Extracurricular Questions

Applying to College
1

<p>I am a rising Senior. I just had a few questions on what ECs to put down on CommonApp because I know it looks better to have passion + leadership than to have a laundry list.</p>

<p>Theater:
-Costumes for school plays (9th and 10th grade) 6 shows
-Sarah Play (a professional theater produces a play directed designed and performed by high
schoolers)
-9th grade- Sound Board Op
-10th grade- House Manager
-11th grade- Stage Manager
-Acted in:
The Tempest (Nymph) (9th grade)
Music Man (Ensemble) (11th grade)
The Wiz (Munchkin) (summer before 9th)
Variety of one-acts (9th + 10th)</p>

<p>Writing:
NaNoWriMo (All of High School)
-Still working on the novels
Neos (a Magazine completely written by students) (11th-12th)</p>

<p>Jewish Youth Group:
Regional General Board
New Member Outreach chair (11th Grade)
Welcoming Committee (12th grade rep)
Run a facebook compliments page for it</p>

<p>Tutoring (second semester 11th + (projected) 12th grade)</p>

<p>NHS (12th grade)</p>

<p>Mock Trial
-Summer before 11th (at a "program" that was not hard to get into. If you have $$, you can go)
-(projected) 12th</p>

<p>Special Affairs Coordinator on SGA (9th)</p>

<p>Avid Baker (all of HS)
-baked 3 wedding cakes for a project
-baked 200 cupcakes for a bat mitzvah
-I bake A LOT</p>

<p>So which ECs "count?" Also, I have not/do not had/have a job except for volunteering to help out OREC, Ocean Renewable Energy Coalition which my mom helps run. Could this hurt me?
Thanks in advance for all your help!</p>

2

<p>As long as you don’t get paid for those activites, they can be considered as extra curricular activites</p>

3

<p>Why? Couldn’t a job considered as an EC? I meant which ones should I actually put on my CA?</p>

4

<p>You should probably put them all on. My D2 had 14 different ECs, she ended up needing to put a few of the lower priority ones in the “additional information” section. Although it is unclear whether/how that will be available this year on the revised common app… My D left off a couple of activities she only did in 9th grade, and in one case something she did in 9/10 that was halfhearted and she did not accomplish much in. It worked for her… she got in everyplace she applied. Your list is not excessive, nor too scattered (include the OREC, too – you don’t have to tell them that your mom runs it, although maybe her profession info on the app will give it away).</p>

<p>Also, for something like your theater accomplishments, the past version of the Common App had an itty bitty space where all that stuff wouldn’t fit… D2 wrote in the tiny space “See additional info section” and bullet listed items like that in the add’l info section (in her case she had a lot of Quiz Bowl accomplishments, so she put that detail). Again, not sure what the Common App will allow this year…</p>

5

<p>I heard they were getting rid of the Additional Info section this year, but we won’t truly know until August 1 I guess. But thank you! That was helpful!</p>

6

<p>Would putting together an arts supplement for your theater experiences make sense?</p>