What is unique?

[rgerwin]

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So, I read alot about how making yourself unique is so importnat, b/c everyone has the standard stuff in their app. How do you become unique without looking contrived? I've never done things because they were special, just b/c I wanted to do them. I have the requisite research (4 years, 1 publication) hospital volunteering, shadowing, etc. I'm also a non-traditional student. So, I wanted to put forth a couple of my outside activities, and see if anyone thought they fell under that category.

Hobbies/activites: Trained singer, amateur ballroom dancer, egg donor, tons of leadership groups in college, guest editor for a non-profit diversity organization.

Thanks!

 

[NapeSpikes]

I think you answered your own question: just do things because you want to do them.

Your hobbies/activities sound pretty unique to me!

 

[Khenon]

I think the main idea is to set yourself apart from those "requisit" things, since most applicants have that. You want to expose anything/everything that makes you YOU. It's not that other applicants won't have the same types of things on their applications, but likely all the things you've experienced (you mentioned research, hobbies, non-trad) will be different from every other applicant out there.

You're right . . . if you try to make yourself sound unique, it will likely come off as contrived. However, if you give information of what makes you the applicant you are today, then you'll sound like someone who is describing themselves . . . not just the "perfect" applicant.

 

[Taus]

the singer and dancer stuff is definitely unique....

 

[Canuck99]

So, I read alot about how making yourself unique is so importnat, b/c everyone has the standard stuff in their app. How do you become unique without looking contrived? I've never done things because they were special, just b/c I wanted to do them. I have the requisite research (4 years, 1 publication) hospital volunteering, shadowing, etc. I'm also a non-traditional student. So, I wanted to put forth a couple of my outside activities, and see if anyone thought they fell under that category.

Hobbies/activites: Trained singer, amateur ballroom dancer, egg donor, tons of leadership groups in college, guest editor for a non-profit diversity organization.

Thanks!

egg donor? as in the female equivalent to a male sperm donor? that will probably make you stand out as being "unique."

do you do that for the money or for some other reason? i am not quite sure that would be something you would want to include in your application, but what do i know.

aside from that, everything else that you have looks good.