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Is there enough time in college to do extracurricular and sports if I plan on taking pre-med classes.

Trying to get my priorities straight. :)

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Mark’s Answer

I agree with what Jared and the others said. You will likely have time most terms to do extracurricular activities and/or sports. In terms where your classes are more challenging, you may need to back off a bit so you can study more. Medical schools today want to see students with diverse interests and doing some extracurricular activities/sports will show this and give you something to talk about during your interviews. Make sure you pick activities that you are really interested in and will enjoy.
Thank you comment icon I see, thank you! Anita
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Brad’s Answer

Hi Anita,
While I didn't study Pre Med in college I did participate in extracurricular activities. I spent four years as a student manager for the men's basketball team while in school. This required a lot of time. However, it was incredibly beneficial for a variety of reasons. First, it helps you develop time management skills. Second, it allowed me to get a jump start on a career path I was interested in following. Third, the connections and friendships made are invaluable. I made lifelong friends and was able to network and leverage recommendations when it came time to pursue career opportunities closer to graduating. Maybe you can find activities that tie into your course work? Either way, you can absolutely get involved and I believe it's incredibly beneficial. Best of luck!
Thank you comment icon Sounds great, thank you! Anita
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Meghan’s Answer

Hi Anita!

I don't have experience taking pre-med classes but my accounting courses were very demanding. I would suggest starting small and building up. Find out what activity outside of class is a priority for you and start from there. If sports are important, there are usually less demanding teams (intramurals) you can sign up for! You will find clubs and other groups differ between how much time they demand, so I would make sure to ask those involved already how they time manage. Each year of college I added one more outside of class activity to my plate until I felt I was at capacity. Recognizing when you cannot take on anything more is a great life and work skill (it's awesome you are already thinking about this!).

It's a good idea to get involved in extracurriculars or sports because you cannot study 100% of the time. You need these kind of activities to de-stress, re-charge, have fun, and learn outside of the classroom! In addition to your well-being, these sort of activities show medical schools that you are a well-rounded individual who can balance their work and personal life. I would also suggest you could look into EMT opportunities while in school, as I know pre-med students who did this on the weekends!
Thank you comment icon Loved reading this, thanks! Anita
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Jared’s Answer

Hi Anita!

I definitely agree with Meghan about finding time for extracurriculars for destressing. I know that medical schools are interested in students with multiple interests they are truly passionate about. Through my personal experience in undergrad, I was a member of a couple different extracurricular clubs and still found some time for intramurals here and there. It truly comes down to finding a good rhythm of time management, which will only help you in the long run in medical school (trust me, it's very very important!).

At the same time, I would make sure to test out extracurricular activities that you are invested in and could possibly see yourself holding an executive board role in going forward. From my discussions with other students and advisors, the biggest takeaway about extracurriculars that a medical school admission person looks at is whether you enjoyed it versus whether it was a resume filler. Find a couple activities that you really enjoy and stick with those if possible!

Bottom line, TLDR: it is 100% possible to allocate time to these activities and do well in your studies, and I know you can do it. It comes down to allocating time to each, and reaching out to tutors/friends/active listeners when you need it. Don't hesitate to reach out to me if you have any other questions!

Best,
Jared
Thank you comment icon This is great, thank you Jared! Anita
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Priya’s Answer

Hi Anita, I am also not in a relevant field but I think if you know how you work you can best make this decision. If you are someone who can manage many things and multitask, this could be a good space to lower your stress so you can work well in your classes. On the other hand, if you are someone who needs to focus on things one thing at a time, it may look harder. You could probably do some extracurriculars then but ones that require less time than committing to a season of sports, etc. But I also am not an expert or knowledgeable about college sports! Personally I studied my butt off in undergrad, but I wish I had done a manageable extracurricular on the side. I was way too stressed and pressured, and having something like that can be good coping. Spend some time thinking about how you work and your needs, and what can best fit your needs. You can assess your time management, or even try it for a little bit to see how you react! Good luck and all the best!
Thank you comment icon Ohh I see, thank you! Anita
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Keith’s Answer

As a prior college athlete, I can say, without a doubt you can accomplish anything you put your mind to. That said, compared to the average student playing a sport, and going through a pre-med program may not provide you enough time for yourself. The competition for medical school is so tight, it would seem customary for those students to sacrifice any and all free time to ensure that they achieve the best scores. That’s enough for some but not enough for others so you kinda have to make that decision for yourself.
Thank you comment icon Thank you! Anita
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Claudia’s Answer

Absolutely! I would just recommend focusing on quality and not quantity. Since you plan on being pre-med, your course load is probably going to be challenging and require that you devote some serious study time. However, it is so important to be involved in extra curricular activities that you enjoy so that you can build relationships and also take a break from all the studying! I would say just be selective about what you decide to become involved with and don't stretch yourself too thin by trying to participate in everything. I think it is more enjoyable if you select 2 or 3 things (or even 1) that really interest you and just focus on that versus trying to be in every club or activity but not being able to spend meaningful time with 5+ extracurriculars.
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