Would this look weird on my application?

[Ari1584]

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So i volunteered throughout college and i graduated in may. I took the entire summer to study for my mcat that was in sept. During this time, i didnt volunteer and only worked at a plastic surgeons office (where i have been at for 3 years). When i got my scores in october, i got a 25Q and am now again studying to retake. Originally i was scheduled for january, but now chagned to april. I just now started mentoring underpriveladged kids, and am thinking of starting up again volunteering at a hospital (i volunteered at one about 2 years ago for a semester). Will it look weird to ADCOMS if i am all of a sudden starting to volunteer doing a couple different things all at the same time? I am applying in June...so does it look like i am just trying to get in more volunteering right before i apply? I really do love to volunteer, but i really needed all that time in the summer to study. Unfortunately it didnt work out and i have to do it all over again. Do you think it's okay if i start up different volunteering things right now or could this work against me somehow?? thanks for responses!

 

[umean2tellme]

It won't look bad. It's not like you started the day before you submit the application. They can't fault you for wanting to volunteer doing different things.

 

[MilkmanAl]

It won't look weird. The worst-case (and probable) scenario is that they discount your volunteer experiences that you spent less than, say, a six months doing.

 

[Ari1584]

It won't look weird. The worst-case (and probable) scenario is that they discount your volunteer experiences that you spent less than, say, a six months doing.

They really discount it if its less than 6 months? Like if i volunteered as the holiday party coordinator for the boys and girls club and organized and threw all the kids a party there (which was obviously a one time thing)...they wouldn't even look at that? that was one of my fav experiences!

 

[MilkmanAl]

If you happen to be able to say something useful about it and put in an unusual amount of hours over that time, they'll consider it. Otherwise, it'll just look like application fluff.

 

[Ari1584]

If you happen to be able to say something useful about it and put in an unusual amount of hours over that time, they'll consider it. Otherwise, it'll just look like application fluff.

Okay so if i start lets say in december, and i apply in june and i would write on my application from december-present (bc i would still be volunteering) isn't that a good amount of time? thats what, 6 months right there. I am now all of a sudden feeling like my volunteering has not been good enough over the years!

 

[nevercold]

You want to demonstrate your commitment to things you are willing to get involved in. If you're always doing something for one month and then quitting, they'll wonder if you'll do one month of medical school and then quit that, too. If you're not demonstrating that pattern then you are fine.

The most important thing about your extracurriculars is NOT how many hours but what you actually get out of it. All these MDApps profiles list 400 hrs of this and 800 hrs of that, but is a measure of time really all you got from it? Some people grow a lot more in 20 hrs than others do in a year.

If you have an extracurricular, be prepared to say who you were when you chose it, what happened during it, and how that made you a better, more complete person and how you were able to help others become better, more complete people through it. There is a lot of medical school and medicine that involves actively working to better yourself and the lives of others.