Hello all, I will be a sophomore this fall and I have a 4.0 gpa. I’m taking rigorous classes and preparing for my SAT and ACT early on. However, my academics are not my concern. I recently read a Prepscholar article about how to get into the Ivy League, and I learned that your extracurricular achievements—your “spike”—are what make you stand out in the admissions process. However, I don’t know what my passion is, and thus I am not achieving and taking initiative. My parents suggested that I try different classes and activities to find my passion. I’ve considered doing a biotechnology research project among other things, but I fear I don’t have time to try different things. I should already know what my passion is. And I fear I will look “well-rounded” and look like I’m jumping from one thing to the next. I fear that it will look like I’m spreading myself thinly over many things. According to the article, I learned that these top colleges look for those who achieve deeply in and show leadership in extracurriculars related to their passion. For example, one who wants to major in writing could publish a book in high school, or write for a prestigious newspaper, or win writing competitions. They don’t want people who waste time by doing so many things and never achieve in those things. My ultimate goal is to go to a top college, but I’m not doing the right things to get there.
High school is going to be over before I know it. I don’t know what to do… :-S
I’m going to be very honest, because I definitely needed to hear this as a sophomore. If you don’t know what you passion is- DON’T aim for an Ivy League. Ivy Leagues are such a huge financial commitment, that if you decide your passion is education, anthropology, or other fields that do not pay very well, you will never be able to pay it off. I would recommend a cheaper or in state school so you can have the freedom to cultivate your interests and decide what you want to do.
And also, there is never a surefire way to get in to any university. I had a passion, with an essay, background, and ECs to back it up, and got rejected. So yes, they want a “well-rounded” student- but there are so many that they have to pick out of a lot, so it’s honestly a crapshoot.
Best of luck, though! I hope you find your passion 
I’ll try to give some advice! I just graduated from my university and heading off to grad school so maybe I can help? Honestly passion is so overused that I wouldn’t be sad if it was banned from the English language. You are still a kid! Of course you don’t know what your “passion” is. I don’t have a passion and that’s ok! Keep getting good grades and exploring your interests. Enjoy your life and have fun. You aren’t doomed if you don’t publish a book, don’t win a national championship etc. If you have any questions about things, just ask.
You can’t pick a passion. A passion comes to you. Not everyone is driven by a passion, and you don’t need to have a passion to have a happy and meaningful life.
You also don’t need an elite college diploma in order to have a happy and fulfilling life.
The first thing to do is to realistically plan (PLAN!) on NOT getting into an Ivy; a tiny percentage of statistically top applicants are admitted. By all means apply when the time comes if you still want to. Reread post #2. Grad school (for those attending) is more important than undergrad. Attending a selective undergrad is all you need for good grad school prep.
I am in your exact position. Luckily, I found my passion at a young age. However, I have eleven things that I really love to do, and only three of them can be “grouped with my passion”. The other things I do out of pure love and enjoyment and they aren’t really focused on anything.
I also am aiming for Ivy League, but I don’t want to do things just to get into an Ivy League. I want to do things that I love. And again, these are the best years of our lives. Do you want to remember your high school as solely focused on getting into college, or doing awesome crazy amazing things that you absolutely love and in the process, maybe get into an Ivy League? Through my trials, I have found that the goal of getting into an Ivy League should be a beneficial side effect, not the disease itself. (if you get what I’m saying :P)
Go check out How To Be a High School Superstar by Cal Newport out of the library and read it this week.
Take what you read in these “How to X, Y and Z about college” with a grain of salt. Passion isn’t what they are looking for. Achievements are what they are looking for. Pick things you are interested in and that you find value in-and work hard at them. Stick to a few you think are important and work at them.
Honestly you don’t need to have found your “passion” by the time you apply to colleges. Despite this emphasis on students with a “spike” colleges accept many academically accomplished, well-rounded students. Several of my friends have gone to top-notch schools and have excelled in the things they put their mind to, but I would not say there is one overwhelming “passion” that dominates the rest. Try new things, enjoy your life, it sounds like you already have some exciting things planned. Go do those things and see where they might lead you, not just focus on college admissions right this second.
*And I fear I will look “well-rounded” *
Really, you want to look well rounded and willing to try more than just what’s put in front of you or what you decided at some early age that you love love love. All this talk about passions is bogus- or at least, how it gets translated is. The idea is to explore and challenge yourself, be open minded. Then, as you get ideas, to pursue them on some level beyond a club or some random hours here and there.
Adcoms don’t talk about “spike.” What makes a kid stand out is the quality of his/her thinking. That includes the choices made through high school, what they represent, the way you broaden and the challenges you take on, (how you even think of what the opportunities are, out there,) and then how you present yourself in the app and supps. Show, not just tell.
I learned that these top colleges look for those who achieve deeply in and show leadership in extracurriculars related to their passion. Forget these sites by folks who want to sell their services, who want to pretend expertise. Try to sharpen your ability to spot them. The main point is to be engaged, to stretch, then to grow. That’s more than ambling into a few school clubs or doing some vol work once in a while. (And writing a novel? Haha.) Why not read up on what the colleges themselves say they look for?
What you need to do is get energized. The kids who succeed with the most competitive tier of colleges are activated.
Don’t be too snowed by the marketing terms of a for-profit prep company, is my advice.
After all, [spikes aren’t always for the best](Phineas Gage - Wikipedia).
Okay, I’ll throw in my formula. Three prongs. What you do based on your own interests or future plans (eg, wanna be an engineer, do math-sci activs. Like to sing? Join the chorus. Etc.) Then, what you do for your group(s) (involvement in hs activities/clubs/sports/performance, etc, or for your religious or culture groups, whatever.) And what you do for your community, because you can see the need and are willing to try to have some impact (not raising a few dollars, donating your old coat or doing a walkathon once a year; I mean rolling up your sleeves and getting into it.)
Take it or leave it, I don’t care. But it covers your bases far, far better than this junk about passions or how you need to win some major award. A good “well-rounding” is depth and breadth. Makes you interesting. Gives you something to say beyond, “I want a top college.” And it’s life experiences.
@lostaccount, have you read that particular book? Assuming your comment is aimed at that – you should read it before criticizing it. It pretty directky answered the OP’s question in a useful way.
The first thing I would do is stop stressing about getting into an Ivy.
The second thing I would do is just go do stuff that you want to do, not what some article in the paper tells you should be doing.
The third thing I would do is find people to hang out with that like to do the same stuff that you. Now go have some fun and learn new things.
Then, I would finally think about schools that offer the stuff I want to do. Tell the schools what you like to do and why you’d like to go there.