Is there such thing as too many extracurriculars?

[equus]

I'm currently in first year university, and these are my relevant extracurriculars since the age of 16:

-traveling to remote communities in South America this spring for 8 weeks to teach high school students about health issues with an organization at my university, partnering with the local government
-applying to be the project director for next year's team
-volunteering weekly at a local nursing home for the past year
-volunteered at a pediatric hospital in Romania for the past two summers, organized a major fundraiser for it, and gave several presentations about the ethical issues involved in volunteering abroad when I returned home
-collected pledges for the Canadian Cancer Society every year since 1997
-Peer Helper at my high school for 3 years, providing support for peers in need
-took a 5-week French immersion course in Quebec to increase my proficiency in French
-won tons of awards and scholarships

I am not a resume padder. I only do things that I am passionate about and actually care to put a lot of effort into it. As for all the trips I've been on, I've either paid my own way or participated in fundraisers to cover the costs.

I'm just wondering if it looks like I've done too many extracurriculars. My ultimate goal is medicine, and I don't want it to seem like I'm only doing things just to get into med school.

[mattg]

no ...

[simpy]

The short answer, no.

 

The long answer is that you need to make sure you are remaining competitive in other areas of your application. For instance, if you're a student who tends to get an 85% average in classes, it's probably not worth dropping to an 80% average, even if it means you are curing cancer on the side. Make sure you are focusing on what's important for your application before anything else.

 

If you're doing great everywhere I don't think there is any harm in doing as many extracurriculars as you want to, provided you're not resume padding and you really do care about what you're doing. If you care, your enthusiasm will come through.

[thehumanmacbook]

Keep it up bud, remember that duration is important. Make sure you go back every summer to show long-term commitment, do some research if you abroad and make room for an MCAT during the summer.

 

I'm not too sure about focusing completely on international health for med school, despite most of my courses to be in global health. Perhaps other people here could shine some light on this topic, but to my understanding you don't need to travel abroad as an deal-breaking EC. Make sure you do something to serve your local community as well, and to pursue personal passions and hobbies.

[osteon]

I'm currently in first year university, and these are my relevant extracurriculars since the age of 16:

 

-traveling to remote communities in South America this spring for 8 weeks to teach high school students about health issues with an organization at my university

-applying to be the project director for next year's team traveling to South America

-planning on traveling to Central America next Christmas for 2 weeks with a medical team for a hands-on health care experience

-volunteering weekly at a nursing home for the past year

-co-ordinator of a 3-week trip to Europe for World Youth Day 2011 that my parish is participating in

-represented my parish at World Youth Day 2008 in Australia

-volunteered at a pediatric hospital in Romania for the past two summers, organized a major fundraiser for it, and gave several presentations about it when I returned home

-collected pledges for the Canadian Cancer Society every year since 1997-Peer Helper at my high school for 3 years, providing support for peers in need

-took a 5-week French immersion course in Quebec to increase my proficiency in French

-won tons of awards and scholarships

 

I am not a resume padder. I only do things that I am passionate about and actually care to put a lot of effort into it. As for all the trips I've been on, I've either paid my own way or participated in fundraisers to cover the costs.

 

I'm just wondering if it looks like I've done too many extracurriculars. My ultimate goal is medicine, and I don't want it to seem like I'm only doing things just to get into med school.

 

By my count, you would have been 5 when starting this. I'm not sure this qualifies as an activity that you chose to participate in on your own. In fact, don't most universities have a rule that ECs have to be from university onward? If this is true, I'm not sure that many of the above ECs will count, but you're on the right track. However, I'd limit the amount of global health. It's great and all, I've done it myself, but I wouldn't put all your eggs in one basket so to speak. Global health is the stereotypical EC of a med applicant, so loading up on those without much else might not be looked upon so favorably by the admissions committees.

[Sarah Tonin]

Although you have a lot of great ECs, I would be very cautious in reporting activities from when you were (presumably) 4-5 years old (since 1997!) This does nothing to demonstrate that you took the initiative to engage in important ECs, since it looks more like your parents decided this for you. Another issue would be to include activities that you did during high school and are no longer doing (e.g. peer helper). Also, I don't think that taking a 5-week course in French Immersion is that impressive, as a Canadian resident. Many other applicants will have taken 6+ years in a french immersion curriculum or will be fluent by other means. The adcoms might see these types of activities as "resume padding". I would recommend to take a critical eye to your ECs and question whether they are relevant and add value. I would also recommend to get some research experience during your undergraduate degree.

[HBP]

I put 1999-2010 for basketball.

 

I also included activities I did in highschool but no longer continued in University. OMSAS asks for post-16. So grade 11+12 counted.

[Guest copacetic]

yes, if it interferes with your academics. otherwise NO.

[premed89]

The short answer, no.

 

The long answer is that you need to make sure you are remaining competitive in other areas of your application. For instance, if you're a student who tends to get an 85% average in classes, it's probably not worth dropping to an 80% average, even if it means you are curing cancer on the side. Make sure you are focusing on what's important for your application before anything else.

