UCLA 2ndary: non-academic activity

[Street Philosopher]

Dear Friends of the Pre-Allopathic Forum,

I did a search, but could not find the information I was looking for. I am hoping that someone knows a definite answer to the following question.

For UCLA's secondary, the first question asks for one non-academic activity. Does non-academic mean "not a course" or "nothing to do with school, e.g. research"?

I wanted to write about one of the research projects I worked on, but if it's "nothing to do with school" then I'll write about picking my nose or whatnot.

Thank you, fellow colleagues. (sp?)

Yours Truly,
The Street Philosopher.

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[Joe Joe on da Radio]

research is an academic activity. i put down music and art. g'luck!

 

[Bounty]

Is health education academic??

 

[mystic_b]

I can't say that this is a definitive answer, since it's based just on my interpretation of the question... But can't you save the research for the question below?:

What has been your most scholarly project (thesis, research or field of study in basic or clinical science or in the humanities)? Describe one and give number of hours, dates and advisor.

I'm writing about something that's not academic/scholarly/course related, in the same ball park as sports/music/nose-picking, etc.

 

[mvervaine]

i do not think this is a definite answer, but:

even though non-academic to me = nothing to do with school, i think writing about research is fine, unless it's part of a class effort

 

[Nefertari]

For UCLA's secondary, the first question asks for one non-academic activity. Does non-academic mean "not a course" or "nothing to do with school, e.g. research"?

I wanted to write about one of the research projects I worked on, but if it's "nothing to do with school" then I'll write about picking my nose or whatnot.

SP,

What a coincidence, I just took @ look @ the nine 800-character essays! There is already an essay for research:

"What has been your most scholarly project (thesis, research or field of study in basic or clinical science or in the humanities)? Describe one and give number of hours, dates and advisor."

You should talk @ research there. I'm also having a hard time w/ that 1st non-academic essay, but I'm going to do that last & see what I could talk @ that would balance out the other essays. Most likely, I'll discuss work, since I notice that they only give you 800 characters to LIST ALL of your significant employment.

The non-academic one sounds pretty open-ended. Has anyone called them to ask @ this yet?

 

[mystic_b]

Although they state it is not necessary or required to supply information in all sections, is this really true? The only thing that's a stickler for me is the question:

What is the ONE most important honor you have received? Why do you view this as important?

It seems like a handicap to leave this completely blank, but the only things I could put in would be quite trivial. Or can I say, it was an honor that I was selected to participate in this class/activity/etc.?

 

[blackbird03]

What is the ONE most important honor you have received? Why do you view this as important?



Can I say, for example, that joining a laboratory has been an honor?


I do not have any "honors" in the pure sense of the term but I have been honored to do some stuff outside of school?

Is that streching it too much?

 

[mystic_b]

Dude, talk about simultaneous posts! I guess everyone's working on this puppy today.

 

[Nefertari]

Same situation here. I went to an ivy, so it was tough to be singled out for an honor, when surrounded by so many "star" students. I can only think of high school graduation stuff (class salutatorian)--is that ok?

 

[DrHTM]

so funny how we are all working on this.

For the first question, I put down my experience as a Special education teacher for a local middle school. Do you guys think that works considering the question asked 'Non-academic activity'?

what are you guys talking about for the last question (Where do you see yourself in 10 years? What experiences have led you to this goal?)

Good luck everyone

 

[Nefertari]

Hey guys,

I just assumed that my deadline is 10/15 since I took mcat last month. Are you all aug. mcaters? It seemed as though people who took it in April had a due date for this 2ndary of 9/1.

 

[DrHTM]

I took the mcat in april and my due date is not till 10/27.

 

[mystic_b]

Originally posted by Nefertari
Same situation here. I went to an ivy, so it was tough to be singled out for an honor, when surrounded by so many "star" students. I can only think of high school graduation stuff (class salutatorian)--is that ok?

