<p>Just wondering... do colleges check up on your extra-curriculars?</p>
<p>It's not like I lied about anything, but I'm just wondering.</p>
<p>Some do. I hear that UCs ask for 10% of their applications to prove them.</p>
<p>I'm wondering that too. I dont want them to start calling random people. Do they contact you or the guidance department, or just google the groups you are involved in and contact like a random secretary or something?</p>
<p>yeah i hope they dont contact people because although i was involved w/ a group, i didnt really sign in or make a name for myself in that sense...</p>
<p>If you didn't make a name for yourself in that particular extra curricular activity, is it really worth mentioning on your application?</p>
<p>I'm ok if they call, but I'm just worried if they call the wrong person or make a mistake. (But I'm always afraid of these things. I'm even always afraid that amazon ships my orders to the wrong address when I order because I typed in my address wrong, and after checking it 10 times then I leave it up to fate)</p>
<p>You can give your guidance counselor a copy of your activity list if you want them to have it as a reference during a phone call.</p>
<p>If you were just an anonymous member of a group, little noticed, then its not going to help your app much anyway. A lot of kids have this idea that by putting down stuff like "member of X" they'll stand out from their competition. After all, it looks better to be taking part in things, doesn't it?</p>
<p>Actually, no. Most colleges admit by the numbers. If you have good enough grades and scores you'll get in. At the colleges that are very competitive, that DO care about your ECs, mere membership in a few clubs isn't enough. They aren't going to be impressed by just taking part, compared to your peers that have done much more. As Stanford says in its FAQ
[quote]
Students often assume our primary concern is the number of activities in which one participates. In fact, an exceptional depth of experience in one or two activities may demonstrate your passion more than minimal participation in five or six clubs. We want to see the impact you have had on that club, in your school, or in the larger community, and we want to learn of the impact that experience has had on you.
[/quote]
Which brings us back to the original question. If you lie about something trivial, like being a member of a club, it isn't going to matter anyway. If you lie about something important enough to matter (school office, significant awards, captain of a team, etc) they're easy to verify. And make no mistake, schools DO verify. The UC schools will randomly select kids and require them to verify. One under-appreciated reason many colleges have alumni interviewers meet with applicants in their community is because they know what is going on. One frequent poster here has written of interviewing an applicant who claimed significant responsibilities in a community group the interviewer was active in -- oops! And for awards, offices, etc. its easy to check with a quick phone call.</p>
<p>Bottom line, if its important enough to help you in admissions, its not hard for colleges to verify.</p>
<p>No, I mean I wrote an essay about the group, but it's a really large group now and I didn't go to like everything...</p>
<p>do they call the school or the group?</p>
<p>But you must have had some significant role if you wrote your essay about it.</p>
<p>yes, i was involved, but i mean i wrote my essay because it meant a lot to me, not because i was a die-hard in the organization.</p>
<p>they'll probably only call if they see something suspicious like you say your the prez of a club by your counselor says you're like secretary or somethin. i doubt they are going to call to make sure you were actually in the spanish club or something like that haha</p>
<p>@ NY_Democrat - I thought I was the only one who did that!!! I'm a bit neurotic. :D</p>
<p>@ jckund - They don't have time / resources to check out every one of every applicant's ECs. It's kind of an honor system. That's why you have to sign the last page that says you represented yourself truthfully.</p>
<p>That being said, don't let me give you the idea that you could get away with exaggerating your ECs. Karma has a way of catching up with people. :)</p>
<p>no... im not exaggerating/lying really, i was just curious. It's not like I wasn't involved, but I mean if for some reason the people at my comm service place dont remember me, i dont want that to be a problem...</p>
<p>Just don't put anything down that you don't do... if they ask the wrong person if you were in an organization, that person will probably just tell them to ask someone else.</p>