Starhivest Posted September 4, 2011 Report Share Posted September 4, 2011 So last fall, I pledged to a fraternity at my university. I lasted for a bit more than 8 weeks, making it 2 days into Hell Week before quitting. Now, our pledge class did many projects together, including frat house renovation, baking food for the homeless, and serving >50 people for dinner every weekend. I'm tempted to put this down as an EC since much of my life revolved around greek life for those 8 weeks. But I dunno if it's a good idea since I didn't make it till the end (couldn't risk GPA for frat). What do you guys and gals think? Should I put it down anyways and reflect on what I learned about my limits? As a side note, none of the premed or science kids in my pledge class made it to the end. Ain't the only one! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
future_doc Posted September 4, 2011 Report Share Posted September 4, 2011 and will you have a verifier? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
future_doc Posted September 4, 2011 Report Share Posted September 4, 2011 So last fall, I pledged to a fraternity at my university. I lasted for a bit more than 8 weeks, making it 2 days into Hell Week before quitting. Now, our pledge class did many projects together, including frat house renovation, baking food for the homeless, and serving >50 people for dinner every weekend. I'm tempted to put this down as an EC since much of my life revolved around greek life for those 8 weeks. But I dunno if it's a good idea since I didn't make it till the end (couldn't risk GPA for frat). What do you guys and gals think? Should I put it down anyways and reflect on what I learned about my limits? As a side note, none of the premed or science kids in my pledge class made it to the end. Ain't the only one! put it in. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lactic Folly Posted September 4, 2011 Report Share Posted September 4, 2011 You can make those activities the focus (instead of the short-lived fraternity context). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Starhivest Posted September 4, 2011 Author Report Share Posted September 4, 2011 You can make those activities the focus (instead of the short-lived fraternity context). Maybe it's a better idea not to mention quitting and blame it character limits? I'll say something along the lines of: our pledge class accomplished many projects, including serving supper for >50 people every weekend, baking food for the homeless on the street, renovating the frat house, and throwing profitable parties. We learned to put aside our differences and work cohesively to complete these projects. I do have a verifier for this. >25 verifiers in fact lol. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lactic Folly Posted September 4, 2011 Report Share Posted September 4, 2011 Well, won't the start and end dates speak for themselves? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
future_doc Posted September 4, 2011 Report Share Posted September 4, 2011 I do not see the necessity of even mentioning the fraternity. These activities can stand on their own. I would not include the renovation. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lactic Folly Posted September 4, 2011 Report Share Posted September 4, 2011 I do not see the necessity of even mentioning the fraternity. These activities can stand on their own. Agree with f_d. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
<abstract> Posted September 4, 2011 Report Share Posted September 4, 2011 I do not see the necessity of even mentioning the fraternity. These activities can stand on their own. I would not include the renovation. I would be misleading though not to. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
<abstract> Posted September 4, 2011 Report Share Posted September 4, 2011 Witholding information from somebody to prevent damaging your image is not immoral. For example, you wouldn't go around telling your potential girlfriends about that last hooker you smacked around, right? The effect on adcoms would probably be similar to that if you told them you were in a frat. You missed my point, IMO, when entering an e.c. you should tell the whole story and not half truths. A frat isn't a bad thing, they do a lot of charity work and group activities. What you said is akin to leaving out some courses where you failed to improve your image. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Starhivest Posted September 4, 2011 Author Report Share Posted September 4, 2011 Hmm it seems there's some reserved opinions about frats around here. Funny thing is, most pledges have the same idea when making the pledge, but 4 weeks into it anyone would see that we're more than a bunch of meatheads with nothing better to do than getting ourselves ETOH overdose every night. To make it past Hell Week without compromising grades is something >99% of students can't handle. That being said, does adcom in fact hold a stigma against greek life? I thought this experience would actually help me stand out and contrast me against most other applicants. Moreover, without mentioning the pledge class and the fraternity, all I could put down is the homeless food distribution. A bit lacklustre IMO. Feel free to share your thoughts on this. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Starhivest Posted September 4, 2011 Author Report Share Posted September 4, 2011 I searched other forums for a bit. Seems the consensus is that unless one was a president of his chapter it'd be best to leave the fraternity stuff out owing to all the stereotypes. Guess that explains why open-mindedness is never seen on those lists of desirable traits. Thanks for all the input folks! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
future_doc Posted September 4, 2011 Report Share Posted September 4, 2011 It would be misleading though not to. Absolutely not - the fraternity is not an activity to mention nor is its association to the good deeds relevant to the application submission. We will agree to disagree over this one. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thehumanmacbook Posted September 4, 2011 Report Share Posted September 4, 2011 I also agree...I can appreciate the good things this group does, but it may carry some unwanted connotation that could affect adcom judgement... I would write it some other way. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
future_doc Posted September 4, 2011 Report Share Posted September 4, 2011 does adcom in fact hold a stigma against greek life? I thought this experience would actually help me stand out and contrast me against most other applicants. Moreover, without mentioning the pledge class and the fraternity, all I could put down is the homeless food distribution. A bit lacklustre IMO. Feel free to share your thoughts on this. If you think this is lacklustre, you do not understand the point of the sketch. You are seeking to give evidence of good deeds, compassion, being an active citizen within the community having those attributes sought after by adcoms formed students and physicians. Your short period as a pledge, I submit, does nothing favourable to demonstrate your suitability for medicine, even if there are no negative implications. I do not see anything that makes you sttand out more favourably by virtue of the fact that you were a pledge. Leave well enough alone and move on. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
<abstract> Posted September 4, 2011 Report Share Posted September 4, 2011 If you think this is lacklustre, you do not understand the point of the sketch. You are seeking to give evidence of good deeds, compassion, being an active citizen within the community having those attributes sought after by adcoms formed students and physicians. Your short period as a pledge, I submit, does nothing favourable to demonstrate your suitability for medicine, even if there are no negative implications. I do not see anything that makes you sttand out more favourably by virtue of the fact that you were a pledge. Leave well enough alone and move on. Agreed!.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Archived
This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.