*~*~*~*Official AMCAS Work/Activities Tips Thread 2017-2018*~*~*~*

[Gauss44]

If I write about my volunteer experience and shadowing experience in the same entry, what is the better label from the drop down bar, "shadowing/clinical observation," or "community service - medical/clinical"?

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[Catalystik]

If I write about my volunteer experience and shadowing experience in the same entry, what is the better label from the drop down bar, "shadowing/clinical observation," or "community service - medical/clinical"?

What are the total hours and how many of them were shadowing?
Do you have other entries for both categories already? How many hours in each?
While shadowing, were you also helping in some way, or did you simply passively observe?

 

[mariposas905]

1) And the volunteer coordinator might change again by the time someone wants to check with the Contacts. If I were you, I'd enter Frist Name=Volunteer. Last name =Coordinator. Then give the phone or email for the office.

Can you email/bring in your personal records to the office and ask them to update theirs?

2) In this situation, it's reasonable to use the strategy you suggest. I'm sorry for the stress this is putting you under. If at all possible, try to get the volunteer office straightened out.

Thanks for the advice, you don't know how much this helps me!

1) If I'm going to bunch up the current and future hours into one time range anyway, then perhaps I can still put the current volunteer coordinator's name? She's new, so I'm assuming she won't change that fast lol

Unfortunately, I asked them that already. The "previously pregnant" lady said this is why it's important to sign in at their desk. I asked her how she can verify I didn't sign in when she can't even give me the substitute coordinator's contact info to prove my hours to her. In any case, they probably would not believe my personal records :/

2) Okay, I think this might be the best case. If I get asked about it, I'll briefly tell them my situation. And sure, I'll try my best

 

[Gauss44]

What are the total hours and how many of them were shadowing?
Do you have other entries for both categories already? How many hours in each?
While shadowing, were you also helping in some way, or did you simply passively observe?

It's something like 700 hours of volunteering (actively getting supplies for medical staff/doctors, transporting patients, helping feed patients, etc.), and 200 of those were spent almost entirely passively shadowing or observing a procedure (but never entirely passively, as all the dr's know me and ask me to do things). I don't have entries for either category yet. I do have paid employment medical and I have community service - non medical.

 

[Catalystik]

It's something like 700 hours of volunteering (actively getting supplies for medical staff/doctors, transporting patients, helping feed patients, etc.), and 200 of those were spent almost entirely passively shadowing or observing a procedure (but never entirely passively, as all the dr's know me and ask me to do things). I don't have entries for either category yet. I do have paid employment medical and I have community service - non medical.

I suggest splitting out the 200 shadowing hours and including it in your Shadowing space. The other 500 can go in its own Volunteer Medical/Clinical space.

 

[Gauss44]

Is it non-optimal to list the same category more than once? For example, I have 2 entries under research, and 3 entries under leadership.

 

[Catalystik]

Is it non-optimal to list the same category more than once? For example, I have 2 entries under research, and 3 entries under leadership.

No. But say you had two strong Leadership entries already, and you were the lead tutor in a third activity, you might elect to put that one under Teaching instead (if you had no Teaching entry yet), to balance your application better (and mention the lead position in the name of that activity). Sometimes an activity falls under more than one designation and you get to make a choice.

 

[lifeguard2014]

If I worked as a researched two different psychology labs, would it be best to group the experience as psychology research, or should I catalog them separately since they had different objectives?

 

[Catalystik]

If I worked as a researched two different psychology labs, would it be best to group the experience as psychology research, or should I catalog them separately since they had different objectives?

Assuming that each one had a decent number of hours, they both deserve their own space. Explaining each project adequately in half a space, plus including contact info, dates, and separate hours for the second one in the narrative space, would not allow you to do them justice.

 

[mdboy15]

For one of my experiences, I gave a PPT presentation on health disparities in a third-world country. A few friends and I arranged the event at the university we attend. What do I put down as the organization name, and who do I list as a contact and his/her title? Thanks in advance.

 

[Catalystik]

For one of my experiences, I gave a PPT presentation on health disparities in a third-world country. A few friends and I arranged the event at the university we attend. What do I put down as the organization name, and who do I list as a contact and his/her title?

What faculty person knows you arranged this event? Was it a curricular requirement? If none, did you do this for a known group, like a pre-med club? Their officers would know you did the event, if there's no faculty involved. Who did you get permission from to use the room? You could use the university, or a department, or a club name as the organization. As a last resort, use yourself as a contact.

