<p>Hi. So I am a senior and am applying to colleges soon and had a question. I hear about people with like saving the children in Africa or president of a gazillion clubs. I am in a few clubs but my main EC is at my church. I am permanent member of the worship group, helped in various garage sales, babysitter pastors children, etc. but I feel this main one i am passionate for and have done for more than 4 years is mediocre compared to those people I mentioned before. Is it mediocre compared to those?</p>
<p>If you are passionate about it, have demonstrated a commitment to it, and you’ve genuinely helped other people, how can it be mediocre? Through your applications and essays, you need to demonstrate what your involvement in your church: 1) says about who you are 2) says about what you will bring to the school you are applying 3) hopefully ties in some way to want you want to study. If you are able to demonstrate those things, I wouldn’t worry about anyone else. </p>
<p>It’s been stated on these forums many times - it’s not about the quantity of your ECs. It’s about the commitment you have made to them and what they demonstrate about you as a person and prospective student. </p>
<p>Good luck.</p>
<p>most students attend colleges that give little if any weight to ECs. You can find out for colleges you are considering by looking at their Common Data Set filing. For most colleges what you have done is sufficient. If you are thinking the most selective colleges, they tend to choose applicants that have shown leadership and/or accomplishment in their ECs. BTW “president of a gazillion clubs” is not a strong EC; everyone (even adcoms) knows that the kid could not have done very much in each of them. </p>
<p>So do you think my strong church extracurricular makes me competitive or? I’m reaching for selective colleges while still applying to safeties</p>
<p>I am not a “chancer”. Never saw anyone provide any “chance” information on here the “chancee” couldn’t already get by looking at the common data set and scattergrams of applicants you can get on several sites.</p>
<p>I will say this - the most significant criteria for even your reach schools will be your academic record and your test scores. Those criteria are what make you competitive. At the Highly Selective schools that is a gate you will have to get through before ECs are even considered - unless they are ECs that are truly exceptional 1 in 10,000 type stuff.</p>
<p>As I posted before, use your application to honestly share what your church involvement has meant to you. I have a son who really only had two ECs - church activities including a couple of mission trips and Wrestling. He wrestled almost year round and achieved at a high level in his sport and he devoted a fair amount of time to his church related activities. When it came to writing his essays, I think the smart thing he did was not write about “winning the big match” or “learning about those less fortunate”, he wrote genuinely and honestly about somewhat small, interesting things these endeavors helped him learn about himself and how he looks at the world. I think this helped him with the selective schools he applied to.</p>
<p>Thank you and I get you. My scores are good btw and I guess I’ll just explain why I’m passionate about it and what I’ve done and how I’ve contributed and hope for the best. I’ve done it almost 6 years so it should be good I hope.</p>
<p>At least you do that volunteer work. I have no community service what so ever only sports</p>