I’m just wondering how important they are for getting into a good college (Uchicago, georgetown etc.)
I’m from a extremely humble background, my parents were asylum seekers because of a genocide happening in their country,
their income is below 20k for a family of six, almost nobody in my neighborhood goes to college and people from my area who I know personally got recruited by Isis, and plenty of my friends consume drugs (weed, speed) I even know a heroine addict.
I guess you can somehow imagine my situation now. That are some of the reasons why my EC’s aren’t really that good. during the past years I was just busy with helping out my parents.
However I was able to get a scholarship and then go on an exchange in the US, where I participated in debate and a bunch of community stuff. Also I’m involved in a ngo for human rights, and I had several internships with the last of them being a Private Wealth Management internship in a Middle Market sized financial institution.
It just seems to me, that for “just” getting into a well respected LAC or state school (not ivy) you need to be like the regional champion in debate or participate in things like junior Olympics, however do schools still look at you if you’re SAT is alright and you just didn’t have the same opportunities or privilege like your rich peers to get involved in all the extra curricular activities?
What is “helping out parents”? Can you provide more info?
You know, working to earn money and helping your family is a good extracurricular, too.
Also, EC doesn’t have to be about bunch of competitions and trophy cups. Ecs are about what you want to do and are passionate about.
Seeing as your username is germankid, I’m confused how people you know got recruited by isis… Regardless, although your story sounds like complete bull, I’ll give you the benefit of the doubt. If you explain to colleges your circumstances in your PS, they’ll be more kind towards your evaluation.
There are quite a lot of Europeans who get recruited by isis, however I heard that if you’re from a low income URM, who has war plagued history like me, has a better chance getting into a college even with a below-average SAT, is that true?
Yes. However, Germans are not war plagued.
Though my parents have been, and with me being the first generation “German” (even when I don’t feel like one), I must have some advantage too, am I right?
OK… Where exactly are you from?
You have the opportunity right in front of you. Go and do something for your neighborhood society.
Do you need to be rich to start a club for spreading awareness about drug addiction ? No.
Do you need to be rich to tutor people who don’t have access to education? No.
Do something. Write about it in your essays , common app. Get a top notch SAT score. You will be a competitive applicant for the Ivies. Yes , the Ivies.
They like diversity. They like people who fight.
Note: Leave ISIS 
Don’t mess with it.
Well it’s difficult since there would be pretty much nobody who would participate in such a club, the people here don’t really care about anything at all, and the thing about tutoring again nobody here really cares about there academics. What do you guys think about participating in a political party? I’m wondering if becoming a member in the green party or democrats will decrease my chances for getting a offer from a bschool like uchicago?