Update or no update?

[nootzsche]

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As we get closer to the end of the year, I'm thinking of how/whether to update schools about whatever I've done since school started. For the sake of remaining anonymous, I'm going to be a bit vague about the details of whatever I'm updating, but I'm trying to get a second opinion on whether it's worth telling schools at all at this point in time.

1) A month ago, I was notified that I was elected to be part of a [legitimate] university honors society (e.g. phi beta kappa) after a second straight semester of > 4.0 in junior year. I'm not initiated yet, but I'm definitely following through with the process and will be initiated by graduation. As far as I can tell with my limited vetting, this isn't a scam and has service requirements throughout the year.

2) I'll be getting a certification/notation on my degree for an ongoing public service activity I've been deeply involved in. This is for one of my ongoing clinical community service activities, so I'm not really doing anything different from what I've already been doing (just more workshops and hoops to jump through), but I'm planning on continuing community service in med school.

Is either of these worth updating? I also have some smaller things, like a poster presentation in my university. It's been quiet on the II front for a while so I'm itching to check in with the schools that haven't told me anything/one of my favorite schools I've interviewed with. And for reference, my sGPA had been 3.78 when I applied, but it's risen since I've sent in the primary. I can PM people with more details. Thanks in advance!

 

[Lannister]

In my opinion, no.

And you're correct, PBK is not a scam its a very well-known honors society.

 

[Catalystik]

As we get closer to the end of the year, I'm thinking of how/whether to update schools about whatever I've done since school started. For the sake of remaining anonymous, I'm going to be a bit vague about the details of whatever I'm updating, but I'm trying to get a second opinion on whether it's worth telling schools at all at this point in time.

1) A month ago, I was notified that I was elected to be part of a [legitimate] university honors society (e.g. phi beta kappa) after a second straight semester of > 4.0 in junior year. I'm not initiated yet, but I'm definitely following through with the process and will be initiated by graduation. As far as I can tell with my limited vetting, this isn't a scam and has service requirements throughout the year.

2) I'll be getting a certification/notation on my degree for an ongoing public service activity I've been deeply involved in. This is for one of my ongoing clinical community service activities, so I'm not really doing anything different from what I've already been doing (just more workshops and hoops to jump through), but I'm planning on continuing community service in med school.

Is either of these worth updating? I also have some smaller things, like a poster presentation in my university. It's been quiet on the II front for a while so I'm itching to check in with the schools that haven't told me anything/one of my favorite schools I've interviewed with. And for reference, my sGPA had been 3.78 when I applied, but it's risen since I've sent in the primary. I can PM people with more details. Thanks in advance!

Until you actually receive the two honors you've alluded to, they are not worth mentioning. Why not just send a letter of continued interest (where permitted), and mention the fall term GPA and added hours to any highly relevant EC, like the volunteering? If you've already done the campus poster presentation, throw that in, too, but it won't effect any decision-making on your file.

 

[nootzsche]

I'm definitely planning to send some letters of continued interest (if schools allow them pre-II), but I wanted to have something to give them a reason to look at my file. If I can do that with just a GPA update and EC hours, then awesome!