I will give you a quick overview of my quandary in the hope that you will all give me sound advice on this matter.
I’m a 16 year old Junior in High School, and my extra-curriculars are lackluster, to say the least.
I did absolutely nothing my freshman year (I tried starting a debate club but not a single teacher would sponsor me. I DID attend 2 or 3 meetings of Fellow of Christian Students in the morning for about 30 minutes, but that was it).
I did a /few/ things my Sophmore year (I joined Chick Fil-A leadership academy but I could only participate in about 3 events. One lasted about two hours, two others lasted just over 30 minutes.)
I also joined a now defunct “Nerd Club” the second semester of my Sophmore year. I only attended one meeting and short after it disbanded.
And now here I am at the beginning of junior year, worried out of my mind and unable to join any other clubs or after-school events (I don’t have transportation, my mother works a lot and I don’t know anyone who can take me home). So my current strategy is simple, I really have a passion for politics and by September of next year (my senior year) I will have my license and I’l have a car, so I was thinking of getting involved with the local Republican Party and doing some events with them. However, I’m cautious about a few things.
Listing that on my college application when the time comes, because it will be seen as an act of desperation.
Doing any major extra-curriculars as a junior or senior, due to the aforementioned reason (it being seen as an act of desperation). Another problem is for the extracurriculars I do have, I haven't recorded the exact hours/minutes I did them.
This is all bearing down on me and is making me think I will not get into my schools of choice (I’d like to either go to Mercer University or University of Georgia), do any of you have any advice for me whatsoever? If so, thanks.
Here’s my advice. Keep your grades up and quit worrying so much. You’ll be fine. I’m sure I’ve worried enough in life for the both of us.
Anyone with the guts and independence of self to join “the Nerd” club gets my vote whether it went defunct or not. There has to be a great essay just in that.
I’m not making fun–I was THE “nerd” growing up. I turned out rather well if I do say so myself. I was terrible at most sports, joined band but hated it and quit. All my clubs were academic ones.
Know what? HS is highly overrated as any type of training ground. College and beyond was great.
But I do have advice for my nerdy 16 y/o self…be more open to other people. I missed some worthwhile experiences (and people) by being too judgmental. My world back then was way too black and white.
I will try to see if the candidate I’ve been in touch with needs me to help. Although, I’m not confident that anything in the extracurricular department will better my chances. I’m just desperate at this point…
The problem is consistency, I may be able to do a one off event but I doubt I can maintain consistency until my senior year. The only things I have done that haven’t been one offs so far us fcs and chick fil a leadership.
Get involved in something you care about and it should shine through. If your interest is politics, you have a golden opportunity to get involved with a candidate of your choice this year.
Yup, everyone here is right. It isn’t too late, and you can still do a lot of meaningful things junior year without it seeming like you’re padding your resume. If it’s politics you want, then go chase it!
P.S: You mentioned you were interested in getting involved with the GOP. That’s fine and all, but I’d personally be wary of being DIRECTLY involved with their nominee. Perhaps you could be active in a local or regional setting.
I’m not a Republican but I think that getting involved at the local level is actually the best place for anyone who wants to get involved in politics to start with any party.
Regardless of one’s political affiliation, getting involved in your local government is always a good idea. If you are interested in getting involved in the GOP, then do so. Volunteer for a candidate who is running for office. Find out how to help out with registering people to vote. Stuff like that. Get involved in something you are interested about…not just because it’ll look good on a college application.
At a recent internship, I learned that there is no such thing as being “depressed” ok? You may feel blue, down, apathetic BUT you are not depressed. I wish you all the best!
Both Mercer and UGA will 90% focus on your transcript and grades. Keep those in range, score well on your ACT/SATs and you’re in. Only the very tippy top schools care about a high level of EC involvement amongst their applicant pool. google the “Common data sets <>” and look at section C for the stats of admitted students.
High schoolers over-estimate the importance of ECs for most colleges. Since neither Mercer or UGA are super-selective, this applies to you. Your school work is 500x more important than your clubs and ECs.
@bodangles I think you misinterpreted what @indy101 is saying
He/she is trying to demonstrate a more positive mentality, and just say, “Hey, liven up, it will get better”.
As for the actual basis for his/her statement, depression is a physical and mental condition caused by chemical imbalances in the brain, and perhaps other factors, but it is NOT a condition to be said casually whenever some teenager is just concerned about college admissions. Frankly, what’s “awful” is deprecating a very serious mental condition in such a way. (IMO)
Sorry if I come off as rude, just trying to put prevent any misunderstandings.
@PeregrineFlute I don’t know. If you read post 11 on it’s face, I think @bodangles ’ question is apt – that the poster does deprecate depression. I think we three are in agreement – but post 11 may veer from conventional science.
OP, you can volunteer for phone campaigns. You are just starting junior year. Please stop fretting, especially because as T26E4 says, your ECs don’t matter that much for your colleges. You can volunteer at church, or the library. It doesn’t have to just be stuff at school. Do you babysit younger siblings? Do you mow lawns for neighbors? Those all count.
@PeregrineFlute I will be glad if that is the intended interpretation of “there is no such thing as being ‘depressed.’” I agree that sadness is not the same thing as depression.
But with very little context, the words used are, there is no such thing as being “depressed.” That is patently false and I hope it is not what the post was meant to say.