Hi, so I’m a sophomore in high school and I’m currently reevaluating my ECs. It’s a long story, but in freshman year I had some issues and spent most of it bringing up my grades and trying to adjust to my new school (a super difficult high ranked magnet school). This isn’t a pity party, but it was one of the toughest and darkest times of my life. Also I didn’t realize the importance of doing things you actually like, I was too focused on committing to the initial clubs I had picked and I totally regretted it later when I realized how much I hated it and quit the club.
Anyways. To my point. I have a sort of laundry list of ECs, most of which are school clubs. My school’s clubs only meet once a week for an hour, which is a problem because doing something once a week for an hour… is not a lot. So am I dedicating too little time to these ECs? I WANT to find more ECs that I have a passion for and that I can actually dedicate time to, because I like commitments. But I’m too scared to join any more clubs in the middle of the school year, because it might look like I’m trying to pad my resume.
Here’s what I’m doing right now:
-culture club (1 hr/wk) (10)
-computer team (1hr/wk) (10)
-tutoring (1hr/wk with service hours) (10)
- another computer club (1hr/wk). (9, 10)
-national honor society for my language elective which is a joke and never meets. (9, 10) - nonprofit organization team. it doesn’t really have hours per week, it’s just kinda you dedicate however much time you need to do the work you’re assigned to by the deadline. (10)
-school JV sports team, which practices every day for 2 hours for 3 months every year. (9, 10)
-On my own, I write quite a bit each week, I’d say about 5 hrs. Currently trying to get published/win competitions. This is the only true passion I think I’ve been able to find. (9, 10)
I am also considering taking up a volunteer tutoring position at local library on weekends. I want to join my school’s yearbook/lit magazine but it’s too late for this year and I wouldn’t get a leadership position next year anyway, it might look like padding resume as mentioned.
So far it’s been difficult for me to find a passion. I like computer science (not passionate tho) and am planning on majoring in it, so I’ve just been finding ECs related to it. What should i do? does it look bad to join stuff so late? It’s a little unfair for adcoms to expect groundbreaking discoveries about yourself to happen before you hit the halfway mark in high school…
Also. Are there any suggestions for things I could do? I used to take lessons/joined teams for various things since I was young (tennis, viola, piano, soccer, tae kwon do, etc.) but I quit them because I was a stupid young child who didn’t care about her future. I kind of want to try dance, but I’m about as coordinated and flexible as a block of wood.
Sorry for the many questions, but I hope you guys could give me some advice! much appreciated 