<p>Hey guys. I'm a upcoming senior in Chicago. I was recently starting my application at Loyola U [backup] and I noticed all the spots for leadership. It was so overwhelming because well, I don't have any. </p>
<p>Yes, I've been in a lot of clubs and am active, but its hard to get leadership because spots are held until graduation or handed to a friend. Seriously, Key Club officers are all best friends.</p>
<p>So I need to do something outside of school.</p>
<p>I can try to start a club but that might be hard.</p>
<p>I volunteer at a hospital 4 times a week [used to be 2 and more in the summer]. I don't think that's impressive though.</p>
<p>I can be in sports but seeing as I'm applying ED in November one sport won't be that impressive.</p>
<p>Help!</p>
<p>I'm stressed because I messed up freshman year [3.4 GPA UW]. Right now my GPA is 3.8 UW. Rank - 12/1,000 [big school].
ACT - 30. Again, not great but retaking.</p>
<p>I'm also taking a class this summer.</p>
<p>Senior Schedule-
AP Calculus
AP Physics
AP Extended Physics
AP Microeconomics
H World Lit [required]
H Horticulture [not willing to change]
H Italian [MIGHT switch to AP Government]</p>
<p>Should I add the AP or focus more on outside of school things? AP Government is easy but lots of work = time.</p>
<p>At my high school, virtually all leadership positions were popularity contests. The same people managed to be officers in every club. Quite disheartening. But I started two of my own clubs (although before senior year) and managed to finagle my way into a bunch of leadership positions mostly by blind perseverance. So while I get where you’re coming from, I find it hard to believe that if you weren’t willing you couldn’t find a couple leadership roles in certain clubs/sports. Also, colleges can see through people starting/joining clubs in their senior year - it’s a pretty transparent method of resume boosting at the last minute. </p>
<p>You say that you’ve been in a lot of clubs in HS. If these are activities you’ve been doing (for the most part) for your three to four years then I wouldn’t worry all too much. Of course leadership positions are important, but I think that dedication to a club can often have the same effect. Don’t water down your resume with a new club just joined/started in your senior year…UNLESS you start a club that has a real personal purpose. </p>
<p>As for this: </p>
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<p>In my personal experience, clubs really don’t take up too much of your time. It’s more about getting off your derriere and being socially involved than real time killers. Music and sports are different I’d say. Most people that go to top schools don’t have to weigh whether they want to take an AP class or join some clubs - they do both.</p>
<p>No, I was in lots of clubs since freshman year. Student Council, Key Club, etc. I’m just saying I won’t take on another AP if I’m doing something til’ 6 everyday - like starting a nonprofit organization or something bigger.</p>
<p>Yes, Key Club, SC, Polish Club, etc. are all popularity contests. Maybe BS clubs that don’t do much good like… Baking Club? I could get leadership. But what good would I have been doing?</p>
<p>I’m not saying it has to be a club since leadership at this point will be impossible to get but I need something bigger.</p>
<p>I might be able to get leadership in SC as an officer because the sponsor loves me and I’ve been dedicated to it since freshman year. We’ll see, I’ll talk to her during the summer.</p>
<p>Also if I can get a bunch of leadership positions [mostly officer] would it be worth it? Even if it was just SC? Or would my time be better spent doing something else.</p>
<p>Here’s the way I see it: ECs that are forced seem blatantly obvious. I don’t want to convince you that you can’t start a club senior year because in actuality I did the exact same thing. I started a newspaper, but it also managed to seem like it was following suit in the sense that I worked on my high school’s main paper since freshman year. If you’ve been in a lot of clubs since you entered high school, I wouldn’t worry so much about leadership roles. Dedication to multiple clubs shows just as much to a college - leadership roles are only a plus. Yes, many kids have them when applying, but it’s not as if they’re an insurmountable application obstacle! That’s if the clubs are actually substantial and not “Baking Club” as you alluded to…</p>
<p>Student council seems like a good leadership position to pursue - definitely noteworthy. If you want to start a non-profit group, well, you’ve got your work cut out for you to just be starting this in your senior year with all the college work you’ll have coming at you. Personally, if you are able to get a leadership position, you should at least try to pursue it.</p>