Should I apply late to make up for low volunteering hours?

[yogurtpimple]

During college, I volunteered at a food bank for two summers, totaling 15 hours. About nine months before the medical school application cycle opened, I volunteered as a tutor for college students with a professor of mine, accumulating 300 hours. At the time, I considered it volunteering, but I now understand that admissions committees may not view peer tutoring in the same light as traditional community service. All of the students I tutored have since graduated and taken the MCAT, and the experience freed up my weekends.

1 month ago, I returned to volunteering at a food bank and expect to complete around 90 hours before applications open in May. This brings my total non-clinical volunteering hours to approximately 105. I know it looks really bad to crunch it right before applications, but it's all i can manage. I found a volunteering opportunity where I cook large trays of food that feed 20-30 people 3x a week, so I can do it on my own time after work hours.

I’m concerned that my lack of consistent non-clinical volunteering may hurt my chances. How bad does this look, what do I do?

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[hydroflaskhomie]

No. Project forward what you plan to do this year and apply early.

Peer tutoring is non-clinical community service at every institution I'm familiar with.

 

[Faha]

Where is your state of residence? How many more hours (in addition to the 90) could you accumulate at the food bank by mid June?

 

[yogurtpimple]

No. Project forward what you plan to do this year and apply early.

Peer tutoring is non-clinical community service at every institution I'm familiar with.

Peer tutoring maybe the wrong classification. Basically I reached out to my premed advisor, and let her know that I can tutor MCAT students over the weekend. I then filmed a video and advertised the program, mainly prioritizing retakers and non-trad students. I then spent 8 months preparing weekly presentations, and tutoring 1 on 1 with students for free. it was 15 hours per week and ate up all my free time. I tutored arounf 40 students until they all tested.

 

[yogurtpimple]

Where is your state of residence? How many more hours (in addition to the 90) could you accumulate at the food bank by mid June?

I am currently doing around 15 hours per week. But the way my volunteering program works is I prepare these large trays of food, and deliver them, so they count commute hours. I then serve food to them over the weekend. I live in Connecticut, but applying as texas resident.

 

[hydroflaskhomie]

Peer tutoring maybe the wrong classification. Basically I reached out to my premed advisor, and let her know that I can tutor MCAT students over the weekend. I then filmed a video and advertised the program, mainly prioritizing retakers and non-trad students. I then spent 8 months preparing weekly presentations, and tutoring 1 on 1 with students for free. it was 15 hours per week and ate up all my free time. I tutored arounf 40 students until they all tested.

I still think this is non-clinical volunteering and it's impressive.

 

[yogurtpimple]

I still think this is non-clinical volunteering and it's impressive.

it took alot of effort, but many adcoms here warn against listing it as volunteering, because they arent a disadvantaged population. It was just the best activity I could do while working full time, since I organize the hours, and it can be asynchronous. Most other volunteering options were closed outside of work hours.

 

[Faha]

I am currently doing around 15 hours per week. But the way my volunteering program works is I prepare these large trays of food, and deliver them, so they count commute hours. I then serve food to them over the weekend. I live in Connecticut, but applying as texas resident.

You would be better off to submit your application in early June when you have accumulated a total of 150+ hours at the food bank. Many schools screen at 150 hours. Apply to all your Texas TMDSAS MD schools. Also consider these AMCAS schools:
Carle Illinois (you fit their profile)
Arizona State University School of Medicine and Advanced Medical Engineering (when it opens)
Washington University (in St. Louis)
TCU
Tulane
Johns Hopkins (free tuition)
Einstein (free tuition)
NYU (free tuition)

 

[yogurtpimple]

You would be better off to submit your application in early June when you have accumulated a total of 150+ hours at the food bank. Many schools screen at 150 hours. Apply to all your Texas TMDSAS MD schools. Also consider these AMCAS schools:
Carle Illinois (you fit their profile)
Arizona State University School of Medicine and Advanced Medical Engineering (when it opens)
Washington University (in St. Louis)
TCU
Tulane
Johns Hopkins (free tuition)
Einstein (free tuition)
NYU (free tuition)

can I also ask, how bad will it look given that i crammed those hours 2 month before applying? it feels disingenuous doing this. but I really worked hard tutoring and thought it would be volunteering :/

 

[wysdoc]

can I also ask, how bad will it look given that i crammed those hours 2 month before applying? it feels disingenuous doing this. but I really worked hard tutoring and thought it would be volunteering :/

It’s better than applying with your hours so low you will get screened out

 

[yogurtpimple]

It’s better than applying with your hours so low you will get screened out

got it, but do all schools screen out at 150 hours? how do I know which schools do?

 

[wysdoc]

got it, but do all schools screen out at 150 hours? how do I know which schools do?

