How does it look to colleges if you start a non-profit organization in your community?<br>
Is that good enough of an EC to impress an Ivy League or other very top-ranked college and admit you? (assuming good grades, test scores, etc.) Is it “unique”?
I swear I am not planning to start a nonprofit just to put on my resume, but I just want to know about this because I would devote a LOT of time and energy to the cause advocated by my nonprofit.
Anything with initiative and leadership is fantastic, and starting a nonprofit definitely counts.
yes, tony, write about it. you have depth in your commitment and it is quality, not quantity, which is valued most..
How important are awards in college admissions? If I showed lots of leadership in my extracurriculars yet received close to no awards, would my leadership overshadow my lack of awards?
Awards probably don’t matter that much. I mean, there are lots of great extracurricular activities that don’t offer awards. For example, my old high school’s volunteer club didn’t offer awards, so it was impossible to get awards from that.
Thanks!
Another question, are youth councils for national organizations good ECs? Most of my ECs probably consist of being members of committees or councils, stuff like that. Will that make me stand out because I took advantage of opportunities outside of school?
Hi Everyone,
I am in 9th grade, still a while to go before college apps but not too far down the road!
I was just wondering… what can I start doing from now that will be good for college? I live in Africa and go to a private school therefore we don’t have all the oppurtunities American kids at public or private schools have, as you may have already guessed.
So what can I start to do from now that will make my college application good because certain Ivy League universities have been my dream since I was little.
Should I stick to the same Community and Service from ninth grade and onwards? Should I take part in as many school activities that interest me and keep doing them for the next 3-4 years? Should I do additional community and service?
Also, is it true that if you play a musical instrument throughout 9-12 grade, you have a higher chance of being accepted by an Ivy League/top university? I used to play the piano but quit simply becasue I found it utterly boring, had no interest whatsoever and barely practiced. From the knowledge I’ve gained, most universities don’t really care about awards (such as piano exams I took) gained before ninth grade. So does this mean that if I want my college app (when the time comes, obviously..) to stand out I should start learning an instrument?
I mean, what if I want to get into a good university such as Ivy League but Creative Arts just don’t interest me. I like to do my own art at home, specifically collaging but that’s not enough to pursue an interest in Art especially when we are given all sorts of random projects at school.
Also, if I am a Volunteer at Church or Mosque, does that count towards Community and Service?
What about if I am a member of Student Council in 9th grade and then want to take on a bigger role such as secretary in 10th grade?
I’m really confused about college and I don’t want to be looking all over the place at the last minute for things to sign up so that my college app will look good. I want to start from now and find things that inerest me but that will also make my college app stand out, so that I am prepared for when the time comes.
Please help me out!
Thanks 
and good luck to all those applying – my friend got into UPenn, that’s a really good schoolisn’t it?
IB has the CAS requirement, so is it ok to put some of those activities you did on your resume?
Its funny how one or two more “off the cuff” extracirriculars can really make your student’s application shine. A fun tool we found helpful when my daughter started her college search was the handy What Are My Chances? calculator thats free at <a href="http://www.%5B/url%5D">http://www.</a>
Hi i Would appreciate a reply to my message. My friends and I are waiting on it!!!
Many thank!
I don’t think that you should worry so much about what will impress the colleges you’re thinking of applying to because I think that colleges want to see you doing what you genuinely enjoy doing, rather than trying to impress the colleges. If you find piano boring, then you don’t have to continue playing it. Being good at an instrument won’t really help you at all. If you enjoy making your own art, then continue doing that.
this helps me greatly.. A LOT and i would have never learned that if it hadn’t been for you. Thank you Eternity_Hope2005.
So i didn’t feel like going through all the pages of responses on this topic, but does going to nationals in debate look really good? would it be something that ivy leagues look for?
It probably looks good, because it shows that you’re really involved in an activity you really enjoy, but I don’t think colleges are specifically looking for someone who has won national awards.
so i posted a separate thread about this but is being captain of a varsity sport WAYY more impressive than just being a member (but a member with an award for ABILITY in swimming and not just ability to cheer and bake nice brownies)?
thankss
yeah i have took only 2 ecs in high school (track, tennis) but i have tried very hard in tennis and got the most improved player award in my team ( my team has like 50 people), and i might even make varsity in senior year, do you think that if i add the comment that i got the award, i would impress them a little bit?
Btw the i started tennis in junior year.
Probably not way better, but at least being captain shows some kind of leadership. Doesn’t captain here just mean the best player?
If you find those awards important to you, then let them know. I don’t think it’ll help you much though.
Random question: If President Obama wrote me a personal letter of recommendation, would I be guaranteed to get into any college?
This doesn’t even pertain to me, I have no connections to the president, but I was just pondering…
i have a question. most/all of my ECs [volunteering] are related to education/kids/the like. so would it make sense to ‘market’ myself in that way? as in, to mark ‘education’ as my major on the application [idek if that’s possible actually :p].
& would it make no sense to also have some medical-related interests in my ECs, like volunteering at a hospital & stuff? or does that throw the first part off 
^ I actually think the ECs with kids and ECs with medical= possible pediatrics person, lol
But no, it won’t throw off the 1st part. If you can tie all your ECs into your passion I think it’ll show something unique about u.