I have pretty good grades and I really want to get into UCLA. That is my top school. They say you have to be different from others so I had an idea about making a club to dedicating kids in Africa. I am a sophmore right now and I want to start the club in junior year.
The club was going to dedicate to feeding and supporting kids in Africa. I was thinking like maybe I could fundraise shows and sell food to earn money to donate to those in need.
Do you think this is a good idea to make and will it maybe give me a higher chance into getting into UCLA? I have other EC’s but I feel like I need more. Thanks.
Follow/find your passions and do something that aligns with them simply because it interests you and you enjoy it. Only then will an extracurricular activity possibly benefit your college admissions process. Trying to pad your resume with things that you think colleges will want to see is a waste of your valuable time. Good luck!
Do you know how many high school students suddenly start clubs and other EC activities in junior year? The admissions folks see through these. I’m not a fan of such initiatives that are merely designed to get yourself into the college. What the admissions like to see is something you’ve been involved in out of genuine interest and passion, and the students who are involved in some activities out of genuine interest and passion have been doing them for a long time, not just a year before applying to colleges. Do you have such?
There are already 1001 organizations that help African children. It’s a good thing to want to do that, but to be honest, you would make more of an impact by getting involved with an existing organization. They love volunteers, and it will look much better on your app than suddenly starting a club as a junior. That is so transparent that I think it will actually hurt your app.
If you are really interested in helping people look around your community or a surrounding community and see if there is a local group/agency/organization that is trying to do something good. Then pull your resources and try to help that group. This is a way to get connected to the world you live in and get perspective. It will be valuable for your personal growth. What pick your interest? Education? Health? Politics? You could align that interest with the work that a local group is doing.
The question that you should ask yourself is, would I be doing this activity if I couldn’t put it on my resume for college? If the answer is no, then it is my opinion you shouldn’t do it (Note: this doesn’t apply to things like SAT/ACT, which are a drag. I mean extracurriculars). Pursue your passions and pursue them authentically.
Thanks for all the replies. I didn’t know i’d get this much. lol well, I might involve in the medical field for being a pharmacist, maybe so I can say I want to change the world, which is true so that is a passion that could align with helping kids and helping in those of need for medicine
@kurtish1 it sounds like you aren’t getting the message. You are still explaining how to justify starting a club. Do not start a club. Getting involved in an existing program instead.
What are the odds of a club you start in your junior year continuing to exist after you graduate? Admissions people know the odds are slim to none and are not impressed. If you are want to do something that you think will show leadership or initiative do a onectime project rather than start a club. You can do that in cooperation with an agency that already exists to help children in Africa.