<p>I am a sophomore in high school and I don't have any extracurricular activities. I want to take something next year because its too late for this year, but I don't know what to take such as an academic team, high school newspaper, or an athletic team. I will start volunteering this year and I am going to join clubs next year. I would love to join any athletic team but I am very small, so the what should i take. VERY CONFUSED</p>
<p>Extra-curriculars should be things you enjoy, not what you think colleges would like to see.
So look at all your options and figure out what YOU think would be a fun, interesting use of your time. Sign up for the ones you most want to do.</p>
<p>This is my general idea of what im taking
-Quiz Bowl
-volunteer
-club
But is there any a certain amount that i should take?
Also is it better to take classes that emphasizes your major?</p>
<p>What the above poster said cannot be emphasized enough, DO WHAT YOU WANT TO DO!!! Adcoms would way rather have you write an essay about one or two things that you were extremely passionate about and loved doing. If you can tell a story and show just how much you cared about these things colleges will fall in love with you. Many people think it’s all about the extracurriculars, and how much stuff you fit into your year while that’s simply not the case. Coincidentally, your major should be something you want to do. So yes, it is better to take classes and extracurriculars that you want to do. By transitive property, that would mean you should take classes that emphasize your major. The problem is, a large percentage of people take on majors for the money, because their parents want them to, because they don’t want to disappoint others, etc, etc. If that’s how you want to live your life, then go for it, there is no problem with that. If you want to better your chances with a college however, do something you want to do. I made the mistake of volunteering at a hospital (to see if I could see myself working as a doctor) and absolutely abhorred it. Now I’m locked in to 100 hours and still have not found the strength to complete them. In my case, this will be mentioned on my college application but I will way rather be talking about other things, like how I (hopefully) will be going to UC Davis this next summer to take on the COSMOS program. I know I would love it and will enjoy learning about math and science, I could easily fill the requirements for writing about Extracurriculars on just this one thing, and colleges would much rather see that than going on and on about how you were the president of so and so, and played whoodywhatty for 5 years, and were in these 5 clubs, yadda yadda. </p>
<p>Tl;dr DO WHAT YOU WANT! At the very least, do something that you’re passionate about in your spare time. It doesn’t even need to be “official” (sports, clubs) to impress colleges. BTW if you plan on taking clubs, do one or two and aspire to reach a leadership position in it. Taking five or six will eat up a lot of time, will show little or no devotion/passion to one thing, and will eat up your $$$ (if your school requires money for clubs). One $10 club is a lot better than $60 and no free lunches.</p>
<p>Well, I want to be a designer when i grow up and my major is probably going to be based on art, so i should take classes related to it such as advanced art, art honors, or design class right?</p>
<p>Yes you should take those classes, but not at the expense of college requirements and alternate education. IOW, don’t skimp out and only do art. You may find yourself needing to go to a state university and not a private college, in which case you still need to look good all around to hold good chances. I have a friend who is basically having 5 classes his senior year, three of them art. He is entirely banking his schedule on the fact that he will get into CCA, one of the best art schools in California, maybe even the nation. I don’t think that’s necesarily a bad thing, it just looks lazy to more ‘traditional’ schools. Then again I’m all for trying your hardest in education, so I’m morally obliged to tell you to do the most you can. 
If you have at least a B average I’d say you’re good. If you specify your major as designing and let colleges know in your application, they will look more toward that end of things. Look around for some art competitions, art camps or anything like that. Volunteer at a museum or try and find an internship at a small designing place around. There are plenty of specific things you can do to give you that special edge.</p>
<p>But doing other things like Quiz Bowl, joining the yearbook staff is ok right? And also i have been getting straight A’s and im in my second semester of my sophomore year, it wouldnt be late to start volunteering and joining clubs right? Thanks you for answering my question :)</p>
<p>
This is all well and good if you are joining clubs that you want to participate in. However it sounds like you’re doing this just with the aim of impressing adcoms. So two things [ul][<em>]ECs matter little or none at most colleges[</em>]For those that really care, member of this and hours spent doing that aren’t going to help much[/ul] Here, for example, is what one very selective college (Stanford) says
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>so what should i do to make it standout? like you said you said mines dont really help much so…</p>
<p>What exactly is Quiz Bowl? Is it like Academic Decathlon? Does it go county wide, even state wide? Is there a team captain? I’ve never even heard of quiz bowl. If you want to impress adcoms, which it seems like you want to do a lot more than actually doing things you want, you need to make sure you, as the above poster said, make a difference. Whatever you do, if you want it to stand out, you need to be an important part of it. </p>
<p>If quiz bowl is just an after school meeting for kids to study with each other or something, then it is probably not your most “impressive” choice. If you are going to join yearbook make sure you get an editing position at some point. Colleges want to see that you are in yearbook, but they also want to see that you took a lead in yearbook and left your mark on the actual yearbook.</p>
<p>I volunteered my summer between sophomore and junior year. Just make sure it’s somewhere you want to be. If you get in enough hours, then sure it looks good. You don’t have to specify when you volunteered, just the amount of time if you want. Just make sure you can sound passionate about it.</p>
<p>The fact that you are actually looking for things is beneficial in and of itself. To give yourself the best possible chance in an application I’d think you need the following things:
A strong GPA and otherwise Academic background
Rigorous schedule, high class rank, relevant classes
Passionate ECs, even just one or two.
Good writing</p>
<p>If you’re anything like me, you can pull words out of your butt when it comes to writing. Perfect the skill and, or if you’re already a natural at it, you will make a strong application. We can’t emphasize this enough, do something you want to do. If you are looking into going to a very selective art school, you need to work on your art, learn how to touch adcoms with your work, and explain your passion with art.</p>
<p>Thanks guys. I have a basic idea of what to do and choose what i want to do. So im going try being part of the yearbook staff, join classes of art that id loved to do, and join a club and try to make one that can benefit my community. I will also try to volunteer at a museum. but ive been told i should do things outside of school such academic team or a athletic team, what should i do with this if im not as interested?</p>
<p>If you’re not interested in an academic team or in athletics, don’t participate in them. Neither is required for strong ECs.</p>
<p>yeah i guess so.</p>
<p>but what i said, would it make a strong EC. Because i want to to start planning for next year as i regret my freshman year, sophomore year for not participating in anything but on the bright side i got straight As :)</p>
<p>If you’re not interested in it, it will not make a strong EC.</p>
<p>would taking advanced art or art honors be categorized as an extracurricular activity</p>
<p>like an advanced art class? no that doesn’t qualify</p>
<p>so i work hard towards the two clubs(make one), the school yearbook, go into art competitions, and volunteer at an art museum would that be considered a strong ec if i devote and work hard towards it</p>
<p>track is a good sport for small people if you want to give it a try</p>