<p>I'm finishing up my sophomore year. As of now, I do practically all that my school offers in terms of extracurriculars - not counting sports, as the most athletic activity I do is track (and only one season so far).</p>
<p>I'm doing the big things: student government (9, 10); campus guides (9, 10, maybe the leader of it next year); various clubs: drama, politics, bowling, and even a club I started this year which ended up failing. For next year I've applied to a student leadership job involving mentoring the middle school kids - I think i'll get that.</p>
<p>I'm big on dramatics...do an annual fall play and doing the spring play this year (did it last year too). In terms of community service, I do all of what the school offers (not very much) but there is a work trip to Florida which I will do all four years.</p>
<p>I feel like I have not done much that sets me apart as a great candidate for an ivy league college or the like. My school doesn't offer as much, and I got discouraged when the school essentially shot down my ideas for starting clubs and activities. </p>
<p>Outside of school, what programs or whatever could I do year-round that make up for this? I have a job now and have had it since last year. Anything else?</p>
<p>Science Bowl doesn’t really count for much, and it’s mostly just for fun.</p>
<p>LIC, just do what you like; no point doing extracurriculars just to build up your resume, it’s artificial and empty if you do it that way. Holding a job early on is quite good, especially if it’s something that isn’t something a student normally would do. </p>
<p>I say just try to find the interesting competitions/activities and do them, not worrying too much about how good they will look on your application.</p>
<p>The point of an extracurricular is to have fun while making yourself a better, more knowledgeable, more skilled person. Science Bowl certainly does increase your knowledge, and it definitely is fun. : )</p>
<p>To the OP: You need to find an extracurricular that you will love and enjoy completely, something that you will be extremely dedicated to, and something that makes a difference to other people, not just you. For me, it has definitely been piano (piano competitions, benefit concerts, community service programs at senior centers and children’s hospitals, etc). If you find something like that that you can completely enjoy and use to help others, then that’s a good extracurricular.</p>