<p>I'm only applying to one Ivy school, but don't think I'll get in. My other schools are Alfred Uni, Clemson Uni, College of Charleston, SCAD, Winthrop Uni, U of SC, and Coastal Carolina. As you might've noticed I'm a resident of South Carolina. Income bracket is low, and have a 1500 SAT score (which only 3 colleges have and will not be sent to any more), and from a total of about 6 ACT practice tests I should hopefully get 29-31 on the ACT which will be the score sent off to colleges. My EC's are the following: member of Key Club (might become Prez or VP), member of my school's academic team (it's an official national team, but can't remember the name NQ something), member of student council (Senior Class Prez), a published poet in Creative Communication's book, also I might be getting a job soon. Ouch. Just realized how little the list is. I can also join NHS this year (even though it's just a club where you buy random things and turn it in). There's also a Special Olympics I can volunteer in. Also I was in a musical in 8th grade, could I list that under accomplishments? The problem is my school doesn't offer many clubs to join. How does my list look? Also will it be worth my time to try to do more things to add? I would really like to volunteer at a soup kitchen but everywhere I ask about it nobody knows of one in my city or close by. :/ </p>
<p>For the schools you are applying to, you are fine. Your ECs are only heavily considered at elite schools. Among Ivy applicants, you are probably average in terms of ECs.</p>
<p>Be weary of starting some EC now. Colleges may view it in a negative way. If you wish to do it for your own fulfilment, go ahead, but don’t think that you can start ight now and greatly enhance your application. </p>
<p>Could I include things I had done a year prior to high school? I performed in a musical and helped create costumes, taught others the dance moves, and I would often stay a couple of hours after school about 3-4 days a week, but it was in 8th grade. Also in 9th grade I was in a talent show, but just a participant, didn’t win anything. Well actually that sounds kind of stupid now that I wrote it out. </p>
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No, the problem is you haven’t taken the initiative to find things that interest you and pursue them. You appear to have adopted the attitude that ECs are something provided by your school, and the measure applied by colleges is simply whether someone chose to take part or not. This is not the point of view of the most selective colleges. Top colleges look for students with inner drive. As Stanford says
From a few things you write it sounds like you have an interest in performing arts. You could have run with this in a million ways. Off the top of my head - you could have joined community theater, set up fundraisers for local arts groups, taken enrichment classes during the summer, set up your own troupe to perform in the community (bonus points for doing this to provide entertainment in retirement homes), etc, etc. Instead you sat back and waited for someone to offer you something to join. Top schools are not looking for joiners, they are looking for leadership and accomplishment.</p>
<p>@mikemac You don’t know me so don’t act as if you do. The problem is that my mom works a lot and wasn’t able to take me to as many places as I wanted to go. There is nothing to do in my town, much less the school. I do not have an interest in the performing arts. Once again, no transportation to community theaters, not to mention they all cost a good bit of money to join, and all the other things cost money which I don’t have. I certainly did NOT sit back just waiting for offers. There weren’t any offers. I’m doing as much as I can. Plus you don’t represent the schools so I could do without all your attitude. </p>
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<p>If you don’t want people’s opinions. why are you posting here. Mike may have been a little harsh, but has comments were valid. I’d suggest that you try to take the advice here in a way that will help you learn if you can.</p>
<p>@CHD2013 I wanted opinions and while I do admit I should’ve tried making arrangements to get more EC’s I still didn’t need his attitude. There were a million other ways to say what he said without bashing me like that. All I’m trying to do is get into a good college and understand that maybe he was trying to help, but the past is my past and me getting insulted on it helps no one.</p>
<p>^I guess I saw it differently. He made some very frank observations then followed up with concrete suggestions that could prove helpful to readers of this thread (possibly even you). I think that overall it was a useful post.</p>
<p>Okay thanks. @CHD2013 </p>
<p>Your list is pretty lackluster but probably fine, as Esat936 said, for the other schools you’re applying to. You can’t add things that you did prior to high school. There’s nothing you can really do now with admissions coming up so soon, so just focus on your essays and app as a whole.</p>
<p>Okay thank you so much! 
I’m already working on the essays. And I have teachers who love me and will fight for me in a recommendation. @capitalamerica </p>