<p>I’m saying that you’re worrying way too much about your EC’s when they look fine. The CC standard for EC’s is a bit ridiculous.</p>
<p>I have a question.</p>
<p>From 7-10th grade (and i guess a tiny bit junior year) i played competitive super smash brothers (its a video game if you don’t know). Tournaments and traveling out of city and shiz. I was ranked in my city and had even beaten one of the top 3 players on the west coast in a tournament. </p>
<p>I am wondering if this is worthwhile to put on my app. Especially because I am now a dedicated high level athlete, it might be interesting to show uniqueness maybe (but with my grades, scores, and other EC’s, not obsession with video games hopefully)</p>
<p>What do yall think about this?</p>
<p>I just got back from going on multiple college visits on spring break and every rep and dean said the same thing: “quality over quantity.” They explained that while some students may be in every club possible, and that’s great, but also that it’s just as great to see students who are extremely dedicated to one or two clubs/sports. So is it really just as good to be 100% dedicated to 2 or 3 things 24/7?</p>
<p>Yep
Being in every club just makes you look silly and a resume filler 
Which will actually have a negative impact on your application probably. Do stuff you like. If you like all 20 things and prefer to spread your time out, it wont hurt you, but actually acquire proficiency or dedicate yourself to something. Adcoms aren’t looking for people who sign up for lots clubs, they are looking for dedicated individuals</p>
<p>Honestly, this is all insane. I just read through about 30 pages or so of this thread (time I’ll never get back!) and I’m disheartened by the craziness involved with IVY OR BUST. Is a name really that important, or does anything else matter? Because I have a couple of friends who attended Harvard, and they said the majority of the classes in their first two years were taught by TA’s. Forty thousand a year to sit in lecture bowl classes with a TA?? Just so you can say you did your undergrad at Harvard?</p>
<p>Also, FWIW, my best friend went to the University of North Dakota (yes, the Princeton Review’s distinguished #1 in the category “Students Study the Least”). She is now a highly respected manager in a top company and, incidentially, has several HYP grads (her same age) working under her. </p>
<p>The crazy fact is that, in the long run, it matters not so much where you went to college, but what you do with your degree once you’re out. So all of you thinking you’ll “just die” if you don’t get into an Ivy - RELAX.</p>
<p>^I think the anti-Ivy mentality is just as silly as the Ivy or Bust one. There are benefits to attending a top school, whether that’s being in classes with other motivated and intelligent kids, financial aid, the alumni network, or a huge endowment. But as the saying goes, cream tends to rise to the top, and students who attend non-Ivies can (and do) do very well later in life. Some people are late bloomers; others prefer to be big fish in smaller ponds; and still others would just prefer a huge state flagship for the sports and the parties. To each his own. But disparaging Ivies is a silly way to make that point.</p>
<p>You can succeed going to a non-prestigious school and fail going to an Ivy. You get what you put in.
The starting salaries at good schools are higher, and you are with more highly motivated students, and have more prestigious and knowledgable proffessors.</p>
<p>You get what you put in though, and not just in college.</p>
<p>For the clubs part, how many clubs would you say is too much?
I’m wondering because I’m currently in four clubs, five next year: Model United Nations (founder and president), Linguistics Club (founder and president), Red Cross (position holder), Literary Chronicles (hopefully position next year), and possibly another volunteering club, but that’s tentative.
Since at least MUN, Linguistics, and Literary Chronicles can be grouped under social sciences, would my club schedule look scattered anyway?</p>
<p>Stevenf, if you’re dedicated to each of your clubs and you show that dedication on your application, there is no upper limit. However, it can be hard to show commitment for that many different extracurriculars.</p>
<p>You guys worry about all of this crap too much. None of it matters. Is your ultimate goal to make money? Is that why you’re so scared about “not doing enough” or “not being qualified enough”?</p>
<p>You don’t need any EC’s or anything else to impress other people. Do what makes you happy, follow your own interests, be proud of who you are and everything else will work out. If you sell yourself well then you’ll be fine. To the guy that said he played competitive video games, that’s great, use it.</p>
<p>Sorry, I had to create an account to type this, I always come across this site when I do google searches.</p>
<p>Academics first, and then worry about extracurricular activities later. </p>
<p>Being president of a club is cool, but it’s not mind-boggling.
Being an author of a bestselling book, on the other hand, is something to be impressed about. And why is that? (rhetorical question only)</p>
<p>@wiggedy not money. if you’re like me you’re just an academic perfectionist. can’t help it :D</p>
<p>Would having a position as a Software Engineer at IBM be considered an EC (if it is, is it a good one)?</p>
<p>Yes and yes lol
obviously</p>
<p>You know what I find funny. There’s the people on one side of the thread, saying that these people worry too much about just getting into a top school</p>
<p>And then there’s the other side that’s debating about whether impressive ECs would look good.</p>
<p>“Also, FWIW, my best friend went to the University of North Dakota (yes, the Princeton Review’s distinguished #1 in the category “Students Study the Least”). She is now a highly respected manager in a top company and, incidentially, has several HYP grads (her same age) working under her.”</p>
<p>That is a whole other issue entirely. Meritocracy ends after college, and moving up in a company is not entirely based on the quality of work produced. Moving up in a company is more about the demonstration of leadership skills in a corporate environment. This would probably include delegating, diplomacy, managing relationships efficiently, and etc. Many college applicants have EC’s that imply leadership, but execution in the real world is an different matter.</p>
<p>This is not to downplay the benefits of going to an Ivy or a top-tier school. Many companies, especially those in finance-esque fields, are incredibly superficial.</p>
<p>My EC’s have reflected my interest in law and finance, but they are not stellar by any means. An internship at the DA’s office, an internship at Morgan Stanley overseas office, and possibly one in Franklin Templeton. This is combined with involvement in mock trial and student government, both of which I have been dedicated too. I’m not looking at Ivies, but I am reading that my EC’s may not even be enough for mid-midhigh tier. </p>
<p>A hobby of mine for a year has been high fashion, and I do run an ebay business that involves resale, or flipping, of clothing, that I do make some money off of. Would that be considered an EC?</p>
<p>I hate the fact that you need good ECs to get into good universities. I get excellent grades (4.0 GPA, ranked first in class), take extra classes, do self-studies, have great teacher recommendations and have a good chance at getting excellent SAT and AP scores. My school doesn’t offer lots of ECs, but I’m hoping to do the following this summer, and for the next two years:</p>
<ul>
<li>Volunteer work at city’s main hospital</li>
<li>Enter environment competition (world-wide)</li>
<li>Enter Scholastic 2012 Art and Writing Competition</li>
<li>Join an International Honor Society</li>
<li>Run for School President (and get school involved in community service)</li>
<li>Join Art Club, Environment Club, and rejoin Swim Team</li>
<li>Various community service projects</li>
<li>Get a summer job if possible</li>
</ul>
<p>I just hope it’ll be enough. :-/ I heard you need to have a stellar EC background to get into NYU…</p>
<p>wow, my town doesn’t even have any good volunteering programs only working at like gift shop *** thats not even volunteering lol</p>
<p>i guess ill just join clubs</p>
<p>I feel like good EC’s mean not only several of them, but obvious strength in them. Sure, you can be in debate, but it’s the kids who go to Nationals that get into the good schools.</p>