<p>Are we so desperate to get credit for everything we do outside of school that we're putting down playing video games? What's next? Washing the dishes? Brushing your teeth? Yea, video games is an EC. But, it's not one I'd put on the application. </p>
<p>If I see an applicant putting down "video games" on his application and then waste an essay trying to justify it, I'd think one thing...desperate.</p>
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Oh goodness. Why must all clubs and charity events begin as a manifestation of our own self-interest?
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Nothing would ever happen, otherwise.</p>
<p>BTW, I'm not advocating the OP put down video games as an EC unless he actually does something with it outside of playing in his room for 3 hours.</p>
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Oh goodness. Why must all clubs and charity events begin as a manifestation of our own self-interest?
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<p>More like self-interest for the transcript lol</p>
<p>Believe it or not, not all school clubs are founded to look good on someone's college app.</p>
<p>^ I know that.</p>
<p>Whoa, hold on a minute. First of all, I'm not a slacker and/or anti-social. I pay for all my games. I also have a social life, thank you very much.</p>
<p>I'm not suggesting that I'm merely putting video games just to fill in the extra blank in the application paper. I have many other (smaller) ECs I can put, but none (right now) I can think off the is more time consuming than gaming.</p>
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This isn't a reply to the OP at all. I saw "HYPMS," and then suddenly thought, "Hey, that ends in PMS." And I giggled to myself.
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<p>haha you noticed that too? i laughed first time i saw that too</p>
<p>I just think that if you honestly write how many hours you play video games, adcoms are going to think you're wasting your time. </p>
<p>They get tons of apps filled with ECs that help the underprivledged, etc. Then they see your app, with some so-so ECs, and video games. An essay will just seem like you're desperately trying to get credit for something that they don't respect in the first place. No essay, or anything, would convince a Harvard adcom that video games are a "good way to spend time." The BEST they could do is ignore it completely, I don't see it helping at all.</p>
<p>Video games are just not viewed as a real extracurricular. Maybe if you did them regularly with some group at school on a schedule, you could mention them.</p>
<p>I mean, in all honesty, my biggest extracurricular is sleeping. Would adcoms be impressed by that? Probably not, even if I did write a great essay describing some of my dreamscapes.</p>
<p>unless you formed a club you prob shouldnt put it on</p>
<p>Videogame club... lolz</p>
<p>You're kidding me, right? Might want to reevaluate your college list while you're at it. Whatever you do, DON'T MENTION THE VIDEOGAMES! Do I spend a ton of time (time, I don't really have) obsessively checking this site? Yes. But I would never put that on an app. Better to leave ECs blank than expand their blankness by boasting about your virtual abilities.</p>
<p>I put Japaneese RPGs on my applications, but who knows what good it will do me.</p>
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I may have worded that poorly.
What I meant was, I don't think we should just start clubs and charities just to legitimize the things we already do and love. If you want to start a debate club to share it with others, that's awesome. But if OP were to start a gaming club just so it looks good on his apps, even though he doesn't necessarily feel the need to celebrate that interest in a communal way, well I wouldn't advocate that.</p>
<p>But that was beside the question at hand.</p>
<p>As some others have mentioned: I would highly suggest AGAINST listing this. The hours of gaming you list in the context of your strong academics yells out this to HYPMS adcoms: smart kid, socially inept or apathetic. Definitely not engaged or a leader.</p>
<p>From other posts, I know you're an asian from a rural area, I believe. You need to see how that, coupled with the unengaged gamer label would hurt you.</p>
<p>These aren't the qualities you wish to show your file readers (and frankly, if I may be so bold, qualities you should re-examine if you truly want to be a great scholar and person of influence in your college community). This isn't something you want to prominently portray to grad schools or future employers either. I don't want to be too judgmental but socially, it's still off-center.</p>
<p>Just because it's a passion doesn't mean it should be posted. Someone can watch Jerry Springer or pro-Wrestling obsessively -- but I don't think either should be mentioned. Frankly, I question whether some of those who have advised you to do so aren't hoping you'll tank your apps.</p>
<p>Yeah, I'm going to agree with those who say leave it off. Video games are a form of entertainment, not an EC. I mean, someone who parties a lot doesn't put that down, even if they devote a lot of time to it. ECs aren't eveything you do with your time, they are activities or clubs or such.</p>
<p>I've won several National Gaming Tourneys ... did mention it in my apps ..</p>
<p>Maybe for MIt lol jk
MIT= computer nerds lol which is kinda me
What about mentioning build ones computer for gaming purposes.</p>
<p>lol I think it does! </p>
<p>I actually know a guy who got into Cal Poly and he counted it as an EC. But he actually reconfigured games and created other games/calculator or computer programs.</p>