Do extracurriculars matter?

Question: I have been filling out my application on PHARMCAS and was curious on your thoughts about extracurricular activities. Do you put much emphasis on this? I have many, many examples from my years in undergraduate school but since I have been out in the professional working world for 10+ years, I do not have as much in way of extracurricular activities in recent time. I do a lot of volunteering with my church, but that is about all. Do I even bother putting all my extracurriculars from college?


Answer: Every institution and committee will tell you that they want well rounded applicants. That being said, my honest reaction to your question about extra curricular activities is that they won't make or break your application.

I usually look through that section of the PharmCas report pretty quickly and don't focus on it much. You should use your church volunteering, of course. I would say you might as well go ahead and list of the ECs you did in college, particularly if they had any relationship at all to health care. If you helped at a blood bank, use it. If you did a Alzheimers Walk or Race for the Cure, use it.

In the end, will it make a difference one way or the other? Probably not, but listing something is probably better than listing nothing. I wouldn't fret about it or spend too much time on it, however.

Best of luck.