advice on ECs?

Applying to College
1

<p>I was wondering if anyone could give me advice/feedback on my ECs...</p>

<p>Sports:
-I play soccer year-round on a club team (7 yrs), and in high school.
-played volleyball (only JV) frosh and soph years and plan on quiting next year because I have conflicting scheldules with my club soccer team and high school volleyball</p>

<p>Was wondering if you think I should join another sport (track). I was going to this year, except I got injured, and couldn't. (I'm not a top athlete or anything, I just do it for fun + exercise). Next year I will be a Junior, so it will be much harder to start a new sport plus, it is really time consuming. It seems fun though, but is it worth the stress etc, of it?</p>

<p>Clubs:
-I'm the president and founder of a science club.
-Will be on newspaper staff for all 4 years and will be editor-in-chief in 11th and 12th.
-Just a member of a service club and some other random club.
-I was thinking of founding another club next year though (should I?)</p>

<p>Volunteering:
-have around 150+ hrs, but planning for at least 250. been volunteering at a museum pretty frequently</p>

<p>Passion:
Writing, writing, writing...mostly fantasy stories. Been submitting my work in places, but not amounting to much...oh well</p>

<p>Music:
Played piano for 11+ years, but I'm not that good, considering I haven't had formal lessons for last 2 yrs. It seems a shame to waste this activity of mine b/c I've been doing it so long, but nothing has really come of it. ButI love, love playing on my spare time. Recently been thinking about getting more serious about it...but I doubt I would win any big competitions or anything. Plus I'm half-asian, and I don't want to focus on too many strereotypical things...and I probably would not send in a supplement because honestly, my pieces are not very polished.</p>

<p>Questions:
So basically, I have a question about leadership? I've been trying to utilize more roles...hoping for captaincy in my club soccer team...or run for office for something (but don't know who will vote for me lol). Should I start another club just for kicks? So..are my leadership roles, er..sufficient? </p>

<p>What do you think of my ECs? </p>

<p>What should I be doing to make the most of my ECs? </p>

<p>I think I'm well-rounded, but worried about if I will come across as passion-less?</p>

<p>And lastly, should I be looking for internships or summer programs or what?</p>

<p>Thanks for reading this (sorry its so long!) and commenting :)</p>

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<p>I have a question for you: Do you like doing what you do? It’s good that you’re well-rounded, but do you do it for the sake of colleges to look at? Passion is something that you can convey through everyday actions … how teachers and people at school see you … and how you write your essays. </p>

<p>And I urge you do summer progs … but most of them will not help you get into a prestigious school … on the other hand, you can learn more, see more people and places – it’s a very unique experience that will help prepare you for college.</p>

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<p>yes, I would that everything I do is because I like to…otherwise I wouldn’t be able to stand putting so much time into them (this is part of the reason I am quitting volleyball). At the same time I am aware of college admissions. The only difference I would say is that I am angling for more leadership in the activities I have then I would normally (because I am more of a shy person)
I’m actually a bit lazy when I can get away with it, but at heart I love being busy and involved in things. Like now, I am totally exasperated because I’m not really participating in as many activites as usual.</p>

<p>on the other hand, there is a difference between liking to do things and being passionate about them. The reason I am well-rounded is because I like doing lots of things, but I am only really, really passionate about writing.</p>

<p>the only problem with summer programs is that I can’t really afford to shell out $1,000-5,000…I will probably end up taking classes at the local community college.</p>

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<p>^Summer progs offer FA … though not much. If you can’t afford summer progs, taking classes at a local CC is a good alternative. It sounds like you have a plan and you have initiative … that’s good. </p>

<p>The good news is that not everyone is expected to be a leader and have leadership positions in everything. Just try the best you can.</p>

5

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<p>That’s my main critique. You’ve definitely got the well-rounded thing going for you, so my advice would be to start focusing your EC’s. If you want to major in engineering, start looking for sciencey EC’s; if you want poly sci or a related humanity maybe look for an internship with a nonprofit; you get the idea.</p>

<p>Some specifics:</p>

<p>Even if you’re not going to be a recruited athlete it would be good to get a leadership position on that soccer team. If an adcom gets the sense that you’re a good, committed soccer player he’ll know (or faultily think :)) you’ll join the team at his university.</p>

<p>It’s always good to found clubs, but like I said, try to make it reflect whatever aspect of you you’re trying to convey.</p>

<p>If you’re no longer that interested in music then don’t force it. </p>

<p>Writing is a difficult passion to have, considering a) how hard it is to get published and b) how little money writers make. If you’re a talented writer that will come across in your essay. Don’t put all your eggs in the “accomplished novelist” basket.</p>

