are my ec’s really weak?

Chance Me / Match Me!
1

ok so basically

gpa: uw through senior year 4.0
weighted: 4.25

Act: 32

I work a managerial position at my job, and I am corporately recognized and not to mention I am the top performer too — this takes up all of my time (basically have no free time)

Awards:
Finalist of Kids Got Talent 2012 (regional for the United Arab Emirates
Grade 1-3 flute distinction trinity college London
Grade 3 drama distinction (near perfect score) trinity college London
UKMT silver award (international math competition)
School academic award every year
Arabic GCSE early achievement (A*) in accelerated program

ECs:
Created a school charity committee (10k dollars in one day — private school non uniform day had to pay to not wear)
Created a double language curriculum so students could take more than one foreign language
Member of DECA - financially unable to afford to compete
NHS
Art honor society
Math honor society
Social studies honor society
Women in STEM club
Interned for a major UAE entrepreneur

Again one of the main ECs is my job, which leaves me no time to take a leadership role in these clubs - but I am a manager at my job @ 17 (also my school is basically about popularity which I don’t know if colleges understand that kids only get leadership positions if they’re cool not if they’re actually qualified)

I do believe the hook that I have is extremely unique because it tackles an issue that nobody will have mentioned before because it is so sensitive ( I will not mention until after I get into college lol ) — my essay is about it

I am also a URM with an extremely low income of $3000 a year

I am aiming for top schools, my number 1 being Stanford, and number 2 being UC Berkeley and 3 being UCLA. I understand that my ecs appear weak, but does my situation if properly articulated still make me a strong candidate for these schools?

of course i will still be applying to easier schools, but i just needed a little boost today because im not feeling too confident.

2

oh plus I have like 500+ hours of volunteering and community service (best buddies, fundraising etc)

3

“I work a managerial position at my job”

This is a very good EC.

Are you an international student? How would you plan to pay for UCLA or UC Berkeley? They are state universities with very little aid for out of state students.

4

I am indeed an out of state student, not international, but I am enrolled in an international program that sends students to these top colleges on a full scholarship, so my only issue would be getting in versus paying for these schools

5

Your ECs seem fine to me. Your ACT is on the low side for Stanford and Berkeley. My understanding is that CA doesn’t allow race to be considered in the application process so being an URM is not a hook there. (Hopefully someone will correct me if I’m mistaken)…

6

Thank you! I know that my ACT is on the low side, but it isn’t necessarily something that I believe would take me out of the running. You are right, race is not allowed to be considered, but the way that I have written my essay is in a way that where I am from can not be ignored (in a way) – again, it’s sensitive so once I get accepted wherever I get accepted I’ll spill the beans lol. i do have other hooks which are more personal but yeah thank you again :slight_smile: