<p>Yesterday, I was sitting as a member of a board of review for a 12 year old who is being promoted to Tenderfoot rank in S2's boy scout troop. After we noted that this was the first step toward becoming an Eagle Scout, we asked the boy why he might want to one day become an Eagle. Without hesitation, he responded "because it would look good on my college application."</p>
<p>My reaction was "just shoot me now." But the boy's response was typical of the obsession with EC's on this board and among people who focus on the college admission process generally. But the reality is that unless a) you are otherwise a plausible candidate for the most selective private colleges in the country or b) are a recruited athlete, EC's are likely to have little or no impact on your college prospects.</p>
<p>At the most selective private colleges, EC's provide a mechanism for choosing among a large number of candidates whose grades and test scores are very close. But at even the most selective publics, the huge volume of applications requires Adcoms to focus almost exclusively on the numbers. And at all but the most selective privates, candidates will be distinguishable on the numbers--and the reputation of the school lives and dies by those same numbers. So, with the exception of perhaps the last 10-15% who might be admitted based on grades and standardized tests, ECs aren't going to matter there either.</p>
<p>The moral of the story is, unless you have a 3.75+ unweighted GPA and 2100+ on the SATs, don't sweat the ECs; the numbers will tell the tale.</p>
<p>Makes you wonder whether he hears that from troop mates, or family or where. I was really pleased that my 11th grader said she’s not sure she’ll get her gold award in the fall because she’ll be busy with marching band. But even tho it won’t get on college apps (she is in the hi stats- looking at most selective colleges) she still wants to do it.</p>
<p>I think you are a little off base EMM1 (but only a little). I think where “normal” extracurriculars like being an Eagle Scout have the most impact is not applying to Harvard, Yale, etc., but rather for kids who are good students but not supernovas and who want to go to selective colleges (usually private, not always) that are not their public mega-flagship. ECs by themselves are not going to get anyone into Harvard, and are not likely to get anyone into anywhere. But can good, solid ECs help a pretty good student get into Hamilton, or William & Mary? I think so. Also, ECs seem to matter when it comes to competitive merit scholarships.</p>
<p>Another way that things like Eagle Scout/Gold Award matter is they show a level of ongoing interest and participation. The awardees are clearly not kids who pd there registration fee to be a scout just to put it on their app. Completing these projects shows a level of commitment and demonstrates leadership, planning and followthrough, etc. Plus, as JHS noted, an increasing number of colleges and universities, as well as foundations, have scholarships for awardees. Also the hours can be applied towards a Presidential Service Award.</p>
<p>I think the problem arises from doing things “Because they look good on college apps” instead of out of a personal desire to pursue the EC. When my girls’ scout leader encouraged me to have them stick with girl scouts when they left elementary school so they could “get a gold award - and colleges love that” I snapped. They’re in SIXTH GRADE!!! It just makes me sad to think of all these kids who are working hard for years and years to please some anonymous admin officer and never figure out what they LOVE doing. </p>
<p>Of course, my DDs decided they really love the troop and the leader and the things they do in scouting… so I signed them up.</p>
<p>It strikes me that William and Mary is precisely the kind of school where ECs are likely to have little relevance to the admission process. With 10000 applications per year, Adcoms simply don’t have time to closely scrutinize each one. I would bet that the process is almost entirely number-driven.</p>
<p>I hear my students say all the time that they joined this or that because, “it looks good on the application.”</p>
<p>Well, here’s what I respond. “They want to see passion. They want to see dedication. They don’t want to see a laundry list of this and that.”</p>
<p>These are the same individuals who also believe that ECs make up for subpar grades and scores. Not too often. I know two students who would have sold their souls to get into William & Mary. They thought that ECs would make up for their lower SAT scores. Neither got in.</p>
<p>This all reminds me of the old Star Kist Tuna commercials where Charlie Tuna used to do all kinds of things to show that he had “good taste” hoping that the Star Kist Tuna fisherman would want him. And at the end of the commercial the announcer would always remind him that Star Kist doesn’t want tuna with good taste, but tuna that tastes good.</p>
<p>I think these kids’ interest in their resume is more akin to Charlie Tuna’s efforts. Doing the things that make you better regardless of the outcome (recognition, awards, etc.) will always make for a more desirable candidate.</p>
<p>Not OT, curmudgeon. I think Charlie wanted to get “caught” for the same reason kids all think they should go to the top CC schools. It is a social acceptance thing. Somehow this magic label that Star Kist or HYPSM (et al) puts on their product will validate their efforts.</p>
<p>At the risk of extending this analogy a bit too far, just like Charlie Tuna, these kids are all trying to find that “hook” that will get the brand name label put on them.</p>
<p>"After we noted that this was the first step toward becoming an Eagle Scout, we asked the boy why he might want to one day become an Eagle. Without hesitation, he responded “because it would look good on my college application.”</p>
<p>I once was on a committee selecting h.s. students for a select leadership program. The students who gave answers like the above weren’t accepted. (I know that’s not an option for Boy Scouts, so am not suggesting that.) </p>
<p>Sadly, I’ve seen teachers suggest that students do certain programs “to make your resume look good.” I always suspect that such teachers themselves are far more interested in looking good than doing good.</p>