I’m a Korean eighth grader (going on to ninth) and we have to choose which sports teams/ other ECs at our school we have to join next year in high school. I’m distressed because I have virtually no ECs that I’ve done for more than two years lol. My parents are really mad at me because I haven’t “committed” to a particular set of activities yet.
I’m planning on join our school band for flute next year (mainly to get fulfill arts credits for graduation) but a professional told me that I should only do it in ninth grade because I should focus on one activity and one activity only, and because WAAAAYYYY too many Asians play an instrument. The thing is, if I’m only supposed to choose one activity, I want it to be debate, but isn’t that also a really Asian activity as well?(The person also said that debate is a great alternative to typical Asian ECs like piano or tennis, ect.)
Will doing debate really be enough to send me into my dream school, Stanford? (or anywhere is equally rigorous)
I know it’s quality not quantity but I feel like it’s really risky to do just one activity that you might not even be successful in (so far in debate, I’ve placed 8th out of the 103 people in my league)
So do I need to join any new EC’s that don’t make me look too Asian, and if so, which ones?
do whatever you want but stick with it. What are you interested in academically? Center a few of your activities around that interest, for instance.
My advice would be to join whatever clubs interest you the most, don’t worry if they seem “too asian”, that shouldn’t really matter. This would also mean join as many clubs that you have an interest in as you want. If you end up not enjoying one, you can drop it and still have other extra-curriculars that you’d be continuing. Taking only one is extremely risky IMO.
Why can’t you do both flute and debate? And stating that music is too Asian is ridiculous. Do what you enjoy and define yourself by your own yardstick, not by trying not to look ‘too asian’.
Don’t get bogged down on what other people tell you should be your EC’s. However, in whatever EC’s you do end up committing too (I would say no more than 3 or 4 once you reach junior year), you should excel and be the best in. Colleges are looking to construct well-rounded classes, not admit well-rounded individuals. They want specialists, and if you truly excel in debate and flute, and distinguish yourself from other Asian flute players and debate students, I see no reason why you couldn’t do both.