Hey guys! So I’m a sophomore and my ECs are pretty lackluster. I don’t have any ECs that demonstrate my passion for writing and science, and my ECs are all over the place right now. I’m not aiming for T20s bc I’m looking for merit aid.
Freshman year: DECA, First place in an upperclassmen event
Sophomore year: Debate, School Store Merchandise Manager
Junior year:
Senior year:
I didn’t really like DECA that much so I didn’t continue (stupid decision, I know!)
I plan to continue debate until senior year and I really want to join a college debate team, so I’m definitely committed to that and I’m going for a leadership position next year.
Also I perform dance and performed at two NBA basketball halftime shows, which I’m probably not going to list on my college app but I’m not sure yet because dance is such a nontraditional EC so adcoms might not really care but practice takes up half of my weekend so I can’t do another competition-based activity.
Any help would be appreciated!!
First, it’s not a stupid decision to stop doing something because you didn’t like it. It’s good you were able to put your own enjoyment above continuing it for the sake of trying to impress colleges.
Second, why wouldn’t you consider dance an EC? If you dedicate time to it, and have shows to show for it, I think it would count.
Last, are there are any writing or science clubs at your school you could get into? It’s not too late if you stick with it the next two years, perhaps get a leadership position. Look for other opportunities outside of school as well, like tutoring students in science or entering writing competitions. Just drop what you don’t like, and either join one or two new things that you really enjoy, and continue deeper into the existing ones you have. You’ll be fine, don’t worry!
Dance is not a non traditional ec - lots of kids take some type of dance and list it as an ec. Extra curricular’s are activities you engage in outside of classes. They do not have to be related to a potential major or connected to school to be a valid extra curricular. Also it is possible that a less common ec like dancing at a half time show may be something that stands out to an AO. If you help out with younger dancers that is even considered a leadership role by many colleges - titles like president are not needed to show leadership. Basically do what you enjoy not what you think will impress colleges.
@hurricane314 Thank you so much for responding! Science clubs in my school are just competition based, and I can’t attend any weekend competitions, so I could form my own club next year and tutor middle schoolers in science? I was planning on maybe starting an official tutoring program next year in my school because we have no outside resources offered within the school, but that would be a two week project to implement. Do you think this would work for the science ones? I really do love science but I just cannot do any weekend competitions so now I have no science ECs.
@momtogirls2 Thank you so much for responding! I’ll look into how I can help and hopefully teach younger students in my dance academy, although I think it is an invitation basis for seniors and juniors. I’ve spent close to 200-250 hours on dance just over the past two years, so being able to list it as an EC would be amazing. Do you think managing some kind of dance fundraiser project for a charity group would possibly work both for a service project and as an extension of my EC?
Yes I think a dance service project would be good and an extension of an EC. One project that I’ve heard of is raising money to cover dance classes/costumes, clothes, shoes etc for a young child who comes from a family with no financial means of taking recreational dance classes. Another idea is perhaps talking to your school’s gym teacher or special needs teacher to see if you can help teach some special needs dance classes or start of a unified dance club at school (dancers with and without special needs). A less time consuming way to add on may be to see if you can help with unloading and setting up for dress rehearsals and/or recitals as well as offering to help backstage with things like props.
Check out “How to be a High School Superstar” by Cal Newport.
“The basic message of the book is this: Don’t wear yourself out taking as many classes as you can and being involved in every club and sport. Instead, leave yourself enough free time to explore your interests. Cultivate one interest and make it into something special that will make you stand out among the other applicants and get you into the toughest schools, even if your grades and scores aren’t stellar. Newport calls this the “relaxed superstar approach,” and he shows you how to really do this, breaking the process down into three principles, explained and illustrated with real life examples of students who got into top schools: (1) underscheduling—making sure you have copious amounts of free time to pursue interesting things, (2) focusing on one or two pursuits instead of trying to be a “jack of all trades,” and (3) innovation—developing an interesting and important activity or project in your area of interest. This fruit yielded by this strategy, an interesting life and real, meaningful achievements, is sure to help not only with college admissions, but getting a job, starting a business, or whatever your goals.”
http://www.examiner.com/review/be-a-relaxed-high-school-superstar
Yes, that sounds like a great idea! There are lots of ways to demonstrate interest in science beyond competitions, so you’ll be okay in that regard. If you’re still not sure it demonstrates your passion enough, try explaining the connect to your personal interests in an essay or such. Good luck!
What about doing research at a local university? You’ll be writing a lot of publications as well as contributing to the field of science.