If this wasn't done as a result of hypothesis-based research, you might consider using the Teaching tag. How long was the presentation? How many attended? How many hours will you claim?

 

[mdboy15]

What faculty person knows you arranged this event? Was it a curricular requirement? If none, did you do this for a known group, like a pre-med club? Their officers would know you did the event, if there's no faculty involved. Who did you get permission from to use the room? You could use the university, or a department, or a club name as the organization. As a last resort, use yourself as a contact.

If this wasn't done as a result of hypothesis-based research, you might consider using the Teaching tag. How long was the presentation? How many attended? How many hours will you claim?

Allow me to clarify. I spoke as a "guest speaker/panelist". It wasn't a curricular event. My friends did have a club on campus, but I fear putting that as "Organization Name" will mislead adcoms to think I was part of it when I wasn't. I'm aware campus clubs have faculty advisors, but I never met their advisor. And the university held the room for us. Is it appropriate to list the coordinating club officer (who happens to be a friend) as the contact?

It wasn't a result of a hyp-based research. Total presentation was 2 hours, I spoke for ~30 min. Audience was 250+. I'm only claiming a few hours (2-3).

 

[Catalystik]

Allow me to clarify. I spoke as a "guest speaker/panelist". It wasn't a curricular event. My friends did have a club on campus, but I fear putting that as "Organization Name" will mislead adcoms to think I was part of it when I wasn't. I'm aware campus clubs have faculty advisors, but I never met their advisor. And the university held the room for us. Is it appropriate to list the coordinating club officer (who happens to be a friend) as the contact?

It wasn't a result of a hyp-based research. Total presentation was 2 hours, I spoke for ~30 min. Audience was 250+. I'm only claiming a few hours (2-3).

Yes, it's fine to list the club officer as your Contact. No need to mention it was a friend. And it's fine to include the hours you put into preparation, as well as actual podium and panel time.

 

[Gauss44]

delete (Sorry, accidentally posted the same thing twice.)

 

[Gauss44]

What should I put on the AMCAS application for an end date, if I am present or currently working that jobs, currently doing that hobby? If I put August of next year, how will that impact total hours?

EDIT: I think the answer is to put the end date as the latest date it will allow and then count the expected future hours in the total. I think that's what the instruction manual means.

 

[mdboy15]

I worked in a family-owned restaurant for 9 years. The nature of the job includes employees coming and going. The only current employee that isn't family has been there for only 3 years. I am conflicted as to who I should put down as my contact...? Ideally, I would put the owner/manager of the restaurant, but that happens to be my dad .We obviously have the same last name and the experience description says how I worked with him. He is the only person who has been there from my start date to now.

 

[Catalystik]

What should I put on the AMCAS application for an end date, if I am present or currently working that jobs, currently doing that hobby? If I put August of next year, how will that impact total hours?

EDIT: I think the answer is to put the end date as the latest date it will allow and then count the expected future hours in the total. I think that's what the instruction manual means.

Separate out the current hours and the future hours by using the Repeated feature. Hobbies can be divided out further into pre-college, college, future, etc.

 

[Catalystik]

I worked in a family-owned restaurant for 9 years. The nature of the job includes employees coming and going. The only current employee that isn't family has been there for only 3 years. I am conflicted as to who I should put down as my contact...? Ideally, I would put the owner/manager of the restaurant, but that happens to be my dad .We obviously have the same last name and the experience description says how I worked with him. He is the only person who has been there from my start date to now.

Lots of applicants (and adcomms) have worked for family businesses. Don't worry about using a family member as a contact in this context. Make it clear in the narrative that it IS a family-owned business and the problem with the same last name is a non-issue.

 

[Gauss44]

Which AMCAS category should non-scientific research go under? "Research/Lab"? Or does that mean laboratory research? I have literary and legal research. Thanks!

 

[856857]

Hi @Catalystik one quick question: who do I list as contact for Honors/Awards entry? Could be me or should it be someone else?

 

[Jaigantic]

When filling out secondaries, can we reference ECs from our primary under the assumption that the person reading the secondary is familiar with the EC? For example, can I begin a prompt asking me about leadership positions I held with "My work with X organization often involved me leading blah blah blah"? Or should I re-explain what the organization is/what my responsibilities are?

In that same vein, for that question that asks about leadership experiences, should I reiterate the things I listed as leadership in my work/activities section or take this as an opportunity to explain how other ECs involved leadership responsibilities I hadn't mentioned prior?

 

[Catalystik]

Which AMCAS category should non-scientific research go under? "Research/Lab"? Or does that mean laboratory research? I have literary and legal research. Thanks!

