90% of College Confidential is abnormally smart people, so you dont need to be discouraged by what you see on this website. A 3.4 GPA isn’t as bad as you think it is. That’s an average GPA, and average people do get into college 
You might not get into NYU, but there are plenty of other good schools you could go to.
As for extra curriculars, that’s on you. Join a club or two, look around and find somewhere to volunteer at, and you’re good. You don’t need a hundred things like people on CC do.
Look for colleges that fit your resume that you like. Have a balanced list with safeties, targets, and reaches (like NYU). Theres always a chance anywhere if you can have good essays that really express yourself.