I’m starting junior year right now, and I’m beginning to start feeling stressed about EC’s. Basically, I pretty much wasted my freshman and sophomore years and have little to show for them other than stats (6 AP’s), mainly due to the fact that I slaved on the school swim team even though I never made it to varsity. I started to join clubs last year, but I don’t have a significant leadership role in any of them, although I want to get involved in FBLA and our science club, which does Science Olympiad. I feel like all I’ve done is have a bunch of unfocused EC’s that don’t show quality. From what I’ve read, quality and leadership potential were the main points of focus, as well as doing something you’re passionate about.
I’m very passionate about playing the violin; I’ve been playing for six years and I practice about three hours daily, sometimes more. I’m in my school’s honors orchestra, and I also participate in a community music group that plays at retirement centers. The problem is, I have no idea how to take this passion and turn it into something that will impress colleges (I’m hoping for HYPS). How can I take something like violin playing and turn it into an activity that shows leadership and potential without seeming like just another violin-toting asian? Is one year enough time for me to do something significant?
I’d say that’s a great EC. If you really care about the retired people, the adcoms will care to take you.
Hey guys I need urgent help! Please spare a moment to read my thread…
<a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/college-admissions/1024592-seniors-cc-urgent-i-never-had-chance-do-ecs-so-will-hypsm-reject-me.html[/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/college-admissions/1024592-seniors-cc-urgent-i-never-had-chance-do-ecs-so-will-hypsm-reject-me.html</a>
What if my passion is philosophy? I have and still do read many philosophy books. I am already doing debate for all four years (I have a passion for it but not many awards :/), but I think I could do much more. There are not many people here interested in it so I cannot start a club in school about it.
What do you guys recommend?
If you are a veteran, there is great news, as New York University offers free of charge a writing workshop to any OIF, Gulf War, etc veteran.
Generally speaking, veterans are trendy these days and by being one you cannot go wrong.
[NYU</a> Announces New Writing Workshop for Veterans -](<a href=“http://steinhardt.nyu.edu/news/2009/3/9/NYU_Announces_New_Writing_Workshop_for_Veterans]NYU”>http://steinhardt.nyu.edu/news/2009/3/9/NYU_Announces_New_Writing_Workshop_for_Veterans)
Maybe “trendy” isn’t the appropriate word…
Being a veteran (not necessarily OIF/OEF, you can even be in reserves) is one of the ways you cannot go wrong. You see, the whole idea is to do something that 30,000 others haven’t done yet, or something different. According to statistics, only 10% of the population are veterans. By being one, you stand out from 90% of your competition. Thus, you are trendy.
If you don’t like the military, there are zillions of things possible. A georgetown university applicant was waitlisted. While she waited, she organized a walkathon and raised $20,000 for Haiti. Things like this stand out.
Now as for myself personally, I am interested in the computer field and I might want to learn all I can. I’m not going to join the Peace corps, organize walkathons, cook food in soup kitchens, etc, and do months or years of distractions before I can get permission to learn the computer field.
I’ll go to someplace like Sanford Brown Institute, or any Business school where I can start right away. If employers want a regular college degree, well, than I’ll just be content to flip burgers, or work as a cashier. It wouldn’t be my fault that the only thing I did wrong was start school right away instead of first spending 1 month to 3 years cooking food in soup kitchens, organize walkathons, etc.
It sounds as though you have a talent for reading, and before you write well you must be able to read well.
Try and see if you can do some volunteer work for any non profit organization. Try and see if you can do any research. You can subscribe to databases with statistical information and have access to thousands of scholarly articles (On another forum, I stated that you don’t need College in order to learn because everything you need is on the internet or in bookstores).
See if you can do a research project. If for example, the organization is trying to convince the governor or federal government to fund a community program where kids at risk clean graffitti, mentoring, etc, do statistical research to show those with pocketbooks why the non profit organization needs to be funded: benefits to kids, long term benefits to society, etc.
Present your work to adcoms, and see what happens.