If it's original hypothesis-based research, that used the scientific method and resulted in new knowledge that is potentially publishable, it can go in a Research space, even if it was in a non-science discipline.

 

[Catalystik]

Hi @Catalystik one quick question: who do I list as contact for Honors/Awards entry? Could be me or should it be someone else?

Use the college Registrar if you mainly listed academic recognitions and merit scholarships. If you have others as well, you may need to list another contact in the narrative space.

 

[Catalystik]

1) When filling out secondaries, can we reference ECs from our primary under the assumption that the person reading the secondary is familiar with the EC? For example, can I begin a prompt asking me about leadership positions I held with "My work with X organization often involved me leading blah blah blah"? Or should I re-explain what the organization is/what my responsibilities are?

2) In that same vein, for that question that asks about leadership experiences, should I reiterate the things I listed as leadership in my work/activities section or take this as an opportunity to explain how other ECs involved leadership responsibilities I hadn't mentioned prior?

1) Don't make an assumption that the same person will have access to your entire application. Let each essay on Secondaries stand on its own.

2) You can do either, but if you use the same activity you already discussed, make it fresh with different vocabulary and perhaps a new anecdote.

 

[Jaigantic]

1) Don't make an assumption that the same person will have access to your entire application. Let each essay on Secondaries stand on its own.

2) You can do either, but if you use the same activity you already discussed, make it fresh with different vocabulary and perhaps a new anecdote.

Much obliged.

 

[mdboy15]

I shadowed an ER doctor. Where should I say what kind of doctor I shadowed, in the description or the Contact's Title? If I do it in the description, the title is going to say just "Physician". Or is either approach okay?

 

[Catalystik]

I shadowed an ER doctor. Where should I say what kind of doctor I shadowed, in the description or the Contact's Title? If I do it in the description, the title is going to say just "Physician". Or is either approach okay?

If you only shadowed one physician, then you can mention the specialty in the title of the contact, like, "MD, Emergency Department Staff Physician" or in the name you give the space, eg, Observation of Emergency Medicine Physician. Or in the description of the activity. Your choice, or a blend of two of them.

 

[BioLife23]

I had an error occur when I submitted my app and my volunteer hours are missing. When I submitted my app I was using Firefox because things weren't loading properly in Chrome, but my app looked fine. However, after I submitted and logged back in, I realized that my volunteer entry (plus one hobby) was not there. The rest of my ECs are listed, but now my only option is to add information about my voluntering onto the secondaries that have a "anything else you want to add" section. (For reference, AMCAS said they cannot do anything once submitted.)

My questions are -

1. Whether or not adding it to the secondary will look faux pas and possibly hurt more than help?

2. - For the schools that don't have anywhere to add it I am essentially unable to tell them about my volunteering, so how will this weigh on me given the rest of my app?
My stats for reference - GPA: 3.94, MCAT: 504.
ECs on app - Leadership experience (which includes business ownership and holding a managerial position for 3 years), worked in a medical clinic 2 years while in undergrad, 140+ hrs shadowing MDs (1 LOR from this experience), plus various hobbies and travel experiences.

I am really upset about this but still hoping it will work out.

 

[Catalystik]

1) I had an error occur when I submitted my app and my volunteer hours are missing. When I submitted my app I was using Firefox because things weren't loading properly in Chrome, but my app looked fine. However, after I submitted and logged back in, I realized that my volunteer entry (plus one hobby) was not there. The rest of my ECs are listed, but now my only option is to add information about my voluntering onto the secondaries that have a "anything else you want to add" section. (For reference, AMCAS said they cannot do anything once submitted.)

My questions are -

1. Whether or not adding it to the secondary will look faux pas and possibly hurt more than help?

2. - For the schools that don't have anywhere to add it I am essentially unable to tell them about my volunteering, so how will this weigh on me given the rest of my app?
My stats for reference - GPA: 3.94, MCAT: 504.
ECs on app - Leadership experience (which includes business ownership and holding a managerial position for 3 years), worked in a medical clinic 2 years while in undergrad, 140+ hrs shadowing MDs (1 LOR from this experience), plus various hobbies and travel experiences.

I am really upset about this but still hoping it will work out.

If you are sure you entered the missing information, first off, go back into the application using both Firefox and then Chrome. Go to the first page of the application: Main Menu. On the right, select Print Application, then click PDF view. Check the Work/Activities section and be sure that the information is missing. Let me know what happens.

