<p>so I'm a rising Sophomore, and last year...I wasn't involved in <em>any</em> extracurriculars, AT ALL. now, after realizing college isn't that far away (and seeing some of the "what are my chances?" threads here), I realize I reeally need to get more involved. so here are a few questions:
-my mom works for a community outreach program which has a 'youth leadership' program, would getting involved in that (if it were for an extended period of time, even 3 years) serve me well?
-does heavy involvement in your church count for anything?
-are there any clubs (which can be found in almost any HS) which look particularly good on a college application?
-does not being gifted in any kind of sport or music seriously hurt my chances to get into a prestigious college?
-are there any resources for finding internships in our local areas?
-does volunteering at a library or working as a teacher's assistant have any positive impact on an application, or is it too "small"?
-would it be smart to get involved with something artistic, to appear more well rounded?
-anything else you can recommend???? i'm pretty desperate here!! :)</p>
<p>I’m a rising sophomore too, so I am in no position to give you veteran application advice. However, I think you are approaching this with the wrong mindset. Don’t force yourself into activities that you think “look particularly good on a college application”. Do what you love. ECs are not calculated strategies for getting into top schools. They’re for you to develop yourself (having something on your resume is a bonus, not a goal).</p>
<p>Thankfully, not everything in life depends on getting into college and appearing to be more well-rounded. (Your words, not mine. Blech.) Good luck finding your interests and persuing them as ECs.</p>