<p>Getting the maximum hours of volunteering is not a great way to devote yourself. If you’re just doing mundane community service, 200 hours isn’t going to be seen in a any different a light than 400 hours. I’d suggest either volunteering with a specific organization or getting an internship with one. It’s better to write an explanation of a rewarding summer you had with a nonprofit than every other Tuesday cleaning up the park. Colleges aren’t going to accept you based on the possibility that you’ll clean their school for them.</p>

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<p>What I am really having trouble figuring out is what I should really commit myself to out of my activites. I’ve decided I will focus on getting my writing better, but I don’t know whether I should be becoming more commited to piano, a new club, or a new sport. I would like to do all of them, but if I did all 3 I will probably never sleep next year lol.</p>

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<p>also, I have no idea what I want to major in. Could be anything. I am humanities oriented as of now, but I’ve been seriously considering sciency careers. Like I would love to do research and design or something.
I love writing, but it is more something to enjoy. I am definetely not banking on a career in writing because it is very unlikely I will get published and be able to support myself. On the other hand I think being a good writer will serve me well no matter what I pursue. Like even in science you have to write papers and stuff.</p>

<p>What i’ve been thinking of doing, to get more into science is take math and science classes at the community college, and yeah hopefully (!) :slight_smile: I can get an internship somewhere.</p>

<p>I would say 100 of my 150 hrs of community service are at the art museum…but this doesn’t really relate to the rest of my ECs. I just like museums lol. But where I go to school, it’s kinda of the norm to get like 400+ hrs of community service. Like a lot of people, instead of going out to the movies with their friends will go to the beach and do a beach cleanup</p>

<p>But can I be passionate in both writing and science or will I seem all over the place?</p>

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<p>Your ECs are fine unless you plan to apply to one of the top 25 or so LACs and other universities that get so many apps with sky high stats that those colleges can afford to pick and choose from those great applicants to create a diverse, well rounded class.</p>

<p>For those very top universities, what they will want to know is what you accomplished, for instance, by being president of a club. They know that lots of students use club offices as only resume dressing and don’t initiate or run any projects. </p>

<p>Founding a club is not impressive unless the club actually accomplishes something.</p>

<p>Do what you love, and do those things with creativity, independence from having adults really run the show, and with results, and you’ll impress the colleges that care about ECs.</p>

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<p>What do you mean by projects?
For my club, we mostly have guest speakers, do community service, go to science festivals, and fundraise.</p>

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<p>Just a few notes, but all are good points made by fellow CC posters: </p>

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<p>Creating a club that has meaning and investing time in it is impressive, because it demonstrates initiative and passion, because that club is probably like your “baby” … on the other hand, don’t just create a club last-minute just for the sake of putting it on your college app, because that will not show up well with college admission officers. </p>

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<p>It’s good to volunteer and stuff, but it’s not all about the hours. In fact, some colleges know that some schools require a certain number of volunteer hours, aka to qualify for membership in NHS or another service club. </p>

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Good thing if you’re actually creative. But don’t force it if you’re not usually a creative person. Be yourself!</p>

<p>And alwaysconfused:

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<p>It’s okay to have interests in wholly separate fields. While some people may have a clear cut direction throughout HS, they may not maintain the same interests by the time they get into college. Many people end up changing majors in college, so it’s okay if you’re still split. Just keep exploring to narrow down what you think you like.</p>

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<p>“It’s good to volunteer and stuff, but it’s not all about the hours.”
So community service isn’t as important? At my school it’s like a HUGE thing. Everyone is always talking about service hours, forming service clubs, etc. I’d much rather do only around 100-200 hrs than, say 500. That way I can spend my time elsewhere- in some activity I actually enjoy, if that’s truly the case.</p>

<p>I have a few different ideas for a club that I could form next year that would be really fun, and I could sponsor a drive :)</p>

<p>btw how do you do those quote boxes?</p>

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<p>“So community service isn’t as important? At my school it’s like a HUGE thing. Everyone is always talking about service hours, forming service clubs, etc. I’d much rather do only around 100-200 hrs than, say 500. That way I can spend my time elsewhere- in some activity I actually enjoy, if that’s truly the case.”</p>

<p>Doing a productive activity that you like, and doing it with responsibility, independence, creativity and results (raising money, making a difference in someone’s life, getting awards, organizing a project, etc.) is what counts.</p>

<p>The colleges that care the most about ECs aren’t particularly impressed by hours of community service, but by the results of that. They know that it’s possible to accrue lots of community service hours at some agencies by simply showing up and doing nothing. </p>

<p>Community service that’s impressive is service that, for instance, a student organizes after the student has identified a need (and the student may have identified that need while doing community service). For instance, my son organized and facilitated youth leadership workshops at a place where he had been doing community service for a couple of years.</p>