 

[BioLife23]

If you are sure you entered the missing information, first off, go back into the application using both Firefox and then Chrome. Go to the first page of the application: Main Menu. On the right, select Print Application, then click PDF view. Check the Work/Activities section and be sure that the information is missing. Let me know what happens.

Thank you for your reply. The volunteering entry and one other hobby entry are missing on the PDF. The rest appears to be fine.

 

[Catalystik]

The volunteering entry and one other hobby entry are missing on the PDF. The rest appears to be fine.

My questions are -

1. Whether or not adding it to the secondary will look faux pas and possibly hurt more than help?

2. - For the schools that don't have anywhere to add it I am essentially unable to tell them about my volunteering, so how will this weigh on me given the rest of my app?
My stats for reference - GPA: 3.94, MCAT: 504.
ECs on app - Leadership experience (which includes business ownership and holding a managerial position for 3 years), worked in a medical clinic 2 years while in undergrad, 140+ hrs shadowing MDs (1 LOR from this experience), plus various hobbies and travel experiences.

I am really upset about this but still hoping it will work out.

My suggestion for your next step is to contact AMCAS and tell them that your entered information that was not saved and ask what do they recommend. We already know they won't allow you to change it, but what you want to elicit is their recommendation to contact each school individually to advise them of the omission. Once you have that, you can email schools and say something like, "AMCAS instructed me to contact each medical school with the information that a technical glitch occurred during my application submission. The below Activities were omitted. Please add this to my file." Credit to @PreMedMissteps for some of this content.

1) No, add it where possible to answer suitable Secondary prompts. I'd consider the Volunteering entry to be critical, and the Hobbies, less so.

2) Because you are citing an AMCAS recommendation (if you can elicit it), there is a higher chance the information will have made it into your file. For those that refuse all updates and don't have suitable Secondary prompts: yes, this omission will weigh against you.


***After thought: Did you by chance refer to the volunteering in any way in your PS?

 

[BioLife23]

My suggestion for your next step is to contact AMCAS and tell them that your entered information that was not saved and ask what do they recommend. We already know they won't allow you to change it, but what you want to elicit is their recommendation to contact each school individually to advise them of the omission. Once you have that, you can email schools and say something like, "AMCAS instructed me to contact each medical school with the information that a technical glitch occurred during my application submission. The below Activities were omitted. Please add this to my file." Credit to @PreMedMissteps for some of this content.

1) No, add it where possible to answer suitable Secondary prompts. I'd consider the Volunteering entry to be critical, and the Hobbies, less so.

2) Because you are citing an AMCAS recommendation (if you can elicit it), there is a higher chance the information will have made it into your file. For those that refuse all updates and don't have suitable Secondary prompts: yes, this omission will weigh against you.


***After thought: Did you by chance refer to the volunteering in any way in your PS?

Thank you, I did reach out to AMCAS and I was told to contact each school. I talked to them on the phone and also through e-mail, so this is what I have in writing: "Regrettably, you are unable to edit or add anything within your Work/Activities section of your application post-submission. You may reach out to the medical school(s) of your choice, and let them know of any updates with regards to that section."

Is that sufficient for citation? Unfortunately, one school that I am applying to only allows updates after interviews (per their website). However, I would like to reach out anyways if it will not cause harm...

I planned to do elaborate on my volunteering when adding it to the activities section, so my personal statement revolves more around an emergency hospitalization and my observorships.

Thank you SO much for your advice!

 

[Catalystik]

1) I did reach out to AMCAS and I was told to contact each school. I talked to them on the phone and also through e-mail, so this is what I have in writing: "Regrettably, you are unable to edit or add anything within your Work/Activities section of your application post-submission. You may reach out to the medical school(s) of your choice, and let them know of any updates with regards to that section."

2) Is that sufficient for citation?

3) Unfortunately, one school that I am applying to only allows updates after interviews (per their website). However, I would like to reach out anyways if it will not cause harm...

4) I planned to do elaborate on my volunteering when adding it to the activities section, so my personal statement revolves more around an emergency hospitalization and my observorships.

1) Keep the email as proof. You've been authorized to contact all schools.

2) Yes.

3) I'd call that school and explain the situation. Hopefully they will give permission to email the update. If not, since I don't know your entire application, I can't say whether you should send it anyway because you're otherwise at a severe disadvantage, or if you have a shot at consideration regardless (seeing as there are some factors that would outweigh the lack and some schools that won't care). If you have a WAMC thread, feel free to tag me from there for further input.

4) Ok.

