class diversity. What to include on your list of
extracurricular activities is a key issue.
By considering those activities that are time
consuming, require creative thinking, and
demand responsibility you should hopefully find
a significant number to formulate an
impressive preliminary list.
To initiate your list, note down any activity
meeting the above three criteria you
have been involved in, along with any relevant
details. This includes not only those at
school, at home, and also within your community,
but you should include work experi-
ence on your list, indicating the length of
time you were employed each week. This will
indicate the amount of time you were unable to
devote to classwork or other activities.
In the event of involvement in some community
activity, whether of a political or
service character, it should be identified and
explained. If you gained a commendation
for any activity, such as becoming an Eagle
Scout, or have been presented an award, this
should be noted next to the activity or under a
separate heading. It is best not to include
hobbies unless they are
substantive.
Care needs to be taken in finalizing your list
of extracurricular activities. Consider
what impression you wish to relate by the way
in which you present them. You may
wish to emphasize a balance between sports and
leadership roles in the clubs you were
active in. Carefully select the activity listed
first, since it reflects the one you consider
most important. This should be reinforced by
demonstrating the substantial time and
effort you have expended in this
area.
In composing the final list, be selective and
informative. It need not be an activity
you participated in each year. The list as a
whole should generate an impression that
contributes to the image you wish to create. It
should also fit into the image you believe
is being provided by any recommendations
submitted in your behalf.
Review the application as a whole when you have
come to this end point; it is desir-
able to carefully look at the overall image of
yourself that your application generates.
Ask yourself if this is the image that you
really wish to give the admissions committee.
Be sure that your unique talents and interests
are reflected and your potential contribu-
tion as a member of the incoming class can be
clearly visualized.
THE INTERVIEW
____________________________________________________
An interview is an absolute requirement to get
into medical school or obtain a residency
appointment; however, most colleges that you
may apply to will not require you to have
an on-campus interview. Many may not even offer
one, but if they do, it will likely be
optional. This indicates that an interview is
of secondary importance. Moreover, only a
small part of the applicant pool will be
interviewed. While an interview does provide an
opportunity to establish your identity as an
individual, it should not be construed as a
way to get the committee to overlook
significant defects in your record. Nevertheless, if
you (1) are very anxious to gain admission to a
specific school; (2) can afford the
expense; and (3) are a presentable and
articulate individual, you should try to set up an
appointment. You can then take this opportunity
to do your very best to personally
"sell" yourself. Obviously, you need to have
good reason to believe that you have a real-
istic chance of getting in to the college
before asking for an interview.
Plan to set up appointments for interviews
early (as in the first part of the summer).
Determine the best time for you to interrupt
your routine schedule to attend an
interview. When scheduling, arrange that you
can arrive at your interview in a good
physical state and not be suffering from travel
fatigue. When you arrive for your inter-
view, be dressed in a presentable manner, so
that the initial impression you give is a
favorable one.
It is essential that you adequately prepare for
any interview you decide to schedule.
Your initial source of information should be
the college's catalog. Therefore, issues that
are of special interest to you but are not
discussed in the catalog, such as choice of
major or class size, can be raised at the
interview.
User Comments Add a comment…