<p>He evolved from being a very shy volunteer who simply did what he was told at the place to a person who had ideas and implemented ideas. He did that not to impress colleges, but because he liked the agency and because he genuinely enjoyed doing service. </p>

<p>That’s an example of the kind of impact – on yourself and an organization – that impresses colleges. </p>

<p>In addition, the admissions officers and alum interviewers for the schools that care about ECs can tell the difference between students who do ECs only to decorate resumes and those who are pursuing activities they care about. That’s because the alum of such colleges (and many admissions officers have attended the college where they work or they attended similar colleges) are the type of people who continue to be active in organizations and pursuing various interests even in adulthood – because that’s the kind of activity that makes them happy.</p>

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<p>“But can I be passionate in both writing and science or will I seem all over the place?”</p>

<p>So what if you seem all over the place? Pursue what you’re interested in. Most people --particularly those at top colleges – have more than one strong interest. For instance, the editor of the Harvard Crimson daily newspaper a few years ago was a biochem major. One of my Harvard alum friends is a pediatrician who also – for fun – volunteers running a highly respected youth orchestra in a major city. </p>

<p>Many highly successful people have varied interests. Yesterday, I met one of the top lawyers in my state. He’s also an avid golfer who published a book about a renowned golfer.</p>

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<p>^thanks for the stories of multiple interests…sometimes I feel like I like doing to many things, which is killing me when I’m trying to think of possible careers. </p>

<p>“In addition, the admissions officers and alum interviewers for the schools that care about ECs can tell the difference between students who do ECs only to decorate resumes and those who are pursuing activities they care about.”</p>

<p>That’s what I’m worried about for myself, especially because I’m well-rounded. I actually do enjoy particpating in my activites. Already people on this thread have asked me if I am doing my ECs for the sake of admissions. I feel that I am genuinely dedicated and interested in all my EC’s, and the ones that I’m not (volleyball, empty community service hrs) I am planning to quit anyways so I can dedicate more of my time to things I enjoy more.</p>

<p>I am afraid that the admissions officer will look at my application and say, “wow, what a luandry list of activites…I doubt she is passionate about them.” </p>

<p>How do I combat this?</p>

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<p>If you are pursuing a variety of activities that you genuinely care about, you have nothing to worry about. The admissions officers know that some people really are like that. </p>

<p>It’s the students who force themselves to do things they aren’t interested in that have reason to worry that their ECs won’t impress admissions officers. Even more, they have reason to regret having wasted their time by pursuing things that bored them instead of activities that they cared about. By choosing such a course, they missed the opportunity to build strengths and skills in things that mattered to them. That’s their loss.</p>

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<p>Thanks for all the advice :slight_smile: It has been very helpful.</p>

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<p>"thanks for the stories of multiple interests…sometimes I feel like I like doing to many things, which is killing me when I’m trying to think of possible careers. "</p>

<p>You don’t need to select a career now. High school and college are the time to explore a variety of interests-- including new interests. You can’t decide on a career until you have some experience with the various options that are available. In addition, most college students change their majors at least twice. That’s because in college, they discover new ECs and academic subjects, and also are exposed in new ways to subjects that they may have liked or disliked before for reasons that were superficial.</p>

<p>"I am afraid that the admissions officer will look at my application and say, “wow, what a luandry list of activites…I doubt she is passionate about them.” </p>

<p>How do I combat this?"</p>

<p>Stop trying to second guess the admissions officers. Just do what you love. Frankly, the people who do best in admissions are the ones who pursued their interests without trying to second guess what admissions officers would think. Such students also look for colleges that match their interests and needs. They don’t try to squeeze themselves into a form to fit a particular college.</p>

<p>As for what college interviewers, etc. might think of you. Well… in the past 10 years, some of the things I have done are: taken French classes abroad and at a local college for fun; been president of my S’s PTO; organized an international gala at my S’s school; organized and facilitated workshops as a volunteer; become a precinct committeewoman for my political party; served on the board of my alum association; gotten trained in a specialized form of photography; had a pix that I took published in a national magazine; taken up ballroom dancing; explored various faiths, becoming very active in one; taken tai chi; taken acting classes and become involved in community theater as a writer, performer and board member; been an editor on a local community paper that was volunteer-run; participated in book clubs; started a writer’s group; participated in several spiritual retreats; organized a spiritual retreat; served on the board of an advocacy organization; served on a nonprofit board; been an extra in an HBO film; volunteered abroad…</p>

<p>And I also headed my region’s alumni interviewing committee. In having a wide range of interests, I’m not rare when it comes to graduates of and admissions officers at top colleges.</p>

<p>So stop obsessing about how such people may regard your ECs. Just pursue your interests, enjoy your life, and then apply to schools that match your needs and interests. Regardless of how wonderful your ECs are, do make sure that you apply to at least one safety that you’d enjoy attending.</p>