<p>I plan on volunteering at a retirement home, writing for a newspaper, joining the Debate club, joining a humanitarian club, and volunteering at a hospital. My greatest interests are ENGLISH, and becoming a Doctor. But I know that Ivy Leagues look down on people who take part in a bunch of different, non-related things. Does this look bad to you? Also, do you have any ideas of some better things I could do? Most of the people with OUTSTANDING extracurriculars are musicians, I've noticed. There is hardly anything that relates to the Medical field for high school students to do :( Also, idk about writers.</p>
<p>If Ivy League schools look down on your interests than I honestly wouldn’t be too worried about not getting in to one. If the things you’re doing are not your interests then I guess that’s the superficiality that the Ivy League schools are trying to avoid. I would recommend doing things that interest you. If some of the colleges you apply to don’t value that then I wouldn’t value those colleges enough to want to go there.</p>
<p>And now I fully expect a horde of high schools to come in here and disagree with me, but I welcome that.</p>
<p>I agree with King that your ECs should reflect your passions and not a preconceived notion of what an adcom might consider important.</p>
<p>I disagree with the OP that “Ivy Leagues look down on people who take part in a bunch of different, non-related things”. I would argue that adcoms look down on people who dabble in many activities with shallow involvement and do not make any impact. Musicians might have an advantage with great ECs because they have identified an area of strong interest to them that they have pursued for ten years or more.</p>
<p>Do those activites that you enjoy. That way, you will be able to have an impact in those areas and they will turn into “great ECs” regardless of what they are.</p>
<p>How do you know Ivies look down kids with a bunch of different non-related things? They like kids with breadth and depth- the ability to commit to challenges and have some impact, plus have some fun along the way, try some new things.</p>