Advice re: extracurriculars?

Applying to College
1

<p>Hi guys! I'm not sure if this is the right place to put this - let me know if there's better forum for it :)</p>

<p>I'm a sophomore currently attending a small high school in a small town. The colleges I'm aiming for are pretty selective - schools like UCLA, UC Berkeley, NYU, etc. I have great grades and test scores (so far at least!), but my school doesn't offer a lot of great extracurricular options relevant to my interests and I'm afraid that this will be a detriment to my chances of acceptance at the schools I want to attend.</p>

<p>The ECs I'm currently involved in are academic quiz team, a service club, Model UN, choir (I'm president), and drama club. I also plan on being a part of the yearbook staff, but that's only open to juniors and seniors. </p>

<p>What I've heard is that the best ECs involve regionally/nationally recognized organizations, but my school just doesn't offer anything of that caliber, nor does my small, rural town have many opportunities for students to excel beyond academics. Is there a way for me to seek out these opportunities on my own? Will not having stellar ECs hurt my chances even if I have a great academic record?</p>

2

<p>Living in a small town can have advantages because it can be easier to get into a position of responsibility. </p>

<p>Start by looking for community service opportunities, especially places where you can take on a leadership role. If you cant find any, consider creating some. Look for a community need and try to fill it. </p>

<p>The ECs you have are fine, look for ways to distinguish yourself. Think of the final step as a story of all the things you accomplished… “As president of our school chior, I (fill in here)”</p>

<p>GL</p>

3

<p>I think these ECs are fine for the types of schools you have listed if your grades & test scores are excellent. Ivies and a few other tippy top colleges have a different standard for ECs, but I think you will be okay just really digging in and performing well on the items you have listed.</p>

<p>However… unless you are a California resident, that is an expensive list of schools…</p>