedpremed88]

I didn't really do anything freshman year. I pretty much focused adjusting to college out of state during this year. I was in an asian club, dorm activity coordinator, and was involved in mock trial. During freshman summer, I didn't really do anything either. I just have a job at a restaurant. Will my inactivity freshman year and summer hurt my chances? What did you do freshman year?

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[SarsMO]

You're fine...I'm not sure why you think all of the stuff you did (Asian club, dorm activity coordinator.et c) doesn't count. You did more than I did my freshman year. Seriously, stop worrying about it.

 

[Sparda29]

What did I do Freshman year? Joined a professional gaming team, lol.

 

[mdmdt]

I didn't really do anything freshman year. I pretty much focused adjusting to college out of state during this year. I was in an asian club, dorm activity coordinator, and was involved in mock trial.

Those look like "things" to me...

 

[soisauce]

if you are looking to do clinical experiences and stuff, i think most programs are sophomore and junior so its okay. it seems lik you fell into the asian crowd in college lol. just start volunteering at the hospital closest to your school.

 

[RockWhisperer]

The mock trial and dorm coordinator are very really EC's. And you still have plenty of time to get some clinical stuff down. Start some research and volunteer and/or shadow and you're fine EC wise.

 

[Junebug20]

Hahaha! I'd say "Dorm Activity Coordinator" and "Mock trial" are certainly great things to have on an app. I just went to school and did homework my freshman year.

 

[redlight]

well i think OP is trying to say s/he didnt do anything that required heavy involvement or serious commitment (i.e. nothing he could put down on a resume/application) during his/her freshman year. I think thats fine as long as you find something you really like to do sometime soon. like someone earlier said, most people don't really start getting involved in undergrad until soph year. id try and have an idea of things id want to do over the year (research, volunteering, music, sports, teaching/toutoring, w/e) before the year starts and make a serious attempt to start those activities in the first few days/weeks of school).

i dont think i did much first year either, but i'll add a few more things this year for sure

and your summer job is perfectly fine- i think most schools dont want cookie cutter premeds who all have the same extracurrics. real world experiences outside of volunteering in hospitals and lab work is great as long you come out of the experience having learned something or gained something noteworthy, imo

 

[paranoid_eyes]

i didn't do any EC's my first two years aside from getting high and drunk. you are seriously FINE...

 

[Struggles]

i didn't do any EC's my first two years aside from getting high and drunk. you are seriously FINE...

qft. Now unfortunately I have to find a way to balance that with real EC's and make up for lost time...

 

[MonkeyNuts!]

Lolz at Asian club.

what was it? APAMSA? An Asian campus church? A study group in the library?

If you're talking about clinical volunteering or research, you don't need to start hammering out that stuff in freshman year. In fact, some PIs like to see some grades before taking on a student, so you're probably better off, since you'd probably be washing glassware otherwise. If you're talking about clubs - you should pick something you like, and then work towards leadership positions, again not something you can probably hammer out freshman yr, unless its a small or dying club.

 

[gopher22]

You're definitely not screwed. Presumably, you had time to adjust to college life and your grades are pretty good? If so, you're right on track. Just get the ball rolling on ECs next year.