Generally, what kind of colleges actually verify extracurricular activities? If they do, how do they do it? Do they search it up online? Also, if you started your own business in high school, will they request for some kind of paperwork of proof or something to show the exact amount of revenue or something?
Generally, they don’t. Obviously more spectacular ECs can be googled. Your recommendations may also reference them.
The college may dig more deeply if they suspect something. UCs have been known to request verification from applicants. See the below link for further info:
https://www.collegeconfidential.com/dean/000323/
if a particular EC is enough to tip you into the accepted pile when you would otherwise not be accepted then it would be verifiable through an internet search eg. a national award for whatever.
Our high school lists ECs and leadership positions on the transcript or info sent to each college. It also includes Varsity sports.
If they are suspicious they will probably check. My guidance counselor was really angry this year because a bunch of people lied about their ECs. The colleges found out because for our counselor rec we fill out an activities sheet for our GC to use, and apparently her recommendation said stuff that was contradictory to the students’ teacher recs so the colleges were suspicious and they called her. I can’t believe anyone would do such a thing! I would be too scared to. Even if I don’t think I will get caught; I can’t imagine living with that guilt. Like what if your ECs were the tipping point in your application and you lied about them and took the spot of someone who actually worked hard and didn’t lie about the stuff they did?
thanks for the input! I was concerned for two reasons: 1) I participated in a semi-prestigious camp but lost the certificate that I earned after completing the program, and 2) I have a small local business I run that I’m planning to put down on my ECs list, but I don’t have the legal documents or the documents that show revenue and taxes etc.
It is a waste of time and effort for colleges to verify things that hold very little weight on an application.
My daughter went on a two week teen summer trip abroad last summer. At one of the parent meetings before the trip we were told how someone had included the trip on their college application and the program was contacted to verify and learn about the program.
The most impressive ones (e.g. winning a state or national championship in something) are often the most easily verifiable.