 

[newdoc44]

What is the current consensus on entering future hours for activities that are continued through August 2018? Just always list the total anticipated hours through August 2018 in the total hours box and then be sure to differentiate between what is completed and what is planned in the description?

 

[Catalystik]

What is the current consensus on entering future hours for activities that are continued through August 2018? Just always list the total anticipated hours through August 2018 in the total hours box and then be sure to differentiate between what is completed and what is planned in the description?

Entering future hours is fine if you're pretty sure they will happen. You might consider using the repeated feature to divide out the completed vs future hours, using the current month for both the end of timespan #1 and the beginning of timespan #2. Both will appear in the header of the space.

 

[Fawna]

1) Keep the email as proof. You've been authorized to contact all schools.

I don't see where the applicant was "authorized to contact all schools."
It seems like a canned AMCAS answer, "you can't submit/change anything after submission, you're welcome to contact the schools."

 

[Catalystik]

I don't see where the applicant was "authorized to contact all schools."
It seems like a canned AMCAS answer, "you can't submit/change anything after submission, you're welcome to contact the schools."

The wording was "You may reach out to the medical school(s) of your choice, and let them know of any updates with regards to that section." I agree it's a canned answer, but when it's AMCAS' suggestion, it (IMO) allows for one to send a correction, even if a school says they don't accept updates.

 

[mcatquestions1234]

I had a quick question. For the AMCAS, should I be putting the hours per week for each activity in the description? For some of my activities the hours per week were irregular, I'm not sure if it'll look weird to have hours per week for some activities and not others.

Can I just stick to not writing hours per week for the activities, since the total hours will already be listed? Or is it essentially mandatory to include hours per week?

Thanks!

 

[Catalystik]

I had a quick question. For the AMCAS, should I be putting the hours per week for each activity in the description? For some of my activities the hours per week were irregular, I'm not sure if it'll look weird to have hours per week for some activities and not others.

Can I just stick to not writing hours per week for the activities, since the total hours will already be listed? Or is it essentially mandatory to include hours per week?

In the recent past, hours per week were required. Now they are not. I'd suggest that a reason to include this in your narrative would be when there was significant variation from one timeframe to another, eg with a job or research, 10 hr/week during the school term, but 40 hr/week in the summer. Or, you can include a range, like 2-5 hr/week for sport or music practice. If you do this for one activity, you aren't compelled to include it for every one of them.

 

[mcatquestions1234]

In the recent past, hours per week were required. Now they are not. I'd suggest that a reason to include this in your narrative would be when there was significant variation from one timeframe to another, eg with a job or research, 10 hr/week during the school term, but 40 hr/week in the summer. Or, you can include a range, like 2-5 hr/week for sport or music practice. If you do this for one activity, you aren't compelled to include it for every one of them.

Thank you!!

 

[Noctámbulo]

When grouping awards, is it best to list the date of the most recent or the first award?

 

[Catalystik]

When grouping awards, is it best to list the date of the most recent or the first award?

Best to put the date you earned the last of them, as by that time all awards in the space would apply.

 

[newdoctorpls]

I am a reapplicant that had applied to medical school a couple of years ago. Then, I stated my volunteer hours as 400. I had volunteered at a hospital where they have clock in/clock out so I could've verified this number by calling up the coordinator, but since I submitted over a weekend and didn't want to wait, I didn't do that. I completely eyeballed it. Now that I look at my past schedules, my volunteer hours seem to be closer to 300. I plan on calling Monday to confirm. I am reapplying this cycle, and want to know the best way to approach this. I know this gives the impression that I am knowingly falsifying, but you have to trust me on the fact that I am not. I just don't want this dumb thing to come bite me in the butt if someone verifies. If I write 300 this year, and they compare to my last app - it won't look so hot.

Any suggestions on how to best approach this?

 

[Catalystik]

I am a reapplicant that had applied to medical school a couple of years ago. Then, I stated my volunteer hours as 400. I had volunteered at a hospital where they have clock in/clock out so I could've verified this number by calling up the coordinator, but since I submitted over a weekend and didn't want to wait, I didn't do that. I completely eyeballed it. Now that I look at my past schedules, my volunteer hours seem to be closer to 300. I plan on calling Monday to confirm. I am reapplying this cycle, and want to know the best way to approach this. I know this gives the impression that I am knowingly falsifying, but you have to trust me on the fact that I am not. I just don't want this dumb thing to come bite me in the butt if someone verifies. If I write 300 this year, and they compare to my last app - it won't look so hot.

