What is considered acceptable to put in an update?

[buckoh24]

What is considered significant enough to update schools? Since submitting my primary, I have increase my shadowing hours(added 3 more specialties im interested in), started working full time as a research assistant (had no research before), started my new non medical volunteer position(had to wait to turn 23), and some other things. I dont know exactly what would be a significant update besides when people say to update on pubs or awards. Would an update telling them my role at my job (since my secondaries mentioned it vaguely) be worth it or possibly harmful? What all would warrant an update?

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[Catalystik]

What is considered significant enough to update schools? Since submitting my primary, I have increase my shadowing hours(added 3 more specialties im interested in), started working full time as a research assistant (had no research before), started my new non medical volunteer position(had to wait to turn 23), and some other things. I dont know exactly what would be a significant update besides when people say to update on pubs or awards. Would an update telling them my role at my job (since my secondaries mentioned it vaguely) be worth it or possibly harmful? What all would warrant an update?

You have enough there to create a meaty update that may be relevant to a committee making a decision on your file. Unless you are taking additional science classes since you graduated, go ahead and send updates now to schools that allow them.

 

[buckoh24]

You have enough there to create a meaty update that may be relevant to a committee making a decision on your file. Unless you are taking additional science classes since you graduated, go ahead and send updates now to schools that allow them.

Awesome. For some of the schools, I mentioned accepting my job and also planning to volunteer at the LGBT youth center. Should I just explain what I do there now since I already informed them of these activities, even though I had not started them when submitting my secondaries?

 

[Catalystik]

Awesome. For some of the schools, I mentioned accepting my job and also planning to volunteer at the LGBT youth center. Should I just explain what I do there now since I already informed them of these activities, even though I had not started them when submitting my secondaries?

"Planning" to do something doesn't carry the same weight of having actually begun an activity and accumulated some hours. ((Yes, mention the hours and your role.)

Pro tip: The entire update should not exceed one typewritten page in character count.

 

[boogiecousins94]

"Planning" to do something doesn't carry the same weight of having actually begun an activity and accumulated some hours. ((Yes, mention the hours and your role.)

Pro tip: The entire update should not exceed one typewritten page in character count.

Is it ok to say "I continue to volunteer once a week at XYZ" instead of number of hours or is it better to put the explicit amount of hours also? For example I've continued volunteering weekly post primary so I'm assuming I'd have to put the exact # of hours as well?

 

[MCATISEZ]

Is it ok to say "I continue to volunteer once a week at XYZ" instead of number of hours or is it better to put the explicit amount of hours also? For example I've continued volunteering weekly post primary so I'm assuming I'd have to put the exact # of hours as well?

Yes I agree. Or say “I have been spending X hours per week since X” ?


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[Catalystik]

Is it ok to say "I continue to volunteer once a week at XYZ" instead of number of hours or is it better to put the explicit amount of hours also? For example I've continued volunteering weekly post primary so I'm assuming I'd have to put the exact # of hours as well?

Being explicit is better lest readers assume some low number, like 7 hours.

 

[Catalystik]

say “I have been spending X hours per week since [date]”

. . . currently totaling zz hours."

 

[infectiousdisease101]

I would set the bar really high to something that will stay with you forever such as a publication. Or an institutional action, but let's be optimistic and hope that one never happens.