So I’m not really sure what makes an EC strong or weak, but it’s starting to sound like you need to start your own business or cure cancer by age 17 in order to get into college, so I want to see how I stand. I feel like I’m not very strong, but I’m a rising senior and thus I don’t think I have time for much else. If it’s weak, do you guys have any advice on how to strengthen it (if there’s time)?
List:
-Captain of Speech and Debate team (and member with the most points)
-NHS member (service/academic society)
-Student Gov Class Rep
-Animal shelter volunteer
-Organized a bake sale to support our local food bank
-Been in our school’s theater productions every year
-Trying to get an article published to Buzzfeed LGBT (yeah, not impressive, I’m not big on them either, but I’m not sure where else to publish those sorts of things?)
Summer Ventures in Science and Math (an academic research program I did last summer; I researched sex hormones and manipulated them to convert estrogen to testosterone for the purpose of Hormone Replacement Therapy. It was only a 4 week program, though, so I didn’t get to implement it or anything, it was just theoretical)
And that’s all. What do you guys think? My dream school is UChicago, for context, but I’m also looking at UC Berkeley, Rice, and NYU (as well as some safeties, but I’m more concerned with if this list is enough for more competitive schools).
I think it is, if you have the scores, grades, LORs, and essays to go along with them. You know NYU gives pretty lousy need based aid, right? And these are likely reaches — do you have matches & safeties you would be happy to attend identified?
@intparent I have the GI Bill, so finances aren’t an issue for me. I have some safeties picked out, but I’m not sure how to determine what qualifies as a “match”.
They are certainly not weak but not super-strong either. Don’t despair over the ridiculous ECs you see on CC—they are a self-selecting group of overachievers and not a huge component of any school’s admitted class, plus some exaggerate, plus some of these “start your own charity” ECs are actually frauds and AOs can see through it. There are an amazing number of top test scores/top GPA kids who are in national honor society, national math honor society, and little else, and compared to them you are on track to cure diabetes by next year.
@intparent The schools are yellow ribbon, so they cover whatever tu3 GI Bill doesn’t. As for my stats:
4.5 GPA
33 (34 superscored) ACT: 36R 36E 28M 36S (yea math obviously is my weak point, but I’m polisci so hopefully they won’t hold it against me)
Here are some things you might want to do for your UChicago app:
Understand exactly what the college is looking for. Both in general and with this new Empower Initiative.
Talk to your regional admissions rep about the Empower Initiative, what they’re seeking and how it relates to you. Get on their radar screen as a great candidate.
Make sure you tailor your app to show how you fit what they are looking for. Use the buzzwords, incorporate direct mentions of what you have that matches what they are looking for.
Make sure at least one of your essays discusses your parent’s service and your experiences with that culture. This is the first year of the Empower Initiative and they’ve been very vocal about it, so any attributes that you have that match that initiative are going to give you an admissions boost. If they’re looking to attract children of service members, do not let them forget you are one.
As much as you want to make sure they know you are what the Empower Initiative is seeking, that can’t be all you show. That alone won’t be enough, so make it big but not to the extent it overshadows your other awesome qualities.
