So imagine you already have a strong all around application. Would doing something like writing an anonymous satirical news source, or founding a club based on a specific animal increase your chances at hypms? Clearly these aren’t humongously unique, but would they still grab the attention of an admissions officer?
Do whatever you want because it genuinely interests you. Nothing will appeal to colleges if you do it in order to appeal to colleges.
Actually, these are things that I already do and enjoy. I’m just curious whether I should emphasize them or my more traditional ecs
A quirky skill that requires great skill and years of dedication would be memorable and helpful, like being a star trapeze artist in a circus. Founding a club for people interested in black squirrels might be memorable but perhaps less helpful.
I can hardly imagine how a club based on an animal would lead adcoms to that Aha! moment about your fit for their college. As for the satire, it’s hard enough for seasoned adults to hit the mark on political commentary.
This is a lot more serious than getting them to smack their heads. Smacking their heads is not a good thing. In contrast, the right mix of other ECs will show a lot about your thinking and energies.
Here are some kids I know personally who have the kind of “Aha!” extracurriculars CheddarcheeseMN and lookingforward are talking about. They’re all nice, normal kids, none of whom would strike the casual observer as supermen or superwomen, and none applied to Ivies as far as I know. They’re all at or have recently graduated from strong LAC’s.
-A kid who started scuba diving at 8, became a master diver at 14 and at 18 became an instructor. As a college junior he teaches a scuba course at his school.
-A serious high school skier who started knitting hats for herself and friends. They were so attractive to skiers that people started asking to buy them at races. She ended up founding a company in high school and in college she was featured by Forbes as an “All Star Student Entrepreneur.”
-A boy born with only one leg who climbed Mt. Kilimanjaro at the age of 13, raising over $100,000 for a free wheelchair nonprofit. He was a two sport varsity athlete in high school and plays on the National Paralympic Soccer Team.
-A teen makeup artist whose special effects makeup was so good that she was hired to do it professionally by a major theater company.
These are all accomplishments that demonstrate hard work, dedication and focus, traits colleges love to see in students.
It can even be simpler. Despite that CC talks about “standing out,” the best sort of that is not necessarily something few ever accomplish. OP needs to get serious.
Thanks for all the great answers. It sounds like none of the things that I mentioned above are particularly noteworthy, but I’ll still probably mention them since they are things that I truly enjoy. I don’t think I ever really thought they would get me into elite schools alone, I think I just hoped that they could help make my application more memorable.
Don’t be memorable for the wrong reasons. Be relevant to what they want. To do that, you need to know what they like to see. It’s your college app.
You’re probably right. The thing is, I fit very nicely into the STEM Asian box (even if I’m only half Asian and a girl) and I wanted to show that there’s more to me than just math competitions, science olympiads, etc. I guess that leads me to one last question. Is it even worth putting it on my apps?
Show it in ways that will work in your favor- if there are ways. What was the point of the animal club? What serious adult attention did the satire reap? And don’t forget the ordinary things that show energies and solid thinking: some experience in your field, some great volunteering (not the occasional school efforts.)
If you do have a good sense of humor, if this is really an extra dimension, think about it carefully. Maybe you work this into your essay- but remember, they are looking for your maturity, perspective, judgment, etc, as well as some fun side.
I agree that if you could integrate these activities into an essay in a way that they reflect your personality, it might work.