<p>For competitive schools like Duke? *I know ECs don't matter too much, but I have a competivive ACT (33) and good grades (maybe just a bit below Dukes average) but I want to know if my ECs are good enough (and not seriously lacking)</p>
<ul>
<li>
Indoor Track (will be 4 years, have won/placed at some big competitions)
Outdoor Track (will be 4 yrs)
Internship in a European Government for a month (got a rec from the guy- I did some pretty cool things and went to meetings and all- it was a lot of fun. Will this type of thing stand out, I know where mightn't matter too much, but that it is a national govt must be pretty unique, right?)
Student Council (elected) ( a little over 3 yrs, have a leadership position- I organized a fundraiser for Haiti and a ping pong tourney along with a 9-11 memorial)
Founder of GAA club (Irish sports- 2 yrs, have some leadership like captain)
founded a school fan club for after school activities (1 yr) *
NHS/Tutoring Contributor for Newspaper (2 yrs)
Interned at colligate baseball league for 2 years (game day operations)
Wrote and helped edit their yearbook for 3 years
Mowed lawns during spring/summer/fall as a job 4 yrs
Cross Country (Frosh Captain) (1 yr)</li>
</ul>
<p>Would you be able to rate my ECs for a school like Duke? Thanks!</p>
<p>Haha thanks! Ya it’s not the best but for my 10th activity it’s one year of frosh XC (captain), contributed for the paper, or moving lawns haha.</p>
<p>if you want to put your ECs on a scale from 1-10 for Duke i’d gauge you at seven or eight. You don’t really specify how involved you are with track, would you be able to compete for Duke? If so, with a 33 you are a lock-in. If not I still find your time with a euro gov extremely interesting on an academic, vocational, and intellectual level.</p>
<p>I’m one of the top in my state and the coach says if I get in I’m on the team, but that he doesn’t have a spot to give (I guess they only get like 4 spots a year and no scholarships). It takes up like 18 hours a week and I’m really dedicated to it and good at it as I have placed high in states and won a national invitational (pretty good competition- much better than the state level- but not Jr olympics or anything).</p>
<p>No it won’t help you being good at track. You know duke as well as other schools would prefer that you put 9 meaningful activities. The 10 spots aren’t meant for you to fill all of them, there is no need.</p>
<p>^Those are meaningful activities though, I spend time on all of them, obviously some are more time consuming than others, but I still care about all of the activities.</p>
<p>How would we know that xc isn’t going on your app? You never said that but included it in your list of ECs. I wouldn’t include the yearbook job or mowing lawns. They just don’t pack a punch. Ant kid can go out and mow lawns, many kids do and don’t think of it as an ec.</p>
<p>^sorry I just listed everything here. I guess I was thinking of mowing laws as work experience, sure its not the 9-5 on weekends that some kids work, but with track and all its kind of impossible for me to have a job like that (meets every weekend take up an entire day, sometimes practice and meet on same weekend).</p>
<p>But as a whole, how do they look? I know some are better than others, but compared to the average applicant how do mine stand?</p>
<p>A little above average. As long as you have ECs that show commitment and done not just for college you are fine. Extracurriculars play only around 20-30% of the decision and there are plenty of other ways to impress and get admitted.</p>
<p>Alright thanks! Ya my ACT is right in Duke’s range and GPA is a little below average (but I’m going ED and I’ve got an upward trend so hopefully that will help) so I’m hoping they like my ECs and essays so that it pushes me over the top!</p>
<p>I think that the Euro internship is really cool! Sports take up a lot of time, and if you are good at them that’s even better! I think that you have great ECs.</p>