<p>I had a question regarding my son's EC's. He is heavily involved in scouting, Eagle Scout, Assistant Junior Scoutmaster, but also is heavily involved in the regional Chapter of Order of the Arrow. He has many leadership positions and has been awarded the Vigil Medal of Honor. Should he expand on these postions and awards or will Admissions Counselor's know what these are off the bat? I have heard that Admission Counselor's have seen EVERY EC know to man, but wondering if that is really true. He is writing about this particular EC in his Common App Personal Statement. Thank you!</p>
<p>While we do not know about every EC under the sun as some are very unique to a particular school or community we are very familiar with the Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts organizations and the various positions within those organizations. In fact our Dean of Admission was an Eagle Scout himself.</p>
<p>One thought. We generally discourage students from writing about one of their ECs in their personal statements. Through the personal statement we’re hoping to learn something about the application we don’t already know. We learn about their ECs both from their EC resume and from the Common App short answer question on their most meaningful activity. Generally, those who write about an EC in their personal statement are simply expanding on their short answer essay. </p>
<p>We just wrote several Admit It! blogs on the essay that might be helpful:</p>
<p>[W&M</a> Blogs You Never Get a Second Chance to Make a First Impression or How I Stopped Venting and Learned to Love the College Essay](<a href=“http://blogs.wm.edu/2011/07/26/you-never-get-a-second-chance-to-make-a-first-impression-or-how-i-stopped-venting-and-learned-to-love-the-college-essay/]W&M”>http://blogs.wm.edu/2011/07/26/you-never-get-a-second-chance-to-make-a-first-impression-or-how-i-stopped-venting-and-learned-to-love-the-college-essay/)</p>
<p>[W&M</a> Blogs You Never Get a Second Chance to Make a First Impression or How I Continued Venting and Learned to Despise the College Essay](<a href=“http://blogs.wm.edu/2011/07/15/you-never-get-a-second-chance-to-make-a-first-impression-or-how-i-continued-venting-and-learned-to-despise-the-college-essay/]W&M”>http://blogs.wm.edu/2011/07/15/you-never-get-a-second-chance-to-make-a-first-impression-or-how-i-continued-venting-and-learned-to-despise-the-college-essay/)</p>
<p>[W&M</a> Blogs Eeeek…It’s the Essay](<a href=“http://blogs.wm.edu/2011/07/07/eeeek-its-the-essay/]W&M”>http://blogs.wm.edu/2011/07/07/eeeek-its-the-essay/)</p>
<p>Thanks for the reply!!! You answered my question. As far as his common app essay goes, I was talking about his short essay, not the big one. He knew not to write about his EC’s in that one. As far as the short one, he did start writing one about his big EC, but I discouraged him from writing about WHAT he does, but to write WHY he does it. I think he gets it. I told him to ask himself why a 17 year old boy would spend his summers working on trails all day in 100 degree heat for free. Only he can answer that question, and that I believe is what schools will want to know.</p>
<p>Got it. With the short answer we just want students to explain why their most meaningful activity is their most meaningful activity. Nothing too fancy. Just a bit more insight than listing it on a resume.</p>