dreamgirl675

So do you need sports as an extra-curricular? Because I am the most un-athletic person ever. How many hours in total is recommended? 500+?

sevan9

highly agree with gapin'it. the key to ECs are to demonstrate passion and commitment. going through the motions won't cut it anymore. you have a bunch of ways in your college app to "weave a story" through your laundry list of ECs, achievements, what you did during summers etc. Being able to tie it all together is key....

collegecrazy:)

Hey Guys,
I know it is a rough period for you with the university acceptances. My cousin was accepted to Stanford which is really cool so it can also be an exciting time. She was very proud cuz, hey. All the work paid off!
So is it hard to apply to universities? I mean, the stress of all your schoolwork in addition to uni applicatione essays? I mean how do you manage to write such essays?
Also should I consider a Food Drive at my school
would that look good when I apply to university?
I like helpin others speciifcally the less fortunate.. So does anyone have any ideas as to how I can help less fortunate whilst upping my application?
My school already has a compulsory Community And Service so.. I need somethin unique!

thanks so much for all your help a lot of yuo are real inspirations to me! espeically those of you who manage to apply to several universities so many essays to write!!

thanks you

fuzzyfirebunny

i agree...i feel like a lot of the time the pressure is on to be that ideal "well rounded" person, which in reality ends up giving you pretty shallow experiences that look broad on paper. but focusing on one activity is a plus

Esplin

Do we need to have awards to show our passion in an EC?

I love drawing and have many pieces lying around my home. But I really have no commendations for my interest. Its just something I do naturally.

li_ke92

is it okay if you have two things you are passionate about?
for me it's journalism and art
do i have to pick one and emphasize it?
because i don't want to forgo either, but i don't want to seem undedicated

python38

How should I do my resume, and how long should it be? If I add a resume, do I need to submit the Common App by snail mail, or can I attach files to the Common App?

Thanks ^^.

sz70

Does summer camp count as EC

i200258396

summer camp can be a plus
i've got a friend who just got accepted to princeton, she had gone to one of the summer camps(which i suppose was held by Stanford), and if you know just what you want and learn something there, it can also look significant on the app.

Stacks101

thank you! now i know what to write for an essay.

metalhammer

i wanna get something through to me n i need some help for that...........does only social work and research count as an ec? can't it be something yu r passionate for like 'music'?

Shizzle

The bulk of my EC's center around music. I've participated in every band, orchestra, jazz band (I even learned a new instrument for this) available to me. I put literally hundreds of hours into music, and not just piano, either. Music wasn't available to me when I was younger, so I worked extra hard to get good at it.

The thing with music is I think you'd have to be recognized, or at least participate in the community with your music. That's what I do, and it's tons better than at school.

Okay, so I have a question. Please help me!!!! I came from a rural area where no one really participated in research and stuff like that. I had never even KNOWN about it until I moved to a new place in January. Now I got to a math and science center, and a research project is required for freshman, sophomores, and juniors. I'm going to be a senior, so obviously I was exempt from this. But I really really want to research. Or at least help out at a lab. SOMETHING. Not just to look good, but b/c it's interesting too. Of course, I do want to pad my app. but at the same time I want to got into medicine and it really fascinates me.

The problem is, since no one I know from my old school has ever heard of such a thing let alone done it, I have no idea how to approach it!! How does one go about and find such opportunities. The place I live in now isn't exactly a metropolis or anything. And the hospitals imo are second-rate. There are however, some big pharmaceutical companies in the area, but I don't know if they allow 16 year olds. HELP!!

2nd thing: Since I moved in the middle of Junior year, I haven't had time to sort out extracurriculars and summer plans. I've wanted to do something during the summer before senior year, but I don't know what. I'm volunteering a lot through an organization, and trying to get some hospital hours again. But I feel like I should do something bigger. I feel like I procrastinated, but at the same time I'm totally new to the area.

luluzg

Where could I emphasize that I worked in a government company during the summer, was in handball national team but in 10th grade and then I got injured so I quit playing handball and that I attended a French language school in Paris?

Anonymous?

Is volunteer work an EC? I hope so, because volunteer work takes up a TON of my time and is my passion more than any school club or whatever.

mazy

^ Volunteer work is definitely an EC.