Not involved on campus?

[frodo25]

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I am in essentially zero clubs on campus right now as I was currently involved in a club but dropped it for various reasons. Will not being involved on campus be looked down upon? I have ECs but they are all off campus.

 

[neekzg]

What are your ECs? There's no reason that they have to be on campus. As long as you're doing meaningful work in your community, that's great! It's generally just easier to be involved with stuff on campus because it's more convenient in that they can often provide the resources, transportation, facilities, etc. for you to do the service.

 

[frodo25]

I have the usual hospital volunteering . I also have free clinic volunteering, EMT stuff, research, TA'ing.

 

[LizzyM]

What do you do for fun? Being involved in some organized fun with others shows that you aren't "all work and no play" and that you "play well with others". Try to find some time for fun even if it is just a couple hours per week. Sadly, goofing around with friends isn't the sort of thing you can put on your application as an "experience".

 

[frodo25]

Why does it have to be organized fun? I have a good group of friends that I go see movies with, eat out with, watch sports with...etc . I know I can't list that on an application but that's what I do for fun. I am also a senior so I don't really have much time to join more clubs . If I don't have organized fun, would it be a substantial negative?

 

[LizzyM]

Why does it have to be organized fun? I have a good group of friends that I go see movies with, eat out with, watch sports with...etc . I know I can't list that on an application but that's what I do for fun. I am also a senior so I don't really have much time to join more clubs . If I don't have organized fun, would it be a substantial negative?

You were in some clubs previously so you can list those, of course. Sad but true, there are adcom members who will look at your experience list and if there isn't something listed that is not research, volunteerism, employment or clinical then they'll think you are all work and no play. It doesn't have to be "organized" but that is most often a way to engage in an activity. Training for solo athletic events such as 5Ks, marathons, Iron Man, etc although sometimes done as part of a group could be listed, too.

Form yourselves into an informal film club, talk about the film afterward, and call it the "Frodo Film Club". Make something up about being a loosely knit group dedicated to the enjoyment of contemporary films with a focus on .... [insert something here about your favorite genres and/or directors]. List a pal as the contact. 99.98% chance no one will ever contact your friend but if so, your friend can legitimize your film club experience.

 

[frodo25]

I was in a religious club but have since gone away from that religion so I'm not sure if I would want to list that anyway. The film club idea seems a little sketchy though..

 

[LizzyM]

I was in a religious club but have since gone away from that religion so I'm not sure if I would want to list that anyway. The film club idea seems a little sketchy though..

Sketchy?? I have not yet begun to unspool this... Have polo shirts made with "Frodo Film Club" embroidered on upper left chest or have pin-back buttons made. Submit your photo to the med school wearing the shirt or button.
Like a ton of movies on your Facebook page.
Create a Facebook page for the club and invite your buds to join. Put your upcoming events (friends going to the movies) on the club page. Even if your friends to a movie without you, have them list it there.
Start a Frodo Film Club blog. Link to imdb.com or Rotten Tomatoes with a few lines about the film. Post two or three films per week whether or not you have seen them personally. Or get a pal who is a communications or English or Film Studies major to do the blog so that it will, at least, come up on a Google search. After all, people in those majors are going to need something for their portfolio before they get a job folding sweaters at Old Navy.

 

[efle]

people in those majors are going to need something for their portfolio before they get a job folding sweaters at Old Navy.

For all you english or film studies premeds that might be reading this, here you go:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_burn_centers_in_the_United_States

 

[DokterMom]

Nothing sketchy at all about giving your group of friends a club name and making your activities a bit more organized. We've done that with three different groups now, and it actually helps us get together more often. You can even be an officer 😀

 

[Goro]

I prefer candidates who get OFF campus and out of their comfort zones!

I am in essentially zero clubs on campus right now as I was currently involved in a club but dropped it for various reasons. Will not being involved on campus be looked down upon? I have ECs but they are all off campus.

 

[frodo25]

I prefer candidates who get OFF campus and out of their comfort zones!

Yay! Hopefully I apply to your school Goro!

 

[Goro]

We're somewhere west of the Missouri River.

Yay! Hopefully I apply to your school Goro!

 

[avgn]

Sketchy?? I have not yet begun to unspool this... Have polo shirts made with "Frodo Film Club" embroidered on upper left chest or have pin-back buttons made. Submit your photo to the med school wearing the shirt or button.
Like a ton of movies on your Facebook page.
Create a Facebook page for the club and invite your buds to join. Put your upcoming events (friends going to the movies) on the club page. Even if your friends to a movie without you, have them list it there.
Start a Frodo Film Club blog. Link to imdb.com or Rotten Tomatoes with a few lines about the film. Post two or three films per week whether or not you have seen them personally. Or get a pal who is a communications or English or Film Studies major to do the blog so that it will, at least, come up on a Google search. After all, people in those majors are going to need something for their portfolio before they get a job folding sweaters at Old Navy.

On fire today. Pure lethal fire.

Are pre-II screenings that boring??

 

[pillowsnice]

I am in essentially zero clubs on campus right now as I was currently involved in a club but dropped it for various reasons. Will not being involved on campus be looked down upon? I have ECs but they are all off campus.

I am in the same position. It's not that I don't do anything but academics, it's just I don't have a block of time reserved each week for organized activities. When I have the free time here and there, I go out casually and hang out with friends, whether it be a movie, sports, or just chilling. I really don't see what's wrong with that as that is how real adult life works right? The only scheduled fun time I had was in primary school and I hope we are all passed that stage by now. I think as long as you aren't a 4.0 automaton with no interests outside academics, you should be just fine.

 

[pillowsnice]

You were in some clubs previously so you can list those, of course. Sad but true, there are adcom members who will look at your experience list and if there isn't something listed that is not research, volunteerism, employment or clinical then they'll think you are all work and no play. It doesn't have to be "organized" but that is most often a way to engage in an activity. Training for solo athletic events such as 5Ks, marathons, Iron Man, etc although sometimes done as part of a group could be listed, too.

Form yourselves into an informal film club, talk about the film afterward, and call it the "Frodo Film Club". Make something up about being a loosely knit group dedicated to the enjoyment of contemporary films with a focus on .... [insert something here about your favorite genres and/or directors]. List a pal as the contact. 99.98% chance no one will ever contact your friend but if so, your friend can legitimize your film club experience.

Actually would you consider volunteering at a pet shelter organized fun? Since you said volunteerism is considered work, is this considered work too?

 

[LizzyM]

Actually would you consider volunteering at a pet shelter organized fun? Since you said volunteerism is considered work, is this considered work too?

Would you list it on your application as a hobby rather than" volunteer, non-clincial"? Would this be your answer if asked in an interview, "what do you do for fun?" If so, go for it.

 

[pillowsnice]

Would you list it on your application as a hobby rather than" volunteer, non-clincial"? Would this be your answer if asked in an interview, "what do you do for fun?" If so, go for it.

Hmm can it be listed as both? I do it for fun, but technically it is a non-clinical volunteering.

 

[LizzyM]

Hmm can it be listed as both? I do it for fun, but technically it is a non-clinical volunteering.

You've got to pick one or the other, no double-dipping