<p>Don’t worry if your EC’s aren’t focused on the major you want. It’s not really about that…it’s about showing colleges that you know how to manage time effectively. One of my friends is only President of 2 clubs and I believe a member of a few other clubs (MUN, NHS, Mu Alpha Theta, etc.) and she got into UPenn. Your EC’s are fine - if you add on a few more EC’s you are good. Concentrate on test scores and write a damn good essay cause that’s extremely important. For your Neuroscience Society if this means a lot to you make sure you get the Co-P position…you can easily use this in one of your essays (looks great, tells colleges you have a goal that you are stepping towards).</p>
<p>Sorry, i know this is an obscure question, but how much would a recommendation from a very high level federal government official count for an application?</p>
<p>@fritztitty. DONT DROP DEBATE. it will not only change the way you think and process info, but dramatically improve your people/persuasion skills. and its freaking amazing.</p>
<p>I always feel inadequate in these threads.
I don’t think I do that much. I’m definitely not a super-try-hard go-getter.
I’m a freshman, by the way.</p>
<p>But, yeah. Here’s my meager list:</p>
<ol>
<li>Classical piano at various studios and locations. A combined 6 or 7 years.</li>
<li>Various art classes, various locations. A combined 4 years.</li>
<li>Fine art, exclusive private lessons. 2 years.</li>
<li>Assisting library staff, community service at my local library branch. 28 hours.</li>
<li>Various events volunteering at school. 4 hours.</li>
<li>Winter league recreational soccer. 4 years</li>
<li>Winter league recreational basketball. 5 years.</li>
</ol>
<p>Oh, and I’ve been accepted to an exclusive ‘Arts’ school for writing.
The school requires an audition process before enrolling. I was picked out of 300 people
and will have around 30 credits from my supplementary writing-specialized classes until Senior year. </p>
<p>I’m joining a few clubs here and there from sophomore year until senior. Hopefully
something positive will result from that.</p>
<p>Everything I’ve done so far looks highly unimpressive. Blah.</p>
<p>Can anybody give me some guidance or something? I’m looking to enter either engineering, marketing, or business.</p>
<p>This is a bit far fetched. How many kids have actually started their own business in high school that yielded thousands of dollars, and how many are nationally ranked in a sport? These are the absolute best of the best, and obviously they’re going to get in virtually everywhere they apply simply because of the phenomenon of a 16 year old starting a business. Everyone can’t be a Mark Zuckerberg! (He was in college, too.)</p>
<p>When youdo extracurriculars you should really focus on only what you are interested in. It is said that you should be well rounded but there is a right and wrong way to do it.</p>
<p>Were I’am from there is a lot of antibiotic resistance within hospitals. I decided to do research on preventing antibiotic resistance with the use of copper surfaces which was very difficult at first due to the lack of resources in my region. I also wrote a business plan for a company which prevents the spread of antibiotic resistance and presented it to the major and other distinguished citizens. I placed first at the state science fair which is unheard of from the region I’m from, and I also made it to ISEF. The activitY showed how I could use an idea in different ways and that I’m focusing on an issue within my region so i think it helped. I also had a publication in public policy but that was in an internship not that independent, and of course I was also part officer of some clubs. But you should focus on sometime you are really interested in and take it to different directions.</p>
<p>ECs are only important for top notch schools who have a majority of applicants that easily fulfill and do it exceedingly well, the top 70-80% no-EC consideration. So when everyone has stellar grades and amazing SAT scores, top schools like HYP will consider your ECs and college essays more carefully.</p>
<p>Anyways my question is, has anyone tried to do the intel STS, Siemens or intel ISEF for their college EC, but failed to win an award? I’m seriously considering writing a research paper and doing independent research this summer for intel STS, but I know I won’t place and I doubt I’ll even be a semi-finalist. They have the submit a research paper option in a lot of colleges though and I was wondering if that would be useful. I wanted to submit an art portfolio, but seeing as I’ll probably major in something science based… would it be more useful?</p>
<p>Somebody told my ECs are weak and now im freaking out. At my school being president of a club, being on a sports team, and being editor-in-chief of the yearbook is almost too much to handle. I’m super passionate about my sport and anyone that plays a club sport know how much of a time commitment it is. Yearbook too. I know for sure that almost every lunch next school year will be spent in the yearbook room since my school makes one of the biggest yearbooks in the country. If I focus on my sport, my club, and yearbook, will I be ok?</p>