particulars concerning ECs

[JStreet11]

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I'm just wondering how badly it will look when the adcomms see that I don't really have strong ECs for my freshman year. My reason is that I wanted to make sure I came to school and adjusted well, setting a high standard with my GPA. Now that spring has rolled around, I have joined the Residence Hall Association, Pre-Health Society, Honors club, and I'm in the process of becoming a member of the local volunteer rescue squad. I'm also applying for a position as a Resident Assistant and an Orientation Leader, while looking for some shadowing opportunities and all of that jazz.

That winded introduction brings me to this question: will it look bad that comparatively speaking, my freshman year is rather devoid of ECs but the next three years will be pretty solid?

Thanks!

 

[BMBPSU2008]

I'm just wondering how badly it will look when the adcomms see that I don't really have strong ECs for my freshman year. My reason is that I wanted to make sure I came to school and adjusted well, setting a high standard with my GPA. Now that spring has rolled around, I have joined the Residence Hall Association, Pre-Health Society, Honors club, and I'm in the process of becoming a member of the local volunteer rescue squad. I'm also applying for a position as a Resident Assistant and an Orientation Leader, while looking for some shadowing opportunities and all of that jazz.

That winded introduction brings me to this question: will it look bad that comparatively speaking, my freshman year is rather devoid of ECs but the next three years will be pretty solid?

Thanks!

I'm sorry, are you serious?

 

[ChubbyChaser]

Im with you. My freshman year all I did was make good grades and play basketball. I really didnt start much besides a couple clubs until sophomore year and my REAL clinical experience didnt start till summer after soph year. I think we should be ok as long as you show committment in some areas. Like more than a semester.

 

[JStreet11]

I'm sorry, are you serious?

No, I wasted my time because I thought that someone who knew the correct answer might be fine with giving me their opinion. Sorry that the answer was so glaringly obvious to you when you were a freshman. I suppose that since I have no clue as to whether or not this will be frowned upon, I am too stupid to even stake my hopes on getting into med school.

 

[milliya]

i'm a freshman. the yr is amost over and i have yet to do anything even close to resembling an EC. i don't even have any volunteer work yet (thats not my fault)

 

[BMBPSU2008]

No, I wasted my time because I thought that someone who knew the correct answer might be fine with giving me their opinion. Sorry that the answer was so glaringly obvious to you when you were a freshman. I suppose that since I have no clue as to whether or not this will be frowned upon, I am too stupid to even stake my hopes on getting into med school.

I did give you my opinion. You are overreacting.

 

[JStreet11]

I did give you my opinion. You are overreacting.

"Are you serious?" is more of a condescending rhetorical question, if you ask me. If you have any real advice, I'd appreciate it, but otherwise, have a good night.

 

[nepatslvr]

JStreet11 don't worry you are fine. It sounds like you are getting yourself involved in some great EC's now and I doubt adcoms will even notice your lack first semester 👍 Just keep staying on track with your gpa and you're in good shape. Oh, and make sure you don't get too wrapped up in the pre med thing and be sure to enjoy yourself along the way! Remember, if you're happy and have a good balance of work and play, you're likely to get a better gpa than if you just kill yourself all the time. Best of luck!

 

[skyeblue0610]

You'll be fine. I did diddly squat my freshman year. In HS I got caught up in doing things right away and ended up in pretty much everything and it got boring so I didn't want to do anything but school. Now my sophomore year I'm doing things but still not everything

 

[135892]

I'm sorry, are you serious?

Seriously, is this a joke?

Even if you didn't do anything your freshman year, what are you going to do? Go back in time?? If you feel like you haven't been doing enough EC's, then go volunteer or something. Its not that complicated...

 

[ChubbyChaser]

I'm just wondering how badly it will look when the adcomms see that I don't really have strong ECs for my freshman year. My reason is that I wanted to make sure I came to school and adjusted well, setting a high standard with my GPA. Now that spring has rolled around, I have joined the Residence Hall Association, Pre-Health Society, Honors club, and I'm in the process of becoming a member of the local volunteer rescue squad. I'm also applying for a position as a Resident Assistant and an Orientation Leader, while looking for some shadowing opportunities and all of that jazz.

That winded introduction brings me to this question: will it look bad that comparatively speaking, my freshman year is rather devoid of ECs but the next three years will be pretty solid?

