<p>I have relatively high standardized test scores and GPA and will be the salutatorian or valedictorian of the class of 2012. Though I have been playing the violin for close to 7 years (and have attained accolades for my solo and ensemble performances), I don't have many other extracurricular activities to put on my applications as my family is not particularly affluent and I could oftentimes not find a way to get to the respective events/meetings. I am going to apply to Ivy League Schools (namely Brown, Princeton, and Harvard) and was wondering if this lack of [academic] extracurricular activities will serve as an impediment in the college application process.</p>
<p>I would say that the violin MORE than makes up for so so ECs.</p>
<p>Anyone would be impressed by that.</p>
<p>This is not a subject I know about, but do any of the top schools have orchestras, or is it all marching bands for football?</p>
<p>Oberlin comes to mind—1/2 music 1/2 regular college</p>
<p>there are probably others.</p>
<p>they say that you need only show a “passion”, so violin is your passion.</p>
<p>You do show passion with violin, my only concern is that it’s a very popular instrument/EC among (other?) asians who are also first chair, all-state, solo performances, etc.</p>
<p>The question about impressive ECs comes up regularly on the forum. There is a thread with comments by Northstarmom, a Ivy alum interviewer, about what constitutes impressive ECs from the point of view of the most selective colleges. The post is at <a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/what-my-chances/210497-those-ecs-weak-so-what-s-good.html[/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/what-my-chances/210497-those-ecs-weak-so-what-s-good.html</a></p>
<p>2 very interesting articles about ECs that stand out and how to get them (same author, different examples) are at [How</a> to Be Impressive](<a href=“http://calnewport.com/blog/2008/05/28/the-art-of-activity-innovation-how-to-be-impressive-without-an-impressive-amount-of-work/]How”>The Art of Activity Innovation: How to Be Impressive Without an Impressive Amount of Work - Cal Newport) and [Save</a> This Grind?](<a href=“http://calnewport.com/blog/2008/09/12/case-study-how-could-we-save-this-ridiculously-overloaded-grind/]Save”>Case Study: How Could We Save This Ridiculously Overloaded Grind? - Cal Newport) While I don’t agree with everything in them, take a look at these 2 articles and I think you’ll get some original ideas.</p>
<p>It could go either way. A lot of kids play instruments very well, and the violin is a very common instrument for kids to learn for orchestras so don’t count on it to make up for it. Also don’t count on it to not make up for it.</p>
<p>My friend had nothing to show but a 4.0 and high test scores. He was Asian (though he was lower income, around 50k, which seems to be low compared to many HYP applicants). He got in to MIT.</p>
<p>I have heard that being in too many extracurriculars can hurt you on college admisions because the colleges think you’re spreading yourself too thin. I am in about 5 extracurricular activities, yet i am either president or vice president of 4 of them. i also am a 3 sport varsity athelete. Will colleges look at this as really awesome, or as a bad thing?</p>
<p>^ 5 is the perfect number. and being involved (i.e. like by being president) is never a bad thing. adcoms don’t want to see 10 extracurriculars because then they assume you weren’t seriously involved (seriously, no one has so much time). and 5 isn’t too little either.
on the MIT app. they actually have you write down five EC’s and say why they’re important to you. you can’t add more. they don’t want a laundry list. and not filling out all five spaces would probably hurt you too.</p>
<p>Just violin won’t help…I’ve been playing violin for 10 years (All-State, music camps, precollege orchestra program, performances in big venues) and I’m still scared about being accepted to selective LAC’s and big, top-tier universities. Like someone else said, violin is very popular. If you had been playing the oboe or bassoon for 10 years, that might be different.
But definitely stress your passion for it in your essays and include a music resume in your additional info section. Also sending a CD and music instructor rec couldn’t hurt.</p>
<p>quality not quantity.</p>
<p>I would apply widely to more colleges not just those 3.</p>