<p>But French Club is the LEAST important and least “impressive” EC, in my view, on her record. It involved far less time than her other ECs. She did go on the French trip to France and did fund raising events. But this was so minor that I almost forgot to mention it in my post, compared to her much more heavily committed ECs which had nothing to do with academics. She IS interested in French and accelerated and did an independent study French 6 in senior year, assisted in the French classes at her elementary school senior year and now in college has chosen to take French all four years, worked one summer in France teaching children English in an Englism immersion camp and one summer in Paris working in an architectural firm. However, her ECs for the most part, had very little to do with her academic interests. French club was quite minor. She was able to show French ability in her acceleration, independent study, French teacher of five years’ rec, SAT II, and travel experiences. </p>
<p>While it is true she was a leader in student government, though not by a title but by her initiation of a policy development which the School Board passed (an example of how leadership was not by title but had to be documented on the activity resume and in recs), and did coach or teach children, I think of her athletic endeavors as having a bunch of leadership involvement. It may not be what you define as leadership or what is readily observable as leadership, but the ECs that were not academically related actually involved a bunch of leadership traits. The ECs that you are pointing out that she did were her most minor ECs of the entire resume. I am not discounting them as she loved those activities and chose to do them, but her BIGGEST activities were not those things…they were sports and performing arts. </p>
<p>As far as the hypothetical question of karate vs cheerleading and if the kid didn’t like one best…and which looks better for college…I’d say neither looks better…it is what you achieve in the endeavor. Do either one, it doesn’t matter. Who cares what colleges think? Pick one you want to do. Do both if you want. If you can only do one, flip a coin. Most kids would have some preference to some degree and I’d say pick the one you have an inkling of prefering or maybe it works better in your schedule. I would say who cares which looks best to colleges? I think they look the same on paper but it is a matter of your contribution to the endeavor and your achievements. Try one…if it isn’t your thing, do the other. ECs are for yourself, not for the application. The application is simply a documentation of what you’ve done in your life.</p>