Thanks!

I would drop your clubs and start volunteering. Clubs are pointless unless you serve some major role and even then they arent as great as volunteer gigs

 

[JStreet11]

Seriously, is this a joke?

Even if you didn't do anything your freshman year, what are you going to do? Go back in time?? If you feel like you haven't been doing enough EC's, then go volunteer or something. Its not that complicated...

I'm still wondering how this thread gets bombarded when you have some people griping about having some ungodly low GPAs getting serious responses.

To everyone else, thanks for the input; I appreciate you humoring my ignorance.

 

[ChubbyChaser]

I'm still wondering how this thread gets bombarded when you have some people griping about having some ungodly low GPAs getting serious responses.

To everyone else, thanks for the input; I appreciate you humoring my ignorance.

Dont worry, you arent ignorant. Just more Neurotic like pretty much every premed.

 

[135892]

I'm still wondering how this thread gets bombarded when you have some people griping about having some ungodly low GPAs getting serious responses.

To everyone else, thanks for the input; I appreciate you humoring my ignorance.

Haha, seriously though, just start volunteering and getting some EC's under your belt, and you'll be fine. If you start volunteering now, and continue for the next three years, you should have plenty of experience. No one will care that you didn't do anything your first semester, and you will still probably end up having a lot more EC's than many other applicants.

 

[JStreet11]

Haha, seriously though, just start volunteering and getting some EC's under your belt, and you'll be fine. If you start volunteering now, and continue for the next three years, you should have plenty of experience. No one will care that you didn't do anything your first semester, and you will still probably end up having a lot more EC's than many other applicants.

Thanks. I was hoping that it would be something like that, I just wanted confirmation to make sure I'm on the right track. I'm trying to be able to choose from a few schools to go to.

 

[HumidBeing]

There's nothing wrong with being ignorant.

OP, not being a joiner your first semester isn't going to be frowned upon by anyone. You did exactly the right thing by treating the first semester as a time to focus on adjusting to your new life, establishing good study patterns, and scoping out the possibilities for involvement. The next step is to be involved with activities that interest you. Try not to fall into the trap of basing EC choices on what you think will look good, and keep the focus on ones that you find are meaningful to you, and you'll be fine.

It sounds like you made it through the first semester in excellent shape. Now, remember that grades are top priority. There's always the possible pitfall of getting so involved in EC's that academic performance winds up taking a hit. If you ever sense that is happening, remember your real priority and draw back from some of the EC time and return more focus to the studies. Never worry that dropping an activity that doesn't live up to your expectations will show lack of commitment, either. It doesn't; it shows good sense. Don't fall for the rationalizations that more is better when it comes to EC's, or that they will make up for falling grades. Grades are looked at first, EC's only after your numbers have qualified.

You're doing well. Just keep making good decisions.

 

[Sillyshoes]

I lacked EC's my first year..boo
Anyway just make sure you have some ECs that are meaningful to you.
Show that you are well-rounded, you should be fine. Believe me some people do not even have ECs and they are in their 3rd or so year.
Be active and keep your GPA up! 🙂

 

[Drogba]

I did nothing but go to school until my spring freshman year as well. Imagine the people who didn't know they wanted to go into medicine until junior or senior year. They would have no clinical experience when they made the decision. I don't think anyone is expecting that you are tailoring your application to medical school from day 1 in undergrad. Just do your best and find something that interests you enough to keep your attention for four years.

Develop a coherent course of study and have your ECs reflect the narrative you plan on writing of yourself. This all takes time and should develop organically and not artificially. Basically just do your best in your classes and expose yourself to enough things so that you can truly develop interests. I

would personally recommend looking into the variety of research you can do as an undergrad. This means looking outside the bench science box. You have econ, sociology, anthropology, psych, lit etc professors. Every discipline you can imagine. They are there because they do research. Its impossible, unless you have no curiosity about the world, to not find one of their projects interesting. Research is something you can get excited about, the more autonomy and more interesting the questions the more devoted and energetic you will be and the more enjoyable the academic portion of your schooling will be.

 

[seraph524]

Same...I didn't really start my extracurriculars until Sophomore and Junior year...and it hasn't hurt me yet. But I still highly recommend hospital volunteering as soon as possible...