<p>So much emphasis is put on ECs and they can never really hurt and you should do them anyways, but how many colleges really care that they're on there? There are a ton of schools out there that have GPA/standardized test scores based admittances, so which ones don't? Maybe eighty colleges, I'm guessing.</p>
<p>Excepting the very top public schools, most publics do not really consider ECs.</p>
<p>I wish I knew the answer. My friend’s son got into a top school with zero ECs. </p>
<p>With one child safely in a nice school, I’d love to go back and ask the various admissions officers if ANYTHING beside grades and SATs mattered.</p>
<p>LACs tend to place more importance on ECs than do big schools. At our D’s LAC, ECs + community service together count for 20% of admission criteria, the same amount as test scores + GPA + class rank.</p>
<p>Using Indiana U as an example ([Common</a> Data Set: Compliance: Reports: University Planning, Institutional Research, and Accountability: Indiana University](<a href=“http://www.indiana.edu/~upira//reports/compliance/common/index.shtml]Common”>http://www.indiana.edu/~upira//reports/compliance/common/index.shtml))
Class Rigor, Grades and Ranking are very important
Standardized scores are important
All the rest (including ECs) are considered</p>
<p>Do a couple you really like and you’ll be fine anywhere. Schools are so over the resume padding kids were doing.</p>
<p>From what I have seen, that depends on your definition of “ECs”. Things like playing the oboe for 8 years and winning national awards or qualifying for USAMO or participating in one of the prestigious summer research camps DO seem to matter. Resume-padders with little depth don’t.</p>
<p>I would estimate that beyond the top 75 or so schools (including universities and smaller colleges) ECs begin to matter less and less.</p>
<p>^ I would agree that ECs tend to matter at so-called “selective” schools and above.</p>
<p>Well…I do agree that most large publics dont really care about your EC’s…and most private schools do. How much they care and how much that influences their decision is on a case by case basis and its relative to your other stats and whether you are clearly admissable or on the bubble. </p>
<p>Its how they get a better picture of who you are as a person. They may need a bassoon player. Or they may be looking for kids who are into volunteerism and social service. Or they may be looking for good soccer kids, not necessarily to play on the Div 1A team on scholarship, but to play club sports on campus and add something to the quality of life, or they may be looking for good school newspaper kids and budding journalists, or chorus/choir songbirds. Or none of the above specifically, but it gives them a picture of your personality and how they think you will fit into dorm life and if you will be effervescent and successful, or drole and nerdy. After all, the real decision they are making is whether you will succeed and thrive at their school and hopefully get a big job and contribute money as an alumnus. Nobody likes anyone to fail or be miserable socially. Not you, not them. Not your parents.</p>
<p>If you are concert violinist, chances are you are applying to a Conservatory and not a college anyway. If you are a star athlete you may have athletic scholarships offered. But for most kids, its just an all around factor of “who is this kid?”, and does it comport with the recommendations and transcript? Is this kid lopsided or well rounded? How do they balance their time? And do they give back to a community in some fashion? </p>
<p>There is not one answer that works for everyone. Admissions are quirky and sometimes arbitrary. Weird stuff happens every year. You will be SHOCKED at who gets in and who doesnt. Happens every year. And sometimes you just have to laugh and shrug it off and say “Oh well, God didnt intend that for me for some reason…and move on.” </p>
<p>We went through it 3 years ago. Some frustrations and surprising results (wholly undeserved…she had the stats and EC’s), but in the end, three years hence, we are (and most importantly SHE is) delighted…and thriving. We also know NOT to judge a book by its cover. We know NOT to judge a school by its admissions office. We politely declined some excellent offers. We didnt lash out in anger at the disappointment(s), though privately at home we gnashed teeth and snarled. You never know when you may cross paths again…perhaps graduate school. Or meet someone in a job interview who WENT THERE. So be careful. </p>
<p>All you can do is your best and leave it up to God and the Admissions Committee and some luck. Be compassionate to others who may not have your scores or stats. And be ready to study hard in college. We have seen many, many examples of kids with above average but not uber stats doing extremely well in college and other kids struggling for a variety of reasons. </p>
<p>You will get in somewhere, you will work hard and do fine and earn a degree and commence your adult life full of optimism. Where that degree is from is less important that who you are as a person inside.</p>
<p>Good luck.</p>