Completely screwed in everything extracurricular

Applying to College
1

<p>Junior year. Kind of frustrated, because after reading the acceptances threads for my goal school (UVA) I realize that I am most likely screwed. My GPA (4.5) is up to par, and I'm confident my SAT I & II scores will be great, so those won't be an issue. But here are my whopping extracurriculars:</p>

<p>Chess club 9-11
STEM club 11 (just founded this year)
Taking an online programming course on Udacity
Academy of Rock Music (It's actually a pretty intensive and fun program that I could play up. Started over the summer and with my band I've already learned and performed 7 songs though 5 shows. Been playing bass for 3 years and practice all the time)</p>

<p>That means zero volunteer work, zero leadership roles, and zero sports. I always knew academics were important, so I pushed myself on that, but my parents never pushed me to do anything else. No one ever told me that I better start playing sports, racking up volunteer hours, or going for class officer. I literally always thought that the people who did those things were either tryhards or just enjoyed them. Now, I see that this whole time I've been left in the dust this whole time and didn't even know it. And here I am now scrambling for work at a local soup kitchen... oy vey. Plus, being a non religious family, I have no church connections for volunteer hours or leadership roles (all my friends are retreat leaders and communion leaders).</p>

<p>Is anyone else in the same boat as me? And the real question is... What the heck can I do now, one year until college applications??</p>

2

<p>I would start volunteering in unique places that will set you apart from the crowd. In my junior year, I started volunteering at a hospice and NICU. The age requirement for those types of things is usually around 16-17 so you could explain that you couldn’t start any earlier. In addition, if you want to go into the health care field, it’s a wonderful opportunity to get to learn more.
If that’s not your forte, try looking into internship or research opportunities. These may be harder to come by, but they are awesome experience and great for apps if you can get into an internship/ research program.</p>

3

<p>You’re a junior! Step it up now, it’s not too late. Find opportunities and get out there. Seriously, though, don’t do things just for colleges. Try out six or seven different activities/sports/volunteering things and stick with the ones you like. Advice from a senior who was stuck in your predicament last year.</p>

4

<p>You founded a STEM club, most schools would count that as a leadership position. Particularly if it is an active club that you leave behind as a legacy at your school.</p>

<p>You’ve played bass for 3 years and recently with a band? My S’12 is a bass player and his ECs included his own rock bands (one of which raised $1K with another band for a local family with a child with cancer), school jazz band independent study (that band performed at a number of local events including an annual Christmas concert at a senior center), regular school band (tuba). Can you/your band get more active in the community in those kinds of ways?</p>

5

<p>

I dont’ think the OP said that; it sounds like the club started this year, and OP joined. </p>

<p>The question about impressive EC’s comes up regularly on the forum. There is a thread with several posts by Northstarmom, a Ivy alum interviewer, about what constitutes impressive ECs from the point of view of the most selective colleges. The post is at <a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/what-my-chances/210497-those-ecs-weak-so-what-s-good.html[/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/what-my-chances/210497-those-ecs-weak-so-what-s-good.html&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

<p>As you will see from that link, at the most selective colleges they are looking for depth more than just participation. Stanford, for example, says

</p>

<p>2 very interesting articles about ECs that stand out and how to get them (same author, different examples) are at [How</a> to Be Impressive](<a href=“http://calnewport.com/blog/2008/05/28/the-art-of-activity-innovation-how-to-be-impressive-without-an-impressive-amount-of-work/]How”>The Art of Activity Innovation: How to Be Impressive Without an Impressive Amount of Work - Cal Newport) and [Save</a> This Grind?](<a href=“http://calnewport.com/blog/2008/09/12/case-study-how-could-we-save-this-ridiculously-overloaded-grind/]Save”>Case Study: How Could We Save This Ridiculously Overloaded Grind? - Cal Newport) I don’t buy into his underlying explanation of why they are impressive, but take a look at these 2 articles and I think you’ll get some original ideas.</p>

<p>Here’s the problem I have with your post. The focus is all external. Apparently ECs are something you need parents or a counselor to tell you to do. And they are provided by others; the school, a church, etc. If someone else hasn’t set them up then you act as if they don’t exist. What comes across is “woe is me” that you weren’t led to do them and handed choices until you found something you could tolerate. You still don’t see ECs as something that you own. As the links I gave show, if you change your mindset and decide that its something you are in charge of, then the sky is the limit. Even as a junior.</p>

6

<p>Good input mikemac. It’s just that I wish I could be making this thread two years ago. No one told me how important it was!</p>

<p>I think my main goal, rather than to create a boring laundry list, is to greatly expand my musical path, like OHMomof2’s son. My bandmates are doing all sorts of battle of the bands type stuff, I’ll see if I can get in on all that.</p>

<p>And for the record, I was just a founding member of the STEM club, not a founding leader.</p>

7

<p>also, remember that it doesn’t have to be a school based extracurricular. Maybe you work? summer job? involved with your church youth group? Take care of a little sib or grandma? All of these things make up your extracurricular profile.</p>