Look, you’re doing your best to get this done so you can apply this year.

 

[Mr.Smile12]

Previously

Y

Thread '####'

Apr 15, 2025

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• yogurtpimple
• Replies: 19
• Forum: What Are My Chances? WAMC Medical

it took alot of effort, but many adcoms here warn against listing it as volunteering, because they arent a disadvantaged population. It was just the best activity I could do while working full time, since I organize the hours, and it can be asynchronous. Most other volunteering options were closed outside of work hours.

You are conflating our advice. You can list this activity as volunteering, and it demonstrates service orientation (for which you should have 150 hours minimum when you submit).

Now, I don't know what you mean by cooking for others as a volunteer where the beneficiaries are not disadvantaged. Why are you making food for them? Is this a volunteering catering business? I'm not going to judge without more details. 🙂

how bad will it look given that i crammed those hours 2 month before applying? it feels disingenuous doing this. but I really worked hard tutoring and thought it would be volunteering :/

 

[yogurtpimple]

You are conflating our advice. You can list this activity as volunteering, and it demonstrates service orientation (for which you should have 150 hours minimum when you submit).

Wait so I have 300 hours in tutoring so I should be good for the screening?

"Now, I don't know what you mean by cooking for others as a volunteer where the beneficiaries are not disadvantaged. Why are you making food for them? Is this a volunteering catering business? I'm not going to judge without more details."

No lol im not cooking for a catering business, sorry for the confusion. I meant I cook trays that feed 20-30 people, deliver and serve them to homeless and disadvantaged populations at a food pantry.

 

[Mr.Smile12]

Wait so I have 300 hours in tutoring so I should be good for the screening?

Peer tutoring is tutoring/teaching/mentoring for your AMCAS classification. For screening it will NOT count as service orientation. Please read what I wrote you why this is the case (for most adcoms). Stop trying to parse words in a way that you feel it should be interpreted; that's going to piss off a lot of adcoms if you keep this up.

Post in: '####'

Apr 16, 2025

It's just that Im applying this may, and I can't make more than 16 hours in a food bank when I apply. I work on average 60 hour weeks, the only volunteering I can do is on the weekends.

The tutoring targets low SES students studying for the MCAT. You think I can make it with such low hours or should I apply next year instead?

There are armies of premed applicants who tutor, especially low-SES students and countless for the MCAT. It won't make you stand out, and it doesn't confer a sense that you understand service orientation outside of a clinical context. You might get a little...

• Mr.Smile12

 

[yogurtpimple]

ok got it, thank you very much.

 

[Heyigotnoclue]

got it, but do all schools screen out at 150 hours? how do I know which schools do?

I'd like to know this too. I am barely squeaking by at 150 due to work and other obligations.

 

[soxxes04]

You would be better off to submit your application in early June when you have accumulated a total of 150+ hours at the food bank. Many schools screen at 150 hours. Apply to all your Texas TMDSAS MD schools. Also consider these AMCAS schools:
Carle Illinois (you fit their profile)
Arizona State University School of Medicine and Advanced Medical Engineering (when it opens)
Washington University (in St. Louis)
TCU
Tulane
Johns Hopkins (free tuition)
Einstein (free tuition)
NYU (free tuition)

so when you say "many schools screen at 150 hours" can you please explain what you mean? From what I have researched schools only "screen" two numbers: mcat and gpa. and when you say "many schools" that is broad; can you clarify if you are referring to service-oriented schools or just all medical schools.

 

[Goro]

I still think this is non-clinical volunteering and it's impressive.

It's not that impressive to Adcoms. It's teaching and the OP hasn't gotten out of their comfort zone by interacting with people less fortunate than themselves.

so when you say "many schools screen at 150 hours" can you please explain what you mean? From what I have researched schools only "screen" two numbers: mcat and gpa. and when you say "many schools" that is broad; can you clarify if you are referring to service-oriented schools or just all medical schools.

This may not mean "autoreject by computer program"; what it means is that screeners (live humans) will throw the OP's app in the reject pile, give that schools get thousands of apps with better EC profiles.

And yes, that would be all med schools except DO schools.

 

[Faha]

so when you say "many schools screen at 150 hours" can you please explain what you mean? From what I have researched schools only "screen" two numbers: mcat and gpa. and when you say "many schools" that is broad; can you clarify if you are referring to service-oriented schools or just all medical schools.

I cannot give you an exact number but it is not just service oriented schools.

 

[Mr.Smile12]

so when you say "many schools screen at 150 hours" can you please explain what you mean? From what I have researched schools only "screen" two numbers: mcat and gpa. and when you say "many schools" that is broad; can you clarify if you are referring to service-oriented schools or just all medical schools.

