<p>Not the typical awards, clubs, volunteer work, but something extraordinary that you think may have pushed your app over the edge?</p>
<p>Can any admissions officers lurking here tell us of any unusual ECs that really impressed you?
Thanks.</p>
<p>My wife was same as me for mast statistics. She however, spent a year abroad in her Jr year… </p>
<p>KEY=She did it because it WANTED to, not because it would look good on admissions. From NC, the Morehead interviews were closed about 1 week before she returned (bummer). Duke, however, was very impressed and opened doors.</p>
<p>As one of 4 siblings, she needed to help ensure others had a chance, and declined Duke, and went to UNC anyway (partial scholarship). I’m glad, since that’s where I met her.</p>
<p>Anyway, ,I am a strong supporter of AFS in particular, and a semester/year abroad for students with the right attitude.</p>
<p>Hmmm…very interesting. A million years ago, 2 of my brothers and a sister did their junior years in high school abroad through Rotary International. My parents insisted that they go to a country where a foreign language is spoken or they could not go. All 3 are fluent in a foreign language as a result.
Unfortuntately, many schools no longer offer this as an option. I do not know if it is a safety/liability issue or whatever. But I agree, it can open up doors never before imagined if it is for a full school year and not just a summer. Also, a neighbor took his family around the world for 4 years by boat and home-schooled them the whole time. They returned 2 years ago. The oldest daughter was just admitted to UPENN.</p>
<p>I’d have to say my job in Hong Kong last summer. It started out as just an idea while I was waiting in the airport the Christmas before. I had visited the company, and had worked (not officially) for a few weeks. I threw the idea out as a joke, and gave the people a call. A few months later, I was in Asia, actually working…</p>
<p>That’s great. WHere were you accepted? Do you think the job put you over the edge?</p>
<p>I was always told that admissions at top colleges like sports. They have a demanding time commitment, require leadership and deication (espcially if you become a capitan), and clearly show you are passionate in things beyond academic. I’ve always felt that the fact that I did 12 seasons of sports, 10 on varisty, and co-captained two teams helped me immensely in the admissions process even though I clearly said I was not interested in playing sports in college.</p>
<p>I was accepted to University of Michigan as a transfer student. I had pretty poor stats in HS, and a complete opposite in college. I think both my essay and EC pushed me over.</p>
<p>I was a translator / junior architect at an architect company. I translated papers, did like a week of actual drawing, and spent the rest of the time as a translator with business people from France, USA, Canada, and Britain.</p>
<p>Wow. That definitely sounds like it got you in, especially considering you had poor stats in high school. Just goes to show that grades aren’t the be-all and end-all if you can balance them with <em>unique</em> ECs.</p>
<p>I joined the fire department when I was 16 and have been a firefighter ever since. Talk about unique. And it’s absolutely unbeatable as far as community service goes.</p>