<p>This question is primarily for Stanford's app, since they don't allow you to send in an activity list or any more detailed information, but it's applicable for the common app and mnay other colleges too:</p>
<p>So I'm getting a head start looking at some of the application forms, and I have a question about the part where it says approximate hours/week and weeks/year for each activity. I have several ecs that I do varying amounts of time throughout the year, rather than regularly. Similarly, there are some activities that I really focused on in sophomore and junior year and think I will have less time for senior year, and vice versa. How are you supposed to boil all that down to two numbers? How accurate do they expect it to be when they say approximate? To the nearest hour, ten hours, hundred hours? Also, for those of you who have already applied before, for activities that varied significantly over the years, did you try to average, or just put down the time spent at the peak participation for that activity. One last thing, some of my ecs continue into the summer, which is actually when I put the most time in. Can I count that as part of the "year"? Thanks for your help and sorry for the long post, I'm just kinda confused.</p>
<p>bump- sorry its long but any input would be very helpful!</p>
<p>First off, any time of the year counts, so yes to the end part of your subimission. Also, it's really hard to say, I know when I did it I had this one EC: playing dominoes with the family which in my junior year I did approx 5hrs./wk for 52wks/yr, but this became harder since I got a job this year, so I guess I would stick to what I have already done compared to what I will be doing. Then there are clubs that I did generally throughout the year though some weeks are was crazily involved and others I just didn't care so for something like this, like Student Council, I put 1hr/wk 40wks/yr since my school year is 180 days or about 40 wks, and every week I would have a meeting which ran a little above half an hour though some weeks I could be involved in some SC related activitiy like a blood drive and be giving in like 5hrs of my time in just one day. So to compensate I put 1 hr/wk. Then there were clubs like Academic Decathlon which I did prep work in the summer but at the same time it ended in March since state awards were mid-march so I put the four weeks in August and all the rest as well as compensating for prep work, so I ended up with 1.5 hr/s wk, 30wks/yr. Finally, I knew filling it out that nothing was entirely accurate just compensation, and of course a little tweaking to be more presentable, though I can honestly say I never overreached. Like a year round school activity I never put more than 40 wks/yr. So just try to be as accurate and honest as you can be, and make sure when listing common app activities you list them by importance. So good luck this year, it's going to be grueling, but at the same time have fun.</p>
<p>Yeah, I feel like I'm being too paranoid about being as exact as possible. I mean, I certainly want an honest app but at the same time its basically impossible for me to perfectly represent four years of varying committments and activities in the form they ask for.</p>
<p>Yea, so just try to supply the most honest account of your clubs within your mind, and as long as it doesn't vary to much from the truth, than don't worry abou it because colleges expect the numbers to vary.</p>
<p>but should i try to average over the four years, or put down the maximum amount for the years when I was most dedicated?</p>
<p>hmmmmm, I would personally say average, but it's a tough call, i mean say you joined student council sophomore year but didn't really do that much, but then the two years after you had leadership and were crazy involved, then i wouldn't average but rather stick to my junior and senior year participation, but if it was the other way around like sophomore year you had leadership and were crazy involved, but then the two years after you didn't have much time and thus didn't put forth much effort then I would average it. But overall it's really a tough call.</p>
<p>umm what do you mean Stanford doesn't allow you to send an activities list? says who? sure isn't say that on the app, but can't you just make one and send it with the app like everyone else does?</p>
<p>hmmmm, that's tough to recommend I would say, it obviously could go both ways, but what if it comes up as doesn't follow directions..., cause I know when I did my MIT app it said something of the same sort and I was skeptical to send anything attached, though i don't know if my school ever did.</p>
<p>stanford's app specifically says do not send any additional materials</p>
<p>yeah, hmmm, don't know what to tell you</p>
<p>An activities list is not additional materials. Lots of apps say that, they mean things like extra recs, or art portfolios or music or writing samples. Read A for Admissions or something. You'd be killing yourself to try and do justice to your ECs with the tiny space they give you.</p>
<p>Oh yes, didn't catch on "additional materials" is just as drummerdude said, basically all the add-ons. so yeah ditto to drummerdude</p>
<p>hmm...I'm still not totally convinced that they would be ok with an activity list, i think they give examples of "additional materials" which include a resume, which would serve a similar purpose as the activity list. But I guess all applicants are in the same boat trying to accurately fill in that small form, so I assume that the college must assume that things won't be all that accurate</p>
<p>I think Stanford's strict with submitting suppl. stuff (along with Columbia)</p>
<p>But you're not "submitting stuff" your making an activities list similar to the one on the app only longer. I guarantee that TONS of people did this when they applied to Stanford, and probably most of the ones that got in did. Don't take my word for it, ask the Stanford forum guys. You will be putting yourself at a major disadvantage by not making a good activities list.</p>
<p>Im pretty sure it says on the application that you should only write activities in the boxes they give to you .. at least it did last year</p>
<p>I've never even heard of that.</p>
<p>I say check the application and do what it says</p>