Two "focues" for EC's?

T26E4
Thu, 11 Aug 2011 07:56:37 +0000

The way to get into a top 20 college is to be confident about what your interests are and not base decisions on what nameless strangers, most of whom are HS students, have opinions about.

It’s not what you do but who you are – that will capture the attention of top school admissions officers. This is a follow on to your earlier question about whether or not you should decline being the Spanish club president to focus squarely on your science ECs. I’ll go back to trying to logically pursuade you: how many applicants to these schools are one dimensional (my word: someone else would say focused) on sciences only? How many are super in science pursuits while also being a top leader in a language/culture group? You want to stand out from the crowd or blend in? Which strategy is better suited for getting into a colleges with less than 10% admit rates?

You need to think outside the box – that’s what top 20 schools are looking for.

BTW: MIT is a school you’re considering. Read this: http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/college-admissions/1193457-esse-quam-videri-how-do-college-applications.html