<p>This may be a redundant question as long as they are listed somewhere on the application, but I'm a little confused as to the difference between what is counted as an EC versus an award. I thought ECs were sports and clubs you belonged in and had shown great commitment to, yet I've seen many places on this site where people have listed achievements such as state champions in sports, or semi-finalists in competitions as ECs. Are these not awards, rather than ECs? I'm asking because on the common application there are different areas to put ECs and Awards, so which goes in where? And it actually scared me at first to see all the "achievement" ECs people had, before I realised that I had mine listed under awards.</p>
<p>So, can anyone clarify this for me? Thanks! : )</p>
<p>ECs are activities that you do habitually. An honor/award is something that you receive, something that is a testament to some positive trait/ability/aspect of you, and is not repeated (unless, of course, you achieve it multiple times, but it's still an honor/award). For example, if you were chosen as a Boys'/Girls' State delegate, that'd be an honor/award. Often, honors/awards come from your ECs -- e.g. you got a perfect score on a math competition (honor/award), and you led a math club at your school (EC). Or, another example: you reach the state level in a music competition -- that's an honor/award, but the music itself--the activity--is an EC. Getting first in the Siemens competition would be an honor/award, not an EC unless it was something you did habitually for a long time, like research (and you would for such a competition).</p>
<p>Thanks for that! Makes a lot more sense, that's what I thought.</p>