<p>I'm trying to aim to get into the likes of Cornell, Brown, Northwestern (but Yale is my dream school).</p>
<p>Here's my current extra-currics.:
*note: my HS is a small (<500) Catholic HS</p>
<p>-Participated in a national academic competition (called Academic Games) since 5th grade - when I switched to a private high school from public, I founded the club during my sophomore year at my new school (participated at the public HS during freshman year). This year has 15 members </p>
<p>-Founded Model UN freshman year - this year has 12-13 members. Have been moderately successful at conferences we go to</p>
<p>-Taught community swim lessons every weekend during school year since sophomore year.</p>
<p>-Have position this year - and probably next year - working in office of my local representative to my state's House</p>
<p>-Various different other service (I don't think this will count for much...) amounting to about 100 hours so far</p>
<p>My question is, is this enough for during the year?
And then, what is a good idea for something to match a Political/Service focus (which is what I'm trying to form)?</p>
<p>I'm aiming to somehow have an internship in government (hopefully in Washington!) if I can apply and be accepted for one, as well as go on a service trip either outside the country, or working in the Southwest with immigrants (I know of some organizations that I could work through for the latter).</p>
<p>Would this be enough? Or should I do something more unique next summer (or this year?) </p>
<p>You’re in the wrong mindset. Let me demonstrate your mindset mathematically. Let x be one activity that you do. </p>
<p>I am getting the feeling that this is what you are doing from what i have been reading on CC thus far: </p>
<p>X + X + x + X+ X + X= 6x=ACCEPTANCE to Yale</p>
<p>While i can demonstrate your mindset mathematically, i (nor anyone else) can not demonstrate a derivation of an ADMISSION’s FORMULA to help you get admittance. That would be too easy. My equation was under the assumption that there is a set amount of work to be accomplished into getting in at Yale. We don’t know. In fact, the AdCOM’s don’t KNOW!!! Just do what you love.</p>
<p>basically what I’m asking is if there are specific things I should be doing. All of the above are things that I really do enjoy doing - I LOVE politics, everything about them. And service is something I have always gotten something out of.</p>
<p>I’m just asking as to whether what I’m thinking about for next summer would be the strongest I could be. I’m not relying on any formulas. Heck, chances are I’m not going to get into Yale - I’m becoming convinced that admissions at every top 25 school just throws everything up in the air and then pick the apps that land in a certain area. xD</p>
<p>I’m just trying to make sure that whatever I do helps me build the strongest application I can. :)</p>
<p>The ECs that you’ve listed all provide you an opportunity to have influence and impact. So they are good ECs. The political/legislative connection that you have in two of your ECs would become more compelling if you in fact succeed in landing a DC internship.</p>
<p>What would make your ECs stand out are the achievements that they enable. You haven’t listed these. So for example, if you succeed in getting that internship what would you do with it? My sense is that many interns positions are inherently clerical. That’s not necessarily bad, because you’d learn from working in Washington. Best though is if you can use the intern position (should you find one) to help research a new bill, or to get involved with advocacy of the bill, etc. And if you can point to what you accomplished (a published research document, a web site, etc. – something verifiable) it would make your political ECs compelling.</p>
<p>fogcity - that’s what I had been wondering about when researching possibilities in DC. I just wasn’t sure if it was possible Ah well, I guess I just have to dig harder :)</p>
Ah well, I guess I just have to dig harder :)</p>