<p>When S#1 applied last year his list of EC's appeared dismally short on the surface. He played piano and was in the jazz band. He was a technical theater honcho. He wrote (mostly parodies, mostly only read by friends and English teachers). He participated in the school's primary service activity, but was never an officer. Basically, he spent his HS years doing what he wanted to do and consistently resisted my suggestion that he might branch out. When it came time for essays and applications his music tied in with his music theory and electronic music classes for an interesting short answer about musical cultures. His 2 years of tech theater classwork tied in with his tech theater EC and the training he did in other countries for an interesting story about the challenges of light boards in Thai. And his writing- well, his writing was at the core of his main essay- not just in how he said what he said,but what he said-- that he knew he was a writer because...</p>
<p>In summary, his EC's were a part of him, not just something he did. I think the people who read his application saw this about him and I am sure they didn't care that he hadn't done 40 other things. Not only had he done "enough" he had done different! I am sure this made him an "interesting" applicant to read about.</p>
<p>In my suburban high school, most of the top students are involved in at least one sport and the music program (band, orchestra, or chorus). Many of these same kids are on the newspaper or do debate. These kids take mostly Honors or AP courses
as well. My youngest child, a high school junior, often has conflicts between his
spring sport and our music program. Hopefully the conflict can be worked out by a parent driving him directly from the game to music activity. The coach and Band director are usually -- but not always -- understanding. Plus my child's never been able to attend the end of the year Sports banquet due to week long concert practice.
I feel the stress more than my child.</p>
<p>My son, now a college junior, played heavy duty soccer from kindergarten through 10th grade. He didn't enjoy his one year on the JV soccer team at our very large, sports oriented, high school and switched to cross country/indoor track/spring track for the last two years. He was able to be involved with a number of academic clubs (math team, scholar's bowl, future problem solving) while in track because they met after school and he would occasionally skip practice for these ECs(track meets were on Saturdays). The track coach wasn't happy about this and grumbled and made remarks, but my son did what he had to do and everything came out fine in the end. With soccer, he probably wouldn't have been able to join other ECs or even go to academic summer programs because at this level soccer is all year round, including summer. By the way, my son still loves soccer and plays intramural at college and also played in a league at his summer job. I think many of the boys who played all through high school on our school team never want to touch a soccer ball again because they are burned out.</p>
<p>Hey MotherofTwo...we do Future Problem Solving, too! <em>waves wildly</em> My son found that several of the interviewers he had wanted to know more about that. It's the first time I've seen anyone discuss it on the boards here.</p>
<p>Hi TexasTaxiMom,
I like your name! It is similar (without the Texas) to what I called myself until my daughter got her license last year :) Anyway, FPS is part of our middle school Academic Enrichment (gifted) curriculum in Grades 6 and 9. In high school (10-12), it becomes an EC with one of the middle school teachers as the advisor. By this point, the kids who are in it are normally involved with so many other things (marching band, sports, etc) that it is a big problem to schedule the meetings and the teacher often has them to his house on a Sunday as it is the only time everyone is free. Each year, several teams from our school district (4 middle schools and 1 high school) goes to states and we sometimes have a team go to Internationals. It is the one EC that BOTH my kids (3 years apart) have been in, and when they were in grades 6 and 9 and in grades 9 and 12, they both went to States. The kids seem to enjoy the competitions as well as being with a nice group of friends, and it is an example of an academic activity suited to both the math/science and the humanities type of student, as long as they are creative and good thinkers.</p>
<p>I admit, I'm one of those kids with cookie cutter ECs: community service with the local kids, INTERACT (rotary), Mu Alpha Theta (math), NHS, Quiz Bowl...</p>
<p>However, my true passion lies in Video Productions (and writing, but that's so common), and I hope it really shows. Does that stand out to you college veterans? :)</p>
<p>I'm in absolutely <em>no</em> sports, unless you count yoga and things like that.
