<p>My brother had basically none of the hard official engineering activities on his app. Like you, he went to a school that was very weak in science, there was really no-one who shared his interests, and he had to do all his science APs through independent-study because there weren't even enough people to make up a class. He had no idea about all the competitions and summer programs, so instead he went out and found anything at all to do with engineering. </p>
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<li><p>He took every semi-related class that he could at our jc, even things like car mechanics, though we have no car. He did this over a few years, but you could look at what they have on offer over the summer or beginning of senior year.</p></li>
<li><p>He approached professors at local universities. He didn't ask for any kind of official internship or program, he just said "I am supercool engineering guy, can I come and see your work, even if it's just for a couple of hours, so I can see what it is that is new and exciting in the engineering world?" Nearly all of them said yes, some did give him just those couple of hours, but three different universities gave him more time, let him work on various different projects, gave him books, tools, advice, one even gave him lab space throughout his senior year. He never was part of anything official, but he got experience and knowledge, and when the time came to make his applications, he was offered three additional recs from those professors, saying he was indeed "supercool engineering guy"</p></li>
<li><p>He set up, maintained, upgraded a computer network at our community center. He scavanged parts to build more and better computers for them. He made their webpage in 2 languages, and he taught other people how to continue with it all after he was gone. He also ran the lighting and music at their events.</p></li>
<li><p>He repaired appliances. He was the go-to guy in our neighborhood. He did the same at our school. If he didn't know how to fix something, he read a book, then fixed it and learned something too. He still makes money fixing stuff today.</p></li>
<li><p>He built robots from 'found' materials thoughout high school. He joined a group of people he met on a website who were involved in a kind of robot deathmatch competition, and he competed with his robots all over the country on weekends and vacations. He was even briefly on television news, though I don't think he mentioned that on his application ;) He didn't have INTEL or any science olympiads in his awards section, but he was something like "Robot King of All the Known Universe" and he got some scholarship money from it as well.</p></li>
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<p>He didn't give how these things would look on his application a second thought. He did them because he loves engineering and his passion and interest is evident to everyone he meets. He's at probably the best tech school now, and although he's nowhere near to finishing his degree, he already has job offers for when he finishes from people he met doing these things that he loved. Unfortunately, he wants to do a PhD!</p>
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<li>My brother has terrible taste in music, so he never did anything like this, but if your interests are in music and engineering, have you considered looking for some kind of music technology course run at a cc over the summer?</li>
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