Any suggestions on how to best approach this?

If asked at interviews (a tiny, tiny chance), you could say, "My calculations suggested that the number was higher, but these are the hours that the computer/coordinator/system are able to verify. I felt it best that the numbers match in case of a call to the Contact."

 

[newdoctorpls]

If asked at interviews (a tiny, tiny chance), you could say, "My calculations suggested that the number was higher, but these are the hours that the computer/coordinator/system are able to verify. I felt it best that the numbers match in case of a call to the Contact."

Thanks for your reply. So you are saying to keep it as 400, which is what I originally quoted? And then mention the correct ones in interview if asked? I just think having decreasing hours in an application compared to an older one may come off as a red flag.

Sent from my Pixel using Tapatalk

 

[Catalystik]

I was a volunteer EMT. During that time I had a CPR save while on duty, and another CPR save while off duty. The second one happened while watching July 4th fireworks - a man sitting next to me went into cardiac arrest. I began CPR, and when the EMTs on site brought an AED I defibrillated him and successfully resuscitated him. For both saves I received commemorative pins.

1) Would these pins be a good thing to go in the rewards activity section? Should I list them together with my volunteer EMS service, or separately? 2) If I list them (or just the off duty one) separately, should I make it a most meaningful experience?

3) Also, a question about research. My research looks like this:

a) -1 year + 1 summer in one lab: no presentations or posters
b) -2 semesters as part of research course where I was paired with a different mentor each semester for a research project. 1 on-campus poster presentation from each
c) -1 year of gap year paid research in an academic lab. Most meaningful?
d) -4 months as a paid contract researcher at a biotech company (after the 1st gap year)

How do I go about listing these? Do I do all the stuff I did while in school as one activity and all the stuff I did afterwards as a second? I have so many ECs that if I make each of my labs a separate entry I won't have room for all my other stuff.

1) I think it would have more impact to include them with the EMT Activity space, as they'd stay in context.

2) List both, but I suggest making the entire EMT experience as MM, with the saving of 2 lives as a part of it.

3) I think your suggestion is the most logical. List the 3 collegiate research experiences (a&b) together under Research, along with the local poster presentations. And put the paid research together under Employment (though you could select Research for this as well, the fact that it was paid implies more responsibility and accountability, and is a logical progression if you want to tout yourself as research-oriented). If you want it to be MM, broaden the focus of your comments to include both paid positions.

 

[Catalystik]

So you are saying to keep it as 400, which is what I originally quoted? And then mention the correct ones in interview if asked? I just think having decreasing hours in an application compared to an older one may come off as a red flag.

No. Use the number they quote you from the volunteer office when you call to inquire, unless they lost all your records, or it's ridiculously less than those for which you have your own records. Volunteer coordinator's computers and written records are often not accurate (from what I hear from applicants who complain about it). I chose the wording I cited because it implies the record keeping possibly wasn't precise, but it doesn't cast blame. You made an honest error, or they did, and you're doing your best to make sure you appear above board.

Just enter the correct number on the application. Do not include an explanation in the narrative.

 

[Catalystik]

I volunteered for 7 semesters at a campus peer counseling & crisis intervention hotline. For the last 4 of those semesters, I was a shift leader and trainer. I also served in two different executive board positions for one year each. Would it be best to count all of this stuff under one activity?

It depends. If you do not have a dedicated Leadership entry, feel you displayed substantial leadership, and are, numbers-wise, a good candidate for highly selective, research-oriented schools, you might carve out the leadership dates and hours and list them on their own under Leadership. You can refer to the 1.5 years before that as part of the backstory in that entry (in the narrative) or you can list them on their own and separate out those hours and dates for a Volunteer/Community Service space.

If you are short on space, you can also consider keeping it all together under Volunteer/Community Service, but include mention of the leadership roles in the name you give the slot.

 

[Prometheus123]

Quick question: Who should I list as the contact for my freelance content writing job, a client, or myself? ? If I list a client, they'll only be able to verify whatever project I did for them, not my hours over what I did for other clients. If I list myself, I'm worried that people won't take it seriously.

 

[Catalystik]

Quick question: Who should I list as the contact for my freelance content writing job, a client, or myself? ? If I list a client, they'll only be able to verify whatever project I did for them, not my hours over what I did for other clients. If I list myself, I'm worried that people won't take it seriously.

When you work freelance, you don't have a lot of options, unless you had a client that used you repeatedly or someone who referred work to you over and over. Is there perhaps a university official aware of this endeavor?