Can reading be an EC?

anon94785555
Tue, 27 Jan 2009 01:33:39 +0000

Son got the 2400 SAT. Is a voracious reader still. Also found time for activities with others- EC’s in HS. When moving him out of his freshman dorm I returned a bunch of books to a campus library for him- including books he had checked out for fun reading (annoyed parent trying to hurry things up with the move- those books were heavy and parking was a block away from the most convenient location). I would expect top students to be readers. Sci Fi like mom and my mother before me, plus nonfiction in his science and other areas of interest like dad (got me into a lot of physics I never would have read).

I disagree totally with the “…drop out of school statement” (post #7). There’s a lot of social, discussion and hands on learning in a school that books alone can’t provide. There needs to be a balance. The books will always be there but attention needs to be paid to interacting with peers and physical activities. This can include academic clubs/competitions in HS.

Son’s school had 50 plus each boys and girls in cross country- many introverted types, mainly good students, and not all good runners. Music is another more solitary activity- HS or other groups or piano such as your son does. For reading have him branch out into more contemporary authors, including the many science based books written for the general public. Volunteer work will get him away from just reading books- try your public library, elementary schools.

I agree that it is hard to find books for advanced young readers. That is where science fiction/fantasy is good- you can find a lot of adventure and emotionally satisfying literature kids can relate to. Son’s first paperback purchase was the Star Wars Trilogy (3 books in one volume) when he was 9, and of course all of the Harry Potter books (I had to wait a day for my turn to read them). Nephew read "The Rise and Fall of The Third Reich in his early teens. Some people prefer history to science- I’m sure reading is why a boy at son’s school got a 5 on the AP US History test after freshman year and therefore placed out of any US or AP US History course in HS. He also read sci fi- I remember coming up with at least a dozen authors for him that also were age appropriate (ie not “PG 17” or “R” rated content).

The whole idea of extracurricular activities is to be more well rounded than just scholarly pursuits such as doing homework/reading and to learn to work with other people in a mutually interesting activity. Without spending time on those admissions committees may think he needs all of his time to get the good grades- eg a 4.0 plus taking time for other activities versus needing to work extra hard for those grades. There are many skills learned through EC’s that can’t be learned in a classroom.