<p>Hi everyone, I’m applying to USC this fall/winter obviously. I have pretty average stats for USC(3.6 gpa and 2010 SAT). </p>
<p>After having read many of my friends’ ec’s, I felt like mine was so different and unique than theirs. So I want to know what you folks at CC think about my EC. Does it really stand up? How about on a scale of 1-10?</p>
<li>Astrophysics Research in Taiwan last summer(I wrote my essay on this)</li>
<li>Member of Formosan Association of Public Affairs Young Professional Group(I’m not old enough for this organization but the director granted me special permission anyway)</li>
<li>Assistant Information Director of Intercollegiate Taiwanese American Student Association</li>
<li>Photoshop Editor of Yearbook</li>
<li>Head of Receptions Committee</li>
<li>Varsity Spring and Winter Track(Captain in both and over 10 awards combined) could run at less competitive schools if I wanted</li>
<li>100+ hours of volunteer at Jefferson University Hospital</li>
<li>Head of Work Job </li>
<li>Varsity Tennis freshman year</li>
<li>Doctor’s assistant and tutor during the summer</li>
</ol>
<p>No, you do not, at least not as written. You have an unrelated collection of activities that says nothing about who you are and what your interests are. Some of these could be impressive, but you have to find a way to communicate depth, not breadth, in your application. Use the essay and “other info” section to do that.</p>
<p>Does it sound like I am trying to impress the colleges? Because I didn’t purposely get involved in so many different activities. My astrophysics research comes from my academic interest and I wrote my essay on that. And I’m Taiwanese, so I’m really involved in Taiwan’s relation with China(hence my participation at FAPA and ITASA) Then I have the typical sport and volunteer. The rest are just typical school activities. What do you mean by communicate depth in my application?? I’ve talked about my two most important activites through short answers, essays, and recommendations. I don’t see any other way that I can communicate more…</p>
<p>I said “as written”… Once every couple of years at work I need to hire someone. As part of the process I read quite a few resumes. If something does not catch my attention within a minute or so, it goes in the trash can. </p>
<p>Now put yourself in the shoes of an admissions officer. She/he has been reading applications for 8 hours a day for the past 3 weeks. Her eyes are glazed, the mind is numbed from reading the same thing over an and over again. Then she is confronted by a bulletized list of activities, where she has to WORK to understand the meaning of each one. She sees </p>
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<p>Receptions for what? When? How deep was the involvement? How did the applicant participate? What is the role of the head? Do you think she will put in the effort to figure it out? A few individuals might, most will glance over it and move on. You have missed a golden chance to make an impression.</p>
<p>If you want to present your full list, at least write one SUCCINCT sentence summarizing the topic, so it looks like an achievement rather than an activity, and you explain it to the reader. </p>
<p>I still think that it is a good idea to trim it down and give the reader a chance to remember you for something. Try a simple exercise - go into a store that sells three kinds of something that you are looking for, then walk into a store that sells 10. Where do you get more memorable impressions of the product that is on sale? The human mind is not capable of dealing with more than about three things at any given time, use that to your advantage</p>
<p>they will only be special if u discuss only a few…if ur busting out ~10 it goes to show ur an extracurricular hog. I cna tell u 4-10..i practically did most of that but wasn’t photoshop editor for my annual (i was just a section editor). I dont think i was that unique. I could tell u that teh fact that i did Judo for two years was more unique than all of wut i had (tennis, track,..yearbook, volunteering,..so on)</p>
<p>so yea…your stuff is very legit and great. if u wanna make it excellent…FOCUS on a few and add DEPTH not BREADTH as groovygeek mentioned above..haha…and iono why you’re gettin tense with groovygeek for his/her (not sure) honest opinions. just take all the advice and feedback you can get cuz i really think most of ur stuff is very repetitive among asians especially in my community. However, some of ur stuff is very eye opening for me (1 and 2). do wut u want to do..but i suggest (and i know groovy will agree) that you pick a few and break it down to show your individuality and uniquness and how you are different from any other applicant. srry for the typos</p>
<p>errr I wasn’t getting tense with groovy…I appreciate his/her advice. Sorry if that’s what it sounds like. Anyways…so I think the general consensus in here is that I should just get rid of Photoshop Editor, Head of Work Job, Varsity Tennis, and Doctor’s assistant/tutor. </p>
<p>I think the other activities are all pretty unique. I mean how many high school students have done an astrophysics research ? How many are in a real political organization (FAPA) or hold a position in a college organization(ITASA). How many are all-state track runners? </p>
<p>Also, I feel everybody thinks I’m not discussing my activities in more depth. I’m already writing my essay on the Astrophysics research. I also wrote about the Taiwan conflict(Academic Interest) and Track(EC Activity) for the short answers. My teacher also wrote about all those things for my recommendation. What else more can I do? Should I do another “additional info” or something?</p>
<p>BTW Sorry I didn’t clarify what Reception’s Committee is earlier…I go to a boarding school so Receptions Committee is like a tour guide group. And I spend about 3 hours a week on that.</p>
<p>well…im not trying to force you to go get rid of anything. it;s just, if you were given only a few to talk about…pick the ones that you can talk “most” about and wut u believe that teh admissons officers will think is most unique. if i were you, i might even go on yahoo answers or something and post up a survey “which ec’s look the best and are most interesting to you” or something of that sort and see the general concensus.</p>