When Should I Start To Volunteer + Ec's?

[New Yorker]

Hi 

 

I'm going to university starting this fall. Do you recommend me volunteering during the school year or should I concentrate on studying and school clubs, and do volunteering, and work in the summer? (I will be at Western if that helps)

 

Also how does my timetable look for my first term at Western? 

 

Biology 1001A 

Chemistry 1301A

Physics 1028A 

Calculus 1000 

English 1020E 

[MD2015]

Your most important priority is GPA. Once you get that under control, then spread your wings, not before. The transition is difficult. Use your summers effectively and remember, adcoms are looking for a combination of academic excellence and active citizenship, which means eventually undertaking volunteering during the normal academic year, using CanMEDS competencies as your guide.

[116E118]

I graduated from Western and this would be my general advice for someone trying to be a great premed:

 

1st year: Achieve the best GPA and average you can. +3.95 and +92% would be great (you want a high average since it helps you land NSERC and scholarships). This might be hard with an English course but just try your best. With regards to volunteering and clubs, I'd say it's semi-optional. You should try and volunteer early on in the semester when it's not busy but don't go overboard.

 

IMO having a good time and making friends in first year is really important. Aside from the social/relationship aspects, friends can help you out with exec positions, refer you to volunteer/work positions, help out with notes, etc. People are the most social and open during first year as well.

 

Spend your summer volunteering at fun events. If possible apply for work-study to try and land a volunteer research position during the school year.

 

2nd year: Maintain that GPA and average (for same reasons as before but also because it will allow you to choose any module you want for 3rd year). It's a stressful time for many 2nd years (courses get much harder) so again, try not to go overboard with too many commitments. You should start to talk to profs to land a volunteer or work research position for the summer. Hopefully you are starting long term volunteer commitments/research. The summer of 2nd year is a good time to write the MCAT IMO.

 

3rd year: Your GPA and average might slide a bit (try to maintain +3.88 this year) but you should have solid EC/research foundations by now (a few long term volunteer commitments, some random volunteer experiences, and basic research). You should roughly know what volunteer/research you'll be doing during the school year and summer. Spend your extra time doing things you haven't done before (e.g. volunteering in a shelter or speaking at high schools), though you may not have much time to do so.

 

4th year: Same as 3rd year roughly. By the end of it you should have a few long term EC commitments, a bunch of short term volunteering experiences, hopefully a pub, a great GPA, and excellent LORs. Of course you might slip up along the way but don't worry, it's not the end of the world if you get a 70 in a course, miss out on a volunteer opportunity, or have to rewrite. It's more important to be consistent about excelling in your academics and spending time around the community (or lab) throughout your university career. Don't burn yourself out trying to be the ideal premed, few people that get in are ideal premeds in every respect.