<p>I have a question related to the importance of extracurriculars in the admission process. Does an international student with great results at olympiads (international chemistry/physics olympiad, for instance) need a lot EC done to get into universities like Harvard, MIT, Stanford etc.? Because such an olympiad requires total involvement, there isn't really much time left for extracurriculars, since I would also have to work alot on SAT tests and essays...</p>
<p>I guess it depends. Olympiads are great, but they’re only one component of what you can do. I feel as though olympians who didn’t really do extracurriculars have mixed admissions results (they get in somewhere, get rejected elsewhere… and sometimes get in nowhere…), but the olympians I know who had significant extracurricular involvements, in addition to IPhO/IMO/IChO results, have generally been successful with admissions. There are other components to the application which are important though - don’t forget about the essays!</p>
<p>You most likely need some distinguishing accomplishments to get into the tippy top universities. From what I have seen, the Olympiad route seems the most reliable (though of course it’s no guarantee). </p>
<p>If you are choosing extra-curricular activities for the sake of college admissions, you should ask yourself in which activity you are the most likely to succeed. That includes your motivation and willingness to put effort into the activity as well as the resources you have available to you. Olympiads are convenient in the sense that there’s a well-defined path to earn national or international recognition.</p>
<p>IPhO/IMO/IChO medals should automatically qualify a student to any US College. But, such an international student does need to demonstrate that he/she can survive other college courses unrelated to their field of expertise.</p>
<p>This is just an opinion of somebody who is familiar with the level of dedication required to compete in Olympiads. Whatever really goes on in the head of the admission committee is anybody’s guess.</p>