Hello! Okay, so, to start this off, I’m a sophomore right now that is involved in a very small private homeschooling school (no classes so everything is taught by me, has less than 200 students, has its own curriculum). I’m only allowed to take two electives (which count as two units so I have two years of it), and it has no clubs, isn’t involved with the local schools… anything. It’s very basic, very minimalistic. It does not offer foreign languages or any IP/AP/Honour classes.
I have 12 hours of volunteering and I’ll be doing even more of it during this summer. My problem is that I have no clubs or sports that I can put on it. The one local school says that I’m not allowed to join any clubs or sports unless I join the school. I’m at a loss of what else I can do to make my college application look better.
Contests, especially fi you’re a writer. You can enter them online without leaving your living room!
I know you mentioned volunteering more- definitely do that. See if you can get to 50, 75, 100 or more hours.
Try to focus your ECs around things that you’re passionate about. For example: If you love animals, volunteer at a shelter, shadow a vet, make money walking dogs, etc. Don’t worry about not being able to join clubs! The best ECs are unique, and clubs tend not to be super unique.
Like, even just hobbies or something? If you like art, there are contests you could enter. Same with writing. For music, communities sometimes have band or choral groups not associated with the schools. Science and math also have projects and competitions which might be accessible to homeschoolers. There may be sports that don’t have anything to do with the schools either. If you’re religious you could do stuff related to that.
Basically, be creative about how to get involved in your areas of interest. Volunteering is a great start if you really delve into it.
If you want to do sports, join rec center or club sports. Is there a community college near you to do art, music, math? Is there an online K-12 school you can take courses through? Why can’t the 200 students in the homeschooling group form clubs? Model UN, mathletes, Destination Imagination?
Try to focus your ECs around things that you're passionate about. For example: If you love animals, volunteer at a shelter, shadow a vet, make money walking dogs, etc. Don't worry about not being able to join clubs! The best ECs are unique, and clubs tend not to be super unique
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Thank you for your help I’ve tried to local vets about shadowing before but none will let me because I’m only 17, but hopefully, they’ll allow me later this year when I turn 18.
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Like, even just hobbies or something? If you like art, there are contests you could enter. Same with writing. For music, communities sometimes have band or choral groups not associated with the schools. Science and math also have projects and competitions which might be accessible to homeschoolers. There may be sports that don't have anything to do with the schools either. If you're religious you could do stuff related to that.
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There are no singing groups or sports that aren’t affiliated with the school It’s more of a retirement town than anything, very suburb-ish and desolate. I’m a writer (with a self-published book on Amazon ;)) would that help? Thank you for your help!
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If you want to do sports, join rec center or club sports. Is there a community college near you to do art, music, math? Is there an online K-12 school you can take courses through? Why can't the 200 students in the homeschooling group form clubs? Model UN, mathletes, Destination Imagination?
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There is a community college but it’s very far and my parents can’t afford to leave their jobs to take me half an hour away and back. The homeschool group is spread out all over my state and a few others. We also don’t have access to who anyone is or info on how to get in contact with them. It’s less a school and more a base where everyone sends their school work to. I’ve never even been to the school.
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What state are you in?
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Florida.
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Does your parent/guardian go to any local support groups? Our group always seemed to have opportunities. Can you do club sports, or karate? I'd also consider a part-time job.
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No we don’t They work a lot (dad is on average 70 hours a week, mom is 40 hours a week and travels a half an hour away every night to take care of my dementia ridden great-grandmother) so they don’t have time for it. I’m trying to find a job, but the market here is very bad.
Self-publishing is cool, and something I would definitely put on your app. However, I would back it up with other writing-related pursuits, because lots of people self-publish nowadays and IMO it’s no longer a definite indication of skill. Ideas: Scholastic Art & Writing competition (http://www.artandwriting.org/ home-schoolers allowed as per the rules), or Google for teen literary magazines or writing contests.
ECs don’t have to be at a school, they can be within your community. Get involved in things you care about and do it on a regularly scheduled basis. And as noted above, a job would be good as well if you can find something.
I would also look for a way to take a foreign language, perhaps an online class. While colleges don’t expect students to take courses not offered at the school, the lack of any foreign language coursework will be a glaring omission from your transcript.
I don’t think self-publishing would impress admission officers – it does not speak to the quality of the work, just that you paid to self-publish it. If you like to write, look for some writing contests to submit entries to.
My kids have no school clubs or sports, but they are still active, productive teens. They have worked in grocery stores/retail, been active in scouting and our church youth group. They volunteer at food pantries, retirement communities, at church, etc. They create activities centered around their interests (my son spent hours journaling thought experiments on string theory and other physics theories and my dd translated a Russian fairytale.)
You need to take responsibility for how you use your time. It doesn’t have to be what anyone else is doing. It needs to be worth your time for you.
My parents won’t allow me to change schools, but thank you for all of your help! I’ll be sure to look into all of my options! There isn’t a lot to volunteer here but hopefully i can find something more!
I’ve tried to local vets about shadowing before but none will let me because I’m only 17, but hopefully, they’ll allow me later this year when I turn 18.
It’s more of a retirement town than anything, very suburb-ish and desolate. I’m a writer (with a self-published book on Amazon ;)) would that help? Thank you for your help! 
There isn’t a lot to volunteer here but hopefully i can find something more!