What extracurriculars are considered good?

b_r_um
Thu, 21 Aug 2014 18:03:55 +0000

Why aren’t I exceptionally we’ll rounded? I’m genuinely concerned, I’m not being arrogant, if it seems that way. I really can say with confidence I am currently excelling at my school and beyond. I admit, I’m very very very far from an exceptional musician, but shouldn’t he french part be considered my passion too, considering I’ve been dedicated for seven years? Thanks for your help.

I have met international students with a “stronger extra-curricular profile” than what you have described here at my undergraduate college (Bryn Mawr), and you’re nowhere near the students I met at Stanford. Okay, you have been studying an extra foreign language and you’ve been playing an instrument for 3 years. Both are pretty standard hobbies to pursue on the side.

Let me describe to you a few of my classmates from Bryn Mawr.


A girl from China who developed an improved version of a prosthetic limb and convinced a manufacturer to bring it to market. (All while still in high school.) She was also an active artist, a div III athlete and one of the nicest people I have ever met.
A girl from Europe who was the 2nd chair of the young adult section of a major political party in her country. She was fluent in 4 languages and spent a lot of time volunteering.
A girl from Africa who’d been homeless for much of her youth. A charity organization helped her go back to school and apply to college in the US. She excelled academically after she was given the proper resources, played several (!) sports competitively and was very active in organizing cultural events in college.


I guess what I’m not really seeing in your self-description here is initiative or a sense of purpose. All I see is someone who is good at being a student (excels in school, takes extra language classes and violin lessons).