For anybody serious about attending College (computer science, etc can be learned anyplace. If I decide to take the classes, I’ll register at a business school that will accept me by the spring and I’ll start right away), Google: 5 ways to get off a waiting list, and scroll until you see on with a Forbes link.
The whole point of the article is that hundreds of thousands of applicants are saying the same things: class politics, sports, etc. Acceptance is an art, and the art is to figure out something 100,000 others havent’ done, or thought about.
Read about how a waitlisted applicant organized a walkathon and raised $20,000 for Haiti.
For example (my personal example), 99 percent of people would rather be eating at restaurants, or at home for Thanksgiving with familiy and friends than cooking food for homeless people. On Black Friday, you’re lucky if you can get in the door on a sunny day in the late morning. Contrast this with the line of people waiting to volunteer as candystripers, or delivering food to poor people.
That is not the definition of trendy. The word you’re looking for is unique.
Definition of trendy:
Your use of “trendy” suggests that being a veteran is a passing fad rather than a substantial commitment.
Amazing post, thank you so much for posting it!
Does Seminary count as a good EC? I’ve done theological seminary for four years through the LDS education system and it has been one of my deepest passions. It was a class that I’ll never forget. From my first day in 8th grade to my last at the end of 11th, and even while I take the next step (called Institute) I am fascinated by my religion, my history, other people’s religions and their stories. I gained a deeper understanding and love for mankind as a whole.
Should I write an essay about this? I’m applying to places like Dartmouth and Middlebury, and I’ve got the scores, the EC’s, the rec’s but I’m just trying to make sure my essay is excellent. Would admissions officers not like a religious essay? It wouldn’t be a religious essay per se but more of a description of how a religious class and understanding helped make me a better person in the context of me becoming an Eagle Scout, an EMT, etc etc
Does babysitting count as an extra curricular? I have four younger brothers, I’m the oldest and I’ve spent a good deal of my time watching them all while both my parents worked to support my family. At the same time I’ve often watched other people’s children so that their parents can work. It’s taken away a good portion of my social life. I basically learned to be a pseudo-parent. I’ve even taught the youngest one how to read. I’ve learned how to cook pretty well, help little kids teach I’ve learned how to study well and do my homework while entertaining the little guys. How would I tell a college this? Should I tell them? Would they even care? My grades are fine, I’m second in my class of 200 and I’m taking the hardest classes my small school can offer along with the typical vast amounts of EC’s that I’m pretty passionate about (EMS, Youth Court, Choir, Orchestra, Boy Scouts, Math Team, etc etc) or else I wouldn’t bother doing them, time is of the essence. I remember before I got into NHS one of the EC’s that the counselor for that at my school told me to put down was my babysitting experience for my application into NHS. Do colleges feel the same?
whoa I totally forgot I had that earlier post about Seminary too, I’m sorry both these posts seem pretty redundant to a degree.
For extracurriculars, do colleges actually take into account what activities we do outside of school (i.e. mixed martial arts, piano, etc.)?
To godfather: it wouldn’t hurt to win a couple of piano competitions just to show that you’re good at it…don’t overdo it, but definitely use it as a boost!
Absolutely, though they’re unlikely to impress adcoms without some level of accomplishment.
A lot of people don’t know this, but YES, babysitting and taking care of your family (CommonApp calls it “family responsibilities”) does count as an extracurricular. It shows that you are a responsible adult who was able to face problems in a mature way. You learning to be a “pseudo-parent” is going to make you stand out from a lot of other applicants who didn’t have to take on that responsibility.
How to impress adcoms? It’s really simple in theory, do something impressive in an EC and adcoms should be impressed by it…
How can I combine my main ecs? I compete in triathlons and started when I was 16 (got first place in arizona triple crown championship 15-19 age group), also I signed up for Ironman Arizona 2011 (2.4 mile swim, 120 mile bike, 24 mile run). I’ve had hyperhidrosis (excessive sweating in palms and feet) I would literally soak my paper in water and It would get really bad during tests, the more i think about it, the worst it gets. And, using craigslist to make money-- around $50 per transaction.
thanks, this has helped a lot!