How Are My EC's??

[hoping4best]

<p>I'm currently a junior in high school and interested in going into Pre-Med, specifically for becoming a pediatrician. I was wondering if you guys could look over my EC's and tell me if they're okay and what more in should do take go above and beyond?</p>

<p>Peace ambassadors member- 1 yr
Ex Animo club member- 2 yrs
Spanish Honors society member- 1 yr
Red Cross club member- 1 yr
National Honors society- waiting to see if I got accepted, but was invited</p>

<p>Volunteer at a nursing home- 1 yr
I am an assistant teacher at a Sunday school for kindergarteners and first graders- 3 yrs
I've played rec soccer- 4 yrs
I work at a preschool on Fridays- 1 yr
I tutored at my local library- one season</p>

<p>I'm working at a summer camp this summer
I am 'shadowing' at a doctors office this summer
I am going to train to be a volunteer for my local EMT</p>

<p>Also, is there anything I should do in specific to stand out as a prospective medical student? </p>

<p>Thank you!</p>

[fritzitty]

<p>Well for one, gaining leadership positions will definitely improve your ECs. What bothers me the most is that the majority of your ECs appear to have been relatively short commitments of one or two years, and the longer ones aren’t necessarily anything impressive.</p>

<p>This may be a bit too late, but starting a club about medicine or biology would be nice and would show some initiative. Or you could start up a program to inspire kids to become more interested in STEM fields. An internship would also have been nice, especially if you could win a fair or publish results, but it’s definitely too late for that.</p>

[mikemac]

<p>Keep in mind that out of the 3,000 or so 4-year colleges in the US EC’s are important for admission at only a small fraction. Perhaps the most selective 200 or so. You can see what factors matter in admission at schools you are considering by looking at their Common Data Set filings. Most students worry needlessly about EC’s when they’ll play only a small factor or not even be considered!</p>

<p>The question about impressive EC’s comes up regularly on the forum. There is a thread with several posts by Northstarmom, a Ivy alum interviewer, about what constitutes impressive ECs from the point of view of the most selective colleges. The post is at <a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/what-my-chances/210497-those-ecs-weak-so-what-s-good.html[/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/what-my-chances/210497-those-ecs-weak-so-what-s-good.html&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

<p>As you will see from that link, at the most selective colleges they are looking for depth more than just participation. Stanford, for example, says

Students often assume our primary concern is the number of activities in which one participates. In fact, an exceptional depth of experience in one or two activities may demonstrate your passion more than minimal participation in five or six clubs. We want to see the impact you have had on that club, in your school, or in the larger community, and we want to learn of the impact that experience has had on you.

</p>

<p>2 very interesting articles about ECs that stand out and how to get them (same author, different examples) are at [How</a> to Be Impressive](<a href=“http://calnewport.com/blog/2008/05/28/the-art-of-activity-innovation-how-to-be-impressive-without-an-impressive-amount-of-work/]How”>The Art of Activity Innovation: How to Be Impressive Without an Impressive Amount of Work - Cal Newport) and [Save</a> This Grind?](<a href=“http://calnewport.com/blog/2008/09/12/case-study-how-could-we-save-this-ridiculously-overloaded-grind/]Save”>Case Study: How Could We Save This Ridiculously Overloaded Grind? - Cal Newport) I don’t buy into his underlying explanation of why they are impressive, but take a look at these 2 articles and I think you’ll get some original ideas.

I’m currently a junior in high school and interested in going into Pre-Med</p>

<p>Also, is there anything I should do in specific to stand out as a prospective medical student?

Just a note on terminology here. From the wording of your first sentence it sounds like you think “pre-med” is a major. It is not. It just means you’ve taken the 7 or so classes needed to be eligible to apply to med school. You need to pick a college major, just like any other undergrad. Also medical student is someone in medical school. You will not be that person for 4 years. You are a prospective college student.</p>

[hoping4best]

<p>@fritzitty‌ it’s not that I dropped them, I started a lot of them within this past year or two and am still following through, but I understand what you’re saying. Do you think there is anything I can do this late in the game? I really want to show colleges that I am passionate about this, and I am, but can’t ever seem to find the right opportunity. Thank you for your response!</p>

<p>@mikemac‌ oh right, I didn’t think about that (terminology). Thank you for the links and your response! </p>