 

If you're doing great everywhere I don't think there is any harm in doing as many extracurriculars as you want to, provided you're not resume padding and you really do care about what you're doing. If you care, your enthusiasm will come through.

 

 

Drop down to a 75 or 70 and cure cancer, I'm sure they would take you And really, too many extracurriculars? No, I feel like he/she just felt the need to let a few people know that they've done lol.. But seriously, keep it up

[thatonekid]

I'm just wondering if it looks like I've done too many extracurriculars.

I don't think so.

 

And who are we to judge what is/is not too many ECs? I included things I did in high school and no longer did when I entered university. As long as you can talk about them if they come up in an interview, I'm not sure why you should be concerned.

[equus]

By my count, you would have been 5 when starting this. I'm not sure this qualifies as an activity that you chose to participate in on your own. In fact, don't most universities have a rule that ECs have to be from university onward? If this is true, I'm not sure that many of the above ECs will count, but you're on the right track. However, I'd limit the amount of global health. It's great and all, I've done it myself, but I wouldn't put all your eggs in one basket so to speak. Global health is the stereotypical EC of a med applicant, so loading up on those without much else might not be looked upon so favorably by the admissions committees.

 

Everything that I listed I have done since age 16, when you can include it on the med school applications. Yes, I did start the Canadian Cancer Society thing when I was 5, but I've continued it every year since.

[equus]

Also, I don't think that taking a 5-week course in French Immersion is that impressive, as a Canadian resident. Many other applicants will have taken 6+ years in a french immersion curriculum or will be fluent by other means.

 

I'm actually minoring in French, and I am very nearly fluent right now. I took the course to learn the practical vocabulary that no one teaches in school (i.e. slang, short forms) and be able to better communicate with francophones in my own country, as the French we learn in school is Parisian French.

[Corie]

If you have a huge list, make sure you emphasize the ones you were particularily committed to either because of greater responsibility, time duration, length and relevence and so on.

 

Putting stuff like taking French immersion course for 5 weeks can lengthen your list but drown out the most important expereinces that helped define you.

[osteon]

Everything that I listed I have done since age 16, when you can include it on the med school applications. Yes, I did start the Canadian Cancer Society thing when I was 5, but I've continued it every year since.

 

Ok, but my question is this: how do we know that it was YOUR decision to participate in all those activities when you were that young? At that age, I can almost guarantee that you didn't openly choose to do it. If you're going to put it, at least change the 1997 to 2006 or something, otherwise it looks kind of ridiculous.

[HBP]

I don't think it matters. I put I started playing competitive basketball at 7, which I carried out at higher levels (varsity, provincial) until now.

 

How do they know it was my "choice" to play basketball at the age of 7? They don't. I'm sure they know it was my choice to continue playing because I did it for practically all my life.

[osteon]

I'm actually minoring in French, and I am very nearly fluent right now. I took the course to learn the practical vocabulary that no one teaches in school (i.e. slang, short forms) and be able to better communicate with francophones in my own country, as the French we learn in school is Parisian French.

 

I'm pretty sure francophones understand proper french as well, and not just slang. Given you'll have a minor in academic french, the 5 week course in slang seems irrelevant.

[Sarah Tonin]

I'm actually minoring in French, and I am very nearly fluent right now. I took the course to learn the practical vocabulary that no one teaches in school (i.e. slang, short forms) and be able to better communicate with francophones in my own country, as the French we learn in school is Parisian French.

 

Okay but schools like Ottawa U and McGill won't care for this since many of their students are either fully bilingual or nearly fluent. Everyone in Ottawa and Montreal takes French classes during high school. If you declare that you are bilingual, you may be asked questions in French during the interview. As a French-speaking Canadian, I still don't think that being nearly fluent is something to highlight on an application. Neither is the ability to speak French slang or short forms in one of Canada's official languages. However, your experience in university minoring in French might help you show that you are serious about advancing your French education. This might only be relevant if you are applying to Western or Central Canada. Just use your judgement.

[bloh]

I'm currently in first year university, and these are my relevant extracurriculars since the age of 16:

 

-traveling to remote communities in South America this spring for 8 weeks to teach high school students about health issues with an organization at my university

-applying to be the project director for next year's team traveling to South America

-planning on traveling to Central America next Christmas for 2 weeks with a medical team for a hands-on health care experience

-volunteering weekly at a nursing home for the past year

-co-ordinator of a 3-week trip to Europe for World Youth Day 2011 that my parish is participating in

-represented my parish at World Youth Day 2008 in Australia

-volunteered at a pediatric hospital in Romania for the past two summers, organized a major fundraiser for it, and gave several presentations about it when I returned home

-collected pledges for the Canadian Cancer Society every year since 1997

-Peer Helper at my high school for 3 years, providing support for peers in need

-took a 5-week French immersion course in Quebec to increase my proficiency in French

-won tons of awards and scholarships

 

I am not a resume padder. I only do things that I am passionate about and actually care to put a lot of effort into it. As for all the trips I've been on, I've either paid my own way or participated in fundraisers to cover the costs.