That's probably going to be a blow.</p>
<p>Nearly all the "top kids" at my school do sports and something musical.</p>
<p>motheroftwo...same here in our district. It is part of the curriculum at elementary 4-5 GT language arts and one of the three middle schools 6-8 language arts. By high school we can barely cobble together a team because of conflicts. The state bowl generally conflicts with either NFL (debate) or UIL (academic) competitions. All of my four have done or do it, and all have been to state bowl. Only my younger two have been to International though. The do scenario writing as well as team competition. We tend to have more luck with scenario! I really think that FPS has helped my kids with research, writing and just thinking on their own. TX has a large program, but it is dwindling in our district. Glad to meet a fellow FPSer!</p>
<p>When we went to the local Stanford info session, the adcom representative dealt with the issue of ECs. The stress was on doing a few things and being passionate about them. She gave as an example someone deeply intererested in music who takes music lessons, plays in an orchestra and tutors younger kids in music. The would be enough to show passion for music and indicate time spent doing ECs. Adcoms are aware that there are only so many hours in a day.</p>
<p>You seem to have plenty of ECs. You can write about your passion for video production. I'm sure that it involves different kinds of skills, and you can write well about it. For the record, my S has fewer ECs than you and absolutely no sports or music (except the one he listens to).</p>
<p>I just remembered an incident that happened when I was doing alum interviews. I spoke with a boy whom I had met when I taught briefly at our school. He was the kid who came up to me (at the end of 6th grade health class) asking why he had a 97 and not a 98 on his test. But, he was also tenacious in other ways and I pretty much liked him. In the interview I learned that he was involved with about 8 different campus organizations plus he played sports in 2 seasons. I was impressed, as his involvement seemed genuine. Then I asked him what he planned/hoped to continue in college. The answer, maybe one of the sports, nothing else.</p>
<p>I am not saying I think kids should feel compelled to try to continue with everything they do as an EC in HS...but I do think those activities that are most interesting to the Admissions Officers are those the student feels strongly enough about to want to try to continue-- after all, the Adcoms are trying to bring interesting and involved kids on to their campuses. </p>
<p>Given what I knew about this boy's tenacity in other domains, I found his response both telling and remarkable.</p>
<p>Roby, that vignette reminds me a bit of a comment a friend of mine made who is a parent. We were staying at her house as a guest on a college visit to Yale (daughter was in dorms, I stayed with this family). My D was a senior in HS. The mom asked me if my daughter was going to be ski racing all winter now that her college applications are all in. I was stunned because I could never imagine that line of reasoning. Quit ski racing? Unthinkable to my D. She LOVES it. She did not do it to look good for college. It is part of who she is. She's been doing it her whole life and is continuing with it in college. It seemed like a strange notion to me. I had never thought of ANY of my kids' ECs as things they would do for the college resume and then stop. They might have to stop some activities if they cannot fit them into their college life but it won't be because they no longer wanna do them. I agree with you that colleges want to see how kids are going to contribute to THEIR college campuses, not just what they did before they got there. </p>
<p>I still refuse to think about EC in terms of college admission. I wanted my kids to "experience" whatever they felt like trying - the problem is though if they decide to stick with too many of their activities.</p>
<p>I believe we are at the point with our son, where he will have to make some tough choices. Some people in the posts above (I know, MANY years ago, but some of you are still posting here) have indicated, that most "top students" have both sports and music as EC activity. I find it increasingly hard to believe, that you can do both and excell at them.</p>
<p>My son is quite involved with instrument and a sport activity at this point. He is also on a math team, which means that he needs to spend a lot of extra time, after school, getting ready for competitions. You have to if you want to excel in them - school work does not get you anywhere in those terms.
The same goes with an instrument - the more advance you get, the more practice time is required, and soon he will be expected to join a youth symphony - another huge time commitement.
There is not enough time for sports, and even though he is still attending practices, he was not able to participate in tournaments this spring. </p>
<p>I would love to hear from other parents who were faced with similar dilemma and how they helped their kids in this tough time.</p>
<p>DD (a highschool freshman) is definitely in exploratory mode: some drama, some debate, band, some sports. Maybe she'll settle and develop an EC interest that will blow college admissions' socks off, but I'm guessing it may look pretty generic. She's so driven with her schoolwork, and right now she's in the middle of her spring sports season: there's very little time for volunteering or anything else except school -- sports practice/event -- homework -- sleep (not so much) -- snarl at mother!</p>
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She did not do it to look good for college. It is part of who she is. She's been doing it her whole life and is continuing with it in college. It seemed like a strange notion to me. I had never thought of ANY of my kids' ECs as things they would do for the college resume and then stop.
