fhimas88888888

NO ECs at all?!! Remember that there are other applicants that are either at the top or at the near top of their classes WITH extra curriculars. It's gonna be hard to stand out with nothing else on top. Because the deal is that almost everyone applying to top schools have similar stats - high test scores, great academic careers - so really it comes down to the rigor of your academic journey and the other things that you excelled in. Ultimately, it's not so impressive to be valedictorian if you're not doing anything else... GREAT - you're a hard worker with school on the top of your list. But what's even better is to be at the top or at the near top and be president of something, or participating in something. Otherwise your top GPA isn't so impressive. That's why top athletes with lower GPAs are given slack - b/c they excel so much in Sports AND do well in school. I'm afraid you'll face a tough time in the college admissions process.

California-Bolt

I've also noticed, that if you don't having as many ECs its harder to write an essay. Maybe not for everyone, but I had a few smart people in my class with not as many ECs tell me they struggled and got stumped.

09xoxo

I'm questioning how much volunteer work counts. All my volunteer work has to do with helping teach Chinese language and culture to students who otherwise would not have the chance(for example, adopted chinese children). By senior year, I'll have around 500 hours of related volunteer work. Will that count for anything (I have other significant extra curriculars too.. I'm just wondering if this would help at all).

09xoxo

Also, I don't think it's ECs that help write essays as much as experience is. ECs are definantly a great way to get experience with the world, but there are often other experiences that might be just as good, or better to write about.

LifeofPie

My only hooking ec is interning for a congressman

fhimas88888888

Haha -- I read that too quickly - thought you said:

My only internship was hooking up w/ a congressman....

hehe.

iriseyes

Well, I have the standard Varsity sport, SGA VP, Model UN and musical group, and I'm a potential TASPer.

However, I'm a professional jeweler. That BETTER count for something.

And I seriously doubt that there are enough kids with the original EC list to fill the Ivys. I just seriously doubt that.

buttery

Erm. That list on the second page really intimidated me...

I was wondering if I'm going to have a "extra-curricular overload" though. I'm a freshman in high school and I just finished my first semester. Here's a plan of what I'm doing/planning to do in near future/planning to do later on.

Doing:
-Babysitting [Tuesdays & Thursdays - 3:30-6:00; pays]
-Lacrosse API (Training) - [Wednesdays - 2:45-4:00]
-Level II Adult Piano [Mondays - 3:00-4:00]
-"Real World" Club (Catholic Religious Group; school-based) - [every other Wednesday during school]

Planning to do in near future:
-FreshSoph/JV/Varisty Lacrosse [Aiming for JV; lacrosse is extremely competitive at school; practice everyday about 3:00-6:00; games varying whenever...]
-Writer for school newspaper [Dunno schedule]
-Junior Civitan [Dunno again]
-Rotary's [Most likely Mondays or Wednesdays during evenings]

Planning to do later on:
-Mock Trail [Dunno]
-Volunteer work at local veterinarian hospital [Probably weekends]

I'm starting to think that's way too much to the point of being stressful. And I still want to achieve good grades and keep my social life...

quark49

Thing is, as you get older and take more difficult courses, you're going to have less and less time for those extra curriculars.

I don't know, I don't like coming to this forum. I'm not dissatisfied with how I've spent the past four years of my life (I'm a high school senior). I involved myself in what interested me, and stayed with what I loved. I experimented with some things, and stayed committed to others.

I never went into anything thinking about pleasing admissions officers, and I don't think anyone should. I didn't study for my SATs (got a 2260), I don't take classes I don't enjoy (still valedictorian), and I live up to my expectations, and no one else's. If the University of Pennsylvania doesn't want someone with my attitude, then I probably wouldn't have been too happy there anyway. I can't stand people who are just out to stack their resume.

09xoxo

I'm not sure if anybody already said this (too lazy to read eh), but CC is my main extracurricular.

fhimas88888888

quark49-

do you honestly think that people that say that they are doing a certain activity to stack their resume really means it? I know I say it all the time, and I say it so I don't sound so nerdy to the rest of my class. If I gave your speech, I'd be laughed out of the house by everyone, so the cynical path of "I do it for the resume" I think is a cover for many. Furthermore, if you really d/n love something, I imagine it'd be hard to continue it for such a long period of time.

quark49

...what's wrong with being nerdy?

I dunno, I've met plenty of weasely people who don't actually enjoy sports/music etc and who are doing it because someone (parents, guidance counselor, or private college counselor, ick) told them to. It's annoying to work alongside those people. I know girls who have made All State choirs who don't care too much about music, and girls who have done track for four years who do nothing but slack off at practice. They detract from everyone else's experience, and it's saddening that they do so with college in mind.

I'll tell you what, my Calc BC class would be a hell of a lot smaller if the only students who took it were actually interested in calculus. And guess what, those people who aren't are doing poorly, and slowing the rest of us down... shocking. But Calc BC just looks *so* good on a transcript!

Hera Beara

Is being an attorney for Mock Trial a good EC? Does it matter if your team wins county, state, nationals, etc?

kevster1001

I second quark's comment(s)s

Post 249 by quark reminds me of regretting to take AP Bio.
I've never been fond of science, though I checked off AP Bio to have another AP class in my transcript. I should have not done it. I got a C in my first sem. of Jr year, and I really regret taking Bio. Most of the kids in my class aren't really interested in science either. I think it is a very good idea to not be lured by the amount of AP classes one takes, but to strongly pursue one's passion.

Mr. Yankee

Actually, Laura, while there has not been extensive tennis coverage, there was a tennis article way back in June. Enjoy. http://thesportshookup.blogspot.com/...continues.html