<p>Student A: varsity captain of soccer team, #1 player in state, taught soccer camps to young kids, paid summer coach</p>
<p>Student B: varsity captain of soccer team, first violin in school's philharmonic orchestra, #1 soccer player in state, volunteered at local hospital, taught soccer camps to young kids, paid summer coach, internship at a pharmaceutical company, debate team captain, Science Olympiad participant, academic decathlon team co-captain.</p>
<p>Why is it that most (not all, but most) people on CC would automatically assume that student B is choosing those ecs solely for the sake of college (aka a gunner), while student A is "pursuing his/her genuine interest", "more authentic", etc. Why can't Student B be interested in soccer, music, and all the other activities he/she is involved in AND have genuine interest in all of them?</p>
<p>I guess I'm just a little frustrated because I do a LOT of activities, but I enjoy all of them. Any activities I don't like (such as soccer lol) I have dropped early on in high school so any ecs I list I genuinely enjoy and am passionate about. Some people have told me that I could reflect my varied interests in my essays, but honestly, I haven't found a way to express this without sounding arrogant that I'm involved in so many clubs/organizations. Also, I strongly feel that the essay should focus on just one activity, for fear of turning into a repeat of my resume. </p>
<p>Figure out what matters most to you. Put that front and center in your essay.<br>
For example, science Olympiad participant isn’t a major EC. Volunteering at a hospital seems like a filler as well.
Soccer (with all the coaching and camp variations) seems major, probably debate captain and possibly your internship (hard to tell how much you invested there). To me, this list doesn’t imply “gunner” but does look hodgepodge and it’s harder to tell what’s really important to you. Your job is to let admissions know what is important to you.</p>
<p>What about the kids that don’t know about CC and have lots of activities? How do they know if they are filling their application or not?</p>
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<p>This is good. I’ve found a way to relate one of my potential common app essays to astronomy and I’ve written another possible one dedicated solely to astronomy. I never did anything in high school with it, but I spend hours outside with the telescope at night and it is truly something I am passionate about.</p>
<p>Easier said than done, but try to develop an arc within the narrative of your entire application. I think thats more important than trying to just cram in everything you’ve done in to the limited space they give you,</p>
<p>I’m confused. If Student A or Student B is the #1 soccer player in the state, the discussion will end there. Assuming they have good grades and test scores, they’ll get into top colleges through the side door as recruited athletes and nobody gives will care about their other ECs.</p>
<p>Case in point: I know of a student who was HS valedictorian, National AP Scholar, nationally recognized for a self started community service project, as well as an accomplished musician. But nobody cared about any of those things; as an academically qualified recruited athlete nothing else was needed.</p>
<p>I don’t assume students with a lot of activities are “gunners”. Some kids go to smaller schools where they are encouraged to do a lot of things. Some have an energizer bunny type personality, and love to be on the go all the time. I wouldn’t worry about it.</p>
<p>Both of my kids had more than 10 ECs, and had very good admissions results. Be sure you list them in true order of importance to you. If some are related (say a lot of soccer related activities), create an EC called Soccer and put “See additional information section” in the comment. Then in the Add’l Info section, put a header for Soccer and bullet out your activities and achievements. They only left off items that they did just for 1st two years of high school, had no major individual and team accomplishments, and did not contribute to the narrative of the application.</p>
<p>Even at colleges not recruiting soccer players, being a top level soccer player in the state tends to be worth more as an EC than mostly warming the bench for the school soccer team that is not that good.</p>
<p>Lots of unnecessary assumptions here. First, how do you know what most people on CC would pick and I think you are mistaken. Second why do you care what ppl on CC think, they are not admissions officers, most are hs kids just like you. A lot of hand wringing over nothing. </p>
<p>Here’s my non-expert suggestion - assuming you’re not a recruitable athlete - in which case see @sherpa’s post above.</p>
<p>Write your entire application now, then set it aside for a week or so. Then, try to read it quickly and objectively and then - out loud - briefly summarize yourself based on what you just read. That’s likely what an admissions officer will do. He or she will (or will not) be pitching you to the committee in under a few minutes or so. In those few minutes what would you like that officer to say about you? </p>
<p>If your application is a hodge-podge it’s difficult for the officer to summarize and pitch you. I think it better send a clean, clear and concise message of who you are and what you will bring to the campus.</p>
<p>It depends if either is planning to play soccer in college. If not, the second candidate is likely ahead of the game if the college values diversity. It’s like a shortcut to diversity to get someone with multiple strong interests.</p>