I’m in the process of filling out my common app, and there are a few things I’m committed to doing later in my senior year but things that I have not started yet. Am I able to write these down in the activities section? If so, what do I put about the hours if I have no clue how long I’ll be doing it?
If not, should I put activities I’m committed to but haven’t started yet in the additional information section?
Here’s what I’m not sure if I should include:
-Internship (starting in a month or two, not sure what exactly I’ll be doing or for how many hours)
-Ski club (starts in the winter)
-Mu-Alpha Theta National Convention math trip (next summer)
Is the internship required or how do you know you are definitely doing it?
Internship (To be Determined). 6 week internship as part of High School selective program. Purpose is to expose students to various types of businesses.
Or whatever the reason/purpose of the internship is.
I assume you are in Mu Alpha? Then include that trip in that ECs.
And if you don’t actually go on a ski trip then it is not a determining factor in your admission anyway.
@bopper The internship is something I sought out individually, not related to the school at all. I’ll be working under an electrical engineer. The thing is, I don’t know what kind of hours I’ll be doing, and you can’t put “TBD” in that section.
Should I refer to the activities in future tense, as in “I will”?
Providing an estimate is fine. Like @bopper said with the ski trip, the hours won’t be a make ar break in the application. If you think it’s 10 hrs/wk and it turns out to be 15, no big deal, and vice versa. Just don’t say it’ll be 60 hrs/wk.
For the common app, just bullet point; you do not need complete sentences. It’s obvious that it is in the future.
@bopper@skieurope I emailed my counselor with this question, and she advised that I only include activities that I have begun to participate in, but you guys think I can include things I haven’t started in.
I have begun my internship (training session, not the actual internship yet), but not the other two things. Maybe I’ll just include that and put the other two in the additional information?
You can include things, but some will just appear to be fill. That is probably what your counselor is worried about, what does being in a ski club for a couple months or even couple weeks in only senior year say - maybe not so much, except you had time to ski maybe? Does it add value? Perhaps, perhaps not.
The internship appears to have value, but it doesn’t start for a month or two? Then that seems irrelevant to me. My kid may have an internship next semester, but wouldn’t include it if it wasn’t real yet. Your engineer could change his mind or move, who knows? Seems like a stretch to put something with no name, hours or anything tangible about it yet. I would see that as a bit desperate. Agree with counselor.
Why not hold off on submitting the application if the internship will be starting in a month or two? You will have much more to say about then. As for the other two activities, I would leave them off.
I would add them and not worry about it. You can estimate the hours. You don’t need a description or details, just bullet points listing the activities.
When my son was applying to colleges he included the activities that he felt helped show who he was as a person. If these activities are important to you, use them.
@blueskies2day@ciervo I have taken a training class on PLC’s and HMI for this internship, so I have technically started it (training) even though I haven’t begun the actual work yet. I think I’m going to include this, and mention the math trip and ski club as things I’m committed to doing later in the year in the additional writing section.
Since you’re presumably graduating in the spring, your plans for next summer will not be part of your high school career. I’m not sure there would be any benefit to putting that on your application. It might draw attention to a paucity of existing extracurricular activities.