<p>I'm a sophomore in high school, and after being an avid user of this forum for a year now, I realize the caliber of many high school students. I'm trying, after a weak freshman year, to improve my grades significantly but I'm also trying to get more involved with ECs and whatnot. I've contacted the soup kitchen, the hospital, applied to a few internship locations, etc. </p>
<p>If I'm aiming for high-caliber schools (FYI: my top unrealistic choice is Princeton. Realistically, I'll be thrilled with Michigan as OOS), when do I need to start participating in extracurriculars? I was in a few clubs last year - nothing major, but I'm trying for some more significant stuff this year.</p>
<p>So here're the questions:</p>
<ol>
<li><p>When should one start participating in ECs they're interested in? Is sophomore year too late?</p></li>
<li><p>I'm interested in working with a professor at a university - how do I go about doing this?</p></li>
<li><p>Do most internships/labs take high school students? I've read a lot on CC on different ECs students got involved in - but how did they go about doing this?</p></li>
</ol>
<p>Start doing as many ECs as possible now. It’s never too late. The best thing to do is find the one or two ECs that you really love and enjoy doing. A couple that you’re passionate about is better than a list of twenty. </p>
<p>As for me, I have had two 6-week internships. However, I didn’t need to apply for them as I had familial connections. But otherwise, the organization that I interned for tends to require college students who are older than 18. I was just lucky. Don’t let that discourage you though. Show a couple of choice organizations/businesses that you truly want to learn from them. Work from the bottom up if that’s your only option. Tell them you’ll do errands for them. This will get you working alongside the people you would be “interning” for. This way you would still be learning and could eventually be labeled as an intern. If a business/organization realizes how dedicated and interested you are, they’ll allow it. Of course, they may have limiting policies. Just work with them. Figure out a way that’ll work. </p>
<p>You’ll be fine. I didn’t really start my ECs until the summer of my sophomore year. Not necessarily a good thing, but I have found about four really good ECs that I’m passionate about or have done exceptionally well in. Just find those couple gems. Above all, it’s never too late.</p>
<p>This question really bothers me. You dont “start” your extracurriculars whenever so that you can get into high caliber schools; you join them because you love them. Because you want to get involved and make an impact on your school and society.
Join something you are genuinely interested in doing, and it will show in your essay and interview, I garuntee it. If you pour your heart and soul into it theres no way it wont.</p>
<p>And just FYI, I started my main EC in sixth grade (working with children with special needs), began volunteering at the hospital summer after soph year (applied the day i was old enough), and started with odyssey of the mind in my sophomore year.</p>