<p>I'm currently in grade nine, and I'm wondering what sorts of ECs the Ivies look for. (Or, just the level of achievement they want from applicants.) I go to a really small school (our total is about 150 students... less than that, I think) and we have absolutely NO ECs! :( It's all sports, but I'm not good at any sport besides badminton. I'll try out for the team, I suppose, but that's not enough. I want to start some ECs at school, but who's going to join? Almost half of our students are boarders and have weak English. Plus, they don't care about anything! I don't know what to do. Should I try and start some ECs, or just forget it?</p>
<p>I'm in lifeguard training right now (Bronze Med), but I don't know if I'll be able to pass the next level. :( However, I'll try my very best and hopefully things will go as planned! I am also involved in religion (I'm Sikh) and I will get more involved in my place of worship (teaching Punjabi) as soon as I'm certified. I can also get community service hours there and I'm thinking of starting some things with my friend there. </p>
<p>There is a Mayor's Youth Council in my city, but all of their positions are filled. I'm trying to find out if there's any way to get involved regardless, but haven't received an answer yet. I want to start fund raisers in the city and I want to contribute to issues that I care about. </p>
<p>I also want to get involved in Intel/Siemens fairs, but I have no idea where to start! I'm interested in biology/biotechnology... I just don't have any ideas on projects. I think I'll wait until next year to actually start this, but if anyone has any suggestions, that would be great! I'm also thinking about attending some sort of science camp over the summer, but I haven't ruled anything out yet. </p>
<p>Alsoooo.... I've heard that some people are getting scholarships and recognition and whatnot because they're using YouTube as a way to fight racism or speak about issues and causes that they believe in. Would this be good? </p>
<p>OPINION ONLY - I HAVE NO CLUE! I don’t know what colleges actually WANT, as my son is a HS senior, but what we’ve seen in our research (good for you for starting early!) is that colleges, including Ivies, want 1) commitment to a thing and 2) passion. They don’t seem to care much what thing it is. I think that if you teach Punjabi, or teach English to your classmates, or help in the retirement home, or any other paid or volunteer position, it’s all good as long as you do it for the next three years and can be excited about it.</p>
<p>ECs that display commitment and pertain to your academic and career ambitions are best. Starting clubs/organizations also shows initiative.</p>
<p>If there is absolutely no way to join, start, or garner interest for ECs in your school, it is likely best that you pursue activities outside of your school. Outside activities are also more apt to be “unique” since in-school ECs are often generic and do not set oneself apart from the rest of the applicant pool even if leadership positions are attained. For instance, although attaining the Presidency of your local chapter of the National Honor Society might be impressive, one needs to realize that there are also 40,000 other NHS Presidents in the US.</p>
<p>Easiest might be to start your own Peer Tutoring program if your school does not have one already. If your school is mediocre, as it seems to be, it could use one!</p>
<p>relax…get involved in this you like
don’t to things for college…live your life so it could speak for itself
pick something you are interested in and stick to it…colleges want to see that not a list of random things you did to impress them.</p>
<p>First of all, don’t do ECs just for college. Do what you want. Colleges like to see people who are honest and show who they really are. Not people who are “fakes” by trying to do things they don’t have a real passion for. Spend your freshman year exploring opportunities and trying different ECs. Once you become interested in one, stick to it. Volunteering is a great place to start, explore places where they accept volunteers and see which one interests you. As for science fairs, I have to say that you should try it but don’t be too hopeful about winning. Since you are a freshman, I would think that you are taking biology or chemistry right now and you don’t have a lot of knowledge (like AP level knowledge) about either subject (I may be wrong though, and I’m sorry if I offended you). I don’t mean to sound rude but I say that because the projects that many of those people do require a lot of knowledge about biology and chemistry and physics. Most of the people who make it to nationals and international levels have taken or is taking AP science classes. However, I do encourage you to try it out. It’s just that don’t get your hopes up about winning. Good Luck!</p>
<p>I love the Peer Tutoring idea, but the thing is that I go to a private school and most of the kids here are doing well in school. Everyone says that there’s a lot of academic competition here, but I don’t see it at all. I will definitely try it out, though. I won’t directly approach the administration or anything because they’ll be all, “We don’t need that because we have the best students and academics in the whole city!” So I’ll probably just let everyone in the elementary school know (there are only about 150 kids in the elementary school, and another 140 in the high school). Most of them know me, so it shouldn’t be a problem. </p>
<p>I definitely want to be doing all of these things for myself! I want to get involved, but I’m just not sure how. I’ve contacted someone who can help me and we’re planning to get together and talk about what I can do sometime soon. I really think I should at least TRY to start some EC’s at school, but I’m not counting on any of them working out. This year, we tried to start a band and we now have a grand total of eight people. </p>
<p>Oh, I don’t think I’ll be getting involved in the science fairs until much later on. Probably grade 11 or 12. </p>
<p>Just one more thing:
My current school has the IB and AP programs, but there is a large public school in my area (also quite academically competitive) which has a LOT more EC’s. It has something called the Enriched Program, but no IB or AP. I’m thinking of going to that school next year, but then it would be really hard to come back to my current school for IB and AP. So if I go to that school from grades 10-12, will it look bad? I mean, would I be better off where I am and doing IB and AP? I’m also doing several grade 10 and 11 courses this year, and courses at my school are harder. So maybe I would be able to take grade 11 classes at that school next year or something? I don’t know what to do! I think I should stay here just for IB and AP, but if that’s not going to help me get in anywhere, then I’m just going to forget it.</p>
<p>its better to go the new school, it will give more opporunties, colleges don’t have a specific they are looking for, you just have the best and be unique, it helps be punjabi i hope, do a lot cummunity and ec and keep the grades up and you will be ok good luck :)</p>
<p>just do what you love, honestly. I am a sophomore in hs and am a certified life guard and cpr/defibrillator certified. also, i’m on the varsity badminton team which has been the state champion for 3 or 4 years running now AND i’m in a show choir (sort of like glee but not as messed up). I have about a 3.4 gpa (not as high as i would like but i’m working on it) and want to go out of state.
you will be FINE, so just do what you want while you still can…
hs is a time when you can find out what you are interested in and explore clubs and activities. enjoy it.</p>
<p>Looking back on the college admissions process (as a class of 15 SCEA yale admit), I advise you to simply stick with what’s fun. If you sacrifice any of your enjoyment for doing EC’s you loathe, there might always be the chance that you wasted your efforts completely. If you love what you do at least you will be happy by the end.</p>
<p>Passion!! is what’s truly important…I would say in life in general, not just college admissions…then again, I think the IVs want applicants that understand what’s important in life in general. So it’s like this circle that if you’re inside, you understand the important things in life and automatically set yourself up to be a viable candidate (assuming you meet the other criteria such as not a 17 ACT), but if you’re outside…maybe not so much…</p>
<p>But anyways I don’t think the OP is on this site anymore…look at the dates. The last post s/he made was over a year ago.</p>
<p>But I hope everything is going well and s/he has found what s/he’s looking for!</p>
I will definitely try it out, though. I won’t directly approach the administration or anything because they’ll be all, “We don’t need that because we have the best students and academics in the whole city!” So I’ll probably just let everyone in the elementary school know (there are only about 150 kids in the elementary school, and another 140 in the high school). Most of them know me, so it shouldn’t be a problem. 
</p>
I’m checking, but haven’t yet found any opportunities. If anyone can help me at all, please do!!</p>