Hello! I am currently a junior in high school and I am worried about my ECs. I have quite a few in many different areas and am worried that it will make me look too scattered and like I’m trying to rack them in to fill up my application, but I am honestly not, I just like a lot of different things. Would some of you mind taking a look? I will chance you if you leave me a link!
•Violist in State’s Youth Orchestra (10-12)
Lots of performances&fundraisers for different communities; performed at Carnegie Hall, performance tour in Portugal next year
•Editor-In-Chief of Yearbook (11-12 most likely) (staff member 9-10)
•Weekly Volunteer at Physical Therapy Office (10-12) (will have around 300 hours of shadowing/helping out by graduation)
•Girl Scout (K-12) working towards Gold Award currently
•Fiddle Club (Co-pres 12, VP 11, treasurer 10, member 9) touring/performing in Ireland this year!
Lots of performances for community
•Recycling Club (Co-pres 12, VP 11, secretary 10, member 9)
• Highly involved in church- Violist for mass (10-12) Youth Representative on council (11-12), Religious instructor (12)
Do you think that this looks too scattered? I truly do like all the activities that I have. Would writing about all the activities that I enjoy on the essays help?
Also, if you could possibly leave me with some suggestions of reach schools that would be greatly appreciated! Preferably in the NE. I have a good list of math and safety schools lined up but not sure how far up I could reach. (Ivies would be nice lol but I proudly await rejection letters)
I have a 4.0 GPA with all honors/AP classes and a current 1930 SAT- (hoping to improve to 2100, enrolled in prep class)
Sorry for the long thread. Thank you so much for your time, and if you leave me a link i will chance back!
In my view, I think that these ECs do not look scattered. After all you are not listing 15-20 activities. In other words, this kind of ECs makes you look well-rounded in the eyes of the admission officers. I would suggest that you try to get a small job that can add depth to your application.
I advice you to try Austin Texas, Washington University in St. Louis and Rice if you could raise your score to 2100+.
and maybe Duke for EA
I think your EC’s look great! However I do understand what you mean by the scatteredness but I don’t think that would count against you in any way. I think when scatteredness becomes an issue is when you only do an activity to put it on an application and to show fake flexibility. If you truly like all of the activities you are doing that will come across in the time scent on them, awards, and leadership positions. I beleive it is easy to tell when people are genuine versus when people are not genuine in their pursuits.
Your main EC’s have to do with the violin, service, yearbook. When you look at it like that it is not scattered at all but it just shows that the violin and service has lead you to so many different opportunities. All in all, do not worry about your ECs… You are fine. Worry about being yourself and if you are doing ECs that you enjoy then i beleive that will be shown in your application.
I can’t give you any reach schools because I don’t know what you want to major in and I don’t know the course load behind your 4.0. Work on getting your SAT up, write creative and memorable essays, and challenge yourself a little your senior year.
Thanks @AKAKHALEDBEST I will go chance you now. Relating to the job; I play as a street musician daily in the summer to help fund the trips I take with orchestra/fiddle. Would this be a worthwhile thing to put on or should I still seek another job in your opinion?
You seem like a solid candidate as a Junior to work your way up to an Ivy. It would be nice to score a 2200 on SAT but if your score a 2100 then do some solid research and commit on a Early Decision. Also how many AP classes will you probably complete by the time you graduate and what’s your class rank? Also it would help to know your race and your intended major.
Yes I am definitely going to work on the SAT and am hoping to find a school that I could commit to ED. By graduation I will complete 8 APs and the rest are all honors/university level, most rigorous curriculum my school has. My class rank is currently 8/540, Caucasian, and I want to be a physical therapist so anything exercise science/kinesiology related is good; I’d also be good with biophysics or public health as not a lot of schools have the other majors. Thanks! @Yoshi24
Your ECs are fine, I wouldn’t worry about that part I your application because they are actually arguably your strongest point. They really demonstrate the service aspect as well as genuine skill and interest. Also I don’t really see how adding rec soccer to your app could hurt you. It might add a little weight behind your physical therapy/exercise science choice along with your shadowing experience. Like previous posters have mentioned, the SAT is a little low, but clearly you are working on that. Altogether I would say your app could be more competitive with a bumped SAT score but hey, wouldn’t everyone’s.
As for reach schools, what are you looking for? Duke is wonderful, in the foothills in NC, the campus is friendly and they love their basketball along with their top notch academics. If you are looking for something less southern, there are plenty of LACs in New England you might like. With a bumped up SAT, some of the lower ivys might be within reach as well. Honestly if you are looking for reach schools, there are plenty in New England, but first you would have to narrow down what you are looking for outside of excellent academics. Thanks for the chance and good luck!
Your resume isn’t bad, I suggest trying the ACT, After studying for almost a year I was only able to pull my SAT from an 1800 to a 2120, however I was able to score a 34 on the ACT without any studying (signed up standby a week before the test and didn’t even know the format when I walked in, however, took it in February which is kind of late unfortunately)
I also recommend you do some more ECs that are oriented toward your career goal. Possibly do strength training if you enjoy that and start a workout club?
Overall you’re pretty competitive, I’d say low ivies would be a reach for you, HYP are high reaches, and schools like the UCs are a high match.
I think that your ECs are pretty great. They don’t look too scattered because you show a really high level of proficiency in each one, considering the leadership positions and even international music tours. Your rank and grades are great as well; the SAT is the only “setback” (it’s not much of one, especially if you can raise it). If you can write a good essay, then I think lower Ivies are within reach.
Yeah raise the SAT but I think that your EC’s look good. You show devotion to all of them which is the main thing. If you can get that SAT up to like a 2150 you can probably apply anywhere short of the Ivies (and maybe to like Dartmouth and Cornell) and have a decent shot.