I cannot give you a specific number of schools, but when I have a large applicant pool and have to triage it down to a reasonable number for a very limited interview pool (10% of the total or fewer!), about half of the applicant pool has 0-150 hours of service orientation activities (and most have hundreds of tutoring/teaching hours). That's a place to start triaging. How individual schools handle this information is subject to other considerations related to mission fit. I don't know about AACOMAS schools since their pool's metrics are different than the AMCAS pool, but I'm sure many will want to see experiences that closely align with mission fit and an understanding of holistic/osteopathic care.

We want physicians who are compassionate with the circumstances of those they care for, especially those in pain or have extreme difficulty to maintain their health. We want physicians who are embedded in their communities to articulate and advocate for solutions on their behalf. Not having that face-to-face insight is what you want from your physician... or so I hope.

 

[soxxes04]

I cannot give you a specific number of schools, but when I have a large applicant pool and have to triage it down to a reasonable number for a very limited interview pool (10% of the total or fewer!), about half of the applicant pool has 0-150 hours of service orientation activities (and most have hundreds of tutoring/teaching hours). That's a place to start triaging. How individual schools handle this information is subject to other considerations related to mission fit. I don't know about AACOMAS schools since their pool's metrics are different than the AMCAS pool, but I'm sure many will want to see experiences that closely align with mission fit and an understanding of holistic/osteopathic care.

We want physicians who are compassionate with the circumstances of those they care for, especially those in pain or have extreme difficulty to maintain their health. We want physicians who are embedded in their communities to articulate and advocate for solutions on their behalf. Not having that face-to-face insight is what you want from your physician... or so I hope.

Thanks for the thoughtful clarification. I appreciate the insight on how schools triage based on service orientation; I just wanted to make a point that even an unlimited number of nonclinical hours cannot cover a low Mcat, or GPA.

I’d just add that non-clinical volunteering isn’t the only way to show compassion. In my case, I’ve focused more on clinical roles like international medical missions (underprivileged nations) and ER volunteering because that’s where I’ve felt most connected and able to advocate for patients. My path has been more clinically driven, rooted in a deep love for medicine. I look forward to posting a WAMC template soon!
Thank you once again!

 

[Mr.Smile12]

I’d just add that non-clinical volunteering isn’t the only way to show compassion. In my case, I’ve focused more on clinical roles like international medical missions (underprivileged nations) and ER volunteering because that’s where I’ve felt most connected and able to advocate for patients. My path has been more clinically driven, rooted in a deep love for medicine. I look forward to posting a WAMC template soon!
Thank you once again!

I agree that non-clinical volunteering isn't the only way to show compassion, but it gives us a better sense if your "compassion light" is always on and not turned off once you leave the clinic. Apparently we've seen that in medical students and residents over the years. Certainly, most people who work typical jobs don't serve their communities once they clock out; we expect more from doctors.

 

[yogurtpimple]

I agree that non-clinical volunteering isn't the only way to show compassion, but it gives us a better sense if your "compassion light" is always on and not turned off once you leave the clinic. Apparently we've seen that in medical students and residents over the years. Certainly, most people who work typical jobs don't serve their communities once they clock out; we expect more from doctors.

After talking to the coordinator, Ill manage to scrape by with 150+ hours by may 31st, and will continue volunteering there for atleast 6-7 months... it's only difficult because I work full time, but i regret not starting early.

what is your opinion on doing it 2 months before apps open like I did?

 

[GoSpursGo]

what is your opinion on doing it 2 months before apps open like I did?

As others have said, it doesn't matter because it doesn't sound like you want to delay applying a year. If that isn't on the table, then there's no sense in worrying about something you can't change.

I will disagree with the advice given above about applying early. Applying early doesn't necessarily mean applying on literally May 31. There is essentially no difference in applying on May 31 vs. June 30, vs. really even July 15--those are all still "early" enough that you'll get full consideration for an interview before October 15, which is really all that matters. If you have a specific weakness that you're aware of, and a specific plan for addressing the weakness but need an extra 30-45 days, then it may well be worth it to you to apply a little later with a much stronger application.

 

[Mr.Smile12]

After talking to the coordinator, Ill manage to scrape by with 150+ hours by may 31st, and will continue volunteering there for atleast 6-7 months... it's only difficult because I work full time, but i regret not starting early.

what is your opinion on doing it 2 months before apps open like I did?

As I said,

Do your best. I also agree that you shouldn't submit early if your profile is suboptimal. The people who submit early already have their profile together with adequate hours and high metrics. Submit your best possible application with an appropriate consideration to timing within the process. (I say July 1-4 is the target date to have your primary application sent in.)