Is this cliched/typical?

robinsuesanders
Wed, 11 Aug 2010 12:15:55 +0000

Penn14,

Like Northstarmom said, why are you so interested?

Sounds to me like your cousin has a lot of interests, and that can indicate a well-rounded applicant rather than a scattered, unfocused one. If the activities are not creating any academic problems for your cousin, then the ECs are a help, not a problem, no matter what you think.

And they are not at all unfocused:

Two directly relate to a serious interest in pre-med or other health-related careers.

Four are serious physical activities that among other things can indicate a serious interest in maintaining a healthy lifestyle (which again ties into “why I want to be a doctor?”). The three varsity sports also indicates someone who has learned important time-management skills that will pay off well in college and beyond.

The last three are activities that appeal to very different, but very important aspects of what it means to be * human*. Art, violin, and key club all say that your cousin is not just a jock.