PanPan Posted August 12, 2009 Report Share Posted August 12, 2009 Hi, I'm applying for Fall 2010 entry. I am applying to UBC, U of T and McGill. What I'm wondering is if I should include some fairly non-quantifiable ECs: mainly backcountry skiing, mountain biking, ocean kayaking and hiking. Let me explain. As of right now, the main activities I have in the section are all related to Ultimate Frisbee (I played on the UBC varsity team for 4 years, played for national level teams, traveled to tournaments all over the world etc.). However, I have also done a huge amount of wilderness activities: literally hundreds of days over the past 5 years. These include many extended overnight trips in remote places, on self lead trips, as well as countless days backcountry skiing and mountain biking all over BC. Before any one says: 'look, everyone skis', I'll just say that its a little different for me. Its a huge passion. I moved to Revelstoke to ski every day last winter, I've done a lot of backcountry skiing etc. Its not the 3 times a year at the local hill. (No disrespect meant to anyone who is in the latter category. Not judging, just IMO there's a difference.) Same for mountain biking. These experiences have been very formative for me. I believe that they have given me lot of strength and self reliance. They have given me a lot of very unique experiences, and seem to fit perfectly in the category of 'Diversity of Experience'. I think that they are very relevant to medicine. However, the same fact that I believe makes these experiences important (that they were self lead, going out alone or with friends and peers) makes it impossible to 'verify'. I can certainly give the names of the friends that I did these trips with (who will verify that we did them), but I am guessing that my friends would not be viewed as reliable verifiers. I'm worried that rather than being viewed as a huge asset, they're going to be viewed as some little hobby the applicant is trying to use to pad his EC section. What I'm getting at is I believe that I have this wealth of experience that is very important, but it seems as though I may have to avoid using it, as it is difficult to prove and communicate the nature of the experience in the form of an online application. Has anyone got any experience or suggestions on this problem? General or school specific? Thanks for any help! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
future_doc Posted August 12, 2009 Report Share Posted August 12, 2009 Absolutely include these and let your friends be verifiers, it will be fine. And in your Essays you will show how these activities help shape you into who you are, a valuable applicant, etc. Good luck. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PanPan Posted August 12, 2009 Author Report Share Posted August 12, 2009 That is great news! And I did touch on those points in my essay, so that's good to hear as well. Thanks! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
future_doc Posted August 12, 2009 Report Share Posted August 12, 2009 That is great news! And I did touch on those points in my essay, so that's good to hear as well. Thanks! Weave them in if possible. This is more possible for U/T. Presumably you have created a theme for U/T essay and perhaps it may be linked to the outdoors or being in touch with nature, keeping you grounded and helping you to develop etc. I would offer to look at it and give you suggestions, however, I must recuse myself:( b/c I am your competition:) at both UofT and McGill. For U/T, the essay is critical. McGill changed it all this year and it is shorter, being a mixed blessing. : Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PanPan Posted August 12, 2009 Author Report Share Posted August 12, 2009 Oh, haha. Well good luck to you too! And thanks for the help all the same. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
future_doc Posted August 12, 2009 Report Share Posted August 12, 2009 I love to help the competition, Toronto have added space, so they have room for us both (altho my preference is McGill where I am IP). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PanPan Posted August 12, 2009 Author Report Share Posted August 12, 2009 That's so good! Jealous of your in province status. McGill is my top choice too, but is pretty much a prayer, but what the hell. One other question about ECs. Do you tend to break them up, or lump them in. Example: played sports throughtout uni for varsity team. Attended a bunch of tournaments. My instinct is to do one entry for the team membership, and then list the really impressive tournaments (national championships etc.) separately. Simlarly for say skiing. Do one that just talks about how its huge for me etc., and then one for significant trips (eg. week longs ski tour in the rockies). Again, I think this is justified, but do you think it might just look like padding? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
future_doc Posted August 12, 2009 Report Share Posted August 12, 2009 Are you my twin? lol I am listing each of my provincial and national competitive awards separately under Awards & Accomplishments, although the activities per se (outside of the award competitions) appear in my ECs. I would have lumped 2 successive annual awards for the same event under just one entry, but that did not happen. What you propose is entirely justified. Marketing yourself is absolutely essential and normal and this you are doing. Padding should be avoided for the simple reason that the readers are experienced and not fools. I would say 'follow your gut' b/c your reading is dead one in my view. If we married, lol, you could then have IP status @ McGill and instead of having a choice of 8 seats, it jumps to 37 seats. I write MCAT in a couple of days, any advice other than be relaxed and nail it? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
future_doc Posted August 12, 2009 Report Share Posted August 12, 2009 it is difficult to prove and communicate the nature of the experience in the form of an online application. Of course it is. That is the challenge:p that we are all faced with. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Prothrombin Posted August 12, 2009 Report Share Posted August 12, 2009 It help to read some interesting, and well written literature. I find if you read something well written before you type something up, you are more able to demonstrate what you are feeling. I've done it for almost all my essays and it works well. And yeah, anything you do as a pastime that you feel has relevance to the application should be mentioned. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
future_doc Posted August 12, 2009 Report Share Posted August 12, 2009 I wish I had your ability ryansn, my essays require at least 20 drafts before I begin to get close. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Prothrombin Posted August 13, 2009 Report Share Posted August 13, 2009 I wish I had your ability ryansn, my essays require at least 20 drafts before I begin to get close. I never use my first draft. But for me I find reading a good piece of interesting literature helps bridge the gap in my mind, and helps me focus. I use maybe 5 drafts Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
future_doc Posted August 13, 2009 Report Share Posted August 13, 2009 You got a great approach that works for you. Mine takes an incredible amount of time over a couple of months easily. Unfortunately, education has ruined for now my interest in literature as everything I read is to to obtain information, knowledge for a purpose, and not for pleasure per se. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PanPan Posted August 13, 2009 Author Report Share Posted August 13, 2009 Are you my twin? Yea, I'm thinking its time we talked to our parents... If we married, lol, you could then have IP status @ McGill and instead of having a choice of 8 seats, it jumps to 37 seats. I write MCAT in a couple of days, any advice other than be relaxed and nail it? Ha ha. True true. I'll consider it if you can can me EU citizenship as well. As for the MCAT, can't be of much help there: I'm writing in September. Go for a run the day before? I always do that for any test... works well for me. But that's about it. As you said, nail it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
future_doc Posted August 13, 2009 Report Share Posted August 13, 2009 No EU:( Relaxing and enjoying the day:p , writing tomorrow. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PanPan Posted August 14, 2009 Author Report Share Posted August 14, 2009 Don't know if you're writing morning or afternoon, but good luck. Hope it goes well. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Archived
This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.