Taking an AP as an homeschooler is not difficult–BUT you must register pretty early-- as i recall sometime in late February/early March. Check the college board website for details. If you are enrolled in a high school and your school isn’t willig to administer the test, the college board will assign you to an alternative location.
My son took 2 AP as a homeschooled 9th grader and then took a test in 10th grade that his high school didn’t have staff to adminster. It can be done, just don’t leave it until the last minute.
By the way, usually colleges look at your grade average most closely in “solid” classes in the core academic areas of
a) English
b) math
c) history or social science
d) foreign language
e) science
Many high schools don’t have required physical education or art or music classes, and those more specialized interests are looked at by colleges in different ways from just looking at a grade on a high school transcript.
My high school requires oral comm, drama/music, PE, AND health credit. (a semester each)
That took up quite a bit of my classes freshman/sophomore year. And most AP classes are only offered to juniors/seniors. Only a few (around 3) you can take as a sophomore. Would this count against me when HYPS and other competitive colleges are looking for a rigorous courseload? Because I didn’t take PE or health to slack off..it’s an easy A for sure but it’s required. (Some people take PE every year for the easy A)
My daughters are a bit worried about ECs. They are runners (cross country & track) all four years. Though they have other ECs and community service, the number and depth is limited due to the time committment of the sports. Very good GPAs and test scores. Any feedback?
On applications make sure to show the running as separate sports: Cross Country, Indoor Track, Outdoor Track (each as a separate sport/activity). On the Common Ap you have to list hours per week and weeks per year, so I think that will show their depth of commitment to their sports.
If they received medals or awards in sports, also put that down. When D’s competitive co-ed cheerleading team won 2nd place in Myrtle Beach, we listed it this way on her resume:
That shows the school that not only does she practice and compete, but she also competes out-of-state and travels with the team. That shows depth in her commitment.
tokenadult, thanks. I’m worried about D’s ECs; she has so few that maybe they could be a deal breaker. This is all she has (junior this year)
varsity cross country - 9, 10, 11; scholar-athlete award 10 (should get this again, but it’s not that hard to get since every varsity athlete with over a 3.5 qualifies)<br>
drill team, 9, 10, co-commander 10 (dropped that this year)
Spanish honor society - 11
Girl Scout Silver award - 9 (I want her to try for the Gold Award but she wants to quit this too).
No community service or church groups or summer jobs.
What should she do to mitigate how few ECs she has?
Thanks!
Few ECs is less of a problem than people fear. The key idea is to have some noteworthy achievement or depth of involvement in an EC important to the applicant. I think more applicants go wrong by having many ECs, none pursued in depth, than go wrong by having too few.
If you play a musical instrument, teach younger students. If you run, do a lot of 5k events. If you play another sport, coach younger students and help run special olympics.
Combine two interests. If you are active in a special cause and another activty, join forces with friends and host a charity event- a concert, an art show, charity game. Get teachers and adults involved.
People truly overrate EC’s. And also, I find that a lot of people think that extracurricular activities are only clubs, community service, instrument, etc…which is false (as the word itself is defined). Many people who say “I have so little EC’s” (like myself) actually, on a closer inspection, have more than one commonly thinks: think of the many hobbies and things you do in your free time, little things, etc…turns out that it’s a lot more than one imagines.
My cousin had four “official” Ec’s to put on his commonapp, which is considered little since everyone says that 7 is too little. He filled in the other three slots with his hobbies/side-passions and explained them, and it was a success. I think one example I remember was puzzle-solving or something like that; he had a talent for solving many complex puzzles and he put that down…I’m not sure what exactly it was but anyways, seems that he got involved somehow.
Thank you!!
Then I won’t be that worried. I play the violin and am in orchestra and various other little things associated with it that take up quite a bit of my time (we don’t have a school orchestra so it’s a separate regional one).That’s my main EC besides volunteering and clubs.
That’s not too bad is it?
nope
Seriously, everyone has 24 hours in a day and likes to spend their time doing things they enjoy. Colleges just want to see you doing what you enjoy and being good/productive with it.
Thank you! D has run a lot of local 5Ks, plans on volunteering at some local races, will run 10Ks on her own next summer and wants to try a triathalon - it never occurred to me that these would count as an EC.
So it’s OK to list things like writing stories or screenplays on your own time even if it’s not reflected in taking creative writing classes or joining clubs?
Anything and everything is possible.