<p>Hi, first time posting.
My D is going to get into high school this year. I hear quite a bit from others
about the importance of doing after school group oriented activities (group sports, band etc). Are these activities really important for her college admission? How important is the group activities? Good to play violin in school orchestra, but bad to play piano at home ? Good to play soccer, but bad to play tennis?
Thanks.</p>
<p>Your child should do things in which they have an interest....not things to pad a college resume. If you child is an accomplished pianist, that is as nice as playing in the school band. If your child is a tennis player, she could also be on the school tennis team at some point. If she is a skier and prefers that, so be it. I honestly think that some kids excel at group activities, and others do not. The kiddos need to do that which they enjoy. IF they happen to enjoy group things, fine. If not, fine. Just my opinion.</p>
<p>Neither my husband or I have attended a 4 yr school- therefore the idea of skewing a high school record to look good to adcoms was unthought of.
Our older daughter did what she wanted- billions of volunteer hours taking care of ponies, working as riding staff at a residential camp, sang in vocal group senior year, track senior year, musical all through high school, art studio ditto.
She was accepted in all the schools that she applied to, including top in country.
Its more important to be energized and active than to worry about what is the "hot" EC.</p>
<p>I agree, it's got to be their interest. My college daughter was active in performing arts, choir and key club in high school. I was hoping my son would follow in her footsteps but all he's joined is marching band (a class with a grade, actually), bowling club, philosophers club and computer club. He's active in boy scouts but more because he's accustomed to it then a real passion. Except for boy scouts and band, his activites would probably not count for much on an application. His only real passion is computer gaming and I'm hoping that unless he majors in game design that he keeps that under wraps.</p>
<p>I agree with the others that a kid should not choose extra curriculars with the idea that certain ones might look good on a college application. I know my kids never did that. Their ECs were ones started when young, way before we ever thought about college. They just committed to these interests and kept them going. </p>
<p>But anyway, I don't think the ECs HAVE to be connected to school or to groups. It is important that the student is actively involved in activities outside the classroom in which he/she is truly interested. It does not matter so much WHAT these activities are. Rather, they should be interested, do them over many years (preferably at least four), be dedicated, spend considerable time on them (not one hour every other week for some meeting of a club), achieve to the highest level they can with the activity, and in some cases, attain a significant role in that activity. </p>
<p>These activities need not be connected to the school. For instance, a kid could be involved in tennis lessons and tournaments not affiliated with school. He/she might ALSO join the school team. In other cases, the activity does not relate to school at all. Say martial arts. Or I have a kid who takes dance classes and is in dance troupes five days per week and that is through a dance studio. Or actually my kids take private piano lessons (since you mentioned this as an example). I'll admit that they also play piano in the school's jazz band but that is mostly during the school day. But there are numerous worthwhile ECs that have nothing to do with school. For instance.....community theater, community service, a job, an internship, swim team, horseback riding and showing, 4H Club, political activism, research, entrepreneurial activities, martial arts, ballet, snowboarding programs, youth orchestras, acting lessons, babysitting, painting, religious groups, boy/girl scouts, etc. All are just as worthwhile as ones affiliated with the school. The point is how the student spends his/her time when not in class. </p>
<p>Welcome to the Parent Forum!</p>
<p>I don't think the question is group vs. individual, but, rather, does the student excell in a quantifiable/recognizable way. Examples of indivuidual excellence can be art awards, writing for the newspaper or creative writing journals science competitions. My advice to my s when he was applying to schools was to view the process as an application to a club & to explain to the adcom what would make him a desirable member.( S's first impulse was to discuss teenage angst.) Playing the piano @ home might not be a plus, but turning it into community service, by playing @ a convalescent home would be.</p>
<p>At the Stanford info session, the adcom rep specifically used the example of a pianist to illustrate the importance of passion and Stanford's emphasis on a few ECs pursued consistently over a raft of ECs. She listed: piano lessons, piano performances and tutoring kids in piano or performing at community functions as showing both passion, and addressing community service as well as demonstrating artistic talent. She was answering a question about whether it was necessary to achieve some level of recognition or to be part of the high school band. Perhaps she was underplaying the level of talent that Stanford would be looking for, but her overall message was few ECs pursued with passion over several years rather than a raft of ECs pursued in desultory fashion to pad the resume.</p>