I know the Common App isn’t out yet but I’m starting to think about how I will put in my EC’s and I’m really unsure about how I should do it and particularly how to group things together.
My EC’s will include
4 yrs Varsity Cross Country, MVP, All Conference
3 yrs Varsity Nordic Skiing, 1yr JV
Practiced with a community Nordic Training Program 4 mornings a week this summer.
2 yrs Varsity Ultimate Frisbee, 1 yr JV (our team got 3rd in state)
This summer I practiced 2 nights a week for Youth Club Championships and represented my state at the tournament.
1 yr Varsity track and Field
9 yrs Private Flute Lessons
3 yrs 1st chair and flute section leader in my school’s top band
Band Council Officer (Librarian)
1st reed in pit orchestra
NHS VP and co-lead of the Kids committee
Inpatient volunteer at children’s hospital-200 hrs
2, month long summer trips to Guatemala for language study, homestays and volunteering
12 years private piano lessons
4 years private voice lessons
6 years singing in community girls chorus
Which of these should I include and which ones should I group together?
Thank you so much!
Include a nice mix and always include the ones you’ve made the biggest commitment to. Of course if you have too many, you can group a few together (flute, for instance, should just be one item; squeeze the important details into the description).
You seem to have 2 really big groups:
- Music.
- 12 years private piano lessons
- 9 years private flute lessons
- 4 years private voice lessons
- 6 years signing in community girls chorus
- 3 years 1st chair and flute section leader in school band
- 1st reed in pit orchestra
- Band Council librarian
- Cross Country/Track.
- 4 years varsity cross country
- MVP, cross country team
- All conference cross country
- 1 year varsity track and field
Those represent a big effort and time commitment over a sustained period of time, with reasonable proficiency and achievement. They should be emphasized. The nordic and frisbee probably complement the cross-country track in terms of general fitness and activity, but they seem separate to me.
I think it’s probably better to show 2 major foci of interest with a range of activities within them, plus some supplementary activities, as opposed to just a broad list of different things.