I can't help but think that including a big high school honor, like Westinghouse finalist (not that I did this, this is just an example!) would still be impressive even though it's from high school. I'm ambiguous on how beneficial high school graduation stuff would be though. I'm contemplating writing something like that too, though I can't see it helping that much.

 

[mvervaine]

Originally posted by Nefertari
Same situation here. I went to an ivy, so it was tough to be singled out for an honor, when surrounded by so many "star" students. I can only think of high school graduation stuff (class salutatorian)--is that ok?

haha...i know exactly what you mean. at least the second part of the questions should be easy to answer if i do come up with something ******ed--why is it important? cuz there's nothing i can compare it to.

 

[mystic_b]

I think due dates are more related to when they received our apps and approved us for secondaries. Mine's due sooner - 9/30. My hunch is that everyone gets 6 weeks to work on the app after approval. Any evidence to support or refute this? Oh, I took the MCAT last year, BTW.

 

[Nefertari]

Originally posted by DrHTM
I took the mcat in april and my due date is not till 10/27.

DrHTM, no rhyme/reason, I guess in the due dates. Maybe based partly on submission date. I submitted early in June.


"I can't help but think that including a big high school honor, like Westinghouse finalist (not that I did this, this is just an example!) would still be impressive even though it's from high school. I'm ambiguous on how beneficial high school graduation stuff would be though. I'm contemplating writing something like that too, though I can't see it helping that much."

Mystic, as far as the honor essay, I think I just might discuss high school stuff in the context of my disadvan. circumstances. I remember how hard I worked then & how tough it was for my family. No matter what future honors, that one has always been close to my heart. I would say if you can express how meaningful it was to you, then go ahead.

 

[mvervaine]

my due date is also 9/30, and i also took the mcats last year. i think it was approved 8/16 (or something).

anyway, is it true that we don't need to submit a common UC app for UCLA?

 

[mystic_b]

Originally posted by Nefertari
Mystic, as far as the honor essay, I think I just might discuss high school stuff in the context of my disadvan. circumstances. I remember how hard I worked then & how tough it was for my family. No matter what future honors, that one has always been close to my heart. I would say if you can express how meaningful it was to you, then go ahead.

Nefertari, it sounds like you have a bit to say about that. It should be great! My bad - I guess I shouldn't have been so all-encompassing in judging high school stuff as fairly unimportant. I'll have to think about mine some more.

 

[mystic_b]

mvervaine, they log the common app on UCLA's web page. Send it in!

 

[Nefertari]

[For the first question, I put down my experience as a Special education teacher for a local middle school. Do you guys think that works considering the question asked 'Non-academic activity'?"

DrHTM, yeah, that's fine since it's work. I remember that the heading for this essay is under "Extracurricular" (anything outside of classes).

"what are you guys talking about for the last question (Where do you see yourself in 10 years? What experiences have led you to this goal?)"

I'll just recycle my "contribution to med"/"practice vision" essay from the Davis app--though I have to cut it in half!!!!

 

[mvervaine]

oops. and here i thought they were just joking about the request. thanks mystic_b

 

[Nefertari]

Has anyone submitted the UCLA 2ndary yet and seen the payment options? They mentioned credit card payment in the instructions. Do they have it set up so that you enter your credit card # online or do you mail in the info?

I'm wondering b/c I'm planning to submit the 2ndaries that let you pay by credit card together after my credit card's statement closing date later this month. That'll give me 2 months grace to pay off all those fees. Just a budgeting strategy since I had to cut down on work hours this month to work on 2ndaries & barely had enough $$ to pay rent!!
Thanks.

 

[Bounty]

Nefertari,
You submit the credit card info online.
Hope that helps!
Bounty

 

[Nefertari]

Originally posted by Bounty
Nefertari,
You submit the credit card info online.
Hope that helps!
Bounty

Gracias, Bounty! Then it's worth waiting a few days to submit . . .

I love this board!! It's saving me so much $$$