[/quote]
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<p>In the context of that story, I agree, soozie...I can't imagine being so committed to something simply because of how it looked on an application, and stopping as soon as that ceased to be relevant. But in fairness, the time between high school and college is something of a breaking point, and there are plenty of other innocent reasons that EC involvement could really change.</p>
<p>I was very committed to my sport, a fairly unique one, for 12-13yrs. It was the bulk of my EC involvement, the topic of my personal statements, the source of my leadership, and all of my work experience! But aside from one more summer spent coaching, I quit when I got to college. Participation would have been flat-out impossible unless I was willing to choose my college based on my EC, which I wasn't, and I know the same has been true for some of my friends. After 13 years, I was through. Not glad to be done, not content with my 'padded resume'...simply through, and ready to move on.</p>
<p>Once I got to college, my primary HS EC left my schedule. My main EC's in college were one that had been very minor in HS + one that was totally new to me. So if someone had asked me as a high schooler what I planned to continue in college, my response probably would've been a bit of a mixed bag, and not because of any lack of love for what I did. My college certainly shouldn't have been disappointed, because quitting my sport gave me a chance to explore other interests, and I ended up very involved in something that I like to think is just as eyebrow-raising :p</p>
<p>To the OP: I do agree...a lot of EC's do appear common, especially when you read about them over and over in a place like CC. But that doesn't have to be a bad thing...it's okay that not every 17 year old has found his niche in the world. I think that robrym's last post does a nice job of reminding us that it's not necessarily what you do, but why you do it and what you do with it that can make you stand out.</p>
<p>I "LOVE" my kids' public school - one of my son's coaches had the mantra: Family First, School Second, Team Third". Most of the top grads at this very small public school play a varsity sport. Not all do the "team/circuit" year round stuff. One of this year's football players is deciding between Harvard and Yale. I think most all the colleges are getting numb to the "fake" ECs or the list of so many ECs that the kids couldn't possibly have been active participants. The number one question asked of my son when he was out college shopping was about his jobs - which were all scrunt restaurant jobs. Number two asked question was if he was going to continue his sport in college.</p>
<p>"The number one question asked of my son when he was out college shopping was about his jobs - which were all scrunt restaurant jobs. Number two asked question was if he was going to continue his sport in college."
That's so interesting, because my friend's son, who is now a sophomore at Yale, played soccer, basketball, and had a newspaper route, which he had since he was about 10 or so and continued through high school. It required him to get up at 4:30 every morning, irregardless of the weather, to sort and fold the newspapers and then go out a deliver them before he got ready for school. He got into every Ivy League school he applied to except Harvard. During almost every admissions interview, the item that most intrigued the interviewer was - the paper route.</p>
<p>I noticed this thread and finished reading the posts. Just a few coments on HS and beyond athletics. Mine found that it is possible to do athletics, academics and other ECs. I am sure that the combo was a big factor in being awarded a wide variety of college scholarships (all D 3). Yes I know there are no direct D3 athletic scholarships - but athletics do come into play at scholarship time. Mine played 4 sports - captain in 3 and all county in 1. Also val in class and extensive other ECs. The most important lesson learned was how to budget time and use it wisely. That lesson has served well in college, where plays a varsity sport and still maintains a 3.5+ gpa at a top university. Probably not typical, but it can be done - and has the potential of a very nice reward. From what I remember Cur's daughter had a similair scenario.</p>
<p>ST2 - I am not trying to say that it is impossible to do athletics, EC and academics. I do not want to negate the importance of sports. I am saying that I do not think it is possible to do two very time consuming EC - sports and music - while being relatively good in both.
I just can't see how one can manage time in such a manner while still attending a competitive HS. And having other EC :)</p>
<p>"l. I worked every summer. period. During the school year I did homework, helped out with some political campaigns during junior and senior year and worked. "</p>
<p>If you were doing those ECs now, they actually would stand out. Having a job stands out as most college applicants don't have jobs, yet jobs teach one a lot about oneself and the world, and also have responsibilities that one can't fake. Being active in political campaigns also is surprisingly rare now, and would stand out.</p>