 

I'm just wondering if it looks like I've done too many extracurriculars. My ultimate goal is medicine, and I don't want it to seem like I'm only doing things just to get into med school.

 

All this traveling ECs scream "Hello, I'm a rich child and I'm buying my way into school". The adcoms no longer place a lot of emphasis on those ECs because they're such a scam.

 

I'd say your list is actually quite thin.

[iicii]

i would be prepared to talk about the "hands on" experience you had while you were there, particularly the ethics behind it

 

do you have employment/work experiences as well you care to elaborate on?

 

I'm currently in first year university, and these are my relevant extracurriculars since the age of 16:

 

-traveling to remote communities in South America this spring for 8 weeks to teach high school students about health issues with an organization at my university

-applying to be the project director for next year's team traveling to South America

-planning on traveling to Central America next Christmas for 2 weeks with a medical team for a hands-on health care experience

-volunteering weekly at a nursing home for the past year

-co-ordinator of a 3-week trip to Europe for World Youth Day 2011 that my parish is participating in

-represented my parish at World Youth Day 2008 in Australia

-volunteered at a pediatric hospital in Romania for the past two summers, organized a major fundraiser for it, and gave several presentations about it when I returned home

-collected pledges for the Canadian Cancer Society every year since 1997

-Peer Helper at my high school for 3 years, providing support for peers in need

-took a 5-week French immersion course in Quebec to increase my proficiency in French

-won tons of awards and scholarships

 

I am not a resume padder. I only do things that I am passionate about and actually care to put a lot of effort into it. As for all the trips I've been on, I've either paid my own way or participated in fundraisers to cover the costs.

 

I'm just wondering if it looks like I've done too many extracurriculars. My ultimate goal is medicine, and I don't want it to seem like I'm only doing things just to get into med school.

[equus]

i would be prepared to talk about the "hands on" experience you had while you were there, particularly the ethics behind it

 

do you have employment/work experiences as well you care to elaborate on?

 

I've had several jobs over the past several years to help cover the costs of university (I'm paying my own way and I am definitely not a "spoiled rich kid" like another post suggested), but none of them were really relevant to applying to med school. I've worked at fast food concession stands, delivering newspapers, etc., but most of my work experience was before I turned 16, so it doesn't count.

[iicii]

er...i put working at a coffee shop on my app

I think anything's relevant if you believe it adds to who you are.

 

I've had several jobs over the past several years to help cover the costs of university (I'm paying my own way and I am definitely not a "spoiled rich kid" like another post suggested), but none of them were really relevant to applying to med school. I've worked at fast food concession stands, delivering newspapers, etc., but most of my work experience was before I turned 16, so it doesn't count.

[equus]

I'd say your list is actually quite thin.

I'd have to disagree. While in Romania, I spent more than 130 hours caring for special-needs infants, and was able to observe a huge diversity of medical conditions, such as advanced hydrocephalus, cleft palate/lip, Down syndrome, cerebral palsy, etc. It was certainly depressing at times, but it actually changed me as a person.

 

My South America teaching trip is a HUGE commitment and I've been preparing for it for the past 6 months. I average 10 hours/week on work related to it, and I've definitely been able to prove that I am responsible, an effective communicator, able to work well with others, and extremely hard-working. Not to mention I'm the only first year student in years to have been selected to participate in it. If I get chosen to be the project director for next year's trip, that will be a major leadership role and will challenge me even further.

[thehumanmacbook]

I'd have to disagree. While in Romania, I spent more than 130 hours caring for special-needs infants, and was able to observe a huge diversity of medical conditions, such as advanced hydrocephalus, cleft palate/lip, Down syndrome, cerebral palsy, etc. It was certainly depressing at times, but it actually changed me as a person.

 

My South America teaching trip is a HUGE commitment and I've been preparing for it for the past 6 months. I average 10 hours/week on work related to it, and I've definitely been able to prove that I am responsible, an effective communicator, able to work well with others, and extremely hard-working. Not to mention I'm the only first year student in years to have been selected to participate in it. If I get chosen to be the project director for next year's trip, that will be a major leadership role and will challenge me even further.

 

The reason I travel so frequently is because travel is one of my biggest passions in life, and also because I am able to experience things in foreign countries that I wouldn't have access to in Canada. For example, in Romania I was given full access to the kids' medical records, I was able to actually hold them and give them medication, etc.

 

In Canada, if I was volunteering in a hospital, I'd be bringing glasses of water for patients. Not comparable at all.

 

Please remember to put that down for your OMSAS application...it will definitely help to show that you're a very unique applicant...

 

Does anyone else who reads this start flashing ethical headlights?

[equus]

.

[thehumanmacbook]

I'm not too sure what to say anymore. I'm sure, however, that by this point in the thread many people in this forum would agree that there are certain flaws in your list of ECs that you should reconsider sincerely re-evaluating at a personal level, published or not. There is a reason why adcoms are not looking as favourably anymore on trips such as yours - your descriptions above are great examples of that.