<p>i dont have lots of recognized ECs.is it going to hurt?????however,i have a certain number of hobbies and i actually spend time on them.(i actually enjoy them) if i explain how they affect my life on my college application essay,is it going to show my passion ???</p>
<p>You'll be fine. My daughter's had some school based ECs like her sports, normal non school like dance, and her essay was about an unusual hobby that few people do but she had been doing for years. She was accepted many places.</p>
<p>how about the low-ivies....do they care???</p>
<p>I second this question. I have a lot of ECs that are not normal and you just do work for it in your free time. How do colleges look upon ECs such as being a youth representative on local councils?</p>
<p>My son got into I guess what you would call a low-ivy but it is the ivy that fit or at least we hope. He didn't apply there because of the ivy-ness either but I digress...in any case, he had very few ECs (okay, like 2) that had nothing to do with the high school, or helping people, or any of the things you would think might matter, but he really cared about them and wrote effectively about them and I guess it mattered that he cared --but obviously they didn't care about quantity. My guess it would depend on what you are trying to study.</p>
<p>so explaining ECs on my essay is more effective??</p>
<p>I had a hobby as one of my main ECs and I listed that I played/practiced an instrument (not in a band or school or anything) and I got into CU. My main hobby I used in an essay that related to my major, so it would probably look better if you wrote about yours in a supplement/common app essay.</p>
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<p>I don't think Ivies admit you based on what you're planning to study, generally. However, I do think "low" Ivy League schools will let you get away with less than amazing success in heavy mainstream EC's. Generally, the big guys want something very special though. For instance, if you overcame personal circumstances, great -- that'll be a big asset. If you were a star debater, great again. However, I don't think "writing about whatever you love" will realistically get you into top Ivies, regardless of how people tell you to do what you love. I think people give that advice, which is good, because it's not worth trying to please someone else for a shot in the dark at acceptance anyway.</p>
<p>Apply to top public schools, and I also think top smaller schools, like top LACs.</p>