On common app, there are 5 activities you can choose to indicate what your EC interests would be at harvard and right under it, there is a supplement asking to describe one of your EC activities. Should the activity I choose to write about match the ECs i choose as interests or does it not really matter? Mine has to do with an instrument and i don’t see an instrument option in the harvard EC drop down options for choosing the 5
The activity you write about for Harvard’s Supplemental Extracurricular Essay does NOT have to match-up with any of the 5 activities or interests you might want to pursue at Harvard.
That said, when an Admissions Officer looks over a student’s EC list and reads their short essay about an extracurricular activity, they are hopeful that a student will continue with at least one of their high school activities in college. After all, AO’s are trying to fill certain slots – so many tuba players, violin players, cheerleaders, student’s interested in debate, student council, student newspaper, intramural sports, theater, dance etc.
So, I would think your chances would be better if at least one of the activities you are currently involved with in high school – and preferably the one you write your EC essay about – is also one of the activities you want to pursue in college. Whether or not you actually choose to participate in that activity once you are at college is besides the point. Things change and colleges understand that. Does that make sense? FWIW: