Hi, I’m a junior in high school, and honestly, I’m really worried about the college application. I haven’t done much or extracurriculars, so far and the clubs that I have joined are not that significant. Is it too late to start doing “more” or would colleges see that as just a way to fill up the extracurricular section on the application?
No, its really not. They won’t be amazing, but they will still positively affect your application. I also started realizing this last year when I was a junior in your position. A year is a long time and a lot of things can happen.
First, look for activities in the summer. Summer programs generally don’t mean much unless it matches with another one of your interests (say a political science program if you compete in speech in debate, a medical program if you compete in science olympiad or in bio club). Try to find research with a professor. If there is a college near you, email some professors and see if they need any help (any subject can do like engineering and economics but science is where most opportunities are at). Don’t try to go for a top school and go for a younger, inexperienced professor.
Second, look for a part-time job. It shows dedication. You could start your own tutoring business or just work at wegmans. Some people I know want to go into medical and got a job at a doctor’s office, somehow. A year of work is incredibly note-worthy anyways, even a summer job is impressive.
Third, you can start a club. Colleges don’t expect freshman and sophomores to start a club, so you are at the same point as many students, but ONLY if you are interested in it. Don’t make a UNICEF or Student United Way club if you don’t care. Do create an investment club if you like finance.
Fourth, look for an organization to volunteer for. An animal shelter. A hospital. An organization that helps diabled kids. Look on websites–> there are a lot of things to volunteer for. Just try to find something where you actually feel your helping someone/ something and they actually need people to help out.
Obviously, you can’t pick up an instrument, start playing a sport, or hope to become president of a well-established club in your position, but there are a lot of things you can do. Just remember to not do anything that makes you unhappy.
Don’t start a club or, imo, vol with animals. Find challenging comm service that works with and for people in need. Or a cause where the goals are similar. In your own community, not for some distant land.
If you want stem in college, join math-sci activities. If it’s polii sci, vol for a local rep. Pay-to-play programs are academic enrichment, won’t replace your own efforts.
Don’t start a business or a blog. DO do things where you interact with peers.
In other words, activate.
But you don’t tell us your college targets, so for all we know, ECs matter less for them.