<p>My ECs include:
Student Council+leadership
NHS
Debate+leadership+awards (up to regional level)
UIL Academics+awards (up to regional level)
Marching & Concert Band+leadership+awards (state level)
Broadcast Journalism Anchor
Volunteering in-school, community, church+leadership, and at a botanical garden
I spend some free time making scrapbooks/collages/cards and I play guitar and piano</p>
<p>I really don't know what I want to major in/make a career out of (for the same reason I have no real central EC - I can't settle on just one), but at the same time, all the ECs I've picked up are out of genuine interest (except NHS, I figure that wouldn't hurt on an application). I devote a lot of time to what I do, but I see people that teach english in Nepal or research with professors to cure AIDS or something and I feel like a very average applicant...I don't pick up clubs/extra stuff just to impress colleges, but now that I see what I'm involved in, it kinda seems like it. Am I worrying for nothing?</p>
That % is bound to increase when you focus on only the most competitive schools. I think it’s a good thing, it lets me know what I’m up against.</p>
<p>And don’t sweat it…like, seriously, you felt the need to ask whether all that was good enough? (Well, actually, it depends on how long you’ve been doing all of those for.) You appear to be following a small pattern there (creative pursuits), which is good…as long as you’ve got something good to write your essay on that you’re ‘passionate’ (I know, cliche word) about, whether it’s related to your ECs or not, your ECs show that you’re the kind of person that would contribute to a school actively anyway. A lot of people applying to the schools you are are just as accomplished, but you can’t do anything about that. And don’t feel like you need to ‘make a difference’ and all that, there are a lot of people doing that, too, and what makes them ‘stand out’ is not that they’re actually doing it but that it’s their passion. If you ‘show yourself’ through your app somehow (essay, etc.), and maybe even if you don’t because it’s all kind of arbitrary, you’ll be fine and stand a shot at decent, reputable colleges.</p>
<p>By the way, I’ve seen a very low amount of people around CC admit to wanting to apply to a top college undecided. I thought that it was one of the most common majors…maybe it changes when you get more competitive? I think even at top schools, your first year of university just clears your general education requirements out of the way so don’t feel like you must have a ‘change-the-world’ passion to attach to a declared major.</p>
<p>You might also get better results asking about your ECs in the College Admissions forum.</p>