<p>I run and swim daily, but independently, not on a team or anything. I spend about an hour every single day, so I thought it would be worth including, but I'm not sure if that's a good idea.</p>
<p>I am. I am including that I spend time every single day writing creatively and also my independent experiences with music, I taught myself guitar and piano and I am in a few bands etc.</p>
<p>Many kids use hobbies as filler- when they don’t think they have enough that’s focused or shows their commitments and accomplishments. Adcoms can pick up on that. If it’s for a top school, they like the ECs that show you can take on responsibilities and occasionally lead (that’s more than a title,) use your talents and energy to support a group effort, id a need somewhere and come up with ideas or energy to meet that (community svc, implementing a program at school or in the community,) work alongside adults or per adult expectations, things that move your pre-career experience ahead (eg, internships, hosp vol, column for local paper.) Etc. They like kids whose efforts have some impact. These show maturity, energy, etc, and help an adcom envision how you will integrate into campus life. Another thread tackles “taught myself to play guitar.”</p>
<p>some schools and communities don’t have a lot to offer for after school activities for various reasons (my home town is really hurting with the economy). I talked to some admissions reps about this already</p>
<p>Go for it!</p>
<p>Isaac- that’s exactly what adcoms want to seee- that you overcame some seeming limitations. It’s not just about heading over from your last class to some club or planned activity. If your community is suffering, there can be an expectation you’ll go vol somewhere. You can mentor or tutor kids. You can play your music at a nursing home or some event. How you tackle hurdles, how resourceful you are, how you can climb out of your comfort zone, etc- these are huge in telling them how you’ll face college challenges and about your ability to engage and commit. A lot of kids put in that they, eg, wrote a novel or write poetry or love to read. That can’t be assessed in any way. It’s tricky.</p>
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Glad to see that mentioned… it’s exactly what my essay is about (essentially me forcing myself to do a summer camp where I had no choice but to be out of my comfort zone and it changing my life in a positive way).</p>
<p>If your hobbies are important to you, you should include them. ECs aren’t just school-sponsored activities or formal organizations.</p>
<p>^ include them IF you can show something of value to an adcom. You love to swim AND teach it on weekends. You love to write AND have been published in some legit venue. You taught yourself guitar AND now accompany at school or church or do something with it that THEY can appreciate. </p>
<p>It is not just about showing what’s of value to YOU. Adcoms are quite savvy to the many opportunities out there for kids to engage, even in strapped communities. They stand between you and an admit; they need to build a vital freshman class, as THEY define it. Top schools pick kids with maturity, the ability to tackle a challenge, engage, lead, grow. The only thing they can judge you on is your app. Don’t make them have a “so what?” moment. Think of the competition.</p>
<p>By all means, if you have a gap in your ECs, try to fill it now with something that is